What Do You Need for an Affordable but Powerful Gaming PC?

You don't necessarily have to spend your whole life's savings building a gaming PC. With knowledge of what components to choose, you can have a configuration running today's games without breaking the bank. The secret is balancing cost with performance. So let's review the components you require and the savvy budget-friendly options you can select.

1. CPU (Processor)

Your CPU is the "brain" of your PC. For budget gaming, you don't need the most costly one.

Best budget recommendations:

• AMD Ryzen 5 5600 – 6 cores, excellent value, and superb for gaming.

• Intel Core i5-12400F – decent performance at a fair price, no integrated graphics (you'll be using a GPU anyway).

Both of these will cut it for gaming at 1080p and even 1440p without a sweat.

2. GPU (Graphics Card)

This is the most critical section for gaming. You need something cheap but also solid enough to handle modern games.

Best budget options:

• NVIDIA RTX 3060 – can do 1080p ultra and respectable 1440p performance.

• AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT – usually cheaper, but still good enough for 1080p and some 1440p.

NVIDIA if you need ray tracing. AMD if you only care about straight FPS per dollar.

3. RAM (Memory)

Games nowadays require more RAM than before. 16GB is the budget build sweet spot.

Best budget options:

• 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4, 3200MHz or 3600MHz – quick enough, cheap, and more than enough for contemporary games.

Don't bother with 8GB—it's gaming-obsolete.

4. Storage (SSD vs HDD)

Loading screens? No one wants them. An SSD accelerates everything.

Best budget options:

• 500GB NVMe SSD (for your OS + primary games)

• Optional: include a 1TB HDD if you require extra space for peanuts.

5. Motherboard

It ties all your parts together. You don't want frills, just something that's compatible and works.

• For Ryzen: B550 motherboard (good features, reasonable price).

• For Intel: B660 motherboard (good solid mid-range solution).

6. Power Supply (PSU)

Don't skimp too much here — a dud PSU will burn your system out.

Best budget options:

• 550W–650W, 80+ Bronze certified from well-regarded brands such as EVGA, Corsair, or Cooler Master.

This should be more than enough for the CPU + GPU we specified.

7. Case

Choose something cheap, well-ventilated. Don't be misled by appearance alone — cooling is important.

Budget best picks:

• NZXT H510

• Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L

Any mid-tower that comes with 2+ fans pre-installed.

8. Extras (Cooling, OS, Peripherals)

• Cooling: Stock coolers for Ryzen and Intel CPUs are generally adequate for budget rigs.

• Operating System: Windows 10/11 (you can get a cheap key online or run unactivated if you don't care about a watermark).

• Keyboard/Mouse/Monitor: Don't break the bank here if you're strapped for cash. Save your GPU for first priority.

Example Budget Build (Approx. $700–$800)

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600

• GPU: AMD RX 6600 XT / NVIDIA RTX 3060

• RAM: 16GB DDR4 (3200MHz)

• Storage: 500GB NVMe SSD + optional 1TB HDD

• Motherboard: B550 board

• PSU: 600W 80+ Bronze

• Case: Mid-tower with airflow

This setup can run most modern games at 1080p Ultra and even handle 1440p in many titles.

Final Thoughts

A cheap but powerful gaming PC isn’t about buying the newest parts — it’s about picking parts that give the most value for your money. Focus on your GPU first, pair it with a solid CPU, and you’ll have a rig that plays all the latest games smoothly without draining your wallet.