Build a cheap but good gaming computer

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Related Articles. Author Info Last Updated: July 6, All rights reserved. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc. Pick a fast and cheap processor CPU. Options are also available by Intel that usually carry more raw performance, but come with a larger price tag, like the i7 K.

You'll want a good video card. It is recommended for newer games to operate well. The rule of thumb is that the graphics card takes up one third of the budget. Pick a case that you can afford. You'll want to save as much room as you can on the case. Just make sure that the case has enough room for air-ventilation to prevent overheating. Hardware reviewers offer long lists that compare PC cases in component temperature and do in-depth reviews. Pick a large and fast storage drive. HDDs use mechanical components which makes them cheaper, but also slower.

SSDs are a newer technology which is very fast due to being free of moving parts. Pick a compatible motherboard. Just make sure it is fully compatible with your CPU and video card.

More expensive mainboards do not measurably increase performance, they provide you with advanced features. Pick enough RAM. Pick a speaker. Unless you are in need of a 7. Many gamers use headsets for their integrated microphone. Choose a monitor. High-end motherboards enable you to reach crazy overclocks, attach loads of different expansion cards, and connect to your networks and peripherals in a myriad of different ways.

When you're on a super tight budget, though, a lot of that stuff is unnecessary. You want a solid core. That's it. And that's exactly what this tiny budget board from Asrock lets you do. At its core, you'll find AMD's B chipset.

This is a slightly cut down version of its premium X offering, boasting fewer PCIe 4. The stock performance is indistinguishable from much more expensive motherboards, and given that overclocking is fairly unexciting on Zen 2 when it comes to actual games anyway, you're really not missing out. This is a laser-focused budget board, and this is the perfect place to use it. This slim, no-nonsense memory kit from Corsair lets us deliver a huge amount of memory and increases our clock speeds, too, without going off the deep end with our budget.

Of course, there are tons of options for memory kits, and this is just a suggestion. Memory prices have really dropped recently, but there's always the potential for higher quality RAM savings. Just make sure to pay attention to the frequency and timing, as well as the price.

If you need some additional pointers when looking for memory, our guide to the best RAM for gaming can help point you in the right direction.

Capacity: 1 TB Interface: M. You can't have a PC without storage, and you're going to need space for your OS as well as whatever games you want to keep on hand. Thankfully, with memory and SSD prices dropping in pretty rapid order, we've finally found a way to slot an M.

Not only are M. The transfer speeds of the Intel p, however, do tend to slow down considerably as it approaches capacity, so you'll be grateful for all that space. This drive isn't exactly what anyone would call the top-of-the-line performance, but this is still one of the best SSDs for gaming if you're on a budget.

Just try to keep at least GB free, and it should perform fine. The various upgrades to our budget rig draw more power than previous builds, so we've had to go with a slightly larger PSU.