Building a Gaming PC with a Budget of $1600
This guide is for anyone looking to build a gaming PC on a budget without breaking the bank. With meticulous selection, we've managed to create a build that offers high performance and value, all while staying within the budget of $1600. This includes a monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Let's dive into the details.
System Specifications and Budget
The total cost for this build, including a spare $70 for a fan or two and a 16 Windows license, is approximately $1594.74. The build is designed to be future-proof and flexible, allowing for upgrades in the future.
Core Components
Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Ryzen 5 3600
This AMD Ryzen CPU offers 6 cores and 12 threads, making it well-suited for gaming, browsing, and video editing. It's versatile and runs smoothly with the assistance of the GPU (AsRock RX 570T).
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
AsRock Triple Fan RX 570T
This AMD GPU provides excellent performance and value, beating the RTX 2060 Super and being on par or better than the RTX 2070 for 1080p gaming. While AMD has faced some driver challenges, ensure you use the latest version for best performance.
Motherboard
MSI B450 Tomahawk Max
This motherboard is ideal for Ryzen processors and offers good overclocking capabilities. Although it's more costly than the B450, it provides better performance and value at this price point.
Storage
Data Storage
Crucial P1 1TB SSD M.2 2280
This SSD is quite fast and offers excellent performance and storage capacity within budget. M.2 SSDs provide faster read/write speeds and loading times compared to SATA drives.
Backup Storage
Seagate Barracuda Compute 2TB 3.5” HDD
An affordable 3.5-inch HDD with 2TB of storage space, useful for saving lots of data and games without breaking the budget.
Memory
Team T-Force Xcalibur DDR4 4000Mhz 2x8 GB
Fast DDR4 memory (4000Mhz) is beneficial for Ryzen processors and improves performance compared to slower RAM. The 16GB total ensures sufficient memory with room for growth.
Cooling
Enermax Liqmax III 360mm AIO
A powerful liquid cooler that can handle overclocking and future upgrades.
Power Supply
Corsair CX 650w 80 Bronze Non Modular
With 650 watts of power, this PSU is sufficient for this build and can accommodate future upgrades.
Case
Corsair Delta RGB Mid ATX Tower
A reliable case with great build quality and RGB lighting. Space for proper cable management, and pre-installed fans.
Peripherals
Monitor
AOC 24" 1ms 144Hz Monitor 1921080 FHD
A 24-inch Full HD monitor with a 144Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. Significant improvements over 60Hz or 75Hz monitors, especially for gaming.
Keyboard
Steelseries Apex Pro TKL Wired Keyboard
A wired keyboard with custom Switches for accurate and customizable gaming experience. Omnipoint adjustable switches let users modify actuation force.
Mouse
Cooler Master MM711 Black Matte Wired Mouse
A light, accurate, and fast mouse with a 16k sensor and 1ms polling rate. Perfect for precise gaming and efficiency.
Conclusion
This build offers a balanced combination of performance and value, fitting perfectly within the $1600 budget. The choice of components ensures stability, efficiency, and future-proofing. For those looking to build a gaming PC without overspending, this setup is highly recommended.