This page highlights solid picks for different budgets. These aren't real prices - it's a guide to help
people choose parts that make sense for what they're trying to do.
Best Budget Picks
Budget CPU Pick
Good for everyday use and light gaming without spending too much.
Best for: school + casual gaming
Focus: value and efficiency
Recommended Build
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 - $109
GPU: AMD RX 7600 - $269
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 16GB DDR5 - $59
Storage: Samsung 870 EVO 500GB - $59
PSU: EVGA 650W Gold - $89
Motherboard: MSI B650 Tomahawk - $189
Est. Total: ~$774
Budget GPU Pick
Great starter option for 1080p gaming on a tighter budget.
Best for: 1080p gaming
Focus: price/performance
Recommended Build
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 - $109
GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4060 - $299
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 16GB DDR5 - $59
Storage: WD Black SN850X 1TB - $109
PSU: EVGA 650W Gold - $89
Motherboard: MSI B650 Tomahawk - $189
Est. Total: ~$854
Budget Storage Pick
Fast SSD storage so your PC loads games and apps quicker.
Best for: faster boot times
Focus: speed + space
Recommended Build
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 - $109
GPU: AMD RX 7600 - $269
RAM: Corsair Vengeance 16GB DDR5 - $59
Storage: Samsung 870 EVO 500GB - $59
PSU: EVGA 650W Gold - $89
Motherboard: MSI B650 Tomahawk - $189
Est. Total: ~$774
Best for Gaming
Gaming CPU Pick
Strong performance for gaming and streaming at the same time.
Best for: gaming + multitasking
Focus: strong single-core performance
Recommended Build
CPU: Intel Core i5-13600K - $229
GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti - $799
RAM: G.Skill Trident Z5 32GB DDR5 - $109
Storage: WD Black SN850X 1TB - $109
PSU: Corsair RM850x - $129
Motherboard: ASUS ROG Strix B760-F - $219
Est. Total: ~$1,594
Gaming GPU Pick
Handles higher settings and smoother frame rates.
Best for: 1440p gaming
Focus: stable FPS
Recommended Build
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7700X - $299
GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti - $799
RAM: G.Skill Trident Z5 32GB DDR5 - $109
Storage: Samsung 990 Pro 2TB - $179
PSU: Corsair RM850x - $129
Motherboard: MSI B650 Tomahawk - $189
Est. Total: ~$1,704
Gaming Monitor Pick
Higher refresh rate makes gameplay feel smoother.
Best for: competitive games
Focus: refresh rate + response time
Recommended Build
CPU: Intel Core i5-13600K - $229
GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4060 - $299
RAM: G.Skill Trident Z5 32GB DDR5 - $109
Storage: WD Black SN850X 1TB - $109
PSU: Corsair RM850x - $129
Motherboard: ASUS ROG Strix B760-F - $219
Est. Total: ~$1,094
Editor's Picks
Best Overall Build Idea
A balanced setup that's good for gaming, school, and everyday use.
Goal: balanced performance
Focus: long-term value
Recommended Build
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7700X - $299
GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4060 - $299
RAM: G.Skill Trident Z5 32GB DDR5 - $109
Storage: WD Black SN850X 1TB - $109
PSU: Corsair RM850x - $129
Motherboard: MSI B650 Tomahawk - $189
Est. Total: ~$1,134
Best Upgrade Path
A setup that makes it easy to upgrade later without rebuilding everything.
Goal: easy upgrades
Focus: future-proof planning
Recommended Build
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7700X - $299
GPU: AMD RX 7900 XTX - $949
RAM: Kingston Fury Beast 64GB DDR5 - $199
Storage: Samsung 990 Pro 2TB - $179
PSU: Seasonic Prime TX-1000W - $249
Motherboard: Gigabyte X670E Aorus Master - $399
Est. Total: ~$2,274
Best Accessories Pack
Keyboard, mouse, and headset ideas that don't feel cheap.
Goal: comfort + reliability
Focus: quality basics
Recommended Build
CPU: Intel Core i9-14900K - $549
GPU: AMD RX 7900 XTX - $949
RAM: Kingston Fury Beast 64GB DDR5 - $199
Storage: Samsung 990 Pro 2TB - $179
PSU: Seasonic Prime TX-1000W - $249
Motherboard: ASUS ROG Strix B760-F - $219
Est. Total: ~$2,344
PC Build Tier Comparison
Not sure which tier is right for you? Use this table to compare Budget and Gaming builds side by side.
Comparison of Budget and Gaming PC build tiers across CPU, GPU, storage, monitor, price range, and best use case.
Component
Budget Tier
Gaming Tier
CPU
Entry-level processor Great for everyday tasks
Mid-to-high performance CPU Strong single-core speed