Building your own gaming PC can save you money and give you the satisfaction of having the PC you want. It can be done on a budget of $500, with some careful shopping. Here are the steps to building your own gaming PC for $500.
Firstly, find a case. The size of the case will depend on your particular needs, as larger cases are more expensive. The best cases for under $50 can be found on Amazon, Newegg, or your local store. Next, buy a motherboard. Try to get one that supports the latest CPU, memory, and storage standards. Make sure that you have the right PCIe slots for your graphics card and other components. You can get a motherboard for under $100.
After that, purchase a CPU. One of the most budget-friendly CPUs for gaming is the AMD Ryzen 3 3200G. This is a great option for gaming as it provides excellent performance for the price. It can be bought for less than $100. Next, get a reliable power supply. Power supplies can range from cheap models to expensive ones, but try to get one with a good efficiency rating and enough power for your entire system. Anything from 400 to 600 watts is usually enough. Finally, buy a good graphics card. Try to look for a mid-range card that is around $100-$150.
Once you have all the components, the next step is assembling your PC. This involves attaching all the components to the motherboard and other components, such as the power supply and graphics card. A good tutorial video can be found online that will walk you through the process. Finally, you will want to install an operating system. Windows 10 is a good choice as it is user-friendly, and you can get it for under $50.
Graphics Card Options for $500
When building a gaming PC, the most important part is the graphics card. You want to make sure that you get the highest performance for your money. The best graphics card for under $500 is the AMD Radeon RX 580 or the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060. Both cards are capable of running most games on high settings.
If you’re looking for something a little less expensive, the AMD Radeon RX 570 or the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti are both decent options. These cards will also be able to run most games on high settings. If you want the best performance, though, you should aim to get a more expensive card.
The choice of graphics card will also depend on your budget. If you’re willing to spend a little more than $500, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 or the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 are both excellent choices. They will be able to run most modern games on ultra settings, and will be well worth the investment.
Finally, it’s important to consider the cooling for your graphics card. Most GPUs have either a stock cooler or a blower-style cooler. Stock coolers tend to be larger, while blower-style coolers are more compact and efficient. If you’re looking to overclock your card, then a blower-style cooler might be the better choice.
Choosing a CPU
The CPU is another important part of your gaming PC. It’s the main processor that runs the machine, so you want to make sure it’s a good one. If you’re looking to build a gaming PC on a budget, the AMD Ryzen 3 3200G is a great option. It provides good performance for the price and can be bought for less than $100.
If you’re looking for something a little more powerful, the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is a great choice. It provides excellent performance and it’s one of the best gaming CPUs on the market. It can be purchased for around $150-$200. If you have a higher budget and want the best performance, then the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is the way to go.
These days, CPU coolers are often sold separately, so you’ll need to make sure you get one if you don’t already have one. Most CPUs come with a stock cooler, but they don’t provide the best cooling. If you’re looking to overclock your CPU, then you should consider getting a water cooling kit or an aftermarket air cooler.
It’s also worth noting that the CPU you choose will affect the motherboard you buy. Some motherboards don’t support certain CPUs, so make sure the motherboard you choose is compatible with your desired CPU.
RAM & Storage Options
The RAM and storage are two other important components of your gaming PC. You’ll want to make sure you have enough RAM to run modern games and multitasking, as well as enough storage for all your games, photos, and videos.
When it comes to RAM, 8GB is typically the minimum for gaming. 16GB is usually recommended if you’re serious about gaming. RAM is fairly cheap these days, so you should be able to get 8GB or 16GB for a reasonable price.
For storage, you’ll need to decide between an SSD and a hard drive. An SSD is much faster than a hard drive, and it’s the preferred choice for gaming. Most gaming PCs come with both an SSD and a hard drive, but if you’re on a tight budget then an SSD should be enough. You should aim for at least 256GB of storage if you’re looking to get an SSD.
If you’re using a hard drive as your main storage, then you should aim for at least 1TB of storage. This will give you enough space for all your games, photos, and videos. Hard drives are also much cheaper than SSDs, so you should be able to get one for less than $50.
Additional Components
Once you have all the main components, the next step is to get some additional components. These are components that are not necessary, but they can enhance the performance of your gaming PC. Some of the components you may want to consider include a sound card, Wi-Fi adapter, cooling fans, and more.
A sound card is a great way to improve your gaming experience. It provides better sound quality and can also reduce noise. Most sound cards cost around $50, so they’re a great investment if you’re serious about gaming.
Wi-Fi adapters are another great way to enhance your gaming experience. It allows you to connect to the internet without having to use a wired connection. You can get Wi-Fi adapters for around $20.
Finally, you may want to consider getting additional cooling fans. This will help keep your system cool and running optimally. You can get fans for both your CPU and GPU for around $20 each.
Conclusion
Building a gaming PC on a budget of $500 is possible. With some careful shopping and the right components, you can build a great gaming PC that will provide excellent performance. You’ll want to make sure to get a graphics card, CPU, RAM, storage, and power supply that are all compatible with each other.
You’ll also want to make sure to get any additional components, such as a sound card or cooling fans, that you may need or want. With the right components, you should be able to build a great gaming PC for under $500.
