Are you looking to build a gaming PC under $1500 but not sure where to start? Although I know it happens to everyone even when I was building a PC for myself, I had to search a lot on Google and I also had to ask a few of my friends for their suggestions. Even then, it was really difficult to make a choice with all the specifications out there.
But now, after building a lot of PCs for people and running a successful PC compatibility website, PC Builder, I’ve gained a lot of experience and now I wanted to help everyone by sharing a gaming PC build that costs less than $1500.
I have also seen a lot of PC builds on different websites but they are either outdated or overpriced, so I thought of putting together one myself. This PC build will be capable of playing any game at 1080P or more resolution with 60+ FPS settings.
But before going further into this article, here are a few things you need to ask yourself before choosing a PC.
- What is my budget for building a custom PC?
- What are my priorities for this PC build?
- What kind of computer games do I play? (RPG, FPS, etc.)
- What components do I want in my new gaming computer?
Depending on your answers, it’ll be easier for you to find the right components for building your own computer.
So let’s get started…
Best Gaming PC Build Under $1500
Building a gaming PC is not very difficult, but it’s hard to find the right balance between the required components and their price. If you’re building your computer on a tight budget like me, then this Build is just for you.
So without further ado, here are the components that I’ve used in my build.
Breakdown of Components
We have used AMD CPUs in the above build, simply because AMD has great processors available at very reasonable prices, so you can easily build a PC for high-end gaming within your budget.
Now, it’s time for us to share a breakdown of each component that we’ve used in this PC build
1. CPU – AMD Ryzen 5 3600, 6-Cores and 12-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor with Wraith Stealth Cooler
The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is undoubtedly one of the best processors which are available in mid-range for intense gaming. It can manage any game out there especially if you play at 1080P and 1440P resolution, and the overall performance of this processor is very good.
It comes with 6 cores and 12 threads which is more than enough to handle your everyday tasks and gaming needs. It also has a TDP of 65 watts so it won’t consume much electricity compared to most of the other processors.
Aside from these features, this CPU boasts 32MB of L3 cache memory, a 3.6GHz clock speed, and a 3.8 GHz boosting frequency so you will have no problem with your daily computing tasks. It also comes with a wraith stealth cooler which will provide you with excellent cooling while gaming.
If you’re building a gaming PC, then this processor is highly recommended.
2. Motherboard – ASRock B450M Steel Legend Series AM4 MicroATX Motherboard
After the CPU, now we’re going to talk about the motherboard which is the ASRock B450M Steel Legend series. This is an excellent mid-range AM4 board that is affordable, small, and lightweight. It comes with 4 x SATA III ports, 2 x DIMM slots, and 8+4 pin power connectors.
The motherboard is compatible with the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 processor, which is the one we are using. This motherboard also comes with very nice aesthetics and great build quality. In addition, there is a USB 3.1 Gen 2 port onboard the motherboard, so you will be able to connect your other USB devices to the board quickly and easily.
The good thing about this motherboard is that it comes with an M.2 slot, which makes it easy to add a high-end SSD that will provide your system with the best performance. In addition, this motherboard is also RGB compatible, which means that if you want to customize the lighting in your gaming computer, you can do it with this motherboard.
In summary, this motherboard is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a good-quality motherboard at an affordable price. The board also has enough features to handle all of the components that we have used here in this build, making it a solid option out there.
3. Case Cooler – Cooler Master (MasterBox MB511 ARGB) ATX Mid-Tower Case
For our case, we’ve chosen the Cooler Master’s MasterBox MB511 ARGB model which is one of the most popular mid-tower cases out there. It comes with excellent build quality, nice aesthetics, and great cooling performance. This case has a very sleek design and it’s built very well. The tempered glass panel gives you a good video of all your components, and the three RGB fans provide good airflow to keep your system cool.
This PC case comes with a large number of I/O ports and supports up to 410mm graphics cards, a 165mm CPU cooler, and up to 180cm PSU. It also has plenty of room for your components, so everything fits properly.
As for the price, this case is very affordable and it’s one of the best-selling cases on the market. If you’re looking for a good mid-tower case to build your gaming PC, then this is the one we would recommend. It also has an airflow design that allows for optimal cooling while gaming.
4. Graphics Card – MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDRR6
Adding a graphics card to your custom gaming PC build is also a very vital component. Ultimately, it is the one that determines how well your games will look and perform. For this particular build, we have chosen MSI’s Gaming GeForce RTX 2060 6GB GDRR6 graphics card.
Among the best mid-range graphics cards on the market, this one comes with 6GB of GDDR6 memory, a boost clock of 1710 MHz, and an effective memory clock of 14000 MHz. Additionally, the card comes with three DisplayPort 1.4 ports and one HDMI 2.0b port. Aside from that, the card has a total power consumption of 160 watts and requires an 8-pin power connector.
This graphics card is based on the Turing architecture and it uses the new RTX platform. It also comes with real-time ray tracing and it’s one of the best graphics cards for 1440p gaming. It has excellent performance and it can handle any game you throw at it, even if you’re playing at 4K resolution.
This NVIDIA graphics card is also VR-ready, so if you’re planning on getting a VR headset, this card will be able to handle it.
In conclusion, this is an excellent graphics card for anyone looking to build a gaming PC on a budget. It has the features and performance that you need for gaming, and it’s very affordable. If you’re looking for a card that can handle all of the latest games at high settings, then this is the one we would recommend.
5. RAM – Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO – 16GB (2 x 8GB) Based DDR4-3200MHz RGB LED Desktop Memory WITH CL16
For our RAM, we’ve chosen Corsair’s Vengeance RGB PRO 16GB (2 x 8GB) kit. This is a great kit of DDR4 memory that comes with two 8GB modules. The memory has a base clock of 3200MHz and it comes with a CAS latency of 16.
This Vengeance RGB PRO RAM also includes an RGB LED light bar that you may customize to match your computer’s color scheme. The memory is 1.35V and must be installed in a 288-pin DIMM slot.
This is an excellent RAM kit for people on a budget who want to build a gaming PC. It has the performance and storage capacity you need for gaming, as well as other demanding applications. This RAM is also compatible with CORSAIR iCUE software, allowing you to customize the lighting effects to match your system.
If you’re looking for a good RAM kit for your gaming PC, this is the one to get. This RAM also complements the rest of our build nicely.
💡 Bonus:
In case you are looking for more RAM options that are compatible with your AMD processor, here are some options that you can find. Within that guide, we have reviewed some of the best RAM for AMD processors that delivers great performance and reliability.
6. Power Supply – Corsair CX 650 Series, 80+ Bronze Certified 650W Modular PSU
Power supply plays a very important role in your gaming PC build. It’s responsible for delivering power to all of the components in your system. For this particular build, we’ve chosen Corsair’s CX 650 Series, 80+ Bronze Certified 650W Modular PSU.
This is a great power supply that comes with a single +12V rail and it has a maximum power output of 650 watts. The power supply is also 80+ Bronze certified, meaning it’s at least 82% efficient.
This particular power supply also comes with modular cables, which means you can only use the cables you need. This helps improve airflow in your case and it also makes cable management a lot easier. And with 5 years of warranty, you can be sure that this power supply will last you a long time.
In conclusion, this is a great power supply for people on a budget who are looking to build a gaming PC. It’s 80+ Bronze certified and it comes with semi-modular cables. This power supply will be able to handle all of the components in our build without any problems.
7. Storage – Western Digital 1TB WD Blue SN550 NVMe M.2-2280 Internal SSD with Gen3 x4 PCIe 8Gb/s, 3D NAND, Up to 2,400 MB/s (WDS100T2B0C)
Choosing the right storage for your gaming PC is important. You need to make sure you have enough space for all of your games, as well as other files such as music, movies, and photos. For our build, we’ve chosen Western Digital’s 1TB WD Blue SN550 NVMe M.2-2280 Internal SSD.
This particular SSD has a capacity of 1TB and it uses the NVMe interface. It has a read speed of up to 2,400 MB/s and a write speed of up to 950 MB/s. The drive also comes with 3D NAND technology, which helps improve performance and reliability.
We’ve chosen this particular SSD because it comes under $100 and offers a great mix of capacity, performance, and price. It is even 4x faster than SATA SSDs. But before getting your hands on this storage, please note that NVMe SSDs aren’t compatible with the SATA interface.
Frequently Asked Questions
Still, have doubts? I know we all get confused sometimes, and there are times when we don’t know what to pick. So, if you’re a first-time and don’t know where to get started, then I have some more tips for you.
I hope these questions help you out with your questions in this article.
Q. How much should I spend on a gaming PC?
How much you spend on a gaming PC depends on your budget and what games you want to play. If you’re on a tight budget, then you might want to consider building a budget gaming PC.
But if you’re looking for the best gaming performance, then you’ll need to spend more money. You can easily spend over $1000 on a high-end gaming PC.
Q. What should I look for when choosing a gaming PC?
When looking for the best gaming PC, you need to consider several things such as budget, performance, and compatibility. You also need to make sure that the components you choose are compatible with each other.
You also need to decide what games you want to play and how much you’re willing to spend. If you’re on a tight budget, then you might want to consider building a budget gaming PC.
Q. What’s the best way to pick parts for a gaming PC?
The best way to pick parts for a gaming PC is to start with the processor. Once you’ve decided on the processor, you can then start picking other components that are compatible with it.
You also need to make sure that the components you choose are compatible with each other. For example, if you choose an Intel processor, then you need to make sure that the motherboard you choose is compatible with it.
You can also use PC Builder to check the compatibility of the parts you build.
Q. What’s the best way to cool a gaming PC?
The best way to cool a gaming PC is to use a liquid cooling system. Liquid cooling systems are more effective than air coolers and they help keep your components cool.
There are also many different types of liquid cooling systems available. You can choose from all-in-one (AIO) coolers or custom loop coolers.
Q. What are the best gaming PC cases?
The best gaming PC cases are the ones that have good airflow. Airflow is important because it helps keep your components cool.
You also want to make sure that the case you choose can fit all of the components you need. Some cases come with built-in fans, while others don’t.
Wrapping Up!
Building a gaming PC can be a lot of fun. It’s also a great way to save money and get exactly the components you want. In this guide, we’ve shown you the best parts to build the best gaming PC under $1500.
We’ve also given you some tips on choosing the right parts and cooling your system.
If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below. And if you found this article helpful, please share it with your friends!
Happy gaming!