This $500 construct is the right finances 1080P construct.
Yes, it’s true that PC gaming is initially dearer to get into than console gaming. However, it’s not true that it’s a must to spend hundreds of {dollars} on a excessive gaming pc in order to leap into PC gaming.
Even with a finances of as little as $500, you will get a system that may ship strong efficiency on a 1080P show. You should be keen to construct your personal pc, although.
Fortunately, constructing your personal PC isn’t that tough. Check out our Step-By-Step construct information to see the way it’s accomplished.
In this information, we’ve supplied you with an inventory of elements you need to use to construct a robust gaming desktop for 1080P gaming.
Watch Us Build This PC
Or, watch it on YouTube right here.
How We Choose
We’ve been constructing computer systems for practically 20 years now and we’ve been serving to others construct their very own PCs on Tech Guided for over a decade. Through the guides and data on our web site and YouTube channel, we’ve helped hundreds of avid gamers construct their very own PCs.
We use our years of hands-on expertise with PC {hardware} and information of the element market to seek out the very best elements at the very best costs with the intention to construct essentially the most highly effective system in your finances.
You can see our thought course of behind selecting elements by watching our Beginner’s Guide to Choosing Parts sequence, or you’ll be able to watch us construct PCs and focus on PC {hardware} on YouTube.
Important: For assist selecting elements or for any questions you may need, verify the FAQ part beneath, or ask a query in the remark part.
If you wish to browse extra inexpensive PC construct choices, try our Cheap Gaming PC Build information.
Part List for $500 PC Build
CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 5500 | |
MOBO | ASRock A520M | |
GPU | ASRock ARC A580 | |
RAM | G.SKILL 16GB | |
SSD | KLEVV 512GB | |
CASE | Thermaltake Versa H18 | |
PSU | Thermaltake 650W |
Grand Total: $470-$530
*Component costs fluctuate day by day. Click ‘Price on Amazon’ to see the most-up-to-date worth.
**You’ll want an working system. Windows 11 is free to obtain however a license prices ~$125. However, you’ll be able to nonetheless set up Windows totally free and it’ll work indefinitely with out activating it—there’ll simply be a watermark on the backside left of your desktop asking you to activate it.
$500 PC Build Overview
This $500 gaming PC construct comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 5500 six-core processor, an ARC A580 graphics card, 16GB of TEAMGROUP’s 3600MHz DDR4 reminiscence, and a 512GB NVME SSD from KLEVV.
How good is that this array of {hardware}?
Benchmarks
The mixture of the Ryzen 5 5500, ARC A580, and the 16GB of RAM will will let you play most video games on increased settings on a 1080P monitor.
For non-demanding common titles like Fortnite, Minecraft, Roblox, League of Legends, Valorant, Rocket League, or older video games like Skyrim, and many others. this PC will run then on medium-or-higher settings with a excessive framerate.
This construct will even work for operating more-demanding titles (like Assassin’s Creed, Cyberpunk 2077, God of War, Elden Ring, and many others.) as effectively and as you’ll be able to see in the benchmarks beneath, you’ll be able to even run these sorts of video games on increased or extremely settings with a playable framerate.
You’ll be hard-pressed to seek out that type of efficiency out of a $500 prebuilt PC.
It’s the right low cost gaming PC for avid gamers who don’t have a ton of cash to spend, however who need a strong entry-level machine that may permit them to play their favourite video games.
Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Cyberpunk 2077
Baldur’s Gate 3
Palworld
Fortnite
Quality Case & PSU for Upgrades
This system additionally comes with a Thermaltake 650W 80 PLUS Bronze-rated energy provide, which is able to will let you improve to a mid-tier GPU in the longer term with no issues.
And, you get an Thermaltake micro-ATX case that has a tempered glass facet panel, a full size PSU shroud, will supply loads of room for a bigger graphics card, and, with its grilled entrance panel, will present acceptable airflow out-of-the-box.
Ultimately, in the event you’re trying to get into PC gaming with out dropping hundreds of {dollars} on a brand new machine, the half listing beneath will get the job accomplished for you…
Why Build A PC?
Build FAQ
If you’re nonetheless on the fence about constructing your personal PC, or you have got questions earlier than you make your determination you have got three choices:
- Ask a query in the remark part beneath
- Scroll by way of the FAQ beneath for solutions to some frequent questions
The part beneath additionally highlights among the choices we made in this half listing in addition to goes over future upgrades you can also make to take this technique to the subsequent degree.
1. How Do I Build This PC?
You might want to assemble all the particular person elements you have got bought right into a working PC. Fortunately, this course of is just not tough! And, it’s numerous enjoyable. If you’ve by no means constructed a PC earlier than, use our Step-by-Step PC constructing information to stroll you thru the method.
How to Build A Gaming PC: Step-by-Step
2. Why Not Go With an APU?
AMD’s Ryzen APUs are a well-liked processor choice for a lot of finances avid gamers. Their built-in graphics are adequate to run most video games on at the least decrease settings. However, whereas AMD’s new APUs are strong alternate options to a finances GPU/CPU combo, on the $500 worth level, an AMD Ryzen 5 5500 paired with an ARC A580 will likely be extra highly effective than AMD’s strongest APU.
I’ve put collectively a extra thorough write-up on the battle of APUs vs CPUs and that ought to assist clear up when the brand new APUs make sense over a standard CPU/GPU combo. As of proper now, we use the Ryzen 5 5600G in our $300 PC construct. We’ve additionally used APUs in our $400 gaming PC in the previous, too, however at present that’s one other budget-range the place it makes extra sense to go together with a CPU and devoted graphics card.
3. Ryzen 5 5500 or i3-12100F?
It’s a troublesome determination in selecting the AMD Ryzen 5 5500 over the Intel Core i3-12100F. Both are strong performers for his or her worth they usually each supply glorious CPU improve paths.
Right now, we’ve given the sting to the Ryzen 5 5500 over the i3-12100F. They each price about the identical when you think about the value of a motherboard they usually each carry out equally as effectively. However, the Ryzen 5 5500 comes with a greater inventory cooler out of the field and presents a bit extra multi-core efficiency. Not to say, with AMD releasing new X3D CPU SKUs, the AM4 socket will give you some good improve choices in the longer term.
However, you can simply go for the i3-12100F and an H610 chipset motherboard in this construct as effectively. But, we just like the Ryzen 5 5500 a bit extra in the intervening time.
4. Why Only An ARC A580?
In the previous, we’ve been in a position to match a way more highly effective GPU into the $500 construct. However, with increased GPU costs, the ARC A580 is at present the one video card choice that is smart.
You might forego a devoted graphics card altogether and go for one among AMD’s APUs (particularly, the Ryzen 5 5400G or the Ryzen 7 5700G). The price can be related and, when you won’t get as a lot general GPU efficiency proper now, you’ll be setup effectively to improve in the longer term, as a result of all you would wish to do is add a higher-end graphics card.
We opted for the Ryzen 5 5500/ARC A580 combo, although, as it would supply extra efficiency now.
And, as talked about above, if you will discover deal on a GPU higher than the A580, you can drop the CPU right down to a Ryzen 5 4500 to make room for it.
5. Why Is the Price Higher Than $500?
Even when cryptocurrency miners aren’t driving up graphics card costs, or there are international provide chain points, or we’re seeing the very best inflation in many years, particular person PC {hardware} costs fluctuate each day.
So, if I replace this information sooner or later and the overall worth is below $500, it’s attainable that the subsequent day—and even inside simply a few hours—the value may very well be increased (or decrease.)
If you see the costs on this information go over $500 and you may’t afford to go over that finances, you’ll want to change the construct a bit in order to maintain the value down.
While I do attempt to replace this information regularly, if you wish to see a model of this construct that will get up to date extra often, try our Affordable PC Build information that I linked to on the prime of this web page.
Also Read:
6. Why Isn’t Windows 11 Included in the Price?
Yes, it’s true…
We didn’t embrace Windows 11 in the value of this construct.
But, we do have a couple of of causes for that. You will want an working system in your new construct. And, when you can simply pay ~$125 for a Windows 11 license from Microsoft, there are methods to get round paying that a lot.
At ~$125, a duplicate of Windows will drastically cut back the type of efficiency you will get out of a $500 finances.
So, beneath, I’ve listed three other ways you’ll be able to both forego buying Windows 11, or get it at a reduced worth with the intention to allocate extra money to the precise {hardware} in your construct.
Also Read: How to Install Windows 11 Without a Microsoft Account
You Could Always Go With Linux!
First, Windows 11 isn’t 100% needed in order to construct a gaming PC. You might, as an alternative, go together with a free Linux-based system.
However, the draw back of Linux is that it doesn’t assist practically as many video games as Windows.
But, in the event you’re strapped for money, you can all the time go the Linux route to begin with. And, then when you have got some extra money, you should buy a Windows key and change over.
Windows 11 on the Cheap!
The second motive why we didn’t embrace the price of Windows 11 in the construct is that there are methods to get it for lower than the complete retail worth (~$125).
Sites like Kinguin.internet and G2A.com have Windows 11 keys for as little as $30. And, now we have bought copies of Windows 11 from Kinguin with no issues.
However, there may be some threat in coping with Kinguin or G2A. For extra data on that matter, try our guides on whether or not or not Kinguin is legit and whether or not or not G2A is legit.
The brief reply is that Kinguin and G2A ought to most likely be prevented for Windows keys, however in the event you don’t thoughts the considerably blackhat nature of all of it, it’s an choice that lots of people select. (And, in the event you do buy a Windows 11 key from Kinguin, ensure you add the Kinguin Buyer’s Protection.)
If you don’t like the concept of buying a Windows key from a third-party web site, in the event you’re a school pupil otherwise you serve in the army, you will get Windows 11 for 10% off by way of the Microsoft retailer.
Windows 11 for Free?!
Finally, it’s really extremely simple to get Windows 11 totally free. In reality, you’ll be able to go straight to Microsoft’s web site and obtain Windows totally free. If you obtain it to a USB, you’ll be able to boot from that drive in your new pc, and set up Windows with no key needed.
And, you’ll really get a working copy of Windows.
The drawback is that the free model of Windows received’t be licensed until you register it with a legit key.
However, lots of people have reported that you simply don’t actually lose a lot in the event you by no means find yourself registering your copy of Windows.
And, you can all the time construct your system now, set up the free copy of Windows 11, and use that till you’ll be able to afford to buy a full license. That would offer you an additional $125 to spend in your CPU/GPU combo now, and that might probably offer you much more efficiency to begin out.
Is it essentially the most moral option to go about it? Tough to say. Microsoft doesn’t cease you from including it to your PC totally free, although. And, with such a decent finances, that additional $125 would imply a big downgrade in elements. So, I say skip buying a Windows license with the intention to maximize your in-game efficiency now.
7. How to Upgrade this Build
The major aim with all finances PC builds is to ultimately improve them in order that they provide very best in-game efficiency.
There are three major methods to improve a PC to get higher gaming efficiency out of it:
- Upgrade your GPU
- Upgrade your CPU
- Add extra/improve your RAM
First, Upgrade Your GPU
In this $500 construct, the very first thing I’d improve can be the graphics card. It’s going to have the largest influence in your in-game efficiency (because the Ryzen 5 5500 is an ample processor for 1080P gaming.)
The following GPUs would make for improve:
- RTX 4070
- RX 7700 XT
- RX 7800 XT
With the 750-watt energy provide we’ve included in this construct, you’ll simply have the ability to add one among these GPUs into this construct.
Second, Upgrade Your CPU
The AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is on no account a high-end processor. But, contemplating that the majority trendy video games rely extra closely on GPU efficiency than they do on CPU efficiency, the 5500 will work simply nice for 1080P gaming for the forseeable future.
So, it might make sense to carry off on upgrading the 5500 because it received’t be a big bottleneck even after you’ve upgraded your GPU.
Still, although, it might be good to improve it will definitely as there are extra highly effective choices on the market. With the motherboard in this construct, the next processors would make value upgrades:
- AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D
- AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D
Of the 2, and since this construct comes with a budget-oriented A520 chipset motherboard, we’d most likely select the extra power-efficient 5700X3D when it got here time to improve.
Third, Add More Storage
The 512GB KLEVV NVME SSD ought to maintain you over for a time. But, most trendy avid gamers can replenish 512GB of storage fast. So, after you’ve upgraded your GPU and CPU, it might be a good suggestion so as to add a second SSD so that you’ve loads of house to carry your whole favourite video games.
Conclusion: A $500 PC Build Can Give You A Lot More Than You Think
The $500 gaming PC construct listed in this information is able to taking part in any sport on a 1080p monitor. And, by way of a couple of completely different upgrades, it might probably remodel from an honest entry-level gaming PC, right into a high-end gaming desktop.
And, actually, that is likely one of the major benefits of going with a gaming pc over a console. Whereas a console’s {hardware} can’t be upgraded, a pc may be upgraded and added to as your calls for as a gamer develop.
Ultimately, this low cost gaming PC construct will serve any budget-oriented gamer effectively as a starter system that they will develop into.
Get Help With Your Build: If you need assistance placing collectively an element listing in your construct publish your questions in the remark part!