As we kick off the new year, PC gaming continues to gain popularity as console exclusives make their way into the Steam /Epic Games store. Hit titles like Spider-Man, Uncharted, and God of War no longer require a PlayStation and with Microsoft's incorporation of Game Pass, the variety of games are endless. Whether you're looking to play some fun new indie games or expand your platform, we want to give you a couple low budget options for your new gaming PC!
Getting a new gaming PC can be extremely exciting but also a bit stressful. There is a lot to consider when finding the right PC for you. Maybe you want a lot of power or a build that is VR ready. In the past, building your own was the way to go but with shortages of parts, it tends to be a bit problematic. Pre-built PC’s will come with everything you’ll need and are ready for any future upgrades you might want to make.
CyberPower PC - Gamer Master Gaming Desktop ($849.99)
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Image credits to CyberPower PC
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5500 RAM: 8GB DDR4 Storage: 500GB SSD
GPU: AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT- 4GB GDDR6 Operating System: Windows 11
Connectivity: Wireless and Wired Accessories: Mouse/Keyboard Included
Whether you prefer AMD or Intel, you really can’t go wrong with either one. AMD processors work great and with the Ryzen 5 5500 series, you can expect a smooth gaming experience. This CPU comes with 6 cores, 12 threads and a 3.6 GHz clock frequency that will certainly get the job done.
With 8GB of DDR4 RAM and a 500GB SSD, this build will be sufficient for most games. Good thing is, there is always the option to expand your RAM for games that are more demanding. I would highly recommend upgrading to at least 16GB of RAM as new games are consistently becoming more graphically intensive. As for storage, you can never have enough. A 500GB SSD will be great for running all your essential programs and your Operating System at high speeds but if you plan on installing a lot of games, an additional SSD or even a larger HDD will work out great!
The AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT comes with 4GB of GDDR6 memory which will give you a great gaming experience. Although it's not AMD has certainly stepped up their game with their GPU’s and for comparison in performance, it is fairly similar to the NVIDIA RTX 3050. Of course there are some limits to AMD’s GPU as it’s optimized for higher tier 1080p settings. If you’re interested in checking out more information on the Radeon RX 6500 XT GPU, feel free to click the link above and check it out the AMD store page.
With the listed specs, you will have no problem playing most of the games you love. Of course there are limits to every build so make sure you check out the game's system requirements beforehand. Simple things like changing certain graphic intensities or render distance can make a huge difference on performance. As long as the parts are compatible, feel free to upgrade anything that is necessary to accommodate your gaming needs.
iBUYPOWER - SlateMR Gaming Desktop ($779.99)
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Image credits to iBUYPOWER
CPU: Intel i3 12100F RAM: 8GB DDR4 Storage: 500GB SSD
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650- 4GB GDDR6 Operating System: Windows 11
Connectivity: Wireless and Wired Accessories: Mouse/Keyboard Included
Keeping budget in mind, we wanted to include another great entry build that was a little cheaper than the PC above. Most of the build is relatively similar but we do take a bit of loss in processing capabilities with the Intel i3 12100F CPU. With 4 cores and 8 threads, you’ll have no problem running most games. If you plan on running several applications at once while gaming, it might impact your performance. Regardless, this is still a great processor and Intel does a great job with its optimizations. With a 3.30GHz core frequency, Intel's i3 12100F CPU chip makes the most out of its performance. The low power consumption and support for memory overclocking will deliver a great entry level gaming experience.
As for memory, we remain consistent with 8GB of DDR4 RAM and a 500GB SSD storage device. This is great for starters and handling multiple applications but if you feel the need to upgrade, you have 3 additional RAM slots as well as additional storage compartments.
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is a great mid range graphics card. Although it is no powerhouse, it is still one of the most popular budget GPU’s on the market. You’ll have no problem running most games at a great FPS. With the NVIDIA GeForce Graphics driver, you can optimize your games to get the best performance possible.
All in all, you can't go wrong with either build. Even with an i3 processor, Intel does a great job in ensuring maximum amount of performance for a great price. If you plan on using this just for playing games, or everyday tasks, this is a perfect build to get started. On the other hand, if you plan on running multiple background tasks or want to incorporate some streaming or video recording, I would recommend looking into the AMD build above.
Accessories
With both of these builds, you’ll receive a basic gaming mouse and keyboard. For starters, these might work perfectly fine for you as you venture into the PC gaming community. If you're interested in upgrading your set up, we’ve got you covered. Whether you're looking to upgrade your gaming mouse, keyboard or maybe a new headset, feel free to check out our top 5 articles linked below.
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