I recently published an article on how to build a4K gaming rig for about $1,200with parts that are on Cyber Monday sales. But what if you don’t need to play at 4K and you don’t want to spend $1,200?
I’ve put together a parts list that provides really solid gaming at 1080p (1920 x 1080) for just $700. It even comes with a 2TB SSD and 32GB of RAM so you’re not skimping on memory or storage.
Some caveats:This build doesn’t come with Wi-Fi so you’ll need to get one of thebest Wi-Fi adaptersor use Ethernet. And you’ll need to acquireWindows 11 for cheap or free.
Our CPU for this build is the Ryzen 7 5700, which is an old, Zen 3 chip that uses the AM4 processor socket. This makes it a good bargain and allows it to be used with cheaper, DDR4 RAM and less-expensive B550 motherboards. Still, it’s a solid budget part with 8 cores, 16 threads and a 4.6-GHz boost clock speed. Very importantly, it comes with a cooler in the box.
Ryzen 7 5700 CPU:was $149, now $129 at AmazonThis 8-core, 16-thread CPU has a maximum boost clock of 4.6 GHz. It comes with a cooler in the box so you don’t need to spend extra on cooling.
Our GPU is the ASRock Challenger Arc A770, which is just$229 right nowand yet has enough oomph to handle 1080p gaming with aplomb. Yes, it’s an Intel GPU, but you’re getting 16GB of VRAM for this price, which is just incredible and really makes the entire build a steal.
ASRock Arc A770 16GB OC:now $229 at Newegg(was $279)The Arc A770 16GB is Intel’s fastest current GPU, now priced to move with a $50 discount for Black Friday. You get lots of VRAM, with better performance and features than the competing AMD and Nvidia GPUs.
You’ll note that, on our tests, the Arc A770 delivered 76.9 fps at 1080p ultra settings. That’s a few frames behind the Radeon RX 7600 and Nvidia RTX 4060. However, both of those cards cost a lot more.
Our SSD is the 2TB MSI Spatimum M482, which isjust $89right now. This SSD doesn’t have a DRAM cache, but it does use Phison’s E27T controller with Kioxia TLC NAND.
2TB MSI Spatium M482 Eco-Pack:now $89(was $119)The 2TB MSI Spatium M482 comes with Phison’s E27T controller and Kioxia TLC NAND, which together provide excellent PCIe 4.0 performance. Yes, it’s DRAM-less, but HMB means it’s still plenty fast and at $89 it’s the least expensive 2TB drive around.
We haven’t tested the M482 specifically but we tested two drives with the same combination of controller and NAND in the theCorsair MP600 EliteandInland TN470. We found that the MP600 Elite delivered middle-of-the-pack transfer rates that were only a little bit below the much-more-expensive WD Black SN850X.
Our motherboard of choice is the MSI B550 Gaming Gen 3 and the reason we chose it is not just the price, but also the fact that it has a BIOS Flashback button on the back. Not all B550 motherboards come with support for a Ryzen 5000 CPU out of the box, but if you have BIOS Flashback, you can update the BIOS before you even install the processor.
MSI B550 GAMING GEN3 AM4:was $119, now $99 at NeweggMSI’s B550 motherboard has plenty of room for RAM and cards because it’s a full-size ATX form factor. It has BIOS Flashback so you can update the BIOS to the latest version without putting in a CPU.
Our case is the NZXT H5 Flow, which we have tested. When wereviewed the H5 Flow, we gave it 4 stars for its low noise level, cool thermals and support for up to 9 fans. Importantly, it has room for an ATX motherboard like the one we chose.
NZXT H5 Flow:was $94, now $59 at NeweggThis ATX chassis has plenty of room for our ATX motherboard plus several fans. It has a tempered glass sidepanel, a mesh front and USB 3.2 Gen 2 port on the front.
Our RAM is Crucial Pro RAM (2 x 16GB) 32GB DDR4-3200. It’s quality RAM from a quality brand and that’s more than enough for this build.
Crucial Pro RAM (2 x 16GB) 32GB:was $55, now $47 at AmazonThis pair of DIMMs can operate at up to DDR4-3200.
Finally, our power supply is a Thermaltake ToughPower GX2 that runs at 600W and is 80+ Gold certified. It’s not modular, but it is a reliable PSU from a reliable brand and that’s all we should expect from a sub-$50 unit.
Thermaltake Toughpower GX2 (600W) 80+ Gold:was $69, now $49 at AmazonThis budget-oriented PSU is rated for 600W and has a five year warranty.
We are working hard to find the best computer deals for you this Cyber Monday. If you’re looking for more savings, check out our Cyber MondayComputer Hardware Deals Live blogfor a range of products, or dive deeper into our specializedSSD and Storage Deals Live blog,Monitor Deals Live,Graphics Card Deals, orCPU Dealspages.
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Avram Piltch is Managing Editor: Special Projects. When he’s not playing with the latest gadgets at work or putting on VR helmets at trade shows, you’ll find him rooting his phone, taking apart his PC, or coding plugins. With his technical knowledge and passion for testing, Avram developed many real-world benchmarks, including our laptop battery test.
