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Gaming PCs have become remarkably affordable in 2024. Thanks to competition and innovation driving down costs, gamers can build capable 1080p and 1440p rigs for reasonable prices. In this post, we’ll look at suggested builds for various budgets targeting different resolutions and frame rates.
$750 1080p Gaming PC
This budget build targets smooth 60 FPS gameplay at 1920×1080 resolution. While not the fanciest, it provides an excellent experience playing the latest games at Full HD.
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 – 6 core, 12 thread Zen 3 processor that delivers great gaming performance for the price. It can easily handle demanding games paired with a dedicated graphics card.
GPU: Nvidia RTX 3050 – Entry-level card from Nvidia’s Ampere lineup. With 8GB of GDDR6 memory and modern Turing architecture, it runs AAA games at 60 FPS high settings at 1080p. Great value option.
RAM: 16GB DDR4 3200MHz – 16 gigs is the sweet spot for gaming. Fast memory speeds complement the Ryzen processor.
Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD – Fast solid state drive ensures quick boot and load times. Plenty of capacity for the operating system and several games.
Motherboard: MSI B550M Pro-VDH WiFi – Feature rich B550 board with PCIe 4.0. The micro-ATX form factor keeps costs down without sacrificing connectivity like WiFi and Bluetooth.
Case: Cooler Master MasterBox MB311L ARGB – Budget micro-ATX chassis with mesh front panel for airflow and included RGB fans. Has tempered glass side panel to show off components.
PSU: Corsair CV650 650W – Reliable power supply from Corsair. 650 watts leaves room to upgrade the GPU down the line. 80+ Bronze certified efficiency.
At around $750, this gives a great 1080p gaming experience in a compact, nice looking package. Playing shooters and RPGs at over 60 FPS high settings demonstrates how accessible PC gaming has become.
$1200 1440p Gaming Build
Stepping up to 2560×1440 resolution demands more graphics horsepower. This mid-range build handles 1440p while saving money with a value CPU and other smart component choices.
CPU: Intel Core i5-13400 – Intel’s latest 13th Gen Core i5 offers impressive efficiency and multi-threaded performance thanks to its 6 P-cores and 8 E-cores. Great for gaming and productivity.
GPU: AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT – AMD’s card built on RDNA 2 architecture excels at 1440p gaming. 10GB of VRAM and impressive speeds deliver 60+ frame rates at high settings.
RAM: 16GB DDR4 3600MHz – Faster memory provides better performance with this Intel platform. 16GB remains the sweet spot for memory capacity.
Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD – Large, fast SSD gives ample storage for games and files. NVMe SSDs boast incredible read/write speeds over traditional hard drives.
Motherboard: MSI MAG B660M Mortar WiFi DDR4 – Well equipped B660 board featuring WiFi 6, plenty of USB ports, M.2 slot for the SSD, and four DIMM slots for memory expansion.
Case: Lian Li Lancool 205 Mesh – Premium quality mid-tower case with excellent airflow from its mesh front panel and two included fans. Has tempered glass side panel.
PSU: Corsair RM750 750W – High quality fully modular power supply from Corsair. 80+ Gold certified for efficiency and a 10-year warranty. 750 watts can handle even the most powerful single GPUs.
At $1200, this configuration plays AAA titles at 60+ FPS high settings at 1440p, sometimes even exceeding 100+ FPS depending on the game. It saves money with a Core i5 CPU that offers incredible performance for gaming and multitasking while spending more on the graphics card that matters most at this resolution.
$1900 High Refresh 4K Gaming Build
On the cutting edge, this high-end build games comfortably at 4K resolution while taking advantage of high refresh rate monitors for buttery smooth visuals. Expensive but immensely powerful!
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7700X – AMD’s latest 7000 series Ryzen processors take the lead for gaming performance. With excellent single thread speed and 8 cores, the 7700X won’t bottleneck high-end graphics cards.
GPU: Nvidia RTX 4080 16GB – Flagship GPU from Nvidia powered by the Ada Lovelace architecture. It breezes through 4K gaming thanks to its 16GB of GDDR6X memory and high clock speeds. Overkill for this resolution but provides future-proofing.
RAM: 32GB DDR5 5200MHz – Ryzen 7000 benefits greatly from fast DDR5 memory. 32 gigs lets you game and run other programs simultaneously with no slowdowns.
Storage: 2TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD – Massive fast SSD gives ample capacity for a huge game library at high speeds. PCIe 4.0 SSDs push sequential read/write speeds to 7000+ MB/s.
Motherboard: MSI MEG X670E ACE – High end motherboard with leading connectivity like WiFi 6E, 10 gigabit Ethernet, Thunderbolt 4, and extreme overclocking support. Designed for Ryzen 7000 series.
Case: Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO – Iconic case focused on showcasing components with its tempered glass panels while delivering exceptional thermal performance thanks to the tall chamber and multitude of fan mounts.
PSU: Corsair HX1200 1200W – Premium 80+ Platinum rated power supply from Corsair. Fully modular. 1200 watts can feed the most power hungry systems with room to spare. 10 year warranty.
It doesn’t come cheap at around $1900, but this system crushes 4K gaming while being ready for high refresh rate monitors exceeding 60 Hz. You can expect over 60 FPS at max settings in any game thanks to its cutting edge components. It offers a glimpse into the future of gaming PCs!
Final Thoughts
As we can see from these suggested builds, PC gaming is more affordable than ever in 2024. The competition between AMD, Intel, and Nvidia along with rapid advancement in component tech gives budget-focused gamers excellent options for smooth 1080p or 1440p gaming while high refresh rate 4K gaming is achievable for those willing to spend more. As long as innovation remains strong, the future looks bright for PC gamers wanting great performance at reasonable prices!