PC Build Navigation:
- $1500 Gaming PC Build
- $1000 Gaming PC Build
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- $500 Gaming PC Build
- Gaming PC Peripherals & Components Ideas
If you are looking for the best, up-to-date gaming pc builds, then you are in the right place. It’s May 2020, and if you are planning a build right now, you may notice that there may be a slight shortage of hardware everywhere you look. Well the demand is high, and because of everyone being in Quarantine, they are looking for something to do – and PC gaming is where it’s at!
*First, before we get into it, I want to note that hardware has been on lower supply than usual due to the current situations we are in (with quarantine, social distancing etc.), SO you may have to find alternatives right now and may find some costs to be a tad higher than usual. That being said, the builds below have taken this into consideration and still promise great performance at quoted below.
In the May gaming PC builds of the month, you will find builds anywhere in-between $500, $700, $1000, and $1500. This should accommodate most PC gamers out there that play in a multitude of gaming settings, maxing games anywhere from 1080p, 1440p and play really well into 4K resolutions.
Even though some hardware may be in short supply, there are always alternatives to the recommendations below, such as different and similarly reputable brands, or slight variations in the specifications for a particular piece of hardware. Either way, use these tips when looking:
- All hardware below is linked to Amazon, but you could try other sites to source your hardware or even local marketplaces.
- Consider used hardware, Amazon is great at showing you what’s available right on the product page.
- Look for alternative hardware that serves the same task (for example different brands of the same type of graphics card, different storage brands, or memory brands)
- Questions? Leave a comment here and ask!
Best of luck building your gaming PC build this month!
Have a different budget than either $1500, $1000, $700 or $500?
Which May 2020 PC Build is right for you?
If you are not sure which pc build is right for you based solely on your budget, then here is a quick breakdown on which build may be a right fit for you:
- $1500 PC Build: For gaming at 2K resolutions into 4K
- $1000 PC Build: For gaming MAX settings at 2K resolutions
- $700 PC Build: For gaming at MAX settings 1080p resolutions into 2K
- $500 PC Build: Basically a console killer and will play any game out there, sometimes scaled-down in settings.
Best of luck building the best possible gaming pc build this May 2020, and if you have any questions be sure to leave a comment or simply join our new Facebook Group: Gaming PC Builders Facebook Group.
Bookmark our Best Gaming PC Builds for 2020 Page to Keep up to Date With the Monthly Gaming PC Builds, or subscribe here.
The Best $1500 Gaming PC Build | May 2020
Performance: Game with Extreme settings and High FPS at resolutions of 1920×1080 (1080P) & 2560×1440 (1440p) + good gameplay at 4K
*This PC Build is powered by the AMD Ryzen 7 3700X CPU and RTX 2070 SUPER
1. CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X
- The world's most advanced processor in the desktop PC gaming segment
- Can deliver ultra-fast 100+ FPS performance in the world's most popular games
8 Cores and 16 processing threads, bundled with the AMD - Wraith Prism cooler with color-controlled LED support
4.4 GHz Max Boost, unlocked for overclocking, 36 MB of game Cache, ddr-3200 support
For the advanced socket AM4 platform, can support PCIe 4.0 on x570 motherboards
Amazon Price: $341.56
2. Cooler: Stock AMD Wraith Prism Cooler
The Ryzen 3700X is an amazing CPU in so many ways, in that it doesn't necessarily need to be overclocked and comes with a great Wraith Prism Cooler, this saves you with a little more cash for other upgrades! Plus it's a good looking cooler for a stock cooler.
3. Motherboard: ASUS AM4 TUF Gaming X570-Plus (Wi-Fi) ATX Motherboard with PCIe 4.0, Dual M.2, 12+2 with Dr. MOS Power Stage, HDMI, DP, SATA 6Gb/s, USB 3.2 Gen 2 and Aura Sync RGB Lighting
- AMD AM4 socket: Ready for 2nd and 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen processors to maximize connectivity and speed with up to two M. 2 Drives, USB 3. 2 Gen2 and AMD StoreMI
- Enhanced power solution: military-grade TUF components, ProCool socket and Digi+ VRM for maximum durability
- Comprehensive Cooling: Active PCH heatsink, VRM heatsink, M. 2 heatsink, hybrid fan headers and Fan Xpert
- Next-gen connectivity: Dual PCIe 4. 0 m. 2 and USB 3. 2 Gen 2 Type-A/Type-C.Operating system:Windows 10 64-bit
- Gaming Networking: Exclusive Realtek L8200A Gigabit Ethernet, Intel 2x2 802. 11ac Wi-Fi with MU-MIMO support, Bluetooth 5. 0, TUF LANGuard and technology
*If this motherboard is not available and alternative could be:
Asus Prime X570-P Ryzen 3 AM4 with PCIe Gen4, Dual M.2 HDMI, SATA 6GB/s USB 3.2 Gen 2 ATX Motherboard
Amazon Price: $184.95
4. Graphics Card: EVGA GeForce RTX 2070 Super KO Gaming, 08G-P4-2072-KR, 8GB GDDR6, Dual Fans
The RTX 2070 SUPER is a fantastic graphics card that provides great pc gaming performance at resolutions from 1080-, 1400p and well into 4K should you want to. The 2070 SUPER is better than the 2070, with a GeForce RTX 2080 sized cooler.
Amazon Price: $509.99
5. RAM: Crucial Ballistix 3200 MHz DDR4 DRAM Desktop Gaming Memory Kit 16GB
16GB of RAM is the perfect spot for any high-end gaming pc - included is a 16GB kit of Crucial Ballistix 3200Mhz Gaming Kit
Amazon Price: $79.99
6. SSD: WD_Black SN750 1TB NVMe Internal Gaming SSD
- An exclusive WD BLACK SSD dashboard with gaming mode improves game performance.
- Available in capacities ranging from 250GB to 2TB
- Ideal for enthusiasts building custom desktops or gaming rigs
- NVMe drive not compatible with SATA interface
Amazon Price: $188.99
7.Power Supply: Thermaltake Toughpower Grand RGB 650W 80+ Gold Smart Zero 256-Color RGB Fan Fully Modular Power Supply
- RGB LED FAN : 256 colors Riing RGB 140 millimeter Hydraulic-Bearing fan with low noise design; Fan blades are optimized to enhance static pressure for an impressive cooling performance
- ONE BUTTON RGB CONTROL: RGB Lighting Button at the back of PSU controls 5 different lighting modes, RGB Cycle, Red, Green, Blue, White, and LED Off
- 80 PLUS Gold and KABY LAKE READY: Deliver up to 90 percent efficiency, Toughpower RGB Gold Series has been optimized to work with Intel’s latest, Seventh generation Kaby Lake processors to achieve maximum energy saving
- ULTRA QUIET SMART ZERO FAN: Fan works only when PSU working load is over 20 percent; A switch at the back of the PSU can be turned off to have the fan spun constantly
Amazon Price: $119.99
*If available, I recommend the following instead:
EVGA SuperNOVA 750 P2, 80+ PLATINUM 750W , Fully Modular
A great, quality power supply that give you all the juice you need to power this pc build - plus this is a platinum efficiency power supply, making is super efficient and it is fully modular (so no messy cables).
8. PC Case: Thermaltake V200 Tempered Glass RGB Edition 12V MB Sync Capable ATX Mid-Tower Chassis with 3 120mm 12V RGB Fan
- Light up the system: 3 Pre installed 120 millimeter 12V motherboard Sync RGB fans (Sync with as US, Gigabyte, MSI, as rock, and BIOSTAR 12V header Mob) + 1 Black fan at back
- Built in dual mode 12V Sync controller: Control light via I/O port RGB Light button (16 LED modes/7 Color) or via 12V header RGB sync motherboard (Sync with as US, Gigabyte, MSI, as rock, and BIOSTAR 12V header Mob)
- 16 LED modes through I/O port RGB Light button: RGB mode, single color mode (7 Colors), breath mode (7 Colors), light off 7 Colors: red, yellow, green, cyan, blue, White, Purple]
- Clear view of PC gaming: 4 millimeter thick Tempered Glass Side panel with standard mounting
- Built in PSU cover: Cover all your cables for a professional look combined with a window to show off your colorful power
- Drive Bays: 3 x 2.5 inches + 2 x 3.5 inches
- Supports Mini ITX, Micro ATX, and ATX motherboard
Amazon Price: $79.99
ESTIMATED PRICE: $1510 (May 2020)
Overview | Best Gaming PC Build for $1500
The $1500 gaming pc build for May 2020 includes an AMD Ryzen 3700X CPU paired with a powerful RTX 2070 SUPER graphics card, making this a very powerful gaming pc. Seriously, this build is probably way more than a typical gamer’s needs and should be considered the best of the best unless you are wanting to get into seriously high-end 4K gaming — in that case, simply consider upping the graphics card to something like an RTX 2080 SUPER or RTX 2080 Ti. This build also includes a very good gaming pc case, with great cooling included and more.
$1500 Gaming PC Build Upgrades
Also, check out the hardware alternatives for each build in this article by visiting the full overview page. The $1500 can be further upgraded with other hardware like a higher performing graphics card, more RAM, a better performing storage solution or higher-performing CPU cooler.
The Best $1000 Gaming PC Build | May 2020
Capability: Game with Extreme settings at 1920X1080 (HD) resolutions up to Higher Settings at 2560×1440 (2K)
Powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 3600X and the RX 5700 XT 8GB Graphics Card
1. CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X 6-Core, 12-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor with Wraith Spire Cooler
The AMD Ryzen 5 3600X is a phenomenal gaming processor for the cost. Straight out of the box, it can beat some more expensive cpus in gaming.
*Note: Supply has been a little low on these bad boys, but this cpu is great - you could try looking through the alternative seller listings for availability.
Amazon Price: $225.99
2. Cooler (Included): Wraith Spire Cooler
The AMD 3600X comes with a stock cooler that is more than enough.
Price: Included
3. Motherboard: MSI Arsenal Gaming AMD Ryzen 2ND and 3rd Gen AM4 M.2 USB 3 DDR4 DVI HDMI Crossfire ATX Motherboard (B450 Tomahawk Max)
*Note: This B450 motherboard comes fully compatible with the Ryzen 3600X straight out of the box!
This is a fantastic B450 motherboard, that is both an affordable and feature rich board to pair with the AMD 3600X CPU. Even though this is a B450 motherboard, this is a great choice for any Ryzen 3000 CPU as it comes compatible straight out of the box. Plus it supports high bandwidth memory and USB 3.1 V2.
Amazon Price: $114.99
or $95 used on Amazon
4. Graphics Card: XFX Rx 5700 XT Raw II 8GB GDDR6 1905MHz 3xDP HDMI PCI Express 4.0 Graphics Card Rx-57XT8OFF6
The RX 5700 Xt Graphics card is a SOLID choice for any gamer out there right now, offering great 1400p gameplay, will max all games at 1080p and plays well even in to 4K. If you can't find any of these available, you could downgrade slightly and go with a non "XT" - AMD Radeon RX 5700 GPU.
Amazon Price: $389.99
5. RAM: Crucial Ballistix 3200 MHz DDR4 DRAM Desktop Gaming Memory Kit 16GB (8GBx2) CL16 BL2K8G32C16U4B (Black)
Included is a total of 16GB in the best $1000 gaming pc build, which will be plenty of memory for this rig.
Amazon Price: $74.99
6. SSD: WD_Black SN750 500GB NVMe Internal Gaming SSD - Gen3 PCIe, M.2 2280, 3D NAND - WDS500G3X0C
The Western Digital Black is a good NVMe SSD, and this one provides 500GB of storage space.
Amazon Price: $94.02
7. Power Supply: EVGA 650 GQ, 80+ GOLD 650W, Semi Modular, EVGA ECO Mode, 5 Year Warranty, Power Supply 210-GQ-0650-V1,Black
650 Watts is enough juice for this gaming pc build and this one comes in at a Gold Rated power efficiency and is partially modular (which in this case doesn't matter at the non-modular cords need to be used).
Amazon Price: $82.12
8. PC Case: Phanteks PH-EC416PTG_BK Eclipse P400 Steel ATX Mid Tower Case Satin Black, Tempered Glass Edition Cases
- Full Metal Body, Steel Exterior and Tempered Glass Side Panel. Clean interior –PSU Cover & HDDs. 10 color RGB downlight + RGB power light with on/off switch. 300mm RGB LED strip included
- Fully Equipped with Magnetic Dust Filters. Innovative Modular HDD System (requires PH-HDDKT_02). 2x Drop-N-Lock SSD brackets included. Long GPU (supports up to 15.2in)
- Full Size PSU support. Removable HDD cage for installation of long PSU's (>270mm)/water-pump.
- Hidden Front I/O (2x USB 3.0, Headphone, Mic, LED Control, Reset). Clean cable management using Phanteks' preinstalled Hoop-N-Loop cable ties.
- Optimal airflow - Direct airflow to CPU/GPU. 1x Phanteks 120mm Fan in front. 1x Phanteks 120mm Fan in rear. Supports water-cooling radiators (up to 360)
Amazon Price: $79.99
Estimated Cost (May 2020): $1060
Overview | $1000 Best Gaming PC Build 2019
The $1000 build for May 2020 includes a Ryzen 5 3600X CPU, which straight out of the box performs amazingly and even comes with a stock cooler that will be more than enough to cool this pc build down efficiently. The real performance driver behind this build is the included RX 5700 XT 8GB, graphics card which is a phenomenal card for 2K resolution gaming. It may use a bit more power than some other graphics cards on the market but performs so well for the cost.
We now include in the $1000 gaming pc build up to 16GB of memory given the affordability of gaming memory now, which is a huge upgrade. Note that storage hardware has been hard to get your hands on to, so you can find alternatives if the recommended WD Black 500GB NVMe SSD is not available.
This $1000 pc build will play games smoothly at high refresh rate 1080p gameplay and really well into 1400p (2K) resolution gameplay.
$1000 Gaming PC Build Upgrades
If you visit the full overview for the best $1000 build you’ll also find hardware alternatives and upgrades. This can be upgraded hardware including a better graphics card, more memory, or even more storage space should you need it.
The Best $700 Gaming PC Build | May 2020
Capability: Game at Smoothly with High settings and FPS at 1920X1080 resolutions in most games.
Powered by the Ryzen 5 3600 CPU and a GTX 1660 SUPER Graphics Card
1. CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 6-Core, 12-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor with Wraith Stealth Cooler
The Ryzen 5 3600 CPU is a superb value coming in with 6 CPU cores and 12 processing threads at 4.1Ghz Max Boost. This is a solid gaming cpu that is priced really well.
Amazon Price: $199.99
2. Cooler: Wraith Stealth Cooler (Included)
The Wraith Stealth Cooler is included with the Ryzen 5 3600
3. Motherboard: ASRock B450 Steel Legend Socket AM4/ AMD Promontory B450/ DDR4/ Quad CrossFireX/ SATA3&USB3.1/ M.2/ A&GbE/ATX Motherboard
*Note: For this motherboard to be fully compatible with the included Ryzen 3600 CPU, you may have to flash the BIOS (easily done with Flash BIOS Button + USB Key)
- CPU: Socket AM4, Digi Power design, 6 Power Phase design, Supports 105W Water Cooling (Pinnacle Ridge); Supports 95W Water Cooling (Summit Ridge); Supports 65W Water Cooling (Raven Ridge)
- Chipset: AMD Promontory B450
- Slots: 6x PCI-Express 3.0 x16 Slots (one run at x8, three runs at x4, one run at x2), 4x PCI Express 2.0 x1 Slots
- Supports DDR4 3533+ (OC)
- 6 SATA3, 1 Ultra M.2 (PCIe Gen3 x4), 1 M.2 (PCIe Gen3 x2 & SATA3)
Amazon Price: $83.59
4. Graphics Card: MSI Gaming GeForce GTX 1660 Super Best $700 Gaming PC Build
OR If it is available or if you can afford it, the RX 5600 XT is a worthy upgrade
The GTX 1660 Super is a fantastic graphics card that is plenty for those wanting a budget gaming pc build that can max most pc games out there at 1080p resolutions without a hiccup at well over 60FPS.
Amazon Price: $239.99
5. RAM: HyperX Fury 8GB 2666MHz DDR4 CL16 DIMM (Kit of 2)
8Gb of RAM is the sweet spot for any gaming pc out there and should be all you need -- however there is always room to upgrade!
Amazon Price: $42.23
6. SSD: ADATA SU635 480GB 3D-NAND SATA 2.5 inch Internal SSD
This is a bit of a different addition to the $700 pc build. AData SSD's are good and come at great prices.
Sequential reads/writes performance up to 520/450MB/s
Amazon Price: $55.99
7. Power Supply Unit: Thermaltake Smart 500W 80+ White Certified PSU, Continuous Power
This Thermaltake 500W power supply does the trick for this $700 pc build, coming in with 500W of power.
Amazon Price: $55.99
8. PC Case: Rosewill TYRFING ATX Mid Tower Gaming PC
- Spacious interior mid tower case with an expansive internal layout; supports large size motherboards (ATX/microATX/Mini-ITX) and component upgrades; supports VGA card up to 400mm long, CPU cooler up to 160mm high and PSU up to 300mm long
Amazon Price: $49.99
Estimated Price (May 2020): $727
Overview | Best Gaming PC Build for $700
The May 2020 $700 budget gaming pc build is for those who just want to build a solid pc capable of maxing out games at standard HD 1080P resolutions and can easily push well fast 60FPS at 1080P in most PC games on the market right now. The CPU included is the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 processor and for the graphics card, we have a GTX 1660 SUPER. This build is probably most of what any very typical “I just want to game” gamers out there as it does max games out easily at 1080p standard HD monitor resolutions.
In order to fit all of the higher-performing hardware, the SSD is only a 500GB SSD, which is plenty for your OS and your most played games/software. Keep in mind that you can also increase your storage speed by going with an NVMe SSD.
$700 Gaming PC Build Upgrades
The best $700 gaming pc build can be further upgraded — visit the full overview page for a full overview of this build including suggestions for hardware upgrades including a higher-performing CPU, a high performing graphics card for those more intense games or even a better pc case.
The Best $500 Gaming PC Build | May 2020
Capability: Game at Smoothly with Medium-High settings and FPS at 1920X1080 resolutions in most games.
Powered by the Ryzen 5 2600 CPU and an RX 570 Graphics Card
1. CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600 Processor with Wraith Stealth Cooler - YD2600BBAFBOX
The Ryzen 5 2600 processor is a fantastic value for a $500 gaming pc - coming with 6 cores and 12 threads unlocked, and a frequency of 3.9GHz Max boost an an included Wraith Stealth Cooler.
Amazon Price: $138.95
2. Cooler: AMD Wraith Stealth Cooler (Included)
This cooler is included with the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 and is more than enough to cool this $500 gaming pc build.
3. Motherboard: MSI ProSeries AMD Ryzen 2ND and 3rd Gen AM4 M.2 USB 3 DDR4 D-Sub DVI HDMI Micro-ATX Motherboard (B450M PRO-VDH Max)
A superb small factor budget motherboard that includes everything you need to get up and running with everything and is Ryzen 3rd generation ready.
Amazon Price: $74.99
4. Graphics Card: XFX RX 570 4GB GDDR5 RS XXX Edition PCI-Express 3.0 Graphics Card RX-570P427D6
The RX 570 4GB graphics card hits the spot for a $500 budget pc build -- this card sits right in the middle of the RX 470 and the RX 580, giving you excellent 1080p performance. If you want to pump those gaming graphics further, then opt for an RX 580, but it will cost you more than $500.
Amazon Price: $129.99
5. RAM: HyperX Fury 8GB 2666MHz DDR4 CL16 DIMM (Kit of 2) Black XMP Desktop Memor
8Gb of RAM is the sweet spot for any gaming pc out there and should be all you need -- however there is always room to upgrade!
Amazon Price: $42.33
6. SSD: ADATA SU635 480GB 3D-NAND SATA 2.5 inch Internal SSD (ASU635SS-480GQ-R)
The $500 pc build starts at 480GB and it plenty for those with the $500 budget pc build and there is always room for growth.
Amazon Price: $55.99
7. Power Supply Unit: Thermaltake Smart 500W 80+ White Certified PSU, Continuous Power with 120mm Ultra Quiet Cooling Fan
The Thermaltake Smart 500W power supply supplies enough juice for this $500 pc build and has an "unbeatable" value -- especially at it's current cost.
Amazon Price: $55.99
8. PC Case: Thermaltake Versa H17 Black Micro ATX Mini Tower Gaming Computer
The Thermaltake Versa H17 is a Micro ATX case that's the perfect size to fit all of the hardware in the budget $500 gaming PC build. This case has an aluminum brushed like front panel provides simple elegant aesthetic and a perforated top panel heightened food stands and specially designed cable routing gap enhance airflow for better ventilation.
Amazon Price: $70.13
Estimated Price (May 2020): $560
*Note: You should be able to get this build closer to $500. As supplies on certain hardware have been low in the recent month, prices have increased some.
Overview | Best Gaming PC Build for $500
The best possible $500 gaming PC build for May 2020 will get you up and playing at standard HD 1080P resolutions with game setting scaled back for optimal FPS gameplay. So if you are looking for the best bang for your buck $500 pc build, the following hardware is updated every month here at Newb Computer Build.
This gaming PC build is a back to the basics type build that focusses solely on getting as much performance as we can out of each dollar spent. That means no bells and whistles, only pure performance and focusing on the necessities of our build.
This could be considered the gateway PC for those breaking free of the gaming console and jumping into PC gaming – or for those who want an affordable gaming pc that can play any game out there with scaled settings.
$500 Gaming PC Build Upgrades
The best $500 gaming pc build can be further upgraded — visit the full overview page for a full overview of this build including suggestions for hardware upgrades including a higher-performing CPU, or a high performing graphics card.
Gaming PC Peripheral Ideas (Monitors, Mice & Keyboards)
If you are new to pc building, you may not know that over and above the pc hardware included in the pc builds above, you will need some PC peripherals (keyboard, mouse, and monitor) to actually take control of your pc and use it. And furthermore, you will need an operating system (ie. Windows 10).
If you are looking for some suggestions for monitors, mice, or keyboards, or even network adapters, then please visit the Gaming PC Build Peripherals page for some options, or simply ask below.
Operating Systems for Your Gaming PC
Do keep in mind that you will also need an operating system, however, it’s not too difficult to find keys for windows 10 online, you will need to install it using something like a USB key or external drive.
| OS Link | Price | Image | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows 10 | Microsoft Windows 10 Home USB Flash Drive | $105.00 (You can also download Windows 10 and install on a USB yourself – simply google how to!) |  |
| Ubuntu (Linux OS) | Ubuntu – Desktop | Free (open source) |  |
| SteamOS | SteamOS – “Build your own Steam Machine” | Free |  |
May 2020 Gaming PC Builds of the Month Overview Video
A Step by Step on How to Build a Gaming PC this 2020
Looking for a step by step on how to build your pc? Then check out our article for 2020: A Step by Step on How to Build a Gaming PC this 2020
Or simply watch the following video as we go through a full pc build: