PC Build Navigation:
- $1500 Gaming PC Build
- $1000 Gaming PC Build
- $800 Gaming PC Build
- $500 Gaming PC Build
- Gaming PC Peripherals & Components Ideas
Hello, May 2021 Gaming PC Builders! If this is your first time here, welcome, and if you’re returning because you’ve been planing your gaming pc build for months, then welcome back 😎.
The May 2021 gaming PC build hardware updates: And with that being said, things haven’t changed too much from previous months. What I mean by that is if you have been trying to build a PC, then you will no doubt know that the one limiting factor in building a brand spanking new gaming PC right now is getting your hands on an affordable graphics card.
I’m not going to sugar coat it, it’s still tough. However, don’t despair, because they are out there if you are looking, just have a little patience grasshoppers….lot’s of it!
Further, I have noticed that there some other hardware is trending slightly upwards in average cost, specifically with SSD’s, Memory, and some PSU brands — so keep an eye out for that. Always note that there are alternatives to what’s included below, so if you need to ask in the comments for alternatives or search around.
In the gaming pc builds below, do note that the graphics cards that are listed are theoretically available right now, and are included with what they should be posted at with their normal prices. So please don’t overspend, especially on older hardware.
Below you will find the best budget builds from $1500 to $1000, $800, and $500 and all in between, maximizing performance per dollar spent. Please keep in mind that every PC is and can be unique to its builder, so feel free to swap things like cases if you had your eye set on something more unique to you — and if you have any questions as per compatibility, please feel free to leave a comment.
Which May 2021 PC Build is right for you?
Included in the gaming PC builds of the month, you will find builds anywhere in-between $500, $800, $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.
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
- $800 PC Build: For gaming at MAX settings 1080p resolutions into 2K
- $500 PC Build: For being able to game in any game at 1080p.
Best of luck building the best possible gaming pc build this May 2021. 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 2021 Page to Keep up to Date With the Monthly Gaming PC Builds, or subscribe here.
The Best $1500 Gaming PC Build | May 2021
Performance: Game with Extreme settings and High FPS at resolutions of 1920×1080 (1080P) & 2560×1440 (1440p) + good gameplay at 4K
*This Gaming PC Build is powered by the AMD Ryzen 5600X CPU and an RTX 3070 Graphics Card
1. CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
*Note: Stock is low on this, so it may be hard to get one at the moment - so keep an eye out!
- AMD's fastest 6 core processor for mainstream desktop, with 12 processing threads
- Can deliver elite 100+ FPS performance in the world's most popular games
- Bundled with the quiet, capable AMD Wraith Stealth cooler
- 4.6 GHz Max Boost, unlocked for overclocking, 35 MB of cache, DDR-3200 support
- For the advanced Socket AM4 platform, can support PCIe 4.0 on X570 and B550 motherboards
Amazon Price: $369.99
***Alternative if no stock / Equivalent CPU option: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X ($308.99)
The 3700x has been included in this build for a long while and is still great, so if you want to still go with it you can, especially if you find it on sale!
- 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
2. Cooler: Stock AMD Wraith Stealth Cooler
The Ryzen 5600X is an amazing CPU in so many ways, in that it doesn't necessarily need to be overclocked and comes with a great Wraith Stealth Cooler, this saves you with a little more cash for other upgrades!
3. Motherboard: ASUS AM4 TUF Gaming X570-Plus AM4 Zen 3 Ryzen 5000 & 3rd Gen Ryzen ATX Motherboard
- AMD AM4 Socket and PCIe 4. 0: The perfect pairing for Zen 3 Ryzen 5000 & 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen CPUs
- Enhanced power solution: military-grade TUF Gaming components, Precools socket and Digi+ VRM for maximum durability
- Comprehensive Cooling: Active PCH heatsink, VRM heatsink, M. 2 heatsink, hybrid fan headers and Fan Expert 4
- Next-Gen Connectivity: Dual PCIe 4. 0 M. 2, USB 3. 2 Gen 2 ports, exclusive Relate L8200A Gigabit Ethernet, TUF LANGuid and Turbo LAN technology
- Relate S1200A Codec: Features an unprecedented 108dB signal-to-noise ratio for the stereo line-out and a 103dB SNR for the line-in, providing pristine audio quality
- Please ensure your BIOS is up to date if installing a compatible Ryzen 5000 series CPU. Visit ASUS site search by motherboard model name, click on “Support” tab, Drivers and Tools, then BIOS & Firmware to download the latest BIOS.
Amazon Price: $177.99
4. Graphics Card: ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 3070 Twin Edge
*If not in stock: Search for other RTX 3070's in stock
*Note: Stock on GPU's has been limited, so keep checking for other RTX 3070 cards as well. The RTX 3070 is a graphics card that absolutely performs amazingly in all games at higher resolutions. You can also keep checking the actual NVIDIA.com listings to see if they are in stock here.
Guestimated Price: $530 (Based on MSRP and Theoretically in stock cost)
Alternative Graphics Card: MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2070 Super 8GB GDRR6
*If not in stock: Search for other RTX 2070's in stock
If you want a graphics card right away and there are not RTX 3070's available, an alternative could be the older RTX 2070 SUPER. *Do note, that because of the major limited supply levels in all of the newer graphics cards, people seem to also be buying up the older ones as well. This leaves you with three options - wait for stock, buy used, or pay way too much from a scalper!
If you are having trouble finding a graphics card, here's a useful resource: Tomshardware's GPU Ranking hierarchy
5. RAM: Crucial Ballistix 3600 MHz DDR4 DRAM
16GB of RAM is the perfect spot for any high-end gaming pc - included is a 16GB kit of Crucial Ballistix 3600Mhz Gaming Kit - the perfect speed of RAM for this build.
What is the best RAM speed for gaming? Learn more about the best RAM speed for gaming with Ryzen 3000 CPUs in our recent article here.
Amazon Price: $93.99
6. SSD: Crucial P1 1TB 3D NAND NVMe PCIe Internal SSD
- Capacity: Up to 2TB with sequential reads/writes up to 2,000/1,700 MB/s
- NVMe PCIe interface marks the next step in storage innovation
- Micron 3D NAND advancing the World's memory and storage technology for 40 years
- NVMe Standard Self Monitoring and Reporting Technology (Smart)
- Redundant Array of Independent NAND (RAIN)
Amazon Price: $104.99
7. Power Supply: EVGA 220-GA-0750-X1 Super Nova 750 Ga, 80 Plus Gold 750W, Fully Modular
- 80 plus Gold certified, with 90% efficiency or higher under typical loads
- Fully modular to reduce clutter and improve airflow
- 100% Japanese capacitors, LLC resonant circuit design +DC-DC converter design to improve 3.3V./ 5V. Stability
- Double ball Bearing fan and EVGA eco mode for exceptional reliability and quiet operation
- 10 year limited warranty and unparalleled EVGA customer support
- Heavy-duty protections, including OVP (Over Voltage Protection), UVP (Under Voltage Protection), OCP (Over Current Protection), OPP (Over Power Protection), SCP (Short Circuit Protection), and OTP (Over Temperature Protection)
Amazon Price: $119.99
8. PC Case: Phanteks Eclipse P400A Digital ATX Mid-tower(PH-EC400ATG_DBK01), Mesh Front Panel, Tempered Glass, Digital-RGB, Black
The Phanteks Eclipse P400A is a great case and has gained popularity over the past year for its great airflow and user-friendly design. To learn more, visit: www.phanteks.com
- Optimal cooling performance with the ultra-fine performance mesh front panel and features a tempered Glass Side panel in a compact Mid-tower
- Spacious open interior: supports up to E-ATX motherboard, 280/360mm radiator in front, vertical GPU mounting support (with PH-VGPUKT_02)
- Integrated Digital-RGB controller with 3x pre-installed D-RGB fans that can sync with compatible motherboards to create a stunning lighting effect
- Extensive storage options: 6x HDDs (2x HDD trays included) and 8x SDD (2x dedicated bracket included) mounting locations
- Easy accessibility to I/O featuring 2x USB 3. 0, mic, headphone, power button, reset, and the D-RGB controller
Amazon Price: $89.99
ESTIMATED PRICE: $1514 (May 2021)
Overview | Best Gaming PC Build for $1500
The best $1500 gaming pc build for May 2021 includes a new AMD Ryzen 5600X CPU, a brand new Ryzen 5000 series CPU that performs amazingly, especially for gaming. The 5600X has come down to a respectable cost this month, however, If this one isn’t in stock, you could still consider a Ryzen 7 3700X, which previously held this spot and performs amazingly.
Also to note, Intel just released their Rocketlake Intel i5-11600K, which is a solid contender for the 5600X on a price per performance ratio- so if you can’t find AMD’s chip in stock, this could be a consideration.
This is paired with another powerfully new piece of hardware, the RTX 3070 graphics card, making this a very powerful gaming pc capable of extreme performance in games at higher resolutions. (*Note: If you have a hard time finding The RTX 3070 in supply, you could consider a previous-gen RTX 2070 Super, noting that it doesn’t perform quite as well. All in all, it may be tough to get literally any GPU out there at the moment, so hang in there.
If you are looking for an over-the-top, very fast-performing gaming PC build that you don’t have to worry about tweaking very much in order to max all games out at HD and higher resolutions, then this build is for you. However, unless you are wanting to get into seriously high-end 4K gaming, you shouldn’t need much more.
If you still think you need increased performances, you could upgrade your CPU or GPU if you have the excess funds to do so. If that is the case, you could simply consider upping the graphics card to something like an RTX 3080 (if you can find them in stock). This build also includes a very good gaming pc case, with great cooling included and more.
$1500 Gaming PC Build of the Month Upgrades
If you have more to spend, then you could check out some hardware alternative suggestions. This could be for either upgrading this build before or after you buy it. To do so, visit the full $1500 gaming pc builds overview here:
The Best $1000 Gaming PC Build | May 2021
Capability: Game with Extreme settings at 1920X1080 (HD) resolutions up to Higher Settings at 2560×1440 (2K)
Powered by the AMD Ryzen 3600 and the RTX 3060 Ti 8GB Graphics Card
1. CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600 6-Core, 12-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor with Wraith Stealth Cooler
The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 is a phenomenal gaming processor for the cost. Straight out of the box, it can beat some more expensive CPUs in gaming.
Amazon Price: $199.99
2. Cooler (Included): Wraith Stealth Cooler
The AMD 3600 comes with a stock cooler that is more than enough.
Price: Included
3. Motherboard: ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming 4
This is a great budget B550 motherboard, perfectly matched for the Ryzen 3600 CPU offering the exact amount of features you need to get up and gaming with your new PC.
- Supports 3rd Gen AMD AM4 Ryzen / Future AMD Ryzen Processors
- 8 Power Phase Design, Digi Power
- Supports DDR4 4733+ (OC)
- 1 PCIe 4.0 x16, 1 PCIe 3.0 x16, 2 PCIe 3.0 x1, 1 M.2 Key E for WiFi
- Graphics Output Options: HDMI
Amazon Price: $113.99
4. Graphics Card: MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 Ti 8GB GDRR6
*Currently very low in stock. Hopefully, this month more come into stock -- keep checking Nvidia.com's RTX 3060 Ti supply lists as well.
The 3060Ti is a newer GPU that like the rest, is very low in stock. This GPU however, will blast the pants off any game you throw at it in resolutions of 1080p - 1440p -- especially considering it's better in terms of performance than the previous-gen more expensive 2080 Super (The RTX 2080 Super is currently in stock at about $1050).
Price: $400 (Based on MSRP and Theoretically in stock cost)
*Alternative lesser comparable / older-gen card if in stock: RX 5700 XT
*Alternative lower-performing, but in-stock card if you're sick waiting for stock: PowerColor Red Devil AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT 6GB AXRX 5600XT 6GBD6-3DHE/OC
If you are having trouble finding a graphics card, here's a useful resource: Tomshardware's GPU Ranking hierarchy
5. RAM: Crucial Ballistix 3600 MHz DDR4 DRAM Desktop Gaming Memory Kit 16GB (8GBx2)
Included is a total of 16GB in the best $1000 gaming pc build, which will be plenty of memory for this rig, plus it's rated at 3600 MHz, which is the perfect RAM speed for this build too!
Amazon Price: $93.99
6. SSD: Crucial P1 500GB 3D NAND NVMe PCIe Internal SSD, up to 2000MB/s - CT500P1SSD8
The Crucial P1 NVMe SSD is a great value high-performing storage devise that provides up to 2000MB/s in read times and 1700MB/s in write times.
Amazon Price: $78.92
7. Power Supply: EVGA 220-B5-0650-V1 650 B5, 80 Plus Bronze 650W, Fully Modular
The sweet spot for this build is 650W of juice, and the EVGA 650 B5 does the trick.
650 Watts is enough juice for this gaming pc build and this one is fully modular, making it easier to keep that case of yours clear of unused wires.
Amazon Price: $72.45
8. PC Case: Phanteks Eclipse P360A
This new Phanteks Eclipse P360A looks spiffy with its front mesh panel and huge airflow performance with dust filtration.
- Full-metal front panel with Ultra-fine Performance Mesh that combines high airflow performance and excellent dust filtrations thanks to its ultra-fine perforations of only 1mm.
- Integrated D-RGB lighting that is easy to control and software-free.
- Perfect chassis size for high-end gaming systems with support for (E)-ATX (up to 280mm) motherboards, front 240/280mm and top 240mm radiator, full-length GPUs and vertical GPU ready with the optional Vertical GPU Bracket.
- Expand and synchronize the D-RGB lighting compatible motherboards and D-RGB products.
- Easily accessible front I/O featuring 2x USB 3.0, Microphone, Headphone, Power button, and D-RGB Color and Mode buttons.
Visit Phanteks.com to see the full overview and to learn more.
Amazon Price: $69.99
Estimated Cost (May 2021): $1028
Overview | $1000 Best Gaming PC Build 2021
The $1000 build for May 2021 includes a Ryzen 5 3600 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, even when overclocking to maximize gaming performance. One could also eye the Ryzen 5 3600X if it’s priced similarly.
The real performance driver behind this build is the included and brand new RTX 3060 Ti 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 — that is if you can find one in stock.
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 of the Month 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 $800 Gaming PC Build | May 2021
Capability: Game at Smoothly with High settings and FPS at 1920X1080 resolutions in most games.
Powered by the Ryzen 5 3600 CPU and an RX 5600 XT 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 B550M-HDV
The motherboard for this build is a newer B550 motherboard featuring newer features for budget AMD board, including straight out of box Ryzen 3000 series support and more.
- Supports 3rd Gen AMD AM4 Ryzen / Future AMD Ryzen Processors
- 6 Power Phase Design
- Supports DDR4 4733+ (OC)
- 1 PCIe 4.0 x16, 1 PCIe 3.0 x1
- Graphics Output Options: HDMI, DVI-D, D-Sub
Amazon Price: $69.95
4. Graphics Card: MSI Gaming Radeon RX 5600 XT Boost Clock
*If out of stock: Search all RX 5600 XT's in stock
*The 5600XT has been low on supply. See below for alternatives to search.
The 5600 XT is a great card for this pc build and even beats out the previous card that was included, which was the GTX 1660 Super. With this card, you can max most pc games out there at 1080p resolutions without a hiccup at well over 60FPS.
Price: $279.99 (Based on MSRP and Theoretically in stock cost)
*I wouldn't spend more than $50 more than this
**Alternative comparable / slightly lower performing cards to search for:
5. RAM: Crucial Ballistix 3600 MHz DDR4 DRAM Desktop Gaming Memory Kit 16GB (8GBx2)
16GB 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: $83.99
6. SSD: Crucial P1 500GB 3D NAND NVMe PCIe Internal SSD
You can't go wrong with a great value per dollar spent on a Crucial P1 in terms of storage space and Read/Write speeds.
Sequential reads/writes up to 2, 000MB/s, 700 MB/s
Amazon Price: $78.92
7. Power Supply Unit: Thermaltake SMART 600W Best $800 PC Build
The budget Thermaltake SMART Power supplies are perfect for this budget and provide just enough power at a fantastic cost.
Amazon Price: $49.99
8. PC Case: darkFlash Micro ATX Mini ITX Tower (*Comes in white or black)
A very unique and great budget gaming pc build case for tool-free building, a door opening side panel with an overall pleasing minimalistic design.
For full specifications, please visit darkflashtech.com.
- DOOR OPENING DESIGN: Door opening side panel with magnetic design, it is easy to disassemble and tool free.
- LOWPOLY PANEL DESIGN: The front panel adopts Low poly design and give you the enjoyment of succinct vision.
- EXCELLENT LIGHT EFFECT: The black side glass shows the light effect in a low profile way. Meanwhile, the overall tempered glass design makes the inner view of the chassis broad.
- HIGH-QUALITY STRUCTURE: 0.6mm SPCC is painted to form the metal structure with impressive beauty.
- 240 MM WATER-COOLER COMPATIBLE: It could install 120mm*2/140mm*2 air cooler and 240mm water cooler ,making more options for users.
Amazon Price: $54.99
Estimated Price (May 2021): $827
Overview | Best Gaming PC Build for $800
The May 2021 $800 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. The $800 gaming pc build of the month 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 paired with a B550 motherboard, offering you great out-of-the-box mainstream gaming performance.
For the graphics card, we have an RX 5600 XT. This GPU will push games to high settings under a 1080p resolution. 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.
$800 Gaming PC Build of the Month Upgrades
The best $800 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 2021
Capability: Game at Smoothly with Medium-High settings and FPS at 1920X1080 resolutions in most games.
Powered by the Ryzen 5 3400G CPU with integrated Radeon RX Graphics
1. CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3400G 4-core, 8-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor with Radeon RX Graphics (*You don't need a graphics card with this CPU)
The Ryzen 5 3400G is a great starter CPU with integrated graphics (you don't need a graphics card). With graphics card prices what they are these days you can rest assured you can start gaming with this CPU with the option the add a graphics card at a later date.
Amazon Price: $300.00
AMD Ryzen 3 3300X 4-Core (*You will need a Graphics Card with this CPU): *Alternative non-integrated graphics option (if in stock and you can find a graphics card):
The 3300X's four cores operate at 3.8 GHz clock rate and boost to 4.3 GHz, providing great gaming performance.
MSRP Price (*Stock is currently low): $130.00
2. Cooler: AMD Wraith Stealth Cooler (Included)
This cooler is included with the AMD Ryzen3 3300X and is more than enough to cool this $500 gaming pc build.
3. Motherboard: Asus Prime B450M-A/CSM AMD AM4 (3rd/2nd/1st Gen Ryzen Micro-ATX commercial motherboard
This motherboard is a quality budget Micro ATX sized board, that features everything you'd need in a $500 PC, including:
- AMD AM4 Socket: The perfect pairing for 3rd/2nd/1st Gen AMD Ryzen CPUs
- Fast Connectivity: 1Gb LAN, HDMI 2.0b, D-Sub, and DVI display outputs
- ASUS CSM motherboard: ASUS Corporate Stable Model with up to 36-month supply, EOL notice, and ECN control
- ASUS Control Center Express to make IT endpoint management simpler
- 5X Protection III: all-round protection with LANGuard, DRAM overcurrent protection, overvoltage protection, SafeSlot Core safeguards and stainless-steel back I/O
- Please ensure your BIOS is up to date if installing a compatible Ryzen 5000 series CPU. Visit ASUS site search by motherboard model name, click on “Support” tab, Drivers and Tools, then BIOS & Firmware to download the latest BIOS
To see the full specifications, please visit asus.com.
Amazon Price: $77.99
4. Graphics Card: *Integrated Radeon RX
The Ryzen 5 3400G CPU has integrated graphics, which should be suitable for lower-end gaming. With graphics cards so high in cost right now, this may be the best choice for you to get up and gaming right away with the option to add a graphics card later.
*Alternative Graphics Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1650
The 1650 Super is a great 1080p gaming GPU and is capable of being able to run any game out there.
Amazon Price: $169.99 (*Don't overpay for this card)
*Alternative lesser comparable graphics cards if no GTX 1650's are in stock:
5. RAM: Patriot Viper 4 Blackout Series DDR4 8GB (2 x 4GB) 3000MHz Kit
8GB for any gaming pc out there and should be all you need -- however there is always room to upgrade!
Amazon Price: $52.99
6. SSD: PNY CS900 240GB 3D NAND
The $500 pc build starts at 240GB and it's plenty for those with the $500 budget pc build and there is always room for growth.
Amazon Price: $34.99
7. Power Supply Unit: Thermaltake Smart 500W 80+ White Certified PSU
500W is plenty for this pc build and the Thermaltake Smart 500W does the trick perfectly.
Amazon Price: $49.99
8. PC Case: COUGAR MG130-G Compact Micro-ATX Gaming Case
For a budget MicroATX case, the Cougar MG130-G is a tiny, elegant beauty with metal-like siding all in a compact package - with a transparent side panel nonetheless. To learn more and for full specifications, please visit cougargaming.com.
- Attractive Visibility. To help you appreciate your system’s full beauty, a dark mirror transparent front panel with a full-sized tempered glass side window will allow users to contemplate system components and dazzling lighting effects.
- Great Support for Components. You won’t believe how powerful a gaming beast you can build inside MG130-G. Its advanced support for graphics cards (up to two 330 mm-long graphics cards) will allow you to enjoy the latest games with smooth framerates.
- Top-notch Cooling. MG130-G ‘s compact layout allows you to install six fans and three water cooling radiators, with the front one up to 280mm. This immense cooling potential will enable you to choose freely the components you want in your build.
- Incredible Storage. Up to two 3.5″ HDDs and two 2.5″ SSDs or four 2.5″ SSDs will provide you with all the storage you need to install games and store all kinds of media.
- Minimalist Beauty. The case’s 3.5” bay and PSU cover provides a clean view of your case and keep the airflow smoothly.
Amazon Price: $41.99
Estimated Price (May 2021): $558
(*Using integrated graphics on the Ryzen 5 3400G)
Overview | Best Gaming PC Build for $500
The best possible $500 gaming PC build for the month of May 2021 will get you up and playing at standard HD 1080P resolutions with game settings scaled back for optimal FPS gameplay — without the need for a graphics card, which makes this the most accessible pc to game on out of all of the gaming pc builds of the month.
The $500 gaming pc build is currently powered by the Ryzen 5 3400G CPU with integrated Radeon RX graphics. This means you do not need a graphics card to get up and started gaming, which is a plus since cards are really inflated with regards to cost at the moment. This also gives you the option to also add a better graphics card for increased performance in the $500 gaming pc build of the month.
Alternatively, and for a bit more in cost you could try and get a AMD Ryzen 3 3300x CPU and a dedicated graphics card like a GTX 1650. This could allow you more performance, however may be harder to get your hands on.
This gaming PC build is a back-to-the-basics type build that focuses 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 of the Month Upgrades
As with all of the gaming pc builds of the month, there are plenty of upgrades that you could consider if you had just a bit more to spend. You can check these out here:
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 Build Peripherals (Monitors, Mice & Keyboards)
If you’ve decided to build your very own gaming PC and don’t already have PC peripherals or an Operating System, these will be the final things you need to get 100% up and running.
What this means is that you will need a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, and an operating system like Windows 10.
So if you are in the market for these things as well, see below for some Operating System ideas and see the following article for some gaming PC peripherals ideas depending on what you’re after.
Visit the Newb Computer Build Gaming PC Peripherals Page.
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 2021 Gaming PC Builds of the Month Overview Video
A Step by Step on How to Build a Gaming PC this 2021
Looking for a step-by-step on how to build your pc? Then check out our article for 2021: A Step by Step on How to Build a Gaming PC this 2021 or simply leave a comment below with any questions!
You could also watch the following video as we go through a full pc build: