Gaming PC Builds of the Month for August 2021

August 2021 Gaming PC Builds of the Month ($1500, $1000, $800 & $500)

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Gaming PC Builds of the Month for August 2021
Gaming PC Builds of the Month for August 2021

The August 2021 Gaming PC Build hardware updates: If you’ve been pay attention at all over the past year, you would have no doubtingly noticed how hard graphics cards were to actually find, never mind buy for a decent cost. This seems to now be changing slightly, but very slowly. You will notice that cards are becoming more available, but they are still quite expensive. This is good though.

So for August, I would say you do have a much higher chance at getting your hands on a GPU, and that building a PC is much more realistic than it has been. Let’s hope the trend continues!

In terms of overall releases over the last month, there has been little in terms of hardware that we would include in the gaming pc builds of the month that you see below, but some of the newer CPUs (like the Intel i5 11400F or Ryzen 5600X) are now in greater supply.

Below you will find the best budget builds up to date for August 2021 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 August 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 July 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 2021 High-End Gaming PC Build of the Month

The Best $1500 Gaming PC Build | August 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 - Best $1500 PC Build 2021

1. CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X

*Cost has gone down making this a very strong contender to its Intel competitor the i5 -11600K

  • 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: $279.99

2 Cooler - Best $1500 PC Build 2021

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 - Best $1500 PC Build 2021

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: $179.99

    4 Graphics Card - Best $1500 PC Build 2021

    4. Graphics Card: AORUS GeForce RTX™ 3070 MASTER 8G

    *If not in stock: Search for other RTX 3070's in stock

    Cost (Amazon): $1209.99 (Keep in mind MSRP would put this card at $530-$740)

    *Note: Stock on GPU's has been limited, BUT stock does seem to be shifting, albeit slowly. The linked RTX 3070 is in stock at the time of posting this update, however, it is pricy. You can also try these alternative GPUS:

    ALTERNATIVE GRAPHICS CARD CHOICES for the $1500 PC BUILD (in stock at posting)

    5 RAM - Best $1500 PC Build 2021

    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 - Best $1500 PC Build 2021

    6. SSD: Crucial P2 1TB 3D NAND NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD Up to 2400MB/s - CT1000P2SSD8

    • Capacity: 1TB but Up to 2TB with sequential reads/writes up to 2400MB/s/1900MB/s
    • NVMe PCIe interface, marking the next step in storage innovation
    • Includes SSD management software for performance optimization, data security, and firmware updates
    • 5-year limited warranty

    Amazon Price: $102.90

    7 Power Supply - Best $1500 PC Build 2021

    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: $124.47

    8 PC Case - Best $1500 PC Build 2021

    8. PC Case: Cooler Master MasterBox MB511 ARGB

    The Cooler Master MasterBox MB511 has a fine mesh front panel with very good airflow and an aRGB lighting system for a fully customized lighting experience.

    To see the full specifications, please visit the product page at coolermaster.com.

    Amazon Price: $79.99

    ESTIMATED PRICE (August 2021): $1414 (If GPU at MSRP) - $2094 (True GPU Cost)

    Overview | Best Gaming PC Build for $1500

    The best $1500 gaming pc build for August 2021 includes a new AMD Ryzen 5600X CPU, a newer Ryzen 5000 series CPU that performs amazingly, especially for gaming. The 5600X has come down to a very respectable cost for August 2021 and there is actually supply now, awesome!

    Also to note, Intel recently released their Rocketlake Intel i5-11600K, which could have been a solid competition for the 5600X on a price per performance ratio- so if you can’t find AMD’s chip in stock, this could be an option as well (do keep in mind that you would need a different compatible motherboard if going Intel).

    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. There are RTX 3070’s available now (as stock was virtually non-existent in previous months with most GPUs), however, do expect to still pay a bit of a premium, or keep checking for stock closer to MSRP cost.

    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:

    To read the full overview and for a list of hardware alternatives, please visit the FULL Best $1500 Gaming PC Build Page


    The 2021 Mid-Range Gaming PC Build of the Month

    The Best $1000 Gaming PC Build | August 2021

    Capability: Game with Extreme settings at 1920X1080 (HD) resolutions up to Higher Settings at 2560×1440 (2K)

    Powered by the Intel Core-i5 11400F CPU and the RTX 3060 Ti 8GB Graphics Card

    1 CPU - Best $1000 PC Build 2021

    1. CPU: Intel Core i5-11400F Desktop Processor

    For a long long time, AMD held this spot in the $1000 Gaming PC Build of the month over here at Newb Computer Build -- however, now the Intel 11th gen 15-11400F (or 11400) holds this spot as it strongly outperforms the 2-year-old AMD Ryzen 3600 significantly.

    Amazon Price: $175 *Newer CPU and depending on current supply

    ALTERNATIVE (With Built-in Graphics): Intel Core i5-11400 Desktop Processor

    This CPU is the exact same CPU as the i5-11400F in terms of performance, however, it has built-in graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 730) -- so I would consider this option for only a bit more IF you cannot get your hands on a separate graphics card right away so that you can at least get set up and game somewhat. Then, when a graphics card eventually comes into stock -- all you have to do is plug it into your Gaming PC Build and you're golden.

    Price: $189.99

    2 Cooler -  Best $1000 PC Build 2021

    2. Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition CPU Air Cooler

    The stock cooler for the Intel 11400 just doesn't perform as well as it should, so purchasing a separate cooler like the Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition will have you PC performing nice and cool!

    • Direct contact technology: 4 Heat Pipe with exclusive direct contact Technology effectively provides excellent heat dissipation; Air flow: 42 CFM; Noise level: 26.0 decibels
    • Precise air flow: Stacked fin array ensures least airflow resistance which allows cooler air flow into the heatsink
    • Smart fan sensor for jam protection: Never worry about your cables getting snagged or components being mucked up ever again
    • Snap and play: Intuitive fan bracket design makes upgrading and removing the fan a breeze

    Price: $39.99

    3 Motherboard - Best $1000 PC Build 2021

    3. Motherboard: GIGABYTE B560M DS3H

    This is a great budget B560 motherboard, in a small form factor.

    • Supports 11th and 10th Gen Intel Core Series Processors
    • Dual Channel Non-ECC Unbuffered DDR4, 4 DIMMs
    • Direct 6+2 Phases Digital VRM Solution with Low RDS(on) MOSFETs
    • Dual Ultra-Fast NVMe PCIe 4.0/3.0 x4 M.2
    • GIGABYTE Exclusive 8118 Gaming LAN with Bandwidth Management

    Amazon Price: $98.99

    4 Graphics - Best $1000 PC Build 2021

    4. Graphics Card: ZOTAC Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Twin Edge Or an RX 6700 XT Given Current Costs (*See below)

    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.

    Price: $979 (actual) - $400 (RTX 3960 Ti MSRP)

    Alternative Graphics Cards:

    5 RAM -  Best $1000 PC Build 2021

    5. RAM: Crucial Ballistix 3200 MHz DDR4 DRAM

    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 3200 MHz, which is a great spot using 11th Gen Intel.

    Amazon Price: $87.99

    6 SSD - Best $1000 PC Build 2021

    6. SSD: Crucial P2 500GB 3D NAND NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD

    • Capacity: 500GB but up to 2TB with sequential reads/writes up to 2400MB/s/1900MB/s
    • NVMe PCIe interface, marking the next step in storage innovation
    • Includes SSD management software for performance optimization, data security, and firmware updates
    • 5-year limited warranty

    Amazon Price: $54.99

    7 PSU - Best $1000 PC Build 2021

    7. Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 650 Ga, 80 Plus Gold 650W, Fully Modular

    The sweet spot for this build is 650W of juice, and the EVGA 650 Ga 80 Plus Gold does the trick.

    • 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

    Amazon Price: $85.98

    8 PC Case - Best $1000 PC Build 2021

    8. PC Case: NZXT H510

    A classic, yet very modern enthusiast gaming PC case.

    • New features: Front I/O USB Type-C Port and Tempered glass side panel with single screw installation
    • Enhanced cable management: Our patented cable routing kit with pre-installed channels and straps makes wiring easy and intuitive
    • STREAMLINED COOLING: 2 Aer F120mm fans included for optimal internal airflow and the front panel and PSU intakes include removable filters, removable bracket designed for radiators up to 240mm - simplifies the installation of either closed-loop or custom-loop water cooling
    • Motherboard support: Mini-ITX, MicroATX, and ATX

    Amazon Price: $66.99

    Estimated Cost (August 2021): $1070 (with GPU at MSRP) -  $1639 (With current GPU Cost)

    Overview | $1000 Best Gaming PC Build 2021

    The $1000 build for August 2021 includes an Intel Core i5-11400F CPU, which straight out of the box performs amazingly and even comes with a stock cooler, albeit the cooler is terrible. This is why I’ve included a Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition that will be more than enough to cool this pc build down efficiently, even when overclocking to maximize gaming performance.

    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. With that being said, at the start of August here, you may actually be able to find a higher performing RX 6700 XT in stock for a lower cost in some instances.

    This $1000 pc build will play games smoothly at a high refresh rate 1080p gameplay and really well into 1400p (2K) resolution gameplay.

    $1000 Gaming PC Build of the Month Upgrades

    To read the full overview and for a list of hardware alternatives, please visit the FULL Best $1000 Gaming PC Build Page

    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 2021 Entry Level Gaming PC Build of the Month

    The Best $800 Gaming PC Build | August 2021

    Capability: Game at Smoothly with High settings and FPS at 1920X1080 resolutions in most games.

    Powered by the Intel Core-95 11400F and an RX 5600 XT Graphics Card

    1 CPU - Best $800 PC Build 2021

    1. CPU: Intel Core i5-11400F Desktop Processor

    For a long long time, AMD held this spot in the $800 Gaming PC Build of the month over here at Newb Computer Build -- however, now the Intel 11th gen 15-11400F (or 11400) holds this spot as it strongly outperforms the 2-year-old AMD Ryzen 3600 significantly.

    Amazon Price: $175

    ALTERNATIVE (With Built-in Graphics): Intel Core i5-11400 Desktop Processor

    This CPU is the exact same CPU at the i5-11400 in terms of performance as the Intel i5 11400F, however, it has built-in graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 730) -- so I would consider this option for only a bit more IF you cannot get your hands on a separate graphics card right away so that you can at least get set up and game somewhat. Then, when a graphics card eventually comes into stock -- all you have to do is plug it into your Gaming PC Build and you're golden.

    Price: $189.99

    2 Cooler - Best $800 PC Build 2021

    2. Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition CPU Cooling

    The Intel 11400 CPU comes with a stock cooler, so technically this is optional. However, I would recommend a quality cooler like this Hyper 212 to get the most performance and thermal cooling out of your Intel CPU as possible.

    Amazon Price: $39.99

    3 Motherboard - Best $800 PC Build 2021

    3. Motherboard: GIGABYTE B560M DS3H

    • Supports 11th and 10th Gen Intel Core Series Processors
    • Dual Channel Non-ECC Unbuffered DDR4, 4 DIMMs
    • Direct 6+2 Phases Digital VRM Solution with Low RDS(on) MOSFETs
    • Dual Ultra-Fast NVMe PCIe 4.0/3.0 x4 M.2
    • GIGABYTE Exclusive 8118 Gaming LAN with Bandwidth Management

    Amazon Price: $98.99

    4 Graphics Card - Best $800 PC Build 2021

    4. Graphics Card: ASRock AMD Radeon RX5600XT

    *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.

    Price: $729.99 (Actual) - $279.99 (MSRP)

    *Note: As with all GPUs the costs are quite high, but supply levels are increasing and cards are becoming increasingly available.

    Alternative Graphics Cards

    5 RAM - Best $800 PC Build 2021

    5. RAM: Crucial Ballistix 3200 MHz DDR4 DRAM Desktop Gaming Memory Kit 16GB

    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: $87.99

    6 SSD - Best $800 PC Build 2021

    6. SSD: Crucial P2 500GB 3D NAND NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD

    You can't go wrong with a great value per dollar spent on a Crucial P2 in terms of storage space and Read/Write speeds.

    • Capacity: 500GB or up to 2TB with sequential reads/writes up to 2400MB/s/1900MB/s
    • NVMe PCIe interface, marking the next step in storage innovation
    • Includes SSD management software for performance optimization, data security, and firmware updates
    • 5-year limited warranty

    Amazon Price: $54.99

    7 PSU - Best $800 PC Build 2021

    7. Power Supply Unit: Apevia ATX-PR600W Prestige 600W 80+ Gold Certified, RoHS Compliance, Active PFC ATX Gaming Power Supply

    • Supports Dual/Quad/multi-core CPUs. Supports single 12V output for higher power usage
    • Dc to DC converter design, provides superior dynamic response, greater system stability and maximizes the 12V DC rail output
    • Multi-gpu technologies supported; 6 pin and 8 pin PCI-E connectors support all GPU platforms. Built in 1 x auto-thermally controlled black 135mm fan
    • Connectors: 1 x 20/24pin main power, 1 x 4/8pin 12V, 2 x PCI 6+2pin, 4 x SATA, 4 x peripheral. All protections
    • Apevia ATX-PR600W Prestige 600W 80+ Gold Certified, RoHS Compliance, Active PFC ATX Gaming Power Supply, 3 Year Warranty

    Amazon Price: $53.99

    8 Case - Best $800 PC Build 2021

    8. PC Case: Zalman S4 ATX Mid Tower Gaming PC Case

    • Bezel Design For Optimal Airflow
    • Full Acrylic Tinted Side Panel Shows Your Custom System In Style
    • High-Strength Chasis and Premium Black Coating for Corrosion Protection
    • User Friendly Case I/O

    Amazon Price: $49.99

    Estimated Price (August 2021): $1290.93 (Current GPU Cost) - $840.93 (With GPU at MSRP)

    Overview | Best Gaming PC Build for $800

    The August 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. This is truly the ‘every person’ type build for those that just want to get gaming on a PC and do it at fairly decent performance settings.

    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 (for the first time ever in the gaming PC builds of the month) is the Intel Core-i5 11400F processor and paired with a B560 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

    To read the full overview and for a list of hardware alternatives, please visit the FULL Best $800 Gaming PC Build Page

    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 2021 Entry Level $500 Gaming PC Build of the Month

    The Best $500 Gaming PC Build | August 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 - Best $500 PC Build 2021

    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: $299.99 (*You can probably find this cheaper)

    AMD Ryzen 3 3300X 4-Core

    (*You will need a Graphics Card with this CPU): This is an Alternative non-integrated graphics CPU option (if it is 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.

    Amazon Price: $144.99

    2 Cooler - Best $500 PC Build 2021

    2. Cooler: AMD Wraith Spire cooler (Included)

    This cooler is included with the AMD Ryzen 5 3400G and is more than enough to cool this $500 gaming pc build.

    3 Motherboard - Best $500 PC Build 2021

    3. Motherboard: ASUS Prime B450M-A II AMD 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 : Compatible to Ryzen 5000, 3rd/2nd/1st Gen AMD Ryzen CPUs
    • Designed for Productivity: USB 3.2 Gen 2 with 10Gbps ultra-fast transfer speed, onboard M.2 support, 4xDIMMs support up to 128GB DDR4 with 4400 (O.C.) performance, HDMI 2.0b/DVI/D-Sub
    • Optimized Cooling: VRM & PCH heatsink with extensive surface, thermal pads help transfer heat from the inductor and phase array to the heatsink. Flexible fan controls for ultimate cooling and quietness with ASUS exclusive Fan Xpert 2+
    • Built to Last: all-round protection with LANGuard, DRAM overcurrent protection, overvoltage protection, SafeSlot Core safeguards and stainless-steel back I/O, 1000+ compatible devices, 8000+ Validation Hours
    • PC DIY Friendly: With BIOS Flashback and ASUS exclusive UEFI BIOS
    • Outstanding Gaming Audio: Dedicated audio PCB layers, premium Japanese audio capacitors, and audio shielding ensures precision analog/digital separation and greatly reduced multi-lateral interference.
    • Aura Sync RGB & Armoury Crate Utility: with ASUS Armoury Crate synchronizing LED effects across a wide range of compatible PC gear, plus RGB LED and RGB header for greater customization
    • 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: $76.00

    4 Graphics Card - Best $500 PC Build 2021

    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: 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: $339.99 (*Quite a bit over MSRP at the moment)

    *Alternative lesser comparable graphics cards if no GTX 1650's are in stock:

    5 RAM - Best $500 PC Build 2021

    5. RAM: Patriot Viper Steel DDR4 8GB (2 x 4GB) 3200MHz

    8GB for any gaming pc out there and should be all you need -- however there is always room to upgrade!

    Amazon Price: $49.99

    6 SSD - Best $500 PC Build 2021

    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: $31.99

    7 Power Supply - Best $500 PC Build 2021

    7. Power Supply Unit: Thermaltake Smart 500W 80+ White Certified PSU, Continuous Power with 120mm Ultra Quiet Cooling Fan

    500W is plenty for this pc build and the Thermaltake Smart 500W RGB does the trick perfectly.

    • Delivers 500 Watt Continuous output at plus 40 degree. Compliance with Intel ATX 12 Volt 2.31 & EPS 12V 2.92 standards
    • 80 PLUS Certified, 80 percentage efficiency under typical load
    • Supports (2) PCI E 6+2pin Connectors. Active (PFC) Power Factor Correction, MTBF: 100,000 hours
    • Industry Grade Protections: (OPP) Over Power Protection, (OVP) Over Voltage Protection, (SCP) Short Circuit Protection
    • High Quality Components
    • Equipped with a powerful plus 12 Volt rail, superior performance under all types of system loading
    • 5 Year Warranty

    Amazon Price: $54.99

    8 PC Case - Best $500 PC Build 2021

    8. PC Case: DEEPCOOL MATREXX 50 Mid-Tower Case

    A great budget case from Deepcool, comes with a side panel to see all of your hardware components. It is a mid-tower case, however, you could get a more compact micro ATX tower if you wanted to with this build as an alternative. For full specifications, visit deepcool.com.

    • Tempered glass side-panel and front panel
    • 210mm wide tower compartment with 24mm clearance for cable management
    • Large area of air-intake on both sides of the front panel to ensure extreme cooling
    • Magnetic dustproof net at top, dust-filter at front and bottom
    • A newly designed cable routing hole preset on PSU Shroud for be

    Amazon Price: $49.99

    Estimated Price (August 2021): $546
    (*Using integrated graphics on the Ryzen 5 3400G)

    Overview | Best Gaming PC Build for $500

    The best $500 budget Gaming PC build for the month for August 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. This is made possible by using a CPU with integrated graphics, which also leaves this build open to adding in a graphics card later on when you can actually find one or want one.

    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 an 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 (both the GTX 1650 and newer Ryzen 3 3300x).

    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:

    To read the full overview and for a list of hardware alternatives, please visit the FULL Best $500 Gaming PC Build Page

    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.

    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 $99.99 (You can also download Windows 10 and install it on a USB yourself – simply google how to!)  Windows 10 for best gaming pc build 2018
    Ubuntu (Linux OS) Ubuntu – Desktop Free (open source) Ubuntu Logo
    SteamOS SteamOS – “Build your own Steam Machine” Free Steam Operating System OS

    August 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!

    Best of luck building the best possible gaming pc build for your budget! Questions? Leave them below.

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