PC Build Navigation:
- $1500 Gaming PC Build
- $1000 Gaming PC Build
- $700 Gaming PC Build
- $500 Gaming PC Build
- Gaming PC Peripherals & Components Ideas
Welcome to the best gaming pc builds of the month for February 2020 – budgets included are for under $1500, $1000, $700 and $500! These budgets should encapsulate most pc builders out there who have an interest in gaming and maximizing performance per dollar spent on hardware.
So, you’re planning on building a brand spanking new Gaming PC this February, and you’re looking for the highest possible performing pc for the lowest possible spend? Then you’ve come to the right place.
If you are here, you are most likely in the market for a new gaming rig and you most likely want to get the highest gaming performance possible by spending as little as possible — that’s where the builds below come into play. Each build is chosen based on maximizing performances at various resolutions and in most modern pc games on the market. So choose your budget and have in mind what games you’re going to play and at what resolutions.
This month we have some updates to the $1500 pc build below — there have been a few minor upgrades and changes due to prices, and the build stands strong.
For the $1000 gaming pc build, the graphics card stands strong with an RX 5700, however there have been some RX 5700 XT’s on sale, so do grab one of those if you can afford it. We have also switched the case up to keep things fresh.
In the $700 gaming pc build there has been a positive switch in the motherboard choice and we still include a GTX 1660 SUPER, however as prices go down on the RX 5600 XT, you could consider this as well.
Best of luck building your gaming PC build this month!
Have a different budget than either $1500, $1000, $700 or $500?
The builds chosen in this article are chosen simply based on three performance targets of maxing games out at resolutions anywhere from 1080p 60fps, to 1080p 144fps to 2K resolutions and beyond. The idea being you can swap the hardware in each of the builds should you have a bit more or less to spend (simply see the hardware alternatives sections fro any of the builds) — which means each of these gaming pc builds should fit the bill for 99% of gamers out there.
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 February 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 | February 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: $324.99
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
.
Amazon Price: $189.99
4. Graphics Card: EVGA GeForce RTX 2070 Super Gaming, 08G-P4-3071-KR, 8GB GDDR6
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: $519.99
5. RAM: Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 3000 MHz DDR4 DRAM Desktop Gaming Memory Kit 16GB (8GBx2) CL15 BLS2K8G4D30AESBK (Gray)
16GB of RAM is the perfect spot for any high-end gaming pc - included is a 16GB kit of Crucial Balistix SPORT LT 3000Mhz memory.
Amazon Price: $71.50
6. SSD: Samsung 970 EVO SSD 1TB - M.2 NVMe Interface Internal Solid State Drive with V-NAND Technology (MZ-V7E1T0BW), Black/RedCrucial P1 1TB 3D NAND NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD - CT1000P1SSD8
This month we have the 1TB Samsung 970 EVO NVMe SSD, which is a great mid-range NVME M.2 SSD offering speeds of up to 3500MB/s (read) and 2500MB/s (write).
Amazon Price: $168.99
7. Power Supply: CORSAIR RMX Series, RM750x, 750 Watt, 80+
A great, quality power supply that give you all the juice you need to power this pc build with a high efficiency 80 PLUS Gold Certified stamp of approval. Included is a zero RPM fan mode giving you a quiet cooling experience.
Amazon Price: $119.88
8. PC Case: Cooler Master MasterBox Pro 5 RGB ATX Mid-Tower w/Front DarkMirror Panel, Tempered Glass Side Panel & 3X 120mm RGB Fans w/1 to 3 Splitter Cable
The Cooler Master MasterBOx 5 is a perfect gaming case. It includes a front Dark Mirrior Panel, a Tempered Glass Side Panel and includes 3, 120mm RGB Fans - giving you a a great glimpse into your build, with great cooling and an included RGB look.
Amazon Price: $84.99
ESTIMATED PRICE: $1482 (February 2020)
Overview | Best Gaming PC Build for $1500
The $1500 gaming pc build for February 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 or RTX 2080 Ti.
This gaming PC build also includes a high-end PCIe M.2 SSD now, which provides blazing read/write speeds.
$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 | February 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 8GB Graphics Card
1. CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3600X 6-Core, 12-Thread Unlocked Desktop Processor with Wraith Spire Cooler
The newer AMD Ryzen 5 3600X is a phenomenal gaming processor for the cost. Straight out of the box, it can beat the Intel 9600X in many tasks in gaming and productivity and includes a stock cooler.
Amazon Price: $204.99
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
4. Graphics Card: XFX Rx 5700 8GB GDDR6 Dd Ultra w/Boost Up to 1750MHz 3xDP HDMI PCI Express 4.0 Graphics Card Rx-57XL8LBD6
The RX 5700 Graphics Card offers solid gaming performance at 2K resolutions or high FPS resolution at 1080p. If you want to pump it up a bit - you can go with an RX 5700 XT for about $60-$100 more.
Amazon Price: $299.99
5. RAM: Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 3000 MHz DDR4 DRAM Desktop Gaming Memory Kit 16GB (8GBx2) CL15 BLS2K8G4D30AESBK (Gray)
Included is a total of 16GB in the best $1000 gaming pc build, which is an upgrade over the previously included 8GB -- it's a sweet spot these days for memory and given the price reduction in RAM lately, is a steal of a deal.
Amazon Price: $71.50
6. SSD: Crucial P1 500GB 3D NAND NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD - CT500P1SSD8
The Crucial P1 NVMe 1TB SSD is the perfect choice for a fast, reliable NVMe drive while keeping you within budget.
Amazon Price: $66.95
7. Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 650 G3, 80 Plus Gold 650W, Fully Modular, Eco Mode with New HDB Fan, 7 Year Warranty, Includes Power ON Self Tester, Compact 150mm Size, Power Supply 220-G3-0650-Y1
650 Watts is enough juice for this gaming pc build and this one comes in at a Gold Rated power efficiency and is fully modular.
Amazon Price: $107.99
8. PC Case: Phanteks PH-EC416PTG_WT Eclipse P400 Steel ATX Mid Tower Case Glacier White, 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: $77.99
Estimated Cost (February 2020): $944.39
Overview | $1000 Best Gaming PC Build 2019
The $1000 build for January 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 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 have also just bumped the $1000 gaming pc build up to 16GB of memory given the affordability of RAM now, which is a huge upgrade. As well, we now include a Crucial P1 PCIe M.2 SSD, which is an upgrade in storage speeds when compared to a typical SATA SSD.
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 | February 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: $179.99
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: $94.99
4. Graphics Card: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 Super OC 6G Graphics Card, 2X Windforce Fans, 6GB 192-bit GDDR6, Gv-N166SOC-6GD Video Card
OR (If Prices go down or you can afford):
*RX 5600 XT: This care technically performs better than a GTX 1660 SUPER, however the price at the moment shoots us way over budget and doesn't warrant the upgrade as it's getting close to an RX 5700.
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: Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 2400 MHz DDR4 DRAM Desktop Gaming Memory Kit 8GB (4GBx2) CL16 BLS2K4G4D240FSB (Gray)
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: $36.99
6. SSD: Crucial BX500 480GB 3D NAND SATA 2.5-Inch Internal SSD - CT480BX500SSD1
The Crucial BX500 480GB 3D NAND SATA SSD is the perfect budget PC SSD as it offers good performance for such a low cost. You get the advantage of SSD speeds at HD prices and for about $20 more, you can essentially double your capacity at 480GB and more.
Amazon Price: $50.53
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: $43.31
8. PC Case: Phanteks PH-EC300PTG_BR Eclipse P300 Tempered Glass Steel ATX Mid Tower Case Black/Red
- Full Metal Exterior Design. Clean interior –PSU Cover & HDDs. Tempered Glass Panel. Unique exterior design with integrated PSU cover
- Fully Equipped with Magnetic Dust Filter. Long GPU (supports up to 15.2in). Full Size PSU support. Equipped with 1x Phanteks 120mm Fans Front I/O (2x USB 3.0, Headphone, Mic, LED Control)
- RGB Power Light + Ambient Down Light (10 colors). Integrated RGB Illumination modes + sync with RGB motherboards/Phanteks RGB products. High Airflow
- 2x Front Loaded 3.5" HDD. Supports up to 240/280mm radiator in front. 2x SSD mounting location (1x included)
- Motherboard Support: ATX, uATX, mITX, (E-ATX* - up to 275mm wide). Graphic card: 330 mm/13 in. CPU cooler: 160 mm/6.3 in. Cable management: 35 mm/1.4 in. PSU(including cable): 197 mm/7.7 in
Amazon Price: $59.99
Estimated Price (February 2020): $715.81
Overview | Best Gaming PC Build for $700
The $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 240GB SSD, which is plenty for your OS and your most played games/software. If you want to up the capacity please visit the hardware alternatives page or simply up to a 500GB SSD if you think you’ll need it right away.
$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 | February 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: $119.99
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: $79.99
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: $119.99
5. RAM: Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 2666 MHz DDR4 DRAM Desktop Gaming Memory Kit 8GB (4GBx2) CL16 BLS2K4G4D26BFSC (White)
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: $33.99
6. SSD: Crucial BX500 240GB 3D NAND SATA 2.5-Inch Internal SSD - CT240BX500SSD1Z
The $500 pc build starts at 240GB should be plenty to start with, but for not much more you can bump up to a 500GB SSD.
Amazon Price: $33.99
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: $43.31
8. PC Case: Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L Matx Tower w/ Magnetic Design Dust Filter, Transparent Acrylic Side Panel, Adjustable I/O & Fully Ventilated for Airflow
The Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L is a Micro ATX case - making is a very compact design, which accommodates all the included hardware nicely and for a great price - with a great look!
Amazon Price: $39.99
Estimated Price (February 2020): $479
Overview | Best Gaming PC Build for $500
The best possible $500 gaming PC build 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 builds, the following are 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.
$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 | $106.00 |  |
| Ubuntu (Linux OS) | Ubuntu – Desktop | Free (open source) |  |
| SteamOS | SteamOS – “Build your own Steam Machine” | Free |  |
February 2020 Gaming PC Builds of the Month Overview Video
*Coming soon!
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: