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Want to build a new PC but not sure where to start? You need our PC buying guide, complete with hardware options and prices.
Building a brand-new PC can be quite challenging, especially when it comes to the component selection process. With the sheer number of options available for each component, it becomes hard to justify which PC parts are well-suited to your requirements.
Although it is tempting to splurge on a top-of-the-line CPU or GPU, doing so may not be an ideal solution from a value standpoint. Moreover, picking the best of one PC part while compromising on other key components can lead to serious performance issues like bottlenecking.
So how do you build a well-balanced PC on a budget? Let's find out!
Before delving into individual component recommendations, it is crucial to set a budget and consider the form factor of your build. Typically, the form factor of a PC refers to its physical size and configuration, which greatly affects the type and number of components that can be installed in your system.
For instance, if you're building a small form factor PC, you'll be severely limited in terms of the motherboard, cooler, GPU, and PSU options. On the contrary, if you opt for a high-end setup, you'd want to invest in a full-tower or mid-tower case that provides enough room for mounting eATX/ATX motherboards, triple-slot GPUs, and 240 mm/360 mm water-cooling radiators.
Therefore, you must decide on a form factor (such as ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX) right from the beginning, as it'll help determine the limitations of your PC and which components to select later on in the process.
As for budget allocation, it depends entirely on what you're planning to do with your PC. For example, if you're a hardcore gamer, you might want to allocate a significant portion of your budget toward getting a faster GPU and CPU. However, if you're looking to build a PC primarily aimed at content creation, you'll be better off with a high-core count CPU, more memory, and plenty of storage space.
Since the value you can extract from a well-rounded PC is far higher than that of a top-tier build, you should prioritize components based on your use case and preferences.
Despite the fact that Intel and AMD are the only CPU manufacturers in the desktop space, both companies offer a wide range of processors spanning several generations. As a result, choosing the right CPU is dependent on your budget, intended usage, and upgrade path.
At the time of writing, Intel's 12th and 13th Gen CPUs provide a better price-to-performance ratio than AMD's Ryzen 7000 Series owing to their improved IPC and native support for both DDR4 and DDR5 memory configurations.
While the value proposition of Zen 4 CPUs does decrease due to the upfront cost of AM5 motherboards and DDR5 memory kits, it should be noted that the Ryzen 7000 Series is a forward-facing platform. This means that the AM5 platform has a greater potential for future upgrades than LGA 1700, as AMD has committed to supporting the socket until 2025.
Regardless, mainstream CPUs from Intel's Raptor Lake and Alder Lake lineup, such as the Core i5-13400 or even the Core i5-12600K, might be your best bet in terms of value. At just $200, the Core i5-13400 features ten cores (6P/4E) and 16 threads, making it the obvious choice for gaming and other productivity-focused tasks.
Choosing the right motherboard for your PC often involves key considerations such as form factor, CPU compatibility, memory type, connectivity options, and feature set.
Although there isn't a noticeable performance difference between the most affordable and high-end models, top-tier motherboards offer additional advantages like overclocking support, RGB control, superior build quality, improved audio codec, and a ton of I/O ports. Given the recent surge in motherboard pricing, we recommend spending anywhere from $150-$250 on a mid-tier chipset that sports a robust VRM and includes all the necessary connections.
Unless you plan to buy a K-Series CPU from Intel, you'll be better off with a DDR4 variant of either the B660 or the B760 chipset for the existing LGA 1700 socket. For those willing to jump on the AM5 platform, an entry-level B650/B650E motherboard would be a more reasonable option than the X670/X670E chipset.
DDR5 might be the latest and greatest standard in memory, but it isn't accessible to users stuck on an older platform. Compared to DDR4, DDR5 memory modules benefit from increased bandwidth and built-in ECC support, albeit at a much higher platform cost.
Since the DDR4 memory standard is still relevant among Intel's 12th and 13th Gen CPUs, we recommend opting for a 16GB (2x8) 3200MHz CL16 kit to maximize savings and performance. As for the Ryzen 7000 Series, DDR5-6000 is the sweet spot as it offers improved stability with a 1:1 Infinity Fabric Clock ratio.
When building a gaming PC from scratch, you should allocate at least 30-40% of your budget toward the graphics card. For a $1000 build, it is possible to get your hands on an extremely capable mainstream GPU that retails for around $300-$400.
Considering the exorbitant cost of GPUs over the past few years, the sub-$300 price segment looks particularly impressive with popular mid-range options from Nvidia, AMD, and Intel. However, if you prefer rasterization performance over real-time ray tracing, AMD's Radeon RX 6750 XT, at $380, stands out as the best mainstream GPU in this price category.
If you're looking for mid-range alternatives that provide superior RT performance without breaking the bank, Nvidia's GeForce RTX 3060 Ti or the RTX 3060 will be able to deliver a solid gaming experience at 1080p and 1440p.
When comparing PCIe Gen 4 SSDs against Gen 3 drives, it is evident that the newer storage solution offers faster read/write speeds (~7,000MB/s) in core-heavy workloads like gaming, content creation, and other data-intensive applications. While PCIe Gen 3 SSDs suffer from a much slower file transfer rate (3,000-3,500 MB/s) than their Gen 4 counterparts, they tend to be cheaper and readily accessible across different storage capacities.
Unless you're transferring massive chunks of data regularly, you won't be able to notice a significant boost in speed by opting for a Gen 4 drive. Instead, we recommend spending the same amount of money on a high-capacity Gen 3 SSD that strikes a great balance between price and performance.
The PSU is undoubtedly the most important component in any PC build, as it can have a huge impact on the overall health of your system. With CPUs and GPUs getting more power-hungry than ever, you'll need to invest in a high-quality unit that matches the power requirements of your build's other components.
To determine a safe operating wattage for your PC, it is advisable to add up the TDP of your CPU and GPU combined with an additional 30% headroom for powering the rest of the components. A 500W PSU should be sufficient for an entry-level build, whereas a 650W unit is ideal for most mid-range PCs. A high-end build may require a 1,000W or 1,200W PSU to ensure optimal power delivery throughout its life cycle.
Besides power requirements, we recommend going with an 80+ Bronze-rated unit with a fully modular/semi-modular design for better cable management and airflow.
To help you get acquainted with the component selection process, we've put together our top value-for-money recommendations for each PC part across two different price points—a mid-range build priced at around $1,000 and a high-end alternative priced around $1,600.
Both of our build guides adhere to a reasonable degree of future-proofing and should easily handle most gaming and productivity-based workloads.
Component
Mid-Range Build
High-End Build
CPU
Cooler
Stock Cooler
be quiet! Pure Rock 2 Black: $45
Motherboard
Memory
Corsair Vengeance 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5-6000 CL36: $98
Graphics Card
Storage
Western Digital Blue SN570 1TB M.2-2280 PCIe 3.0 X4: $53
Western Digital Black SN770 2TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4: $120
PSU
Corsair CX 650M (2021) 650W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX: $80
Corsair RM850x (2021) 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX: $150
Case
Phanteks Eclipse P300A Mesh ATX Mid-Tower: $60
Corsair 4000D Airflow ATX Mid-Tower: $104
Estimated Cost
Building a well-rounded PC requires careful consideration and planning to ensure you select the right components while staying within your budget. By following the recommendations listed throughout this guide, you should be able to better understand each PC part and build a system that meets your needs and exceeds your expectations.
Koushik is a technology enthusiast who specializes in writing about Computer Hardware at MUO. After earning a Master's degree in Film Studies, Koushik realized that he was more into analyzing and explaining the intricacies of hardware components than the film form.With over 2 years of experience as a professional writer, Koushik's primary intention is to inform his readers about the latest trends in CPU, GPU, and memory architecture. He also has a keen interest in video games and loves discussing the uniqueness and prevalence of such a medium.When he isn't working, you'll often find him engrossed in watching films from the transitional era.