With graphics card prices near normal levels and no major hardware launches in sight for the time being, now is a great time to build a PC. There's loads of choice when it comes to processors, motherboards, coolers, cases, SSDs and below you can see my picks of the best hardware you should be considering if you have around $1,000 to spend.
Of course, there are plenty of ways to cut costs or improve performance by fine-tuning the system to your specific needs to in each category you'll find my recommendations for slightly cheaper or better-performing options. This is a potent gaming PC that also includes a 500GB SSD for super-fast storage and responsiveness, the latest RGB memory and six-core Ryzen 2nd generation processor for grunt outside of games too. Check out the guide below or take a look at my YouTube video guide.
Graphics card
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
Your main focus for a gaming PC should be your graphics card as this will dictate your frame rate at various resolutions and settings. I'm aiming for silky smooth 1080p gaming here, which is by far the most popular resolution according to the Steam Hardware Survey and for that you need Nvidia's GeForce GTX 1060 6GB, which incidentally is also the most popular graphics card on the survey too.
It's able to handle maximum settings in most games at this resolution and even some at 1440p and as it costs just over $300 it's also better value than AMD's RX 580, which is still recovering from its massive price hikes thanks to cryptocurrency mining. If you need more grunt here, maybe for a high refresh rate monitor or for higher resolutions, then the GTX 1070 is a great choice, while the 3GB version of the GTX 1060 as well as AMD's RX 580 cost a little less but still perform well at 1080p.
Processor
AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
There are a dozen processors you could pick for a build such as this, but I've picked one of the best-value processors around, which is AMD's Ryzen 2600X. This six-core processor is fast without overclocking and is $40 cheaper than Intel's Core i5-8600K, which while it has the same six cores, lacks hyper-threading, meaning the AMD processor has twice as many threads and is faster outside of games as well as offering quicker frame rates in processor-limited games too as to can see in my review of the Ryzen 5 2600X. If you're building a purely gaming-focussed rig and don't play games such as Ashes of the Singularity or Total War: Warhammer 2 then you could opt for the Core i5-8400 or Core i3-8350K, which are cheaper still and can offer slightly better frame rates in some other games.
Memory
Corsair Vengeance Pro RGB 16GB 3,200MHz
While graphics card prices have come down, the same can't be said for memory and you'll be looking at around $200 for a 16GB kit. The faster the better with AMD too and it's absolutely worth opting for at least 3,000MHz, with up to 3,466MHz supported on most AMD motherboards too. I've opted for Corsair's brand new Vengeance RGB Pro kit, but it's available in 3,200MHz or 3,600MHz speeds above 3,000MHz.
I've opted for 3,200MHz as 3,600MHz is probably a tall ask for some X470 boards, plus it's $20 cheaper too. I'd also suggest splashing out on 16GB rather than 8GB, as my system regularly uses more than that these days so it's a good way of adding some future-proofing.
Motherboard
Gigabyte X470 Aorus Ultra Gaming
AMD's X470 chipset doesn't offer too many advantages over X370 but there are a couple of features (Precision Boost Overdrive and StoreMi for example) plus better future support for these boards in terms of new features so it gets my vote if you're building a new AMD system. If you want to save some cash, a B350 chipset board is a great option, especially if you won't be overclocking. My pick is Gigabyte's X470 Aorus Ultra Gaming as it's one of the cheapest X470 chipset boards out there, but still has many of the same features of boards that cost $100 more such as ALC 1220 audio and USB 3.1 support. It also overclocks well and had no problems using 3,200MHz memory.
Storage
Crucial 500GB MX500 M.2 SSD
With most SATA-based M.2 SSDs retailing for the same price as their 2.5in counterparts there's little point adding more cables to your build so an M.2 SSD makes much more sense. I've opted for Crucial's MX500 M.2 SSD in its 500GB capacity, which is plenty of space for games and Windows 10 plus you get to ditch those pesky SATA data and power cables too.
Case
Corsair Carbide Spec 04
The Carbide Spec 04 has proven to be a pretty popular choice for a PC case thanks to its low price, good cooling and unique look. Its mesh front allows for great airflow and it has space for all-in-one liquid coolers too. At just $44 it's somewhat of a bargain and is perfect for a budget-conscious build. Cooler Master's Cooler Master MasterCase H500P is a great choice if you want something a little larger with more features.
Processor cooler
Arctic Freezer eSports One
The Ryzen 5 2600X comes with a cooler, but it can be a little noisy and doesn't offer amazing cooling, especially if you overclock your processor. You don't need to spend a fortune to get lower noise and better cooling, though as Arctic's Freezer eSport One costs just $30, plus it's easy to install and super-quiet too.
Power supply
Corsair CX550M
Even under full load our hardware here is unlikely to use more than 300W so a 550W power supply offers more than enough headroom for future upgrades. It's always worth opting for a modular power supply too as you can ditch cables you don't need such as the SATA cables if, like this build does, you end up using an M.2 SSD. My pick is Corsair's MX550, which is semi-modular, quiet and offers 550W of power.
Step 1. Remove the processor socket clips
The Arctic cooler doesn't need the plastic clips on the processor socket so remove these, but keep the backplate in place.
Step 2. Install the processor
Be very careful not to drop the processor as its pins are fragile. Never carry it more than a few centimeters above your build surface and allow its weight to do the work to install it into the socket - don't use any force. You'll want the Ryzen logo to be facing the memory as shown.
Step 3. Install the SSD
The motherboard comes with a heatsink for the top M.2 port and you'll need to use this port too as the lower port does not support SATA M.2 SSDs. Use the screw provided with the motherboard to secure the heatsink down on top of the M.2 SSD once you've installed it.
Step 4. Apply thermal paste
Apply the thermal paste included with the cooler in a cross pattern on the processor. This allows for the best spread pattern underneath.
Step 5. Install processor cooler
Place the cooler on top of the processor and then use the AMD mounting plate and screws to secure it to the backplate. Install the fan so it points to the rear of the case.
Step 6. Install the memory
If you have a two-module memory kit, use slots two and four as this will allow dual-channel mode to be enabled.
Step 7. Install the motherboard
Install the rear I/O shield into the rear of the case that's included with your motherboard, then install the motherboard itself using the screws provided with your case.
Step 8. Connect front panel cables
The motherboard includes a block connector for you to install all the case front panel cables into. You can then install it as one piece rather than lots of different cables. Go ahead and install the USB 3 cable to a spare header on the board as well as the HD audio cable if you need to use the audio jacks on the case.
Step 9. Install the power supply
Install the power supply into the bottom of the case with the fan pointing down and thread the cables through the cable routing holes below the motherboard.
Step 10. Connect motherboard power cables
Route the 24-pin and 8-pin motherboard power cables to the connectors on the motherboard. Use the cable routing holes near them to keep the cables hidden.
Step 11. Connect fan cables
The motherboard has plenty of fan headers, but be sure to connect the processor cooler to the grey header next to the memory slots. This will allow your motherboard to control the processor fan speed according to processor temperature.
Step 12. Install the graphics card and power cable
Install the graphics card into the top large 16x PCI-E slot and secure its bracket to the rear of te case. Now connect the 6-pin power cable from your PSU to the graphics card. This cable is not connected to the power supply out of the box, so you'll need to install it first.
Step 13. Install rear fan
I've added a second case fan to the mix in the rear fan slot to aid cooling. The fan will come with screws to do this. Install it so the side of the fan shown here is facing the front - this will mean the airflow is pointed out the rear of the case.
Step 14. Set the correct memory speed
Connect you monitor and peripherals plus the power cable included with your power supply and make sure the power supply is switched on at the rear. Then press the power button on the side of the case. Your PC should fire up and when you see the first boot screen, hit the 'del' key to enter the motherboard's EFI. Head to the M.I.T section and locate the Extreme Memory Profile option and set this to profile one, making sure the System Memory Multiplier options read 32 to give 3,200MHz as shown.
Step 15. Install Windows 10
The easiest way to install Windows 10 is to to use an 8GB or larger USB flash drive Microsoft's Media Installation Tool, which you can download from here using another PC. Click to download the tool, run it and then select create installation media for another PC and pick your USB flash drive when it asks which media to use. The tool will create an up-to-date installer of Windows 10 on your USB flash drive, which you can use to install Windows on your new PC. To do that, tab F12 when your PC boots to enter the boot menu and select your USB drive from the list to enter the Windows installation. Alternatively, you can head into the EFI again and find the boot menu options in there.
That's it - you can now install Windows and then all your games and programs. I can highly recommend Ninite for installing your programs - it saves a lot of time and if you want to overclock your Ryzen processor you can see this guide. If you have any questions about the build, feel free to reach out on YouTube or at the other social media outlets below.
