Best Gaming PC Build Under $1000

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re thinking of building your system. This is a big step, because setting up your PC from scratch is quite the task, and it requires months of planning, research, and budgeting. Fortunately, you’ve already taken a step in the right direction by coming to Ovrclock for help. Before we get to the technical stuff, let’s review some things to take care of before you start buying the parts.

Firstly, one of the most pertinent factors before starting your build is to secure a budget and then stick to it. Everyone wants the fastest and most glamorous equipment out there, but components can be extremely expensive, and no one should have to break the bank for their build. A budget also helps you allocate what you want to spend on individual pieces, and this will save you from unnecessary expenses on your gaming rig.

Another thing to make sure of is compatibility. There are hundreds of products on the market, and not all of them go well together. This is disappointing to experience when you’ve bought everything, so be careful that all of your equipment is well-researched and isn’t incompatible with previous purchases.

To save you time and effort, we reviewed multiple builds and components to help you design the best gaming PC build for under $1000. This efficient guide will help you understand everything you need to know for the build, and how much money every part requires.

Image	Component	Features	Price
CPU	AMD Ryzen 5 3600X	Base Clock – 3.8 GHz  Boost Clock – Up to 4.4 GHz L3 Cache – 32 MB  TDP – 65W 6 Cores – 12 Threads	Check Price
Motherboard	MSI B450 TOMAHAWK MAX ATX AM4	4+2 Digi VRM Up to 128 GB DDR4 NVMe M.2 Slot USB 3.2 Gen 2   2-Way AMD Crossfire	Check Price
Memory	G. Skill Ripjaws V Series 16 GB	Low Voltage 1.2V~1.35V XMP Profile 2.0  Available in 5 Colors 42mm module height	Check Price
Storage	Western Digital Blue 1 TB M.2-2280 SSD	Read speeds up to 560MB/s  Write speeds up to 530MB/s  TBW  – 600TBW	Check Price
Graphics Card	MSI GeForce RTX 2060 6 GB VENTUS XS OC	6 GB DDR6 VRAM 192-bit interface  Boost Clock: 1710MHz Memory Speed : 14Gbps NVIDIA G-Sync	Check Price
PC Case	Azza Titan 240 ATX Mid Tower	Gaming Aesthetics Spacious Maximum Airflow Removable Mesh Filter	Check Price
PSU	Thermaltake Smart 500 W 80+ Certified ATX	Rated : 80+  MTBF: 100,000 hours Powerful +12 Volt rail system  Strong airflow  120mm Quiet fan	Check Price

To get the biggest thing out of the way, let’s discuss the Processor first. Choosing the CPU first will also make building easier, since choosing other components that are compatible with the CPU will narrow the selection for other components.

As an integral piece of your build, we didn’t want to compromise on quality and wanted to offer the best value processor here. It was quite challenging for us to exclude Intel from this build but then again, we all know how Ryzen for the last two years has taken over the market with their best value CPUs. And that’s why Ryzen 5 3600X is perfect for this build because it’s packed with power and has a great price-to-performance ratio.

With Zen 2 architecture, the 3600X is built on a 7nm process and uses 6 CPU cores and 12 threads. The base frequency boasts 3.8 GHz with the boost clock speed going up to 4.4 GHz, ideal for hardcore gamers who want raw performance within a budget. AMD has also managed to increase IPC speeds by 15% compared to its predecessor, and gamers have been extremely appreciative of the faster speeds with a lower number of cores.

With PCIe 4.0 compatibility, the AMD Ryzen 5 3600X brings future-proofing and boosts double bandwidth speeds with newer PCIe 4.0 graphics cards, and SSDs. Real-time performance on these devices has reportedly gone up 51%, thanks to the PCIe 4.0 support. The 32 MB L3 Cache is also a considerable improvement and gamers finally have a mid-range CPU that they can push to the limits. The Ryzen 5 3600X has a better thermal design only consuming 95W and comes with a better stock cooler when compared with Intel i5-10400 in the same price range so you can invest the same savings on upgrading another component. 

Considering everything this CPU has to offer, it’s no surprise that this CPU is used in so many budgeted builds. Intel may have been ruling the CPU kingdom for the last decade, but may lose its crown to Ryzen!

MSI has always been popular for catering to the gaming community, and the MSI B450 Gaming Plus is no different. Part of the ‘Arsenal’ range, this motherboard has a premium layout designed for maximum performance, and a 4+2 digital power design around the Richtek PWM controller which makes it capable of handling anything you throw at it.

Mostly, manufacturers only release new motherboards as revamped versions of the previous models but the MSI B450 seems to have created a league of its own. At maximum overclocking speeds, the B450 has the lowest power draw amongst all the AM4 boards out there. Using dual-channel DIMM slots, the motherboard also offers support for up to  128 GB of DDR4 RAM, which enthusiast gamers can also overclock using the XMP profiles.

And when it comes to storage, there is a turbo-speed NVMe M.2 slot as well as 6 SATA ports which offer transfer speeds of up to 6 Gb/s. The B450 is also now equipped with AMD STOREMI, which is state-of-the-art SSD technology that optimizes data access and provides fast boot times and application start-up. It also features 2 PCIe x16 slots, the primary slot being reinforced with MSI’s Steel Armor and the PCI Express expansion slots are fully compatible with 2-Way AMD CrossFire mode. 

When you’re designing your build, it’s natural that budgets are tight and you want a motherboard that already offers plenty of thermal solutions on board, rather than buying additional fans of your own. This is another reason why this motherboard is so popular among multiple builds because there are extended heatsinks on the VRM MOSFETS, as well as another heatsink catering to the M.2 slot. 

The gaming connectivity on MSI B450 Tomahawk includes a Realtek LAN controller, high-definition audio, and two USB 3.2Gen ports, both type A and type C, respectively. And if you’re building this on your own, then a little customization can really spruce things up and that’s exactly what you can do by using the B450’s addressable RGB and fan headers. All in all, it’s definitely the right addition to your build if you want a powerful gaming desktop PC without the extravagant price tag.

As you can probably guess from the name, the main focus of the Ripjaws V series was to provide speed like no other. And reviews have shown that they’ve met this target with flying colors.

This dual-channel DDR4 memory has great performance potential, giving blazing speeds in every department.  With a low voltage of 1.2V~1.35V, this makes it easy on the electricity bill and overheating. A 42 mm height makes it easy to fit with oversized CPU heatsinks and XMP 2.0 profiles give the user an easy set-up without lagging issues. Comparisons against its competitors have also shown that the Ripjaws has fewer latency issues and a high price-to-performance ratio.

The G. Skill RipJaws V Series 3200-CL16 does not have any RGB lighting, but it comes in 5 different colors so buying one to match your build shouldn’t be a problem.

Fast, powerful, and efficient are just some of the words that people are using to describe the WD 3D Solid State Drive, which has been launched as a gift for mid-range buyers.

These drives have been designed to perform at 560 MB per second in sequential reads, which is pretty close to a SATA cable performance. However, it’s their robust build that gives them the edge over SATA cables. Being stacked in a vertical position stabilizes them, and the 3-year warranty is proof that WD has confidence in their product.

There is a user manual that helps with easy installation, and many people have also appreciated the software that WD has equipped these SSDs with. Though it is not the best, this solid-state drive is fast and efficient and does not crash even after long hours of gaming.

If you are a pro-gamer who is after 1080p and 1440p gaming performance, the RTX 2060 OC edition is here to give you everything you need. It consumes 160W of power, which is a pretty good stat for such a strong card. From powerful performance to price, this card has quickly turned into the number 1 choice for gamers who have premium mid-range builds. It has all the ingredients to play your favorite games in high settings.

With a 6GB GDDR6 VRAM, the core memory’s boost clock gives results up to 1710 MHz with a memory speed of 14Gbps. You get an extensive number of CUDA and RTX cores that are connected with a 192-bit interface, which means that this graphics card is exceptionally fast and gives you high-resolution results for not that high a price.

The Turing architecture in this combines ray tracing and artificial intelligence, giving you realistic shadows and refractions in games that give you an immersive experience. Accompanying this is NVIDIA’s G-SYNC that allows for refresh rates up to 240 Hz on high settings, allowing for high-resolution games to run without a hitch.

For the heatsinks, the 2060 XS has a heatsink with four 6mm heat pipes that dispose of the heat from the back, maintaining low temperatures all the while. One of the biggest highlights of this card was the long hours it could run without overheating, a quality many gamers found worthwhile since it allows for overclocking and maximum performance without running the risk of damaging your gaming computer.  The video card also has a TORX 2.0 fan, that has a steeply curved blade to maximize airflow potential. To make sure the gaming experience immersive, the fan is designed to make as little noise as possible.

One cut back that this card has is the lack of RGB lighting, but if you look at the rest of the guide, you will find that there are enough products where you can customize the lighting to show off your creative side. And to be fair, LED lighting seems like a small price to pay considering the plethora of features that this super card offers.

You may think a PC case is only limited to aesthetics, but most people have no idea how important it is in terms of functionality. It plays a vital role in keeping the CPU cool and is basically the exterior that defines your entire build.

Our choice was the Titan 240 ATX Mid Tower because it’s a nice blend of looks and work. On the outside, we see that the side panel is made of glass, while the top and front are divided between clear and black plastic. Azza also installed their logo at the side that lights up with white LEDs, so overall the case has a pretty lowkey and classy aesthetic.

The top panel features small slots that allow air to pass through, and an opening in the back also helps dissipate heat from the system. At the bottom, there is a removable mesh filter to provide the power supply with fresh air, and another vent allows heat to evaporate from the hard disk trays. You can also achieve further cooling by mounting a 120mm fan in the space provided. For the I/O panel, there is a single USB 3.0 port, and three 2.0 ports with a headphone and microphone jack in the middle.

Every PC looks different once the CPU has been installed, but the 240 ATX seems to check all the boxes for a good PC case. Considering that you’ve installed a strong motherboard and CPU, your case just needs to protect everything you put inside!

For this guide, our main goal is to prioritize efficiency over appearance. And if you can get something that looks good too, then Ovrclock for the win!  The Thermaltake just launched their non-modular supply and delivers 500-Watt continuous output. An 80+ rated supply, it uses high-end materials and has a powerful +12 Volt rail that can perform under all types of loading. Equipped with Over Power Protection (OPP) and Short Circuit Protection (SCP), this power supply also has a 5-year warranty, which makes it a worthwhile investment.

The cables are an adequate length, and there is a fan that maintains temperatures. The build quality is also impressive for an entry-level scale and should work fine with systems where power management isn’t your biggest focus. This power supply also stands out very well in terms of RGB effects, and fans have commended the quiet fan installed that gets the job done without becoming an annoying distraction.

Here at OvrClock, we are committed to keeping our editorial and product recommendation processes completely independent from our monetization — so, you can always be sure we are recommending the best PC Parts for you without any partiality.

The OvrClock team has been reviewing all parts of a PC build for years now, and we use our expert opinion and experiences when making recommendations. We try to get our hands on and actually test all of the products we recommend, in addition to the dozens of alternatives that are not on the final list. This allows us to provide insights beyond what you can find from reading other online reviews, and get a true and more clear understanding of the best options. Our diverse team and vast experience also allow us to highlight each product’s ideal use cases, as well as the perfect customer profile for any given product.

For PC Builds, we test things including but not limited to: performance, compatibility, and overall cohesion towards a PC build, among many other factors. Our experience allows us to translate these insights into actionable conclusions and purchase recommendations for you, without you having to test all the products yourself. The recommended PC build and dozens of others not in this roundup have been tested thoroughly by our team.

For any questions about our product selection and recommendation process, feel free to contact us.

At the end of the day, you are the one who gets to decide which product fits your needs best and gives you the performance on the gaming computer you are after. 

That being said, our guide gives you a clear idea of what the market has to offer, and if you’re on the hunt for a gaming PC build under $1000, then this one is detailed and caters to every gamer’s need. We’re hopeful you’ll be enjoying the latest games on this build. Happy building!