Of all the ways to game, PC gaming has historically been one of the cheapest and most versatile ways to game. But with the rising cost of PC hardware, and increasing performance demands of newer games, it’s becoming harder to afford a good gaming-oriented system.
That’s why, in this post, we’ve put together a list of some of the best budget prebuilt PCs (under $500) we can find.
These PCs won’t run high-demand games at higher resolutions and settings, but they can allow you to do some light gaming and squeeze out acceptable frame rates for most games.
If you’re willing to build your own PC, you can put together a considerably more powerful system. Check out our $500 Gaming PC Build Guide for a list of parts that will give you more performance for your money.
Cheap Prebuilt Gaming PCs Under $500
3. Dell OptiPlex 9010 (Multi-Monitor)
Quick Look: The Best Budget Prebuilt PCs Under $500
| | NAME | SPECS | RATING | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TOP PICK |  | HP Pavilion |
| /10 | |
| HTPC |  | ACEMAGICIAN Mini |
| /10 | |
| DISPLAYS |  | Dell OptiPlex 9010 |
| /10 | |
| RGB |  | Dell OptiPlex 7020 |
| /10 |
*For more information on the prebuilt gaming PCs above, click the “Read Review »” link and you will skip to our overview of that PC. To see our Honorable Mention picks, keep scrolling down.
1. HP Pavilion TP01-2040
Best prebuilt gaming PC under $500
- AMD Ryzen 5 5600G
- Radeon RX Vega 7
- 12GB of DDR4 RAM
- 512GB SSD
When you think of HP Pavilion computers, gaming probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But if you’re looking for a great, ultra budget PC that can give you a great gaming experience, then you’ll definitely want to consider the HP Pavilion TP01-2040.
This little budget powerhouse comes with a Ryzen 5 5600G, one of AMD’s cheaper Zen 3 APUs. It utilizes RX Vega 7 graphics, which acts as the system’s GPU, and it does a fairly good job. According to most benchmarks, it manages to squeeze out acceptable performance for most games on lower settings at 720p, with average frame rates between 60 and 120 FPS across most games.
And, if you’re playing non-demanding titles (Rocket League, Among Us, Minecraft, etc.), you can even pair it with a cheap 1080p display.
The system also comes with 12GB of DDR4 memory, and a 512GB NVMe SSD. That means that for your modest budget, you’re also getting access to fairly newer components, which is amazing at this low price point.
2. ACEMAGICIAN Mini Gaming PC
Affordable HTPC/gaming PC option
- AMD Ryzen 5 5600U
- Radeon RX Vega 7
- 16GB of DDR4 RAM
- 512GB SSD
If you’re looking for a tiny PC that packs a punch to use as an HTPC for light gaming, then you can’t go wrong with the ACEMAGICIAN Mini Gaming PC. This little PC features a Ryzen 5600U, which comes with RX Vega 7 graphics, 16GB of DDR4 memory, and a 512GB NVMe SSD.
Also Read: DDR4 vs DDR5: Which Should You Choose?
At first glance, you might not think this tiny little PC is capable of much. But it holds its own surprisingly well in gaming. On medium settings at 1080p, this computer can hit decent average framerates in games like CS:GO, Fortnite, and Call of Duty, and is capable of streaming 4K video.
One unique thing about this computer is the dial that allows you to control the cooling fan. That means if you want to watch a movie, you can lower fan speed to make it quieter, or crank up the cooling for intensive gaming and workloads.
With its sleek design, excellent price to performance ratio, flexibility, and gaming capabilities, it’s a great mini HTPC for the living room.
3. Dell OptiPlex 9010
Budget-friendly PC w/multi-monitor support
- Intel Core i7-4770
- AMD FirePro W5100
- 32GB of DDR3 RAM
- 500GB SSD/4TB HDD
If you want a cheap prebuilt gaming PC compatible that will accommodate a multi-monitor setup, then this Dell OptiPlex 9010 is a solid choice. This system is a bit older, but still holds up decently for its age. It comes with a 4th-gen Intel Core i7 CPU, a 4GB FirePro W5100—a DX12-compatible, 75-watt graphics card with 4 display port outputs—and plenty of RAM and storage.
It can play casual and competitive games, such as Fortnite, Skyrim, and Rocket League, and hit acceptable frame rates on low settings at lower resolutions. You can also find custom 3rd-party Nimez drivers for the FirePro W5100, which can boost the performance in some games.
Overall, since this is an older workstation PC, with a workstation GPU, it isn’t going to give you top-tier performance in gaming. However, it offers a lot for its price, and is a great choice if you’re looking to pair it with a multi-monitor setup on the cheap.
4. Dell OptiPlex 7020
A solid prebuilt PC under $500 w/RGB lights
- Intel Core i7-4770
- NVIDIA GT 1030
- 16GB of DDR3 RAM
- 512GB SSD
Finding a decent gaming PC for under $500 isn’t too difficult. But finding one that performs decently and has decent RGB is a bit more difficult. This Dell OptiPlex 7020 is a unique exception, blending the office workstation aesthetic with RGB lighting for a unique look.
Inside this computer is an Intel Core i7 4770, an Nvidia GT 1030, 16GB of memory, and a 512GB SSD. Like other workstation computers at this price range, its hardware is dated, but still relevant enough to run games on low settings at decent frame rates.
But aside from the adequate hardware for casual and light competitive gaming, it also has an interesting take on RGB lighting. There is an LED strip inside the front of the case, along with an infinity LED light panel where the disk drives would normally reside. That means you may need an external CD/DVD drive, but you’ll also have a sleek and stylish light gaming system on a budget.
5. Beelink SER5 Ryzen
Honorable Mention #1
- AMD Ryzen 5 5560U
- Radeon RX Vega 7
- 16GB of DDR4 RAM
- 500GB Solid State Drive
If you like the idea of gaming on a mini PC, then you might consider grabbing the Beelink SER5 Ryzen computer. Much like the ACEMAGICIAN PC higher up on this list, this little computer packs a big punch, thanks to its Ryzen 5 5560U CPU, which includes onboard RX Vega 7 graphics. 16GB of DDR4 memory, and a 500GB NVMe SSD.
Because this computer uses a mobile processor, you can’t expect too much in terms of performance on demanding titles. However, it does manage to get acceptable frame rates on competitive games, older titles, and emulation. And because it’s utilizing modern tech (DDR4 RAM and an NVMe SSD), it’ll continue to be viable for a few years, with the option to upgrade to 64GB of memory and up to 2TB of storage.
If you’re looking for a mini gaming PC that performs well, has a modest look, and is available at a good price, then this is definitely a worthwhile consideration.
6. HP M01-f0033W
Honorable mention #2
- AMD Ryzen 3 3200G
- Radeon Vega 8 Graphics
- 8GB of DDR4 RAM
- 1TB Hard Drive
If you want a full computer with relatively modern hardware at a low price, then check out the HP M01-f0033W. This PC is a mid-tower desktop PC that comes with a Ryzen 3 3200G, integrated Vega 8 graphics, 8GB of DDR4 memory, and a 1TB hard drive, for less than $400.
Also Read: 8GB vs 16GB of RAM: How Much Should You Get?
Being a Ryzen 3 system, this computer certainly isn’t the most powerful on the list. But being one of the cheapest, it still has relatively powerful hardware inside. It’s capable of running most games at acceptable framerates, depending on how demanding the title is.
With it only having 8GB of memory and an HDD, it could use a couple upgrades (such as an extra stick of RAM and an SSD). But with the low price and decent performance this machine is capable of, it’s worth the price (and can easily afford you the ability to do those upgrades yourself).
Budget Prebuilt Gaming PCs on a Tight Budget
Whether you’re looking to break into computer gaming, or you’re into older games and emulation, gaming on a PC doesn’t necessarily require a massive up-front budget. As always, we recommend you build your own PC to get the most performance out of your budget. But if you’d rather buy a prebuilt PC, you can still get a deal on a decent budget gaming PC.
Also Read: How to Build A Gaming PC (Step-By-Step Guide)
We’ve looked at some of the best low-powered, yet affordable gaming PCs on the market. As long as you temper your expectations, these machines can offer a decent gaming experience under $500.
