With modern PC games advancing at such a rapid rate, there is no surprise that there are multiple games that have been released that most standard cookie-cutter computers (cheap pre-built systems) can barely handle. And, as PC gamers we like to have and experience the best… We like to play our games on the highest settings possible, with the highest framerate possible.
Fortunately, in this day and age, even a budget gaming PC build will allow you to play most games on higher settings on an affordable 1080p monitor. (Although, in this guide, we’ll be talking about high-end gaming computers, rather than budget-friendly systems.)
This is especially true when you take it upon yourself to build your own custom gaming desktop, which will ultimately save you a ton of money on the markup prices that you would’ve paid for a pre-built computer (like an Alienware or Cyber Power PC system) or a high-end gaming laptop.
The good news is that building a computer is a very doable thing for just about anyone. Seriously… if you can operate a screwdriver and read, then I’m pretty confident that you can build your own PC.
In this guide, we’ve given you part lists for the most powerful gaming PC builds at five different price ranges. We’ve also linked to similarly-priced high-end pre-built gaming computers as well so that if you don’t want to build your own desktop, you can go the pre-built route as well. These pre-built systems won’t offer quite the same performance as if you were to build a computer for the same amount of money. However, they should still give you a fairly high-end experience.
Table of Contents
1. Quick-Look: 5 of the Best Gaming Desktops
2. Elite $2,000 Gaming Desktop
4. High-End $1,500 Gaming Computer
Quick-Look: Our Top Picks for the Best Gaming PC Builds
For those of you who just want to get right into ordering the parts for your system, I’ve put together five different pre-made part lists ($1,000, $1,250, $1,500, $1,750, & $2,000) so that you can bypass the component selection process and get right into building your new high-end, self-built gaming PC for 2019.
These part lists are updated with the top components at the best prices on a regular basis. So, if you’re looking at these builds you can bet they’ll give you maximum performance for the budget you’ve set. And, if you’re looking for a similarly priced pre-built gaming computer, just click on the “PRE-BUILT »” link to check out an alternative desktop option.
*Note: As all of these PC builds come with high-end NVIDIA graphics cards, make sure you pair them with a solid G-Sync monitor in order to take full advantage of the power they offer.
| NAME | SPECS | |||
EXTREME |  | $2,000 Gaming PC | ||
ULTRA |  | $1,750 Gaming PC | ||
HIGH-END |  | $1,500 Gaming PC | ||
BALANCED |  | $1,250 Gaming PC | ||
VALUE 4K |  | $1,000 Gaming PC |
*These components are updated about once per week. If the lists contain components that are out-of-stock or if the price is higher than listed, either search for similar replacement components or use the comment form below to ask for advice on alternative options.
Elite $2,000 Gaming Desktop
I guess some people just have to have the best!
Fortunately, for $2,000 you can really max out your build. You can run a high-end video card. You can utilize a processor with six or more cores and threads (which will really help you with stuff like video rendering and image editing.) And, you can leave yourself with a ton of options for upgrading in the future.
This is a high-end 4K gaming computer that can easily handle virtual reality games with the Oculus Rift headset and can serve as a powerful workstation as well. Also, if you’re going to drop this much on a PC, be sure to pair it with some high-end peripherals as well, like a solid computer gaming chair, a G-Sync monitor, and a nice-sounding PC gaming headset.
We did include a new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 in this build, but the reality is that if you want to save some money, you could go with a GTX 1080 Ti instead as the performance difference between the two is minimal in most games (although, the RTX 2080 does offer the ability to use ray tracing on some games and does show a decent performance boost in certain games over the 1080 Ti.)
In any case, whether you go with an RTX 2080 or a GTX 1080 Ti, I believe these parts will treat you well at ~$2,000:
Part List for $2,000 PC Build
 |  |  |  |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-8700K | |
| AIO | EVGA CLC 280 | |
| MOBO | ASUS PRIME Z370-A | |
| GPU | Gigabyte RTX 2080 | |
| RAM | Corsair Vengeance 16GB | |
| SSD | Samsung 960 500GB | |
| HDD | Seagate 4TB | |
| CASE | Thermaltake Core X71 | |
| PSU | EVGA SN P2 850W | |
| ODD | Use USB to Install O.S. | |
| OS | Windows 10 |
Grand Total: $1,970-$2,030
*Prices on PC components change on a daily basis. Click here for the most up-to-date pricing.
**The ‘Grand Total’ price includes the parts that make up the computer only. We’ve included Windows 10 in the list, but it does cost extra and you will need an operating system in order to boot your system up.
$1,750 1080 Ti Gaming PC
For $1,750 the sky is the limit in terms of performance. Seriously, with a GTX 1080 Ti this build is ready to push games on a 4K monitor…
$1,750 will also give you plenty of other options as well.
For instance, if you’re planning on doing some system tuning, this kind of budget will allow you to hit some decent overclocks. And, it’s definitely Oculus Rift and VR ready.
You will also get an SSD and 16GB of RAM. While 16GB of memory won’t be used in most games, newer games are starting to utilize over 8GB of RAM and so the extra memory will ensure that you have enough to meet their demands.
This build comes with the following components:
Part List for $1,750 PC Build
|  |  |  |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-8700K | |
| FAN | CRYORIG H5 | |
| MOBO | MSI Z370 PC PRO | |
| GPU | Zotac GTX 1080 Ti | |
| RAM | Corsair Vengeance 16GB | |
| SSD | WD Black 256GB | |
| HDD | Seagate 1 TB | |
| CASE | Corsair Crystal 460X | |
| PSU | EVGA SN GQ 650W | |
| ODD | Install O.S. from USB | |
| OS | Windows 10 |
Grand Total: $1,720-$1,780
*Prices on PC components change on a daily basis. Click here for the most up-to-date pricing.
**The ‘Grand Total’ price includes the parts that make up the computer only. We’ve included Windows 10 in the list, but it does cost extra and you will need an operating system in order to boot your system up.
High-End $1,500 Gaming Computer
For $1,500 you’re getting a very similar build to our $1,250 build. The only difference? You get a better GPU!
While the GTX 1080 won’t give you any significant added benefit if you’re playing games on a 1920×1080 monitor, if you want to play games at higher resolutions like 2K or 4K, or on a 1080P 144Hz monitor, then the extra GPU-power will help give you better FPS at those resolutions.
Ultimately, this build is capable of maxing out anything on a 2560×1440 monitor, handling pretty much anything on a 4K monitor, and will allow you to play VR games with the Oculus Rift.
The following is a list of components that will help you build the best computer for gaming under $1,500:
Part List for $1,500 PC Build
| |  |  |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-8700K | |
| FAN | CRYORIG H5 | |
| MOBO | MSI Z370 PC Pro | |
| GPU | Gigabyte GTX 1080 | |
| RAM | Corsair Vengeance 16GB | |
| SSD | WD Black 256GB | |
| HDD | Seagate 1 TB | |
| CASE | Thermaltake G21 | |
| PSU | EVGA SN GQ 650W | |
| ODD | Install O.S. from USB | |
| OS | Windows 10 |
Grand Total: $1,470-$1,530
*Prices on PC components change on a daily basis. Click here for the most up-to-date pricing.
**The ‘Grand Total’ price includes the parts that make up the computer only. We’ve included Windows 10 in the list, but it does cost extra and you will need an operating system in order to boot your system up.
4K/VR Monster $1,250 Gaming PC
With a budget of $1,250 or more, you can expect to get a truly awesome custom gaming desktop.
At this price range, you will be able to put together a machine that will be able to handle games on 1440P 144Hz monitors. It will also serve as a 4K gaming PC as well.
However, playing on the highest settings is just one of the many benefits you will receive when you drop $1,250 on parts for a custom gaming computer.
You can also expect your computer to stay relevant for a long time and you can be sure that you have high-quality components all throughout your build. That means along with a great processor and excellent video card, you will also get a high-end motherboard and a well-built power supply.
And, this system easily meets the Oculus Rift requirements so it is definitely VR-gaming ready.
The build listed below is based on my extensive research. I have spent many hours evaluating parts and looking at prices and have come up with these parts for a $1,250 desktop gaming computer:
Part List for $1,250 PC Build
 | |  | |
| CPU | Intel Core i5-8600K | |
| FAN | CRYORIG H5 | |
| MOBO | MSI Z370 PC Pro | |
| GPU | ZOTAC GTX 1070 Ti | |
| RAM | Corsair Vengeance 16GB | |
| SSD | WD Black 256GB | |
| HDD | Seagate 1 TB | |
| CASE | Thermaltake G21 | |
| PSU | EVGA SN GQ 650W | |
| ODD | Install O.S. from USB | |
| OS | Windows 10 |
Grand Total: $1,220-$1,280
*Prices on PC components change on a daily basis. Click here for the most up-to-date pricing.
**The ‘Grand Total’ price includes the parts that make up the computer only. We’ve included Windows 10 in the list, but it does cost extra and you will need an operating system in order to boot your system up.
Balanced 1440P $1,000 Gaming PC
For $1,000 you can expect to put together a system that can max out any game on 2560×1440 resolution and is ready for VR gaming and the Oculus Rift headset. And, you can even expect a $1,000 gaming PC to handle 4K gaming just fine.
The $1,000 mark is the sweet spot for building your own computer, as $1,000 in components is enough to provide optimal in-game performance while still maintaining a reasonable budget.
The following are the parts I currently recommend for building the best gaming PC under $1,000:
Part List for $1,000 PC Build
 |  |  | |
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 2600 | |
| MOBO | MSI B450 Tomahawk | |
| GPU | Zotac GTX 1070 8GB | |
| RAM | Corsair Vengeance 16GB | |
| SSD | PNY 240GB | |
| HDD | Seagate 1 TB | |
| CASE | Thermaltake G21 | |
| PSU | Corsair CX 550M | |
| ODD | Install O.S. from USB | |
| OS | Windows 10 |
Grand Total: $970-$1,030
*Prices on PC components change on a daily basis. Click here for the most up-to-date pricing.
**The ‘Grand Total’ price includes the parts that make up the computer only. We’ve included Windows 10 in the list, but it does cost extra and you will need an operating system in order to boot your system up.
If you need help picking out parts for your build, leave your questions below!
Allen says
I am looking at the $1250 system, except I might go with the 1870 instead… Will it play Oculus Rift VR games like Robo Recall and Dead and Buried? I dont want to skimp and end up under-powered. I know nothing about VR except I just played it and am hooked!
Thanks
David Faulkner says
Excellent review great choice great selection.
Thanks I owe you one. 16 GB Ram 8 GB GPU Intel core. $1,000.
Perfect for me.
Brent Hale says
Thanks, David!
Morgan says
Hi Really useful guide, I am assembling the 1,250 PC build but I wanted to replace the air cooler with a Liquid one that can be found here: https://www.pccasegear.com/products/40356?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8I_IvM6W3QIVQqSWCh2EZQVbEAkYDSABEgK9ffD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
anyway, I was asking if this coolant system would fit as I am paranoid that I will spend all my money and end up unable to assemble them.
Thanks! -Morgan
Brent Hale says
Hey Morgan, yes, that AIO cooler will work with the $1,250 build and the Thermaltake G21 case that it comes with. You’ll have to install it on the front panel of the case, though.
Jean says
Hey is the 1,000 build good enough for me to run games like destiny 2 and stream at the same time?
if not can you recommend a build and or set up. thanks
im converting from console here! lol so much reseaerch, please help.
David says
EVGA CLC 280 comes with Thermal paste. Is there any reason I need the EGC High-Performance Thermal Paste Compound.?
David says
On the 2K build, you include the EVGA CLC 280 Liquid/Water CPU Cooler, RGB LED Cooling 400-HY-CL28-V. I was told that AIO Water Coolers are “better”. What are your thoughts and if you agree which one would you recommend?
David says
Hmmm, this might have been a stupid question. I don’t know much about Liquid cooling.
Brent Hale says
Sorry for the delay on this. The EVGA CLC is an AIO water cooler. There’s really only two types of liquid cooling: AIOs and custom loops. AIOs come ready to use right out of the box, whereas custom loops have to be assembled. You can achieve better cooling results with the right custom loop, but AIO coolers are much easier for the average user to utilize.
David says
Your 2k builds includes the Phanteks Enthoo Pro case. Is there a difference (other than color) between the white one you sourced (Phanteks Enthoo Pro Full Tower Chassis PH-ES614P_WT White) and the black one (Phanteks Enthoo Pro Full Tower Chassis with Window Cases PH-ES614P_BK)?
Brent Hale says
Hey David, thanks for commenting.
Yep, they’re both the same case, minus the color!
Let me know if you have any other questions.
All the Best,
Brent
Brandon H says
Is there any differences between the different 1070ti “versions”? There’s the founders edition, and then there’s also other versions from different companies. In the $1250 build you recommended one by gigabyte, but there are cheaper options on Amazon. Is there physical differences that will affect performance or should I go by lower price?
Brent Hale says
Hey Brandon, there are some physical differences, mainly on the cooler on the card. There’s also differences on the stock clock speeds of the different versions of the cards.
Typically, the third party options are better than the Founder’s Edition. But, for the most part, in terms of performance, the cards either all perform fairly similar out of the box, or they can be overclocked to match other third party offerings.
So, I typically try to find the most affordable one. Prices change every day, though, and so that’s why the current build doesn’t have the cheapest one in it. If you can find one at a lower price, jump on it! (I noticed the Zotac GTX 1070 Ti is at around ~$450 right now, which is a great price considering the other options.)
Yuri says
Hi there Brent,
I’m planning on building a High-end ($1750-2000) gaming rig that you recommend here (I have a set-up from 8-9 years back, so it’s time to upgrade), but was wondering if there are any parts I could reuse. I have upgraded the RAM quite recently (last year) and have some SSD’s which are fine.
I read online that the memory can be quite the hassle to reuse, because of compatibility issues, but don’t see where to check that. Do you know?
Thanks in advance,
Yuri
Brent Hale says
Hi Yuri, thanks for commenting!
The RAM probably won’t work, because if you’re going to spend all that money on a new system, I’d assume you’d be getting a new processor/motherboard combo that utilizes DDR4 memory. And, if your system is 8-9 years old, then you probably have DDR3 RAM in it. Unfortunately, DDR3 RAM isn’t compatible with motherboards that use DDR4 RAM.
The SSDs, though, you can reuse. You could also potentially reuse your power supply, any optical drives, and your case. For the power supply and case, it would just be a matter of whether or not they’d be compatible with your newer components.
Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions!
All the Best,
Brent
Yuri says
Thanks for you reply, Brent.
I bought some DDR4 RAM just a Year back, so should be fine than, I guess. I read on a Dutch tech site (I’m from there) that some Ryzen processors have issues with some RAM’s, but will check, if I decide on a Ryzen, with the manufacturer.
Will then reuse SSD’s, HDD’s, RAM, but that will be all I think.
Thanks again for your quick response.
Yuri
David says
I’ve been using your $800 build for 3 years now and I’m looking to upgrade.
Your $1,000 uses a PNY GeForce GTX 1060 6GB Graphics Card and I was wondering what the pros of using this card over the ASUS GeForce GTX 1060 6GB Dual-fan OC Edition Dual Graphics Card. The Asus is quite a bit cheaper and I’m not finding much of a difference in my research.
Thanks as always for the help!!
Brent Hale says
Hey David, thanks for stopping back by and commenting.
Typically, I try to choose whichever one is the most affordable. So, if you can grab the ASUS 1060 6GB for cheaper, go for it. Looks like there’s also an EVGA, Zotac, and MSI 1060 6GB at ~$299 on Amazon at the moment as well:
https://amzn.to/2IjNAhz
https://amzn.to/2wC0upH
https://amzn.to/2Ikw64C
Hope this helps!
All the Best,
Brent
David says
Thanks for the quick response! One more question before I start up my build:
Coolermaster has a 550w PSU (MasterWatt Semi-fanless modular) and it has a $20 rebate (total cost: 25.99). Reviews seem ok, Are these dependable PSU’s or would it be worth the extra $$$$ for a different brand? Link below
Amazon
As always thanks for the help!
Brent Hale says
No problem, David!
Yep, I think for that price and for your setup (running a GTX 1060), the MasterWatt 550 is a good option.
Brandon H says
Both are optional, but if you need to use CDs at all (for installing operating system via disk instead of usb) you need one. Also if you’re going to use wifi instead/alongside ethernet you will need the wifi card. Both are only around $20 though, so not too expensive at least. Hope I helped!
Michael says
Hey Brent,
My build is very similar to the $1000 build. I got parts from a prebuilt PC that had an i7-6700 so I’m using that for my CPU, and an MSI H270m Bazooka motherboard. I also have a Deepcool Gammaxx aftermarket cooler for the i7-6700 for aesthetics mainly. I was considering getting the AMD Ryzen 2600x along with the B350 motherboard. My current CPU does not support my 2400 memory speed from my ram. Is it even worth upgrading to these components?
Jake says
Brent I built your 700$ build in 2014 and am still playing most games on high settings! Just checking in to see what’s new, and ask how to best upgrade. I currently have the fx6300 and r9270x looking to go to Intel and a better card without breaking the bank. Reccomdations? Yes I am willing to change the motherboard. Ty
Chris says
Do I need a HDD for the $1000 build, or can I go with just the SSD? I’m unfamiliar with that type of SSD (that looks like memory), so I’m not sure exactly how it works.
Brent Hale says
Hey Chris! Nope, you don’t have to have the HDD and you can just stick with the SSD. The HDD serves as a secondary drive that has a ton of space, whereas the SSD is significantly faster (improves boot times, load times, and will make your system perform much faster outside of gaming).
That is the newest SSD format. Rather than using SATA it uses PCIe NVME (which is much faster) to transfer data.
Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions.
All the Best,
Brent
Someone says
Hey,do I need to buy an ODD or wifi card for these builds?
Tim says
Hey there,
Thanks for the guides. I’ve basically ordered all of the parts for the 1,250 version including keyboard, mouse, and a copy of Windows 10. I also purchased a 1440, 144hz, g-sync monitor to go with.
Are there any kind of cooler or cords I need to buy to make all this work?
Thanks,
Tim
Brent Hale says
Hi Tim, I hope you’re doing well.
For the cooler, the Ryzen 5 1600 will come with a decent stock cooler that will allow you to overclock it a bit. If you want to push it even further, you might want to consider a third-party cooler. Here are a few more options:
https://techguided.com/best-gaming-pcs/
But the stock cooler is a solid option if you don’t want to push your 1600 to the extreme.
For cords, you should be good on everything as long as you have a cable to hook up your monitor (and, you’ll want a DisplayPort cable to utilize the 144Hz refresh rate, unless your monitor is HDMI 2.0 compatible—then HDMI will work.) The motherboard typically comes with SATA cables, but if you want to be on the safe side you could order a few more:
https://amzn.to/2Gp2lOF
But, really, those probably won’t be necessary unless you’re hooking up more than a couple of SATA drives.
Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any other questions. Good luck with the build and have fun putting it together!
All the Best,
Brent
Timothy Roy Kirby says
Brent,
Appreciate the quick reply! I have no idea at this point whether I’m going to attempt to overclock it or not – this is my first build and so I’m not entirely sure what the real benefit of over-clocking is. Any recommended guides I should check out about that? If not, I can always google if it gets to that point.
I went ahead and ordered some extra DisplayPort cables just incase. Thanks again.
Tim
George says
INTEL HD MASTER RACE 😛