We took a look at five of the best gaming PCs for 2018. This guide gives you five of the best gaming PC builds and best pre-built gaming PCs for at a variety of price points.
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BUDGET | SPECS | ||
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WORK/GAMER
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$2,000 Gaming PC | ||
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EXTREME
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$1,750 Gaming PC | ||
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ENTHUSIAST
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$1,500 Gaming PC | ||
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SWEET SPOT
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$1,250 Gaming PC | ||
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BUDGET 4K
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$1,000 Gaming PC |
Check Update History » 4/19 Update: I swapped out some out-of-stock GTX 1080 Tis as well as added the new Ryzen 5 2600X to the $1,000 and $1,250 gaming PC builds. 4/2 Update: I swapped out the GTX 1080 Tis in the $1,750 and $2,000 builds for EVGA’s GTX 1080 Ti. High-end GPU prices are still incredibly unreasonable, though. So, if you’re looking to get a GTX 1080 or 1080 Ti in your build, going with a pre-built system is still more affordable at the moment. 3/20 Update: The $1,000, $1,750, and $2,000 pre-built gaming PCs were all out of stock, so I replaced them with options that are available. 3/7 Update: I swapped out the graphics cards in each of the builds to options that were in stock. GPUs are still in low supply and way overpriced, though. 2/21 Update: I swapped out the $1,250 and $1,000 pre-built systems as the previous options were out of stock. It’s becoming easier to find more affordable graphics cards at somewhat reasonable prices, but the higher-end GPUs are still either unavailable or pretty unreasonable at the moment, unfortunately. So, going with a high-end pre-built system is still the better choice.
HOW TO BUILD THE BEST GAMING PC IN 2018!
With modern PC games advancing at such a rapid rate, there is no surprise that there are multiple games on the market that most standard cookie-cutter computers 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 will allow you to play most games on higher settings on a 1080p monitor. (Although, in this guide, we’ll be talking about high-end gaming computers, rather than budget-friendly systems.)
This is especially as 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 gaming computer.
In this guide I’ll be going over all of the different options you have for each component if want to build a really high-end system that is ready for 4K gaming and for virtual reality gaming. In the end, you’ll have a plan of action, as well as a number of different components to choose between, and you’ll be well on your way to building the best PC for gaming for your budget.
To get started, let’s take a look at some pre-made part lists you can use as is or modify to your own needs… These are some of the best gaming computer builds for the money.
PRE-MADE GAMING PC BUILDS
Don’t Want to Waste Time? START HERE.
For those of you who just want to get right into building 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 playing on your new high-end, self-built gaming PC for 2018.
The builds in this section are what I’d like to call “high-end” gaming PC desktops. This is not because the PCs on this page are liquid-cooled, or have insane mods, or do anything of an “extreme” nature.
Rather these builds are for those who want maximum in-game performance on higher resolution gaming monitors and who don’t need a flashy liquid-cooled system or a bunch of case mods to help their systems stand out.
It’s not that custom liquid cooling or case mods is bad, it’s just that if your main goal is to game at a high-level, these part lists (and most importantly, the graphics cards in these lists) will allow you to do so.
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.
*NOTE: It should be noted that these builds do not include a monitor, keyboard, mouse, or operating system. However, I have made some peripheral recommendations for each build. You will definitely need an operating system to get your computer up and running. Also, if you’re building a high-end system, make sure you pick up a high resolution monitor so that you get the most out of your gaming experience.
In any case, if you have any questions about these builds, please post them below in the comments section!
CHOOSE YOUR BUDGET
$1,000 GAMING PC (VR-READY)
Overview
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 serve as a very viable 4K gaming PC.
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 2600X | |
| MOBO | MSI B350 TOMAHAWK | |
| GPU | PNY GTX 1060 | |
| RAM | Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB | |
| SSD | WD Black 256GB | |
| HDD | Seagate 1 TB | |
| CASE | MasterBox Lite 5 | |
| PSU | Corsair CX 550M | |
| ODD | Install O.S. from USB drive |
Grand Total: $970-$1,030
*Component prices fluctuate daily. Click here for current pricing.
**Price includes the components that make up the tower only. Windows 10 is included in the list, but will cost extra—and you will definitely need an operating system one way or another.
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$1,250 GAMING PC (VR-READY)
Overview
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 play games on even the best 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 off of 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 | AMD Ryzen 5 2600X | |
| MOBO | MSI B350 TOMAHAWK | |
| GPU | Gigabyte GTX 1070 Ti | |
| RAM | Patriot Viper 16GB | |
| SSD | WD Black 256GB | |
| HDD | Seagate 1 TB | |
| CASE | Corsair Carbide 270R | |
| PSU | EVGA BQ 650W | |
| ODD | Install O.S. from USB drive |
Grand Total: $1,220-$1,280
*Component prices fluctuate daily. Click here for current pricing.
**Price includes the components that make up the tower only. Windows 10 is included in the list, but will cost extra—and you will definitely need an operating system one way or another.
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$1,500 GAMING PC (VR-READY)
Overview
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 Ti 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, 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 | Patriot Viper 16GB | |
| SSD | WD Black 256GB | |
| HDD | Seagate 1 TB | |
| CASE | NZXT S340 | |
| PSU | EVGA SuperNOVA BQ 650W | |
| ODD | Install O.S. from USB drive |
Grand Total: $1,470-$1,530
*Component prices fluctuate daily. click here for current pricing.
**Price includes the components that make up the tower only. Windows 10 is included in the list, but will cost extra—and you will definitely need an operating system one way or another.
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$1,750 GAMING PC (VR-READY)
Overview
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 at 4K resolution…
$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, more 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 | MSI GTX 1080 Ti | |
| RAM | Patriot Viper 16GB | |
| SSD | WD Black 256GB | |
| HDD | Seagate 1 TB | |
| CASE | Phanteks P400S | |
| PSU | EVGA SuperNOVA GQ 650W | |
| ODD | ASUS 24x SATA |
Grand Total: $1,720-$1,780
*Component prices fluctuate daily. Click here for current pricing.
**Price includes the components that make up the tower only. Windows 10 is included in the list, but will cost extra—and you will definitely need an operating system one way or another.
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$2,000 GAMING PC (VR-READY)
Overview
So you’ve decided to go all out… You’re not spending a dime under $2,000 on computer parts for your new ridiculously awesome computer build. Alright… that’s cool…
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 an eight-core, 12-thread Ryzen 7 processor (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 PC 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 gaming chair, and a nice-sounding PC gaming headset.
Through some serious research, 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 | MSI GTX 1080 Ti | |
| RAM | Patriot Viper 16GB | |
| SSD | Samsung 960 500GB | |
| HDD | Seagate 1 TB | |
| CASE | Phanteks Enthoo Pro | |
| PSU | Seasonic 850W | |
| ODD | ASUS 24x SATA |
Grand Total: $1,970-$2,030
*Component prices fluctuate daily. Click here for current pricing.
**Price includes the components that make up the tower only. Windows 10 is included in the list, but will cost extra—and you will definitely need an operating system one way or another.
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Brent I built your 700$ 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
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.
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
Hey,do I need to buy an ODD or wifi card for these builds?
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
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
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
INTEL HD MASTER RACE 😛