Choose a gaming PC build for your budget
Choose a build for your display and games, then check the complete basket against your budget. Keep money for the parts of the setup you do not already own.
Choose a display target first
For a first gaming PC, I’d start with the screen and the games. Competitive 1080p play at low settings puts more emphasis on the CPU; detailed 4K games give the graphics card more work. Put the budget into the part that serves the way you play.
Below are the three build routes I’d start with. Each has a complete named parts list, the reasons for the choices and useful alternatives.
Compare the build routes
Lower-cost 1080p
Compare an AM4 system when a new motherboard and DDR5 kit would consume too much of your budget.
Read the guide →Balanced 1440p AM5
Choose a current AM5 platform when the complete CPU, board and memory cost leaves enough for graphics.
Read the guide →Higher-budget 4K
Spend on the GPU, suitable power and the intended display before paying for CPU performance you may not use.
Read the guide →Compare your own AM5 tower in PC Builder. Start with a game or preset, swap the parts and save or share the list.
Set a limit for the complete system
List the things your spend must cover: tower, operating system, display, controls, audio, delivery and any build tools. Subtract the cost of missing setup items before allocating the tower budget. Reused parts count as zero new spend only after you have checked that they are suitable.
For example, a hypothetical £1,200 total budget with £250 reserved for missing setup items leaves £950 for the tower. Those are planning inputs, not current retailer prices. Use the basket calculator with the offers you find.
A sale on the CPU does not make a whole platform inexpensive if the RAM kit or board has become costly. Compare all three together. If a recommended configuration no longer fits your limit, use the substitution guide rather than removing essentials at random.
Choose a route you can maintain
A standard tower leaves more room for large coolers, cables and access. A compact system can fit a smaller desk, but requires closer attention to the PSU bracket, graphics power lead and fan position. A quieter result needs an airflow and fan-control plan for your actual workload.
Compare building with buying a complete PC
A prebuilt can be sensible when its exact parts, delivered price and support suit you. Compare the named PSU, board, memory arrangement and storage, as well as the headline CPU and graphics card. Ask for missing model details before treating two systems as equivalent.
Check the list before ordering
Open each current product listing and verify its variant. Confirm CPU support and the required firmware, RAM type, cooler mounting, case clearance and power connectors. Adding a radiator or choosing a larger version of the same GPU can change the fit.
Complete builds by purpose
- How to Build a PC for Gaming
- How to Build a PC for Graphic Design
- How to Build a PC for Video Editing
- How to Build a PC for Blender and 3D Rendering
- How to Build a PC for Everyday Work
- How to Build a Quiet and Compact PC
Each complete build links to its matching component buying guides, with direct parts choices at every stage.
Sim-racing PCs
Build a tower around the view you want: the complete sim-racing build, iRacing tower choices, triple-screen racing or VR racing.
Specialist PC builds
Build around the job you want the machine to do. These complete guides connect the parts basket with the relevant processor, graphics, storage and specialist-equipment choices.