❄️ Winter 2025 PC Best Buy Guide ❄️ $400 - $4000+ Automatically Updated PC Parts Lists
Best Prebuilt Gaming PC to Buy in 2025? (Price, Performance, Quality)
best gaming computer on amazon under $400??
☀️Summer 2025 PC Best Buy Guide☀️
What Are the Best Gaming PC Specs for 2025?
Gaming PCs live and die by their graphics cards (or graphics chips, in the case of gaming laptops), the most critical PC component for determining your gaming performance ceiling. Most gaming systems will come preinstalled with a single midrange or high-end graphics card; higher-priced systems will naturally have better cards, since purchase price typically correlates with frame-rate performance and visual quality. AMD and Nvidia make the graphics processors, or GPUs, that go into these cards, which are made by third parties such as Asus, Gigabyte, MSI, PowerColor, Sapphire, and XFX (to name just a few).
Gone are the days of complicated dual-card setups: Today's top-end GPUs, like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080, GeForce RTX 4090, GeForce RTX 5080, and GeForce RTX 5090 are more than powerful enough on their own. Games are increasingly developed to take advantage of the cutting-edge features available in single GPUs like these, but these premium cards will cost you. A tier of less-expensive GPUs in the GeForce RTX 50 series, fortunately, is also available for smaller budgets; you can find a full breakdown below.
Still, you should divert as much of your budget to the best GPU you can afford; the most pivotal decision you'll make when purchasing a gaming desktop is which card you get. Of course, one option is opting for no card at all; the integrated graphics silicon on some modern Intel Core and AMD Ryzen processors is adequate for casual 2D and very light 3D gaming. However, to reliably play 3D AAA titles, you need a discrete graphics card, and these cards are what distinguish a gaming desktop from "just a desktop."
Whether you go with an AMD- or Nvidia-based card is based partly on price and performance. Some games are optimized for one type of card or another, but for the most part, you should choose the card that best fits within your budget. If you're buying a complete gaming desktop, you (of course) don't have to pay for a card in isolation, but this should help you understand how the card factors into the total price. You also have to know what you're shopping for.
What Are the Specs for an Average 2025 Gaming PC?
The average gaming PC sold today will likely house an Intel Core i5, Core i7, Core Ultra 5, or Core Ultra 7 processor and a GPU from Nvidia's RTX 40 or 50 series. (Look for the RTX 4060 or RTX 5070, or their Ti variants) You may sometimes see AMD-based PCs or the combination of a Ryzen CPU and an Nvidia GPU. More-expensive desktops will incorporate the Core i9, Core Ultra 9, or Ryzen 9 CPUs and cards like the RTX 4080, 4090, 5080, and 5090, but these are not what we would call "average," even if they're tempting.
Factoring in the current lineups from AMD, Intel, and Nvidia, consumers have more options than ever. The baseline has come a long way, so even Intel's and AMD's less-expensive CPUs are well-suited to gaming. Even AMD's latest Ryzen 3 processors can do the job if you're shopping on a tight budget, though you'll seldom see gaming systems with anything below a Ryzen 5, Core Ultra 5, or Core i5.
Don't let the existence of the high-end parts dissuade you if you're shopping on a budget: Core i5 chips like the Core i5-14600K are perfectly acceptable for entry-level and midrange gaming, especially when paired with a hearty modern graphics card like the RTX 4060, RTX 5060 Ti, or Radeon RX 7600. These PCs won't top the charts, but in reality, this is the tier most gamers are shopping in.
If your choice comes down to paying for a higher-level GPU or a higher-level CPU, and gaming matters most, favor the graphics. A system with a higher-power Nvidia GeForce GPU and a Core i5- or Ryzen 5-grade processor is generally better for 3D-intensive FPS gaming than one with a low-end card and a zippy Core i9 CPU. But you may want to choose the latter if you're into games that involve a lot of background math calculations, such as strategy titles (like those in the Civilization series), or if you also mean to use the system for CPU-intensive tasks, like converting or editing video, or editing photos when you are not gaming.
Ready to Buy the Best Prebuilt Gaming PC for You?
If you've made it this far, we trust you're more prepared than ever! In our review summaries and spec comparison chart, we've outlined the best gaming desktops we've tested recently. Some are configured-to-order PCs from boutique manufacturers, but others are from bigger brands typically associated with consumer-grade desktops. Note that many of the same manufacturers also make gaming laptops if you're choosing between the two.
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THIS GUIDE IS OUT OF DATE, PLEASE GO TO THE FRONT PAGE OF R/BUILDAPCFORME FOR THE MOST UP TO DATE GUIDE
Please note that due to the dwindling supplies of RTX 4000 cards, you're now almost always better off getting the AMD equivalent instead!
RTX 3060/3050 = RX 6600(XT) / RX 6650XT
RTX 4060 = RX 7600XT
RTX 4060 Ti = RX 7700 XT
RTX 4070 Super = RX 7800XT
RTX 4070 Ti Super = RX 7900XT
RTX 4080 Super = RX 7900XTX
RTX 4090/5080/5090 = You're out of luck, come back in a few months.
As it's been asked a lot over DM's: If you want to buy me a coffee, you're more than welcome to. These guides will ALWAYS stay free for everyone, and I will never directly ask for any payment. PayPal or BuyMeACoffee are both possible.
Hi everyone, and welcome to the completely revisioned PC Parts Lists guide for the end of 2024 and early 2025!
All lists have been remade from the ground up, as the market has been shifting and seeing new releases. I want to preface by saying that I will update the lists retroactively when new hardware will be released, such as the upcoming Intel Arc B580 GPU, the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D when it gets better stocked/priced, and of course the upcoming Nvidia RTX 5080/5090 when they get announced early January. I say "I", but I would like to announce that I've been getting help from frequent contributor of the subreddit: u/justaboss101.
Before proceeding/commenting, please read the following:
I have been getting a lot of comments of people being confused what the lists are actually for, and how the parametric selections work on PCPartpicker.com . Please use the flowchart below to guide you through the website before commenting some frequently ask questions
I want to reiterate that these lists are here to give you an indication on what you can expect for a certain budget; what kind of value you can get for your money with that budget. That does not only mean pure performance, but also features, expandability, and future upgradability. Some of these are hard to quantify in words, but I have tried my best through my own judgment to make some weighted decisions on each list.
To give you an example, in the $1200 list I might recommend a Ryzen 7600(X) with an RTX 4070 Super, 32GB RAM, paired with a 1TB SSD, and a relatively value-oriented case, cooler & motherboard. This is my vision of the best 'value' PC you can get, but if you have a different PC with a high end case with RGB, expensive cooler, and 2TB SSD, that is 100%, utterly and completely, fine! I just want you to have a reference point.
Here are some of the major changes in this iteration of the PC Best Buy Guide compared to the previous version.
I have removed having multiple lists for a single pricepoint. This caused more confusion than clarity.
Reduced the budget threshold to where WiFi/Bluetooth connectivity is a requisite.
More AMD RX 6000 GPUs have been replaced by RX 7000 successors.
Started preferring Nvidia at the high end. With current pricing I think the 4070 Ti Super and 4080 Super offer a better package than the 7900XT and 7900XTX in my opinion. That being said, the 7900XT(X) are still great GPUs. AMD still offers the best value with the 7600, 7600XT, 7700XT, 7800XT, and 7900 GRE.
Due to the volatility of the Ryzen 7800X3D and 9800X3D CPU pricing, the 7700X and 9700X will often be used as substitutes in gaming PCs.
Due to the RTX 4090 now being almost completely out of stock or ridiculously expensive at $2300+ I've opted to leave out the mega expensive PC parts lists until the RTX 5080/5090 have released, and the 9800X3D has gone down in price.
Removed the NZXT themed build and many part selections due to ongoing consumer unfriendly practices.
The Lists: Gaming PCs
| Budget | Note / compared to previous budget | Possible upgrades with leftover budget (in order of priority) |
|---|---|---|
| ~ $400 | Uses the iGPU from the Ryzen 8600G. Has limited gaming performance, but is cheap, has a fast CPU, and is a great setup for a future GPU insert. | 1TB SSD, higher end motherboard with wifi (from $900 list), better case |
| ~ $500 | The i3 12100F/13100F is outstanding value for around $75. Its performance is great, and paired with a value GPU like the Intel Arc A750 or AMD RX 6600(XT) this is a fantastic starting point to start getting into PCs. Besides the CPU and GPU, the PC is pretty barebones though. | Better motherboard with wifi, 1TB SSD, better case, upgrade GPU to 6600XT/6650XT |
| ~ $600 | With 20% or $100 more we can flesh out the build quite nicely. We upgrade to an i5, the RX 6600XT/6650XT/7600, a much better motherboard and a 1TB SSD. | 32GB RAM, Wi-FI enabled motherbaord, Ryzen 7 5700X / i5 12600K, better case. |
| ~ $700 | Here I am including 32GB RAM, which is quite early into the lists. 16GB is getting tighter and tighter as we get newer games, and DDR4 RAM won't stay cheap forever. We also upgrade the GPU again to the 7600XT or Intel Arc B580 when it releases (or 6700XT / 6750XT). | Better power supply (from $900 list for example), wi-fi enabled motherboard |
| ~ $800 | Here we upgrade the CPU to something a bit more capable with the i5 12600K paired with 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a much quieter cooler compared to the included ones from before. | If you can find it, the Ryzen 5 7500F would be a great substitute. You also need a compatible AM5 motherboard. |
| ~ $900 | From this point onward, AMD AM5 is almost always the way to go, as Intel simply doesn't have great competition against AMD currently besides the lower end. We're also greatly increasing the quality of the power supply. | Upgrade the GPU to the RX 7700XT, 2TB SSD, wi-fi enabled motherboard. |
| ~ $1000 | Here I'm starting to be a bit more restrictive and specific on the motherboard. Besides that we're now always getting a PCIe Gen 4 SSD, faster RAM, and the Radeon RX 7700XT GPU. Due to the upgraded GPU we're upping our power supply capacity. | 2TB SSD, dual tower CPU cooler (like from the $1400 list), higher end case |
| ~ $1100 | Upgraded the GPU to the AMD RX 7800XT. | 2TB SSD, dual tower CPU cooler (like from the $1400 list), higher end case |
| ~ $1200 | Upgraded GPU to the Nvidia RTX 4070 Super. | 2TB SSD, dual tower CPU cooler (like from the $1400 list), higher end case |
| ~ $1400 | The jump to the next tier GPU is significant, so I decided to upgrade the rest of the PC. From a Ryzen 7, to a dual tower cooler, Wi-Fi enabled motherboard, 2TB SSD, and 850W PSU, we're really fleshing out our build here. | Higher end case, liquid cooling, AMD RX 7900XT GPU |
| ~ $1600 | Upgraded GPU to the Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti Super | Higher end case, liquid cooling, AMD RX 7900XTX GPU |
| ~ $1800 | Upgraded GPU to the Nvidia RTX 4080 Super. | AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, Extra 2TB SSD, higher end case. |
| ~ $2000 | Upgraded to the 7800X3D or 9800X3D when you can find one within a reasonable price. Upgraded the motherboard. | Extra 2TB SSD, higher end case, liquid cooling |
| ~ $2250 | Upgraded motherboard, extra (higher end) 2TB SSD, higher end case, upgraded power supply. | Whatever you want! |
| ~ $2500 | Liquid CPU cooling, upgraded motherboard, doubled the RAM, upgraded power supply to platinum. | Whatever you want! |
| ~ $2750 | Selected the 9800X3D. Only take this if you're sure you want to spend the ludicrous upcharge. | Whatever you want! |
| ~ $2750 Lian Li Themed | For those who really want the Lian Li O11 and infinity fans themed build, this is probably what you're looking for! | |
| ~ $3300 Asus ProArt Themed | The Asus ProArt line has been well-received, and has been expanding over time to include more and more components. The aesthetics look great, though you will be paying a premium. |
Workstation PCs
| Budget | Note / compared to previous budget | Possible upgrades with leftover budget (in order of priority) |
|---|---|---|
| ~ $550 2D Workstation | With a workstation build I'm putting more emphasis on quality. With the "2D" workstation we're not using a GPU, and is great for applications like photo editing, 2D CAD, office tasks, animation, light video editing, multitasking, | Upgrade CPU to i5 13600K/14600K or i7 12700(K) |
| ~ $1000 2D Workstation | With double the budget, but still without a GPU, we can get a much faster CPU. Though the new Intel Core Ultra CPUs haven't been received great, they're still really fast for workstation PCs. Paired 64GB RAM this is a really decked out CPU-oriented workstation. | Replace the intel CPU with a Ryzen 9 7950X or 9950X and an AM5 motherboard. |
| ~ $1500 3D Workstation | The nice thing about PCs is the flexibility. This 3D workstation is a carbon copy of the $1000 2D workstation with a 4060 Ti 16GB added. For a lot of 3D applications in workstations, you want CUDA support (Nvidia) and VRAM. The 4060 Ti is a nice middleground between features, speed, VRAM, and price. | Upgrade GPU to the RTX 4070 Ti Super or RTX 4080 Super. |
| ~ $2500 3D Workstation | If you want a super high end workstation without burning away your money, $2500 is a nice spot to be. Here you can get the Ryzen 9 9950X. It's the best balance between single and multicore performance and has great upgradability in the future. |
Building a setup in my new apartment - I've got the desk and the peripherals, but I don't have the actual hardware yet (and I’m not knowledgeable at all lol).
I want something balanced and future-proof, mainly for gaming + productivity. I also stream from time to time (on my laptop which is pretty trash). Budget’s around $2000 total.
I'm mostly torn between Intel vs AMD. I’ve been eyeing stuff like the CyberPower i9-14900KF + RTX 5070 variant, some iBUYPOWER models, but I'm honestly lost
If you had $2K for a prebuilt gaming PC, what would you pick and why?
Any regrets or “I wish I…” stories are super welcome :)
Edit:
I made a list for future readers of some good deals on Amazon right now:
Budget tier
CyberPowerPC Gamer (i5-13400F + RTX 5060) - $987 - Entry-level gaming PC. Good for 1080p at medium to high settings. Not ideal for consistent high-FPS 1440p.
Mid tier
CyberPowerPC Gamer (i7-14700F + RTX 5060 Ti) - $1,359 - Noticeable step up from the RTX 5060. Strong 1080p performance and acceptable 1440p gaming.
CyberPowerPC Gamer (i9-14900KF + RTX 5070) - $1,979 - Very strong CPU paired with a capable GPU. Smooth 1440p at high settings, 4K possible with compromises.
iBUYPOWER Slate (i7-14700F + RTX 5070) - $1,789 - Similar gaming performance to the i9/5070 system but cheaper. Solid all-around 1440p machine.
High tier
iBUYPOWER Y40 PRO (Ryzen 9 7900X + RTX 5070 Ti) -$2,269 - Strong jump in GPU power. Excellent 1440p high-refresh and capable 4K gaming.
Alienware Aurora (Ultra 9 285 + RTX 5080) - $2,799 - Top-end option here. Best choice for high-refresh 1440p and consistent 4K gaming, but priced accordingly.
i’m looking for a computer that can pretty smoothly run games for under $400 (preferably on amazon). i’ve ordered two already that i am returning because they are extremely laggy when running games (tested the speed with minecraft and hollow knight). i know nothing about computers so im wondering if anyone has any recommendations.