❄️ Winter 2025 PC Best Buy Guide ❄️ $400 - $4000+ Automatically Updated PC Parts Lists
best gaming computer on amazon under $400??
☀️Summer 2025 PC Best Buy Guide☀️
Need Amazon Prebuilt Recommendations!
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. |
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.
THIS GUIDE IS OUT OF DATE, PLEASE VISIT THE MOST UP TO DATE ONE ON THE FRONT PAGE!
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, it's been a while! Welcome to the Summer 2025 PC best buy guide!
I've been out of the running due to injury on my arm, but the fast few months also haven't been great for those wanting to buy a PC - or a GPU in particular. As prices have been slowly going and stock going up, I'm hesitantly optimistic on making a new guide. Although it's far from where prices were, and with tarriffs going left and right, there's no telling where things will go, the Winter 2025 guide is now so out of date it warrants replacement.
Before 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 this flowchart 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 $1100 list I might recommend a Ryzen 7600(X) with an RTX 5060 Ti, 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.
Gaming PCs
| Budget | Note / compared to previous budget | Possible upgrades with leftover budget (in order of priority) |
|---|---|---|
| ~ $400 | This is the cheapest gaming PC I can somewhat recommend. Do note that this PC does NOT have WiFi, and if you do need WiFi you need to either buy a WiFi enabled motherboard or add a (preferably PCIe x1) WiFI module. This PC uses the Arc A380 which is a pretty basic GPU. | A faster - but second hand - GPU like a used RTX 2070 (Super) or RX 5700XT. WiFi / Bluetooth capabilities on the motherboard, 1TB SSD, extra RAM (2x16GB) |
| ~ $500 (iGPU) | If you're planning on buying a GPU later on, or are only a very light gamer, this might be interesting for you. You're getting an AM5 CPU with 32GB of DDR5 RAM which means great upgradability in the future. This list also ensures a fast Wi-Fi connection (as opposed to just wired Ethernet) | Ryzen 8700G (which has 8 cores and a faster iGPU). 1TB SSD. |
| ~ $650 | With $250 extra to spend compared to the $400 list, you're getting a huge upgrade, mainly in the form of the AMD Radeon RX 7600. As the stock and availability of the Radeon RX 6600, 6600XT, and 6650XT withers over time, the 7600 comes the more logical choice, even though it's quite expensive. You're also getting 32GB RAM which is really nice to have in 2025. | My first priority would be getting a 1TB SSD. We have a motherboard that supports as least 2 M.2 SSDs, so you can also add another SSD later on. If you have the i5 12400F selected, you could get a DDR5 motherboard and DDR5 RAM for better longevity as DDR5 is continuously getting faster than DDR4 in games. |
| ~ $850 | We're making a few nice to have upgrades here. The Intel Arc B580 is a fantastic value GPU, though it's still too expensive to be added in more budgets. If you can find a good deal on an RX 6750XT, 7600XT4060 Ti (16GB), or 7700XT, I'd pick that instead. We're also guaranteeing a 1TB SSD (finally), a much quieter cooler, 32GB RAM, a roomier case and a better quality power supply. The con of using the B580 with this specific build would be that the B580 really likes having more CPU overhead. | As mentioned, I'd prefer a 7700XT here if possible. A DDR5 motherboard + RAM is also a nice upgrade to make here. A better case would also be nice. |
| ~ $1000 | The main jump we're making here is in terms of CPU gaming performance, future upgradability, and DDR5 RAM. The Ryzen 7600(X) / 9600(X) are still the best overall value CPUs out there. They have fantastic gaming performance, a great upgrade path (to the 9800X3D or future AM5 socket generations), and are great to use. The starting price is a lot higher though, and we don't have a ton of GPU overhead anymore. I would love to add the 7600/9600 to lower lists, but that's hard to justify with current GPU prices. | You could 'future proof' the PSU to an 850W model. |
| ~ $1100 | Although the $1000 is a nicely rounded budget, I think that this $1100 list is a noticeably better PC due to the 16GB RTX 5060 Ti. Even though there's been a lot of drama on the 5060 Ti due to the 8GB variant, objectively speaking the 16GB version is one of the best Nvidia cards you can currently get in terms of value. With current prices that's not saying much, but it's something. All in all you're getting a nicely rounded PC | 2TB SSD, dual tower cooler (like a Thermalright Phantom Spirit) |
| ~ $1300 | The AMD RX 9070 would be a nice upgrade over the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB. It's currently still a bit too overpriced, but would be a nice middle-of-the-road upgrade nonetheless. | Check the price on the AMD Ryzen 5 9600(X). If it's within $25 of the 7600(X), I'd upgrade tot that if you have the slack. 2TB SSD, dual tower cooler (like a Thermalright Phantom Spirit), higher end case. |
| ~ $1500 | Upgraded to the RTX 5070 Ti. If the 9070 XT is much cheaper, I'd grab that instead. | Check the price on the AMD Ryzen 5 9600(X). If it's within $25 of the 7600(X), I'd upgrade tot that if you have the slack. 2TB SSD, dual tower cooler (like a Thermalright Phantom Spirit), higher end case. |
| ~ $1800 | Upgraded to the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D for much faster CPU gaming performance, with the added bonus of a much beefier cooler. Also upgraded the motherboard to an ATX model with at least 3 M.2 slots and Wi-Fi 6E, and a 2TB SSD. | For $100 extra you could consider the 9800X3D. Also look into a higher end case. |
| ~ $2000 | Upgraded to the 9800X3D and an extra 2TB SSD. Also clamped down the PSU to a more limited selection of premium brands | Higher end case, liquid cooling. |
| ~ $2250 | Upgraded to the RTX 5080. | |
| ~ $3000 | High end liquid cooling, a higher end motherboard, double the RAM, a larger single SSD, a higher end power supply and a higher end case. | |
| ~ $5000 | RTX 5090, an extra (PCIe gen 5) 2TB SSD, an even higher end motherboard, and top of the line power supply. | Anything you want! |
Workstations
| Budget | Note / compared to previous budget | Possible upgrades with leftover budget (in order of priority) |
|---|---|---|
| ~ $850 | Very fast and high quality Workstation without 3D acceleration. Although the new Intel Core Ultra CPUs aren't that interesting for gaming, with the reduced prices they're quite appealing for workstations. | If you want a 3D accelerated machine, you can add any GPU you like. For a high end (70-class and higher) you might want to consider a higher capacity PSU. If 2D is all you need but have budget left over, the Core Ultra 9 285K is a good upgrade too. |
| ~ $1700 | Upraded to the Core Ultra 9 285K added the 16GB RTX 5060 Ti. This gives you a relatively large VRAM buffer that's nice to have for 3D workstation applications. | Extra RAM, more storage, higher end case. |
| ~ $3000 | Upgraded to a 360mm radiator for CPU cooling, extra 2TB storage, an RTX 5080, a crap-load more RAM, and a much higher end case. If you don't need such a high amount of RAM, you can remove a set, or even go for a faster set of 2x32GB if that's enough for you. | RTX 5090 if you can stomach it. Spend more budget on storage if you don't need the RAM. |
| ~ $5500 | Changed to the Noctua NH-D15 G2 for ultimate air-cooling. Motherboard with Wi-Fi 7 and faster networking. Set of 4x48GB to guarantee stability over 2 sets of 2 x 48GB. More RAM. RTX 5090. More storage. Titanium rated power supply. | Anything you want! |