I'm trying to build a gaming PC for my nephew who's on a budget of $750 CAD. He already has a monitor that runs at 1080p and loves playing games like Minecraft and GTA. I want to use all brand-new parts for the build. I'm considering getting an APU now, with the potential to upgrade with a dedicated GPU later. Below is the part list I came up with, but it's over budget. Any tips or suggestions on how to make this work?
4 Answers
Honestly, your case choice seems a bit extravagant for a budget build. You could save a lot by getting a simpler case and opting for DDR4 RAM, which is way cheaper right now—like $14 a stick! Check out some of those lower-cost options; it’ll help fit a more powerful CPU or GPU into your budget.
If possible, search for deals on bundles including a decent CPU and motherboard. I found a system with a Ryzen 5 5600X for a great price; reselling the included GPU and investing in a better one later made a huge difference in performance. Plus, with time you can upgrade RAM or the CPU to keep up!
Totally agree! I recently got a super deal on a prebuilt PC—an AM5 setup with a monitor—all together for under $700. It's amazing what you can find if you look around.
If your nephew insists on only brand new parts, you might need to look at budgeting an additional $300. The prices of GPUs alone are insane! For a budget build, using about 600W for a power supply will also stretch what you can get in terms of hardware. Consider looking at prebuilt options; they can often fit the gaming specs for less than building from scratch.
That's solid advice! There are some decent prebuilt options within a reasonable budget—definitely worth considering if you want to avoid the hassle of building.
If you're really set on staying under $750, you might want to consider buying some used components. Going for an AM4 socket could save you a lot of cash, and DDR4 memory is pretty affordable too. I built my own rig with a 5600X and an RTX 3060 for around that price during a sale, so it’s possible if you shop smart!
That's a solid point! I've also found that used parts can really stretch your budget. I just scored a great deal on a used GPU off Facebook Marketplace.
Haha, yeah! Just slapping that setup into a shoebox could work too. As long as it runs fine, it doesn’t have to look pretty.