I'm trying to put together a gaming PC for my son in the United States with a budget of about $600–$700. The main game he wants to play is Wardogs through Steam. We already have a mouse and keyboard, and he can use a small TV as a temporary display, so the monitor does not need to be included yet. I'm mainly looking for recommendations for the motherboard, CPU, RAM, graphics card, operating-system SSD, and case. Is a new build realistic at this price, or should I focus on used parts or a complete secondhand system?
4 Answers
You don’t need an expensive high-end system just to play at 1080p. People often overestimate the required budget. Older hardware such as a Ryzen 5 3600 paired with an RTX 2070 Super can still provide a playable experience, and a carefully chosen used build could come in below $700. Just keep expectations realistic with the TV display, frame rate, storage capacity, and lack of a dedicated microphone.
A completely new build is difficult at that budget with current prices, especially once you include a capable graphics card, memory, and storage. The best value is probably a used complete PC or a mix of used parts. Look for systems with something like a Ryzen 5 3600/5600, an RTX 2070/3060 or RX 6600/6700 XT, and at least 16 GB of RAM. Buy the power supply new if possible, and test any used system before paying.
It is possible if you are comfortable buying used hardware and targeting 1080p. A used Ryzen 5 5500 or 5600, an older compatible motherboard, 16 GB of RAM, and a used RTX 3060, RTX 3080, RX 6600, or RX 6700 XT could work. Add a new 500 GB or 1 TB NVMe SSD, a reliable 650–750 W power supply, and an inexpensive case. You may need to start with 16 GB of memory and upgrade later. Expect roughly 60 FPS at 1080p depending on the exact settings and graphics card.
If you want everything new, you may need to raise the budget closer to $750–$1,000, or wait for a sale or a local bundle deal. A used office or gaming prebuilt can be cheaper than buying every component separately, but check the power supply, upgrade compatibility, and whether the graphics card is included. Consoles are not a solution here because Wardogs currently requires a PC and Steam. I’d search local listings, computer stores, and returned or refurbished systems, and make sure the machine can be tested before buying.
The graphics card will make the biggest difference, so I’d prioritize finding a good used GPU deal rather than spending too much on a newer processor. An NVMe SSD is also preferable when it costs about the same as a SATA drive.