I'm getting back into PC building after about a decade away. My last system was built around an Intel Z170 motherboard, an i5-6600K, and a GTX 1070, which handled most games at high settings when I built it in 2016. Back then, I could put together an upper-midrange system for under €1,000, but prices and hardware availability have changed dramatically since then.
I mostly play indie games, with some AAA titles mixed in. I'd like a system that can handle games from the last several years and run current releases at reasonable settings for the next few years. Ultra settings and the latest flagship hardware aren't important to me.
My target budget is roughly €600–€800, and I'm comfortable buying used parts, repairing or modifying things myself, 3D-printing small components, and dealing with some configuration or Linux tinkering if it makes sense.
Would it be better to reuse my existing case and DDR4 memory, then replace the motherboard, CPU, and graphics card—possibly upgrading the power supply too? Would a small-form-factor build using a used last-generation GPU be a better value? I've also considered an unusual Linux-based BC-250 build, although I'm unsure whether the driver quirks and DIY work would be worth it.
I'm mainly looking for direction on which platforms and upgrade paths offer the best value right now, especially with used hardware. What would you build in this price range?
3 Answers
For this budget, used hardware is probably the best route, especially for the graphics card. A complete secondhand enthusiast system can be much better value than buying every component separately, since people often sell older builds when they no longer have time for the hobby.
For a new GPU, AMD usually offers more performance per euro, while NVIDIA tends to have better feature support in areas such as ray tracing and upscaling. Try to find a card with at least 12GB of VRAM; 16GB would give you more breathing room, while 8GB can become restrictive in newer games. If you play mostly at 1440p or higher, the difference between CPUs matters less unless you’re pairing one with a very high-end GPU.
Keep an eye out for sales on cases and power supplies, and make sure any used PSU is from a reputable model and still in good condition. If your existing DDR4 kit is decent, a used AM4 X3D processor and compatible board could also be a sensible upgrade, although prices need to be compared against newer platforms.
A complete used system can be an excellent way to stretch €600–€800. One example of this approach was a secondhand machine with a Core i7-9700K, a Z390 motherboard, an RTX 2080 Ti, 32GB of DDR4-3200, an 850W power supply, storage, liquid cooling, and a decent case. It cost around the equivalent of €500 and handled modern games very well.
The exact parts aren’t the important part—the lesson is to search for machines sold by former enthusiasts. You can sometimes get a better CPU, GPU, RAM capacity, cooling, and power supply in one package than you could assemble from individual used listings. Test everything carefully, check the condition of the power supply and storage, and avoid paying a premium just because the seller lists every component with exaggerated “gaming” branding.
That’s a good point. I’ll look for complete systems from people who are moving on from the hobby instead of only searching for individual parts.
A BC-250 build is an interesting project, but it probably wouldn’t be a major gaming upgrade from your current machine. The CPU side would improve because of the extra cores, and the feature set may be newer, but the graphics performance would not necessarily be a dramatic jump. It makes more sense as a fun, inexpensive Linux experiment than as the best way to maximize gaming performance.
That helps a lot, especially the VRAM guideline. I’ll focus on used GPUs and keep an eye out for complete systems rather than assuming I need to buy everything individually.