I'm planning my first gaming PC and would appreciate advice on choosing the parts. My total budget is around £1,000, with a little flexibility, and I'm in the UK. I'll use the computer for single-player games, general programming, and a Windows/Linux dual boot. I already have a basic USB keyboard and wireless mouse, but I still need a monitor.
My main goal is to play modern games at 1080p and roughly 60 FPS without relying on the lowest possible settings. I don't need ultra-quality graphics or competitive multiplayer performance, but I'd like enough power for demanding titles such as Death Stranding 2. Is that realistic within this budget?
I'm especially unsure how to balance the CPU and GPU, and how to choose the motherboard, cooler, power supply, case, storage, memory, and graphics card. Component prices seem unusually high at the moment, so I'm also wondering whether buying a prebuilt system would offer better value than building one myself.
3 Answers
Use a parts-listing site to check compatibility and compare UK retailers, but treat its prices as a snapshot rather than a guarantee of value. Make sure the motherboard supports the CPU out of the box, the case fits the motherboard and graphics card, the power supply has enough capacity and the right connectors, and the cooler fits the CPU socket and case.
For 1080p gaming, a modern midrange graphics card paired with a Ryzen 5 or Core i5-class processor should be a reasonable target. However, a demanding new game may require reduced settings or upscaling to maintain 60 FPS. £1,000 including the display is possible only with careful deals or compromises; around £1,500 would provide substantially more headroom for a new all-purpose gaming build.
A Ryzen 5 9600X and a current midrange graphics card can make a strong 1080p combination, but don’t spend nearly the whole budget on those two parts and then cut corners elsewhere. The final cost also needs to include memory, storage, a power supply, a case, and the monitor. Check complete systems rather than judging only the CPU and GPU prices, and avoid unknown-brand power supplies or prebuilts with vague component descriptions.
A £1,000 budget including a monitor is going to be tight for a new system, especially with current memory and graphics-card prices. You may need to compromise on settings, buy some parts used, wait for sales, or consider a reputable prebuilt. A prebuilt around £800 could leave roughly £200 for a decent 1080p monitor, and the keyboard and mouse you already own are perfectly fine to start with.
For a custom build, put most of the budget into the graphics card, then choose a sensible midrange CPU. Avoid overspending on the motherboard or an expensive cooler; a basic tower cooler is usually enough, and the stock cooler may be adequate for some processors. Choose a reliable 550–650W power supply from a reputable brand, 16GB or 32GB of compatible memory, and an SSD with enough capacity for your games and both operating systems.
I’ve been looking at prebuilts more seriously now. With memory and other components costing so much, it may be better value than buying every part separately, even though I originally wanted the experience of building it myself.
That matches what I’m finding. I may lower my expectations slightly or look for a discounted prebuilt rather than forcing every component into the original budget.