I'm looking to build a simple, affordable Micro-ATX gaming PC for roughly £400–£500. It mainly needs to handle lighter Steam games, Roblox, and Minecraft at 1080p. I'm open to buying used parts or a second-hand system if that's the most realistic way to stay within budget. What hardware or buying strategy would you recommend?
4 Answers
Another option is an older office desktop with a suitable low-profile graphics card, though you’ll need to check the power supply, available space, and whether the proprietary case or motherboard creates upgrade limitations. Small-form-factor systems can be good value, but compatibility matters more than usual.
A used-parts build could work if you find the right deals. Something around a Ryzen 5 3600, RX 6600, 16GB of DDR4, an A520 motherboard, a 550W power supply, and a 512GB NVMe SSD would be a good target for basic 1080p gaming. Finding all of that inside the budget will take patience, and the case can be chosen based on whatever affordable Micro-ATX option you find.
That budget is going to be very difficult with all-new parts. You’ll probably need to hunt for deals on used-parts marketplaces or buy an older gaming PC and upgrade it. Prices have moved up enough that a build which was realistic a year or two ago may no longer fit £400–£500.
Buying a used prebuilt may be easier than assembling everything yourself. Look for a system with at least an RTX 2060 or RX 6600, and compare the total price against individual parts. A refurbished retailer can cost a little more, but the included warranty may be worthwhile if you don’t want to spend weeks hunting for deals.
If you can stretch the budget, some newer refurbished systems may give you a better upgrade path, including platforms that support newer processors and memory. That could be worth considering if you want the machine to last several years.