I'm putting together a living-room gaming PC in the US with a $500 budget. I already have 32GB of DDR4 RAM, a 1TB SSD, case fans, and peripherals, so those don't need to be included. I'd prefer a mid-tower case with a relatively small footprint, but I know compact parts can cost more. My previous build used Intel, and I'd like to try AMD this time. I'm fine with 1080p gaming on a TV and mostly play less demanding titles. I'm also comfortable buying most components used through eBay or local marketplaces, though I plan to buy the case and power supply new. What parts or used builds would make the most sense within this budget?
2 Answers
A used Ryzen 5 3600 paired with a B350 or B450 Micro-ATX motherboard would be a solid starting point. For the graphics card, look for a used RTX 3060 12GB or something in a similar performance range. That should work well for 1080p gaming, especially with less demanding games. Put whatever remains of the budget toward a new, reputable power supply and a reasonably compact case.
Your existing 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD make the budget much more workable. Since you only need 1080p on a TV and aren’t playing especially demanding games, you don’t need a high-end platform. A used six-core Ryzen system with a midrange graphics card should be plenty, as long as you verify the parts work and leave enough money for a quality PSU.
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