I'm completely new to building PCs and only know the basics, such as having 16GB of RAM being preferable to 8GB. My budget is around ₱50,000 (about $850) for the computer itself, although I can stretch it if an upgrade is genuinely worthwhile.
The main use will be gaming, work, and everyday tasks. I'd like to play modern AAA games smoothly at 1080p, with 1440p as a bonus, and hopefully avoid needing major upgrades for a few years. I care much more about performance, reliability, and sensible component choices than RGB lighting or an expensive-looking case.
Local prebuilt systems often seem to spend too much of the budget on aesthetics while using weaker components elsewhere, so I'm considering choosing the parts myself and building the system later. What CPU, GPU, motherboard, RAM, SSD, power supply, case, and cooling would you recommend at this budget? I'd also appreciate advice on which parts should never be cheaped out on and whether buying used or prebuilt makes more sense locally.
4 Answers
At this budget, a previous-generation platform may give you better gaming performance per peso. A Ryzen 5 5600 paired with a Radeon RX 7600 XT is one reasonable direction, assuming those parts are available at good prices locally. Choose the CPU and GPU first: the CPU determines the motherboard platform, while the GPU affects the power-supply capacity and sometimes the case size. Then fill in the rest with dependable, appropriately sized parts rather than spending heavily on RGB or liquid cooling.
Don’t assume a higher-end CPU automatically makes the build better. One example configuration with a Ryzen 7 7700, B650 motherboard, RTX 5060, 650W PSU, and 1TB NVMe drive could work, but it wastes part of the budget on a 360mm liquid cooler, white RGB case parts, and a single 16GB memory stick. For gaming, that money would usually be better directed toward the graphics card. Use two matching memory sticks, such as 2x16GB DDR5, and a good air cooler unless the processor or case specifically requires something else.
Since you’re new to this, comparing reputable prebuilts can be a useful starting point even if you ultimately build the PC yourself. Use one that fits your budget as a baseline, write down its CPU, graphics card, memory, motherboard, storage, and power supply, then recreate it in a compatibility-planning tool. You can compare similarly performing parts, check whether the case and PSU are suitable, and look at local prices before buying. Make sure the system includes dual-channel RAM, a decent SSD, and a reputable power supply rather than just impressive-looking case lighting.
Used hardware is worth considering if new parts in your area are overpriced, especially for the graphics card, but test it carefully and avoid unknown power supplies. A locally assembled or prebuilt machine can also be perfectly fine if it clearly lists every component and uses standard, replaceable parts. The areas not to cheap out on are the PSU, motherboard quality, and storage reliability. The case and lighting can be basic, while the GPU should receive the largest share of the gaming budget.
That makes sense. I was mostly choosing the white RGB parts because they were bundled together, but I’d rather redirect that money toward gaming performance and reliable components.