Best Gaming PC Under $300 in 2024 Leave a comment

This $300 construct will get you began PC gaming.

You don’t need to spend a ton of cash on a gaming PC if all you need to do is play non-demanding titles like League of Legends, Valorant, or Rocket League. In reality, with a finances of as little as $300, you’ll be able to nonetheless construct an ample entry-level gaming PC.

On this information, I’ve offered you with all the components you’ll must construct as low cost of a gaming PC as doable.

No, this construct isn’t going to max out the newest Murderer’s Creed Valhalla. However when you don’t have a ton of cash to spend and also you want one thing that can will let you no less than bounce into PC gaming, this extremely finances construct will do the trick.

NOTE: It also needs to be talked about that, with a such a low finances, you could need to contemplate procuring the used market (eBay, Craigslist, Fb Market), as you’ll be able to construct a extra highly effective PC by choosing used elements.

How We Select

Tech Guided has been round for over a decade and has helped hundreds of first-time builders construct their very own gaming computer systems. Our aim is that will help you construct the most effective PC on your finances. We replace our construct guides usually and deal with discovering the very best high quality elements at the most effective costs.

We’ve put collectively a radical video information for inexperienced persons on how to decide on the fitting components for a gaming PC construct. You possibly can watch it on our YouTube channel or learn the written model here.

For extra PC construct choices, you’ll be able to try our Best Cheap Gaming PC Builds information.

$300 PC Construct Overview

Not all people has an unlimited finances to spend on a high-end gaming computer. Nonetheless, the truth is that spending hundreds of {dollars} on a gaming PC isn’t at all times needed. And, when you’re somebody who at the moment has an affordable laptop computer or older desktop that may’t run any of right this moment’s high video games, all you most likely care about is getting a system that can no less than allow you to play your favourite video games.

With the construct listed beneath, you’ll be capable of run most of right this moment’s in style video games on decrease settings on a 1080P monitor.

Element Rundown

This $300 construct comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 4600G APU, a 512GB SSD from KLEVV, and 8GB of 3600MHz Patriot Viper Collection DDR4 reminiscence. The 4600G has first rate built-in graphics constructed into it and may be capable of meet your gaming wants till you’ll be able to afford so as to add a devoted graphics card.

The construct additionally comes with an MSI 550W 80 PLUS Bronze rated power supply that can simply be capable of energy a mid-range graphics card if you find yourself able to improve. This energy provide isn’t modular, although, and that can make the construct course of a bit tougher. Nonetheless, at this worth level will probably be powerful to slot in a modular energy provide with out going over finances.

It additionally comes with a Cooler Grasp micro-ATX case. This budget-friendly case provides you with loads of room to carry the components on this construct, in addition to give you sufficient area so as to add in a graphics card when you’ll be able to afford one.

Why Construct A PC?

Construct FAQ

Whereas we really feel that the elements listed above provides you with the most effective worth on your finances, there are different choices which you can go together with to both lower the worth down additional or to get extra efficiency out of the system now…

Beneath we’ll go over what sort of efficiency you’ll be able to anticipate out of this technique, reply some frequent questions on this construct, and inform you what upgrades you can also make to show this entry-level PC into a robust gaming PC.

1. How Do I Construct This PC?

You will have to assemble all the particular person elements you may have bought right into a working PC. Thankfully, this course of will not be troublesome! And, it’s numerous enjoyable. In the event you’ve by no means constructed a PC earlier than, use our Step-by-Step PC constructing information to stroll you thru the method.

How to Build A Gaming PC: Step-by-Step

2. What Video games Will It Run and What Framerate Can I Count on?

We’ve already mentioned how the built-in graphics on the Ryzen 5 4600G are ok to run most video games on a 1080P monitor on decrease settings. However, as a clearer image of what this technique is ready to do, you’ll be able to anticipate it to:

• Run non-demanding titles like Minecraft and Roblox at 60+ FPS on medium or greater settings
• Run eSports titles (Dota 2, League of Legends, Overwatch 2, and many others.) at ~50-60FPS on medium or greater settings
• Run AAA titles (like Learn Lifeless Redemption 2, Rise of the Tomb Raider, and many others.) at ~30FPs on decrease settings

In the event you primarily play aggressive eSports video games that aren’t tremendous demanding, then the 4600G could have you coated. If you wish to play AAA titles, the 4600G will be capable of run them at decrease settings, however you shouldn’t anticipate to get a excessive framerate at 1080P.

You can decrease your monitor’s decision to make these more-demanding video games playable as properly. It isn’t an amazing long-term answer, however it’ll get your toes within the door.

3. Why Go With A Single 8GB Stick of RAM?

For RAM, we selected a single 8GB stick of DDR4 memory. Reasonably than going with a 2x4GB package to make the most of twin channel reminiscence, we opted for a single stick of RAM for one major purpose:

There aren’t very many 2x4GB kits accessible.

The one 2x4GB package which you can at the moment get is a 3200MHz package. Nonetheless, since Ryzen CPUs profit from having quicker reminiscence and there have been no choices to get a 2x4GB quicker than 3200MHz, we felt it will be higher to get a single stick of 3600MHz reminiscence as an alternative. The 2x4GB package can also be a bit costlier and with this tight of a finances, there isn’t a lot room to spare.

No, you received’t get the efficiency increase that comes from using a twin channel reminiscence configuration.

Additionally Learn: Single Channel vs Dual Channel vs Quad Channel Memory

Nonetheless, you’ll be able to at all times add a second stick of reminiscence sooner or later. And, the excellent news is that you simply’ll solely want to save lots of ~$20 to get one other stick of RAM.

Simply be sure that once you do add the second reminiscence stick that you simply get the identical actual stick you’ve bought on this construct, as points can come up once you attempt to combine totally different RAM modules.

Additionally Learn:

4. What In regards to the Excessive Value of Home windows?

Whereas the worth of this construct will fall anyplace from ~$270-$330 relying on how the worth of the elements are fluctuating, this price solely accounts for the tower itself. It doesn’t account for the price of an working system, which you’ll positively want in an effort to get the construct up and working.

A model new copy of Windows will set you again one other ~$125. So, that can take the price of this construct up nearer to $400 when you purchase a duplicate of Home windows model new.

Additionally Learn: How to Install Windows 11 Without a Microsoft Account

Nonetheless, there are methods round paying $100 for Home windows.

Use A Linux-Based mostly Working System?

You possibly can select to go together with a Linux-based working system free of charge. The draw back, there, although, is that not all fashionable video games may be run on a Linux-based system.

Purchase A Home windows Key for Low cost from A Third-Social gathering Market?

The opposite choice to chop down on the prices of Home windows is to purchase it from a third-party market. Websites like Kinguin.net or G2A.com have Home windows keys for as little as ~$30. Some individuals query whether or not or not buying Home windows keys from Kinguin or G2A is a good suggestion or not. We’ve coated the professionals and cons of utilizing a market like Kinguin or G2A in two different guides, Is Kinguin Legit? and Is G2A Legit? if you wish to learn additional into it.

Get Home windows for Free?!?!

In the event you completely can’t afford to pay for Home windows proper now, the excellent news is which you can nonetheless set up it in your pc and use it with out having to purchase a key for it. The draw back is that with out activating Home windows, you can be restricted in some areas on what you are able to do together with your system.

Nonetheless, even with an unactivated model of Home windows put in in your pc, you’ll be able to nonetheless play your entire video games and use your system in a reasonably regular method.

The one actual variations between an activated Home windows and an unactivated Home windows is in some customization choices (as an example, you received’t be capable of put up a customized wallpaper when you haven’t activated Home windows.)

So, within the grand scheme of issues, when you’re okay foregoing among the customization choices that require Home windows to be activated, you may use Home windows free of charge with out ever activating it. And, on the very least, when you can’t afford Home windows now, you may nonetheless at all times construct your tower and use the unactivated model of Home windows in the meanwhile, till you’ll be able to afford to buy a key.

5. How you can Improve This Construct

The most effective half about this $300 gaming PC is that, with simply a few upgrades, it may go from being an entry-level 1080P gaming PC, to a mid-range gaming PC that may max out just about any recreation you throw at it.

Right here’s how I’d improve this pc to get it to a mid-range gaming pc:

1. The primary improve I’d make can be so as to add a mid-range GPU (~$175-$300)

The next GPUs would make for a superb improve:

• AMD RX 6600
• NVIDIA RTX 3060
• Intel Arc A750
• AMD RX 6600 XT
• AMD RX 6650 XT
• AMD RX 7600

These GPUs will probably be greater than sufficient to deal with any recreation on a 1080P monitor proper now and within the coming years. And, the excellent news is that, you received’t must improve your energy provide earlier than leaping as much as both of these choices, because the offered 550W energy provide will be capable of deal with any of those GPU upgrades.

2. The second improve I’d make can be so as to add a second 8GB stick of RAM (~$20)

For the following improve, I’d double the quantity of RAM on this system by including a second 8GB stick of Patriot Viper Collection 3600MHz reminiscence. It will take you from 8GB to 16GB, which provides you with a great quantity of reminiscence for 1080P gaming.

You might even make the argument to improve your RAM earlier than your GPU. It’s solely a $20 improve and it provides you with a good efficiency increase each since you’ll be getting double the reminiscence and also you’ll now be capable of make the most of twin channel configuration.

3. The third improve I’d make can be to improve to a mid-range CPU (~$150-$300)

The motherboard on this construct will help Ryzen 5000-series processors. The next two choices can be good CPU upgrades:

You might additionally try the older Ryzen 7 3700 or 3700X, particularly when you’re procuring the used market. However, if it had been us and we had a average finances to improve our CPU, we’d have a look at the 5700X3D or 5800X3D as it’ll present a big improve to your in-game efficiency.

With a GPU, RAM, and CPU improve, you’ll now have a high-end gaming PC.

4. The fourth improve I’d make can be so as to add extra storage (~$50-$150)

The opposite draw back of this construct is that it solely comes with 512GB of storage to begin out. That must be sufficient to carry over most avid gamers for a short time and the excellent news is that including further storage is fairly straightforward. And, so, the following improve to make can be so as to add extra storage.

If it had been us, we’d add one massive (1TB+) SATA SSD. Simply word that this technique can solely maintain one NVME SSD at a time, so when you wished to improve to an even bigger NVME SSD you would need to transfer your working system (and any and all information) to your new drive. In the event you don’t need to undergo the effort of transferring all the things over, you’ll be able to maintain the 512GB SSD as your main drive after which add a secondary SATA SSD for a better storage improve expertise.

Additionally Learn: The Best SSDs for Gaming

With all of these upgrades, you’ll now have a really succesful mid-range gaming pc that may max any recreation out on a 1080P monitor.

Conclusion: This Construct Received’t Blow You Away… However it Will Let You Play Your Favourite Video games

No, this $300 gaming pc construct isn’t going to allow you to max out video games like God of War or Assassin’s Creed on a 1440P 144Hz monitor. You most likely received’t even be capable of run a recreation like Starfield on decrease settings on a 1080P monitor with a playable framerate with this construct.

Nonetheless, it is possible for you to to run much less demanding video games on lower-to-medium settings. And, the important thing there’s that you simply will be capable of runthem. For lots of avid gamers who’re caught with older laptops or desktops that may’t run fashionable video games, simply with the ability to run newer video games can be an enormous improve. And, actually, that’s who this construct is for: individuals who have a particularly tight finances who simply need to have the ability to play their favourite video games.

This $300 PC construct additionally has a easy improve path to turning into a strong mid-range gaming pc, too. So, it won’t solely work properly for proper now, however it’ll additionally provide you with loads of potential for the longer term as properly.

Get Assist With Your Construct: In the event you need assistance placing collectively an element checklist on your construct? Ask your questions within the comment section!