If you’re looking to upgrade your current rig or want to build a new PC from scratch, a $1000 budget will go a long way. So welcome to our best gaming PC builds under $1000 guide.
We’d class a $1000 build as being at the top of the mid-tier budget range, so you’re going to be getting a high-performance PC in many respects, and one that won’t be slowing down anytime soon. At this range, we’re not looking at the top of the food chain when it comes to components. After all, individual graphics cards can cost $1000 alone.
With the tech going into our best gaming PC builds under $1000, you’ll be able to handle 1080p and 1440p games, a huge amount of multi-tasking, along with intense photography and video editing. However, all the components we’re detailing today can be swapped out, so if you do want to improve the performance after a few years, you can, with ease.
Of course, prices of hardware we list here fluctuate, so the parts we’ve picked work for the budget at the time of writing. If you want to do further research on core components, we’d recommend checking our best graphics cards under $400 and our best CPUs for gaming articles. All being well, prices will go down as time moves on!
Best gaming PC build under $1,000
AMD AM5 build List
Below we’ve picked our top options for our best gaming PC build under $1,000. We’ve opted for AMD’s AM5 platform for this build given the value and next-gen connectivity it offers. It’s a platform that will be around for a while yet, and you can expect more CPUs to arrive in the future – allowing for a clear upgrade path.
- Form factor: ATX
- 3.5″ HDD capacity: 2
- 2.5″ SSD capacity: 2
- CPU cooler max: 156mm
- Graphics card max: 330mm
- Side panel: Full acrylic
The Zalman S3 is a stylish case, that offers most of the things you could want for a reasonably priced mid-tower option. Not only does it look smart, it features a metal finish, full acrylic side panel, considered ventilation and flexible options for extra cooling.
- Form factor: ATX
- Socket : AM5
- RAM type: DDR5
- Chipset: B650
A solid and cost-effective B650 motherboard, Gigabyte’s B650 Eagle AX is a great foundation for our best gaming PC build under $1000. Not only does it easily support the other components in this list, but it allows for future upgrades too – be that an extra M.2 NVMe SSD drive or two or PCIe expansion beyond your graphics card. It also supports Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) and GbE LAN.
- Cores: 6
- Threads : 12
- Boost speed : 5.3 GHz
- Base speed: 4.7 GHz
- L3 Cache: 32 MB
- TDP: 105W
- Platform: AMD (AM5)
The Ryzen 7600X is the obvious go-to for a mid-range gaming build delivered on the AM5 platform. Its affordability, combined with a 6-core 12-thread architecture and admirable 4.7GHz base clock will support your gaming for years to come.
- GPU: Navi 33
- Stream Processors: 2,048
- VRAM: 16GB GDDR6
- Bandwidth: 288.0 GB/s
- Memory bus width: 128-bit
- Base clock speed: 2029 MHz
- Boost clock speed: 2539 MHz
In our review of the RX 7600 XT, we noted that the card is suited for good 1080p and decent native 1440p gaming. That’s what you’ll want from a system at this level, and the value offered by AMD and its partners on this card is decent too. For this specific model, Gigabyte’s three-fan design is smart and should offer faithful service for some years yet.
- Cooler Height: 155mm
- Connector: 4-pin
- Watts: 7
- Cooling: Air
The Peerless Assassin is known as a capable cooler, and comes in three different variants too – black, black with RGB and the white with RGB – each are a similar cost too. This cooler will shunt enough air across your CPU to keep things cool, and is well suited for a mid-range CPU like the Ryzen 5 7600X.
- Type: DDR5
- Configuration: 2 x 16GB
- Speed: 5600MHz (PC5-44800)
- XMP 3.0: Yes
- AMD Expo: Yes
Although tagged as ‘Create’ these TEAMGROUP sticks will offer ample speed for gaing and multi-tasking too. Naturally they’re DDR5 so cmpatible with the AM5 platform, and available for an impressively affordable price. They look great too, which is nice considering the full acrylic side panel side of the Zalman 3 case.
- Interface: NVMe
- Capacity: 1TB
- Form Factor: 2280
There’s little to not like about this NVMe SSD from Kingston. A well-established name with a decent 1TB offering is great for a gaming PC build under $1,000. You can always add more storage at a later date, but this will get you off to a start with plenty of storage space.
- Wattage: 600W
- Form Factor : ATX
- Rating: 80 Plus Gold
- Design: Non-modular
Power supplies are an area you don’t want to mess about in. While it’s worth knowing about PSU ratings, do keep in mind that while this PSU is fine for these components we’ve selected a reliable option to keep costs reasonable. So if you upgrade your CPU and or GPU in the future, you’ll want to check a PSU calculator to ensure you’re covered.
Additionally, as this isn’t a mmodular PSU you will need to consider cable management to keep things tidy. Going modular does make things easier, but does also increase the cost.
What games can this PC run?
Although it is impoissible to accurately know how any system will perform without testing it fully, based on our testing of the RX 7600 XT graphics card – the core component for gaming performance here alongside the capable Ryzen 5 7600 X – the games you should be able to play with this setup include the likes of:
- Doom Eternal – excellent in 1080p and excellent in 1440p
- The Finals – excellent at 1080p and good at 1440p
- Assassin’s Creed Mirage – excellent in 1080p and solid in 1440p.
Games where this system is likely to not deliver so well are:
- Cyberpunk 2077 – very playable at 1080p and playable at 1440p
- Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora – playable at 1080p and potentially playable at 1440p
Building Tips
At PC Guide we want to ensure that you are as capable as possible of building your PC. If you’re a first-time builder, we want you to experience the moment you press that fresh power button and your new PC boots up correctly. That’s why we’ll be detailing some all-important tips and tricks for you to keep in mind when assembling your new rig.
Use Anti-static Equipment
Electrical components are fragile at the best of times so taking care when building is essential. However, what many don’t consider is the effect static electricity can have. If a static discharge occurs, it can damage your components beyond repair, which then means a whole lot of wasted money.
You can avoid any potential component damage in a couple of ways, with the most common being; using an anti-static mat for your components and wearing an anti-static wristband when assembling.
Prepare your toolkit in advance
You’re going to want to get your tools ready because you don’t want to start to assemble your rig and not be able to due to not having the correct equipment. There aren’t masses of tools you need to successfully assemble a PC but what is essential, is a screwdriver with multiple bits. There are a few screws that are needed to secure both the components and assembling the case itself. These can usually be fitted using the same Phillips bit, with the most common being #2. However, make sure you have a #1 and #3 just in case.
Budgets
This article is all about the best gaming PC build under $1000, but if you want to mix and match some of these components with cheaper, or even more expensive ones, it’s most certainly possible. Just ensure that the motherboard supports anything you want to add to it. If you are looking for a budget gaming PC in the $300, $400, or $500 range then check out our cheaper alternatives.
Peripherals
Now you’ve got all of your PC components in order, you will need some peripherals to suit your gaming needs. We’ve picked out some options to accompany this $1000 build that should more than satisfy the requirements.
Logitech G Pro Wireless Mouse
The Logitech G Pro was built with one thing in mind; gaming. It is both endorsed and used by esports pros and that’s why we think that it is the perfect mouse to go with this build. It’s wireless but has a super-fast 1mms report rate connection, along with the same features as its wired counterpart.
Corsair K70 Low Profile Keyboard
When looking for a great gaming keyboard it can be quite overwhelming with the number of options out there, so we’ve gone for an all-rounder; the Corsair K70 Low Profile. This keyboard features low profile RGB switches which provide a sense of comfortability coupled with the same performance of mechanical switches. In addition, Corsair has used an aircraft-grade anodized aluminum frame, providing incredible durability and pleasing aesthetics.
SteelSeries Arctis 5 Wired Gaming Headset
The SteelSeries Arctis 5 Wired Gaming Headset provides fantastic sound quality at a respectable price as well as the widely recognized best mic in gaming; the Arctis ClearCast bidirectional microphone. We believe this is one of the best headsets out there for the price and more importantly, for gaming.
SteelSeries QcK Gaming Surface
A large, accurate mouse mat is essential for any PC gamer and we think the SteelSeries QcK Gaming Surface is an affordable option that has the attention of esports pros. It features a large surface area and micro woven cloth to pick up even the smallest of movements of your mouse.
Essential Software
Operating System
Now you have your fresh new build, you need some operating software to actually use the machine. There is no disk drive in this one so you may be wondering ‘How am I going to install my operating system?’ well, it can actually be installed via USB. Whether you go with Windows or Linux, you will have to download the respective files onto a spare USB and plug it in when booting.
Graphics Card Drivers
You want to be looking at the highest resolution possible, and that means ensuring you have the latest graphics card drivers installed. This is vital in your new build as you could be stuck with stock drivers that are not only out of date but give you a sub-optimal resolution. Go to the maker of your graphics card’s website which in this case
Best gaming PC build under $1000 – Conclusion
All in all, this $1000 gaming rig should be more than capable of visually demanding 1080p/1440p gaming, highly intensive photo and video editing, along with 3D rendering you may do. It is a fantastic all-rounder and should be able to keep up in performance for some years to come.
