Building a cheap gaming PC got a lot harder in 2026. Memory, storage and most graphics cards have climbed in price as AI data centers soak up supply, and Tom’s Hardware dropped its old budget tier entirely because a capable 1080p machine can no longer be built for the usual entry price. So instead of promising an $800 PC that falls apart at checkout, this guide shows the cheapest build we would actually recommend right now: about $1,120 with the RAM included, aimed at smooth 1080p gaming.
Prices below are US prices from PCPartPicker on November 6, 2026, plus Tom’s Hardware’s October 14 build list for the power supply, case and SSD. They move often, especially for RAM and graphics cards, so check the current price before you buy.
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The Budget Gaming PC Parts List
| Part | Our pick | Approx. price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 7600X | $166 | Check price |
| CPU cooler | Thermalright Assassin X 120 Refined SE | $25 | Check price |
| Motherboard | ASRock B650M-H/M.2+ (micro ATX, AM5) | $90 | Check price |
| Memory | 16GB (2×8GB) DDR5-6000, e.g. TEAMGROUP T-Force Delta RGB CL38 | $250 | Check price |
| Storage | Patriot P300 512GB NVMe SSD | $82 | Check price |
| Graphics card | AMD Radeon RX 7600 8GB, e.g. ASRock Challenger OC | $390 | Check price |
| Power supply | MSI MAG A650BN (650W, ATX 3.1) | $60 | Check price |
| Case | DIYPC ARGB-N5-BK (ATX mid-tower) | $60 | Check price |
| Total | ≈ $1,120 |
Windows is not included. You also need a Phillips #2 screwdriver and a USB flash drive of at least 8GB to install Windows 11.
Why We Picked Each Part
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
The Ryzen 5 7600X is a 6-core, 12-thread chip on AMD’s AM5 platform, and at about $166 it costs less than the regular Ryzen 5 7600 does right now. The trade-off is that the 7600X ships without a cooler, which is why a $25 tower cooler is on the list. The bigger reason to pick AM5 is the upgrade path: as Tom’s Hardware points out, the platform lets you move up to a Ryzen 9000 chip later without replacing the motherboard.
CPU cooler: Thermalright Assassin X 120 Refined SE
This single-tower air cooler is a common pick in budget AM5 builds, and it keeps the 7600X cool for a fraction of what a liquid cooler costs. It is also short enough to fit in the case below.
Motherboard: ASRock B650M-H/M.2+
B650 boards support Ryzen 7000 chips out of the box, so there is no BIOS update to worry about before your first boot. This micro ATX board is one of the cheapest AM5 options at about $90. It has no built-in Wi-Fi, so plan on an Ethernet cable or a USB Wi-Fi adapter. If you need wireless, the ASRock B650M Pro RS WiFi costs about $20 more.
Memory: 16GB DDR5-6000
Memory is where 2026 hurts the most. A 16GB DDR5 kit costs around $250 today, and 32GB kits run about $450 or more. We stuck with 16GB, just like Tom’s Hardware did in its cheapest build. Tom’s notes that 16GB is the build’s lowest ceiling, so you may need to close other apps while playing memory-hungry games. DDR5-6000 is the speed to target on AM5; turn on EXPO in the BIOS so the RAM actually runs at that speed. Not sure about DDR4 versus DDR5? Our DDR4 vs DDR5 guide explains the difference.
Storage: Patriot P300 512GB
SSD prices jumped too, so this build uses the same 512GB Patriot P300 that Tom’s Hardware picked for its budget tier. It is a PCIe 3.0 drive rated at 1,700MB/s reads and 1,200MB/s writes, which is still faster than any SATA drive. The catch is space: big games keep growing (GTA 6 alone is expected to need around 210GB), so add a 1TB drive later, or start with one if your budget stretches about $70 further.
Graphics card: AMD Radeon RX 7600 8GB
The graphics card matters most for gaming, and it is the hardest part to fit in a budget build today. The RX 7600 is about $390 right now, while the cheapest RTX 5060 cards sell for roughly $450. Tom’s Hardware says the RX 7600 handles 1080p at ultra settings while averaging well over 60 frames per second, and ranks it just above the RX 6650 XT and below the RTX 4060 in its GPU benchmarks.
Power supply: MSI MAG A650BN
Tom’s Hardware estimates a build like this peaks at around 400 to 450 watts at worst, so a 650W unit leaves comfortable headroom. The A650BN is an 80 Plus Bronze, ATX 3.1 power supply that costs about $60.
Case: DIYPC ARGB-N5-BK
This $60 ATX mid-tower comes with wrap-around tempered glass and three ARGB fans already installed. According to Tom’s Hardware, it fits graphics cards up to 330mm long and CPU coolers up to 170mm tall, and an ATX case has plenty of room for a smaller micro ATX board like ours.
Where to Save Money
- Look for a RAM combo deal. Tom’s Hardware leaves RAM out of its build totals because bundles that pair memory with a CPU or motherboard can cut the RAM cost in half or more. The catch: those deals sell out fast.
- Go with AM4 and DDR4. A Ryzen 5 5600 costs about $148 with a cooler in the box, and a 16GB DDR4-3200 kit is about $109. Together that saves around $180 over the CPU, cooler and RAM in our list. The downside is that AM4 is the end of the line, so there is no CPU upgrade path.
- Price out a prebuilt. With component prices this high, Tom’s Hardware notes that a prebuilt gaming PC is now often the cheaper route. Compare a prebuilt with an RX 7600 or RTX 5060 against this list before you buy parts.
Watch a Full Build Before You Start
If this is your first PC, watch a complete build once before you open any boxes. This video uses higher-end parts, but every step is the same for this build.
Once it is running, check your CPU temperature to make sure the cooler is mounted well, and update your drivers, starting with the graphics driver.
The Bottom Line
About $1,120 is the honest price of a capable budget gaming PC in late 2026. This build plays games at 1080p ultra above 60 frames per second and leaves room to upgrade the CPU on AM5. If that is still too much, a RAM combo deal or an AM4 build with DDR4 can trim close to $200, and it is worth comparing against a prebuilt before you spend anything.
