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With the best $800 gaming PC build, you will be able to play any game that comes out this year on high to ultra settings with ease. If this build were a pre-built PC, it would probably cost you over $1000. However, since you’ve decided to make your own PC, you are saving a great deal of money that can instead go to accessories for this build.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for 800 Dollar Gaming Pc Build
We spent many hours researching to get you the best performance for the cost and are happy to say this PC came out better than expected. Not only is it a beast internally, but it’s also an eye-catcher. Expect to get a few compliments after you build this thing.
If you’re interested in seeing what you can get at a different price point, we have a full list of our gaming pc builds here.
Now, without further ado, it’s time to jump into this build and show you what really makes it a great choice.
Best $800 Gaming PC Build: The Dominator
Not only will this PC impress anyone who looks at it with its beautiful case, but most importantly, this thing packs some crazy power inside. This PC can handle all of the recent releases such as Fortnite, The Witcher 3, and GTA 5 on ultra 1080p, at 60 fps. Even if you’re looking to go 4k (resolution), this can handle it. If 4k is your goal, we recommend just getting one of the more expensive PC Builds, as this isn’t going to make for a consistent gaming experience at that resolution.
At $800, you’ve made an investment that will pay dividends. Below, the build broken down into parts with an explanation of each piece and the reasoning for including it in the build. Take a look to get a better understanding of what you are buying.
Build Breakdown
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Case:
Thermaltake Versa N21 Snow Edition
For a mid-tower case, the Thermaltake N21 is definitely worth every penny. Not only will you get plenty of space, but also a slick design that will impress anyone who looks at it.
Even though the looks are what make this case stand out, it still has all the space needed to upgrade to bigger CPUs and video cards.
One of the biggest reasons we chose this case was due to its design, which allows for better airflow, which leads to a cooler PC (meaning less overheating and the extension of your PC’s life). This case also comes with one fan to help cool it even better.
One main issue this case has is cable management. That’s not to say its horrible, but there are some cases for the price with better cable management, but you will lose the looks factor.
Power Supply:
Corsair CX Series 550 Watts
For this build, we have the 550-Watt power supply by Corsair. This brand has been making quality power supplies for years and the reviews vouch for the quality.
This power supply is fully modular, keeping your cabling to a minimum. It also has a big fan to make sure your build doesn’t get overheated, but still remains very quiet, allowing you to focus only on gaming and not fan noise.
A malfunctioning power supply can hurt your other components, so don't pick some very cheap one with low wattage. Make sure you have one that is reliable for the long term. A product, like the Corsair 550, should also come with a warranty.
Video Card:
MSI RX 580 Armor 8G OC
The MSI RX 580 Armor has to be one of the best mid-range graphics cards on the market. With an $800 budget, you are already going to be doing some high-end PC gaming without a doubt, and at this point, you are merely ensuring your system can play games at a high level, both now and in the future.
With gaming computer builds, your video card is what makes or breaks your build, and that is also the case with the RX 580. This card is the most expensive item you are getting and this is worth every penny.
The RX 580 is already a fantastic card that benchmarks insanely well, and we’re squeezing a great 8 GB GPU into this build, which will get great results. Not to mention, this thing runs near silent and most of the time, you won’t even hear the fan unless you are doing some very intensive stuff.
This card is even capable of creating games, if you’re ever thinking of becoming an indie developer. We really can’t imagine a better card at this price range and you won't be disappointed at all.
Processor:
Ryzen 5 2600x
The RX 580 video card might be the hero of the build, but every hero needs a sidekick, and there’s no better sidekick at this price than the AMD Ryzen 5 2600x.
What you want from a gaming processor is quick, snappy load times and basically the ability to handle anything that needs to be processed. With the Ryzen 5 2600x, you get a stock cooler and it can be overclocked out of the box.
Motherboard:
MSI X470 Gaming Plus
The MSI X470 motherboard is a great fit for this build. It’s an ATX motherboard, allowing for a ton of upgrade paths in the future.
It’s also a high-quality motherboard that houses all the main functions without any issues and the price is right! Last but not least, the MSI is famous for its BIOS, which is specifically tailored for gaming and allows you to better modify your PC components.
If you plan on changing motherboards, make absolutely sure it is compatible with the rest of the build.
RAM:
Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB
The RAM we selected was a single 16 GB stick of Corsair Vengence LPX 2400. RAM is important simply because you need it to run any programs. While dual RAM sticks are preferred, buying one allows room to buy another down the road.
For gaming nowadays, 16 GBs is the ideal amount of RAM. It gives you just enough room to play games and have some extra applications open.
If you’re planning on streaming, then this is going to make your life so much easier.
Hard Drive:
Seagate Firecuda Hybrid Hard Drive
For the hard drive, we have the Seagate Firecuda, a 1 TB hybrid hard drive. Seagate is a respectable company and also makes high-quality products. It’s up to you when it comes to hard drives, but this is our recommendation.
This is also a hybrid hard drive, which means the speeds are much faster than the average drive. All this means is that games and different applications will load much faster, which saves you time.
You shouldn't go any lower than 1 TB, particularly with this build, due to how much money you are already investing in it. No point in cheaping out on space when it’s so affordable.
SSD:
PNY CS1311 240GB 2.5” SATA III
The last thing this build features is a 240 GB SSD from PNY . What’s so great about SSDs? Well, they load things much quicker than hard drives, making them pretty handy especially if you put the right applications on them. A lot of people may be tempted to put their favorite games on their SSD, but what we recommend is to install your OS on the SSD. It’ll make your PC feel much quicker and your boot-up times will be non-existent.
As you can tell, SSDs are more of a luxury item, so if you’d rather not get one and save some money, your build wouldn’t suffer too much, but getting one just makes your PC feel so much better.
Why Build a PC Instead of Buying a Pre-Built One?
Before we get into the build, let's address this, since it is commonly asked when people look at builing their own PC.
Yes, you can buy a pre-built PC for $800, but we guarantee this $600 gaming PC build would wipe the floor with it. Why? Because people who make pre-built gaming PCs need to make a profit as well, and in order to do this they put on this sick awesome case that makes the PC look fantastic, but inside, the parts that really matter are usually worth much less than what you are paying for them.
So if you want to spend $800 on a pre-built PC and still struggle to run games on high settings, then be our guest, or you could just spend a little time making your own PC and build a PC that can run games on the highest settings. Some people will never build a PC and that’s okay, but if you’ve come to this site, then we can provide you with the information to build that gaming PC you’ve always dreamed of.
Not only do you get insane value when you build your own PC, but you also get a sense of satisfaction that you’ve completed something and that’s a feeling a pre-built PC, just can’t give. Think back to the last time you made something? Do you remember it? That’s a feeling that cannot be replicated nor taken away from you.
We understand why many people hesitate, though, building a PC can be a very difficult process, but there are so many resources available that make building a gaming PC is easier than ever before.
SSD:
PNY CS1311 240GB 2.5” SATA III
PROS
CONS
We did not include the optical drive in this build due to the fact that almost no one needs one anymore.
We recommend you get an optical drive if you are going to install the OS through DVD (there are other options such as USB) or if you like to watch movies from a disk.
Since most gaming is digital nowadays, there is no longer a need for an optical drive if you are gaming. However, we understand that some people may still want one, so check out our post for some other options.
Optical Drive
ASUS 24x DVD-RW Serial-ATA
PROS
CONS
Build Conclusion
There’s no doubt that these builds are going to make a great gaming PC for anyone. For $800, you will not only get a great build but a one that will stretch as far as possible for the best possible gaming experience for the money.
If you follow this build you will be able to run any game that’s currently out at 1080p and 60 fps+ without a doubt. We recommend this build if you know you are going to be using this PC often and love to have a high-end gaming experience.
Recommended Peripherals
You may have just built the most amazing PC in the world, but none of that really matters if you don’t have peripherals to actually start using it. Below are our recommended peripherals for this $800 gaming PC build.
You can check out our review of the best gaming monitors under $200, but this one is our top pick.
PROS
CONS
This monitor is amazing value for the quality. If you are looking for a monitor that provides deep color contrast and is also very bright, then this is the perfect monitor on a budget. Due to the price of these monitors, they also work very well for a multi-monitor setup.
Best Keyboard and Mouse Combo:
Redragon S101 Combo
PROS
CONS
If you are a gamer and want to have that competitive edge online, but are on a budget, then this is an awesome combo set that really feels just as good as some of the most premium keyboards and mouses. This is one item we can recommend without even having to worry about whether or not it's worth the buy, because it definitely is.
Best Headset:
HyperX Cloud II Gaming Headset
PROS
CONS
For the price, these things provide amazing design, sound quality, and comfort. The style on these headphones is definitely a very important aspect, but the one thing that really makes these a joy to use has to be their comfort. You can game for hours and where another pair of gaming headphones would start to hurt your ears, the design on these headphones is unusual, but that creativity actually makes a better final product worth checking out. You hear games sounds just fine and people hear you crystal-clear through the mic.
Best Wi-Fi:
ASUS PCE-AC56 PCI
PROS
CONS
We chose our number three adapter from our top ten wireless adapters list, as it’s a little more budget friendly. Check out that post if you have a different budget in mind.
Operating System Options
After getting your PC built and all of your peripherals, there is one more thing that still needs to be done before you can get to playing awesome games, and that is picking an operating system. What is an operating system? Well, basically it’s an application that opens up when your PC turns on and manages all other applications. That might sound confusing but pretty much everyone uses one. There are thousands of operating systems out there, but the two major ones available to you are (Ubuntu) Linux and Windows.
(Ubuntu) Linux
Ubuntu Linux is basically a more streamlined version of the original Linux and was made for people who want to try an alternative to the powerhouse that is Windows. It was made by a team of developers that are all very experienced coders and it’s the biggest offshoot of Linux at the moment, with around 250 million users worldwide.
If you like having a vast amount of customization options, then Linux was made for this, as you can change nearly every aspect of Ubuntu Linux to better fit what you like. The other major plus for a Linux would have to be that it costs literally nothing to download, as its an open source OS.
Linux does have some things going for it, but there are also a lot of issues, especially when it comes to gaming. Linux being open source means that it’s not as supported as Windows, which can lead to annoying bugs that really have no estimated times when they will be fixed. The biggest issue with Linux at the moment is that PC developers don’t support the OS to the extent that it needs in order for it to be considered valid. Using the Linux OS will severely limit the number of games you can play and yes, while there might be some sort of emulation system out there on Linux, it will most likely come with a host of bugs.
Windows
Windows is the most well-known operating system and there’s a reason for that, considering they own more than 3/4 of the OS market and seem to be growing even further.
Some reasons to go for Windows is simply, that at the moment, all of the developers make their games for it since that’s where most of their sells come from and no PC game is going to be restricted when you are on this OS. The other big pro for Windows is they fix issues with their OS pretty quickly.
What Version of Windows Should I Get?
If you want to play games at their max level, you need Windows 10. Why? Simply because it’s the most popular OS, which means that every PC developer optimizes for it. Windows 10 is constantly being improved upon and the performance gap increases bit by bit as developers find ways to squeeze out more performance on the OS.
Windows 7 and 8 are still fine, but due to the fact that you’ll actually see performance increases by using Windows 10, it’s an easy call.
Conclusion
With PC gaming growing faster than ever ,now is the right time to start building a gaming PC and with the best $800 gaming PC build, you really can’t go wrong. With this build, you will be getting enough power to run games on ultra settings and the looks to top it off. If gaming is really a major hobby that you spend hours on, this is a build we whole-heartedly recommend.
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