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When thinking of what to include to make the best possible $900 gaming PC build, a lot of thought was put into how long this computer could last the person creating it.
With this build, you will be getting something that will not have to be upgraded for years and can run most games on ultra settings. So if that’s what you were looking for, you’ve come to the right place.
If you are also looking for a build that has not only power but also the ability to become even better over time, then this is the build for you.
We have an entire area of differently-priced computer builds, so if you want to see what other price points can get, check out our PC gaming page.
At $900, any build worth its salt should produce an amazing PC that will blow your socks off, but this build just isn’t any build, it’s a high-quality build will, without a doubt, be something that will make you a very happy person.
This build is called “Power and Control” because not only is it very powerful due to the components inside, but it also allows you much more control over what you can do with this in the future. Unlike our $800 gaming PC build which is more focused on being a balanced build, this build has some amazing components that make it really dangerous.
This thing will easily chew up any game, such as Fortnite, Fallout 4, and GTA 5 at 1080p ultra settings, of that there is no doubt, but if you were thinking of going 4k, then you might want to check out one of our more expensive builds. This will run 4k, but it won’t be as smooth, as this is really a 1080p build.
Well, we are finally ready to get to the components of the build, to which we will breakdown every aspect of why each was chosen. We recommend reading every breakdown to know what you are actually getting. One final thing we want to say is that it’s okay to modify this build, as it’s just a blueprint.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for 900 Dollar Gaming Pc Build
- OUR TOP PICK: Phanteks Eclipse P300
- AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- ASROCK M-ATX DDR4 450M
The Build Breakdown
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Best Case:
Phanteks Eclipse P300
The Phanteks P300 Series Windowed Case looks very simple in design, but in reality, that’s the farthest thing from the truth. This case has it all and then some. When it comes to features, this case can easily compete with cases twice the cost. If you are okay with losing some of the stylistic design that comes with some cases, then this is an amazing pick.
The airflow is one of the main standouts of this case. It’s actually made with vents to help heat flow out of your PC to provide a cooler build. A cooler build is important because it extends the life of your gaming PC, so that is definitely something to consider.
Not only is this case packing great airflow, it also has some of the best cable management at this price range. This is great for beginners, as it makes everything much easier to manage.
This case is part of the reason why the build is named “Power and Control” because with this case, you just have so many options you normally just wouldn’t have at this price level. You are getting USB 3.0s, multiple fans, and removable drive bays for extra space. The Phanteks P300 really is an amazing buy.
Best Power Supply:
Corsair CX550
For this build, we’ve gone with the same power supply as our $800 build for two reasons. The same maker of the case above also makes these power supplies, so they complement each other nicely and also because Corsair makes very high-quality power supplies for an affordable price.
The main point of a power supply is to power up the build, but most people don’t really think too much about power efficiency. At this price point, this build can certainly use up a great deal of energy, so we've included this 80 bronze efficiency power supply which just manages energy better. This ends up saving you a good deal of money in the long run.
Best Video Card:
MSI Geforce RTX 2060 6GB
The video card is the most important piece of a PC that is going to be used for gaming and this one is going to allow you to play games on ultra for a long time. That graphics card is the MSI Geforce RTX 2060. If there was a graphics card in this price bracket that we would consider future-proof, this would be it.
The MSI Geforce RTX 2060 has 6 GBs of RAM installed into it, which makes this thing more than capable of anything games in the future can throw at it. Right now, 6 GBs is complete overkill for any games out right now so this card can easily run games without slowing down.
This card also runs quietly and you most likely won’t even hear the card unless you are playing a very graphically intense game (which you will probably have your headphones on). This is due to the twin fans on top that cool the card very effectively.
All in all, you won’t need to upgrade for a long time with this card in your PC and you will also be playing games on ultra with this. Really what more could you ask for in a video card?
Best Processor:
AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
The Ryzen 2600x processor is definitely a good CPU that complements the 2060 and easily does its job when gaming. Not only is the CPU quick and snappy, but the installation is particularly easy. This CPU can also be overclocked, which leads to faster performance.
Some games, such as MMOs are very processor heavy and the 2600x will easily be able to handle those games with ease. It hardly lags behind more expensive processors in the same family and is a great value.
To wrap this up, the 2600x is something that will last you for years So not only will you be getting an amazing processor for the price, but also a very up-to-date one, which extends its life even longer.
Best Motherboard:
ASROCK M-ATX DDR4 450M
For this build, we have the ASRock 450m. It’s an M-ATX Motherboard with an insane amount of features. The 450m offers space for 64 GBs of RAM (You will not need this much RAM at all).This is definitely a great motherboard for the price, as other motherboards with similar features cost a great deal more than this one.
One of the biggest pros of this motherboard would have to be ASRock’s amazing BIOS. Not only is it simple and easily accessible, but it’s also always being upgraded and further improved upon. If you like being able to monitor every aspect of your gaming performance, the ASRock Pro Series is perfect.
ASRock is a great company when it comes to gaming products, so there's not much to worry about when it comes to the actual company behind the product. If you have any problems with this motherboard, getting a replacement is a relatively easy process.
Best RAM:
Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB DDR4
The RAM for this build is the Corsair 16 GBs (8 GBs x 2), except that instead of DDR3, these are DDR4. DDR4 RAM is a little faster than DDR3, and seems to be what most newer motherboards are using.
Other than that, you are getting two 8 GB sticks. 16 GBs is really the ideal amount of RAM and in the future, we recommend going to 32 GBs, just to further future-proof this build, as RAM isn’t really that expensive after the cryptocurrency crash.
We have two 8 GB sticks instead of one 16 GB simply because it manages memory better, as each stick of RAM can focus on one specific task, making for a slightly snappier experience. An example is multiple wells. Yes, you can have one deep well, but if you had two medium wells, you could draw water faster.
Best Storage:
Seagate 1TB FireCuda SSHD
The hard drive we chose was the Seagate FireCuda SSHD . This is all the space you should need for a while, but you can always get more in the future when you start to run out. Seagate is a dependable name and we can’t recommend their hard drives enough.
We also recommend getting an SSD in the future where you put your most favorite applications, since this will offer much snappier load times. This wasn't included in the build because we wanted to focus more on gaming performance and an SSD really isn’t mandatory at all.
Best SSD:
PNY CS1311 240GB 2.5” SATA III
While the SSD isn’t mandatory , we still wanted to explain what it is and why you might want one. We present to you the PNY CS1311, simply because of how affordable and reliable their SSDs are. You’re getting 240 GBs, which isn’t much. While you can install anything on an SSD, ideally you want to install your OS on it, as it just makes everything that much faster. If you care at all about speed or think you’ll care in the future, it might be a good idea to pick this up.
The reason this item is optional is simply because SSD,s are just really expensive for at the moment. If you really want slightly quicker load times, go ahead and get one, but if that doesn’t bother you, forgo it for now and maybe add one in as a future upgrade.
Build Conclusion
Now that you know all about this build, hopefully, you understand why it is called, “Power and Control”. You are getting some amazing power in the form of the MSI Geforce RTX 2060 which is one of the best graphics cards out right now and you are getting control in the form of everything being able to be upgraded in the future.
If you make this build, there’s no doubt you will be running games on 1080p 60 frames per second, and this should last for a good deal of time. This build is as future-proof as you can get at this price range and anyone who makes this is going to have an awesome time gaming.
Recommended Peripherals
Without suitable peripherals, you won't get the most out of your awesome new build. Here are some recommendations for compatible peripherals for this build.
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Best Monitor:
Acer R240HY 1080p 23.8 Inch Monitor
The monitor we recommend is the Acer 23.8 inch R240HY LED monitor. Our major reason for recommending this monitor is because of the price. This has to be the cheapest top-tier brand monitor you can find and when you throw in that this monitor is also high quality, it just brings it to a whole new level. This monitor is also affordable enough that you can buy two without even breaking the bank and actually have a multiple monitor setup for your PC, as this $900 build surely has enough power.
Best Keyboard and Mouse:
Redragon S101 Wired Gaming Keyboard and Mouse Combo
Gaming keyboard and mice can be pretty expensive, but we have a combo set that is VERY affordable but also probably one the best gaming sets out there. The keyboard feels almost like its mechanical when it’s not and the mouse has many customization options so you can find out what works best for you. Every PC gamer should have a gaming set, and if you’re trying to get one on a budget, then the Redragon S101 combo is one you should definitely consider.
Best Headphones:
HyperX Cloud II Gaming Headset
The HyperX Cloud Gaming Headphones aren’t just some good, cheap headphones, these are probably some of the best gaming headphones and easily beat other name brand headsets that cost much more. These headphones have noise cancellation features that really help you get immersed in the game and will keep you from hearing anything with these on. You are also getting some really amazing bass, so if you’re a bass lover, these are amazing. Not to mention they look very stylish and easily appear to be worth more than their actual price.
Operating System Options
Okay so, you have your PC built and you also have all of your peripherals, but there is still one thing you need before you can start playing all those awesome games. You need to install an operating system.
What’s an operating system? It’s an application that manages all other applications on your PC, such as games. There are thousands of applications that can be installed onto your PC, but when it comes to operating systems, you really only have two viable options for PC gaming and those are Linux and Windows. Both have their pros and cons so below we’ll explain which is best and why.
Linux
Linux isn’t as well known as Windows, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its own dedicated fan base. it’s estimated that around 500 million computers have Linux installed on them.
A good thing that really sets Linux apart from other major OS is that it is very customizable, due to the way it was designed, and if you like being able to control every aspect of your PC, then Linux will help you do just that. One other amazing fact about Linux is that it is absolutely free to use.
Linux isn’t a company and it isn’t run like one. One of the main issues with Linux is that bugs usually take way longer to fix then Windows. Another issue is that Linux isn’t very beginner friendly due to how customizable it is, so if you aren’t used to OS other than Windows, the freedom you get with Linux might actually annoy you. The worst thing about Linux is that not all games directly support the OS, which can cause many problems if you are trying to game on Linux.
Windows
Windows is the reigning OS champ and seems likely to stay that way for a long time, but that doesn’t mean everything is fine with the OS.
The major pro for Windows is that since this is the largest OS, all gaming companies are making games specifically for Windows, which in turn, means better game optimization so you get better frame rates and fewer bugs. Windows is also quicker to fix bugs and other issues with their OS since they are an actual company.
The really only major negative is that the Windows OS can be expensive if you buy a legit copy and a lot of people don’t feel the cost is justified.
What Version Of Windows Should I Get?
We get asked this question a lot. Many people are still in love with Windows 7 and 8 and while they’re good operating systems, Windows 10 is our top recommendation for people building gaming PCs. Why? Well simply because Windows 10’s usability takes the best from the previous operating systems, and PC gamers are now starting to notice performance bumps using Windows 10. With all this going for it, Windows 10 is the top OS pick for anyone building their PC.
You can get either a USB version of Windows 10 or a disc version for those getting an internal or external optical drive.
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Conclusion
As we close out this post, hopefully you’ve ordered all your parts and are now getting ready to build a PC. This build will definitely last you for a long time and could even handle creating games if that’s something you see in your future! It’s all possible with our “Power and Control” build.
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