Shopping for your next budget PC upgrade can be a daunting task. But we’re here to make things easier with our round-up of the best budget PC upgrades that you can make right now to give your gaming performance and productivity a much-needed boost.
Can I Upgrade My PC on a Budget?
Gaming PCs are often clouded in the misconception that you need to spend thousands of pounds to achieve the best possible performance. The truth is, upgrading your PC on a budget is easy.
It’s no secret that our computers aren’t designed to last forever, and after extended periods of use you may notice a sudden drop in performance, slow speeds, or lag. However, you don’t need to shell out and spend your entire monthly wage on an entirely new system if these problems do arise. What’s more, there’s no need make any unnecessary compromises on performance, budget, or aesthetics as there are hundreds of cost-effective ways for you to enhance your PC.
Our Favourite Budget PC Upgrades
Upgrade to an SSD
High capacity, fast storage is a must for any PC, whether you are using it for work or gaming. SSDs boast notable improvements over a traditional hard drive, primarily the lack of mechanical moving parts which allow storage drives to access your data at rapid speeds.
Making the jump to an SSD doesn’t have to break the bank either as you can find plenty of affordable options in both 2.5’’ SATA and M.2 form factors for less than £100. Plus, you won’t have to compromise on capacity or read/write speeds, meaning you can enjoy fast in-game loading times, rapid system responsiveness, and endless space for all your favourite games.
Crucia; BX500 1TB 2.5” SATA SSD
- 1TB capacity
- 2.5’’ SATA form factor
- 540MB/s read
- 500MB/s write
WD Black SN770 1TB M.2 SSD
- 1TB capacity
- 2280 M.2 SSD
- 5150MB/s read
- 4900MB/s write
- PCIe 4.0 compatibility
Opt for More RAM
Another essential piece of PC hardware is your RAM. As a type of volatile memory, RAM is responsible for storing and processing your data as and when your CPU needs it. Not having enough can result in a serious drop in performance, meaning your gameplay or multitasking is interrupted by lag, latency, and slow speeds.
While RAM is essential, it doesn’t need to set you back hundreds of pounds. Making the jump to a higher capacity RAM kit with faster speeds can be a quick and simple fix to a lot of performance issues. Plus, with modern-day processors offering support for DDR4 and DDR5, you can find plenty of options designed to suit your budget with models available for less than £100.
Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 RAM Kit
- 16GB (2x8GB modules)
- DDR4 standard
- 3200MHz
- Dual-channel configuration
Kingston Fury Beast EXPO 16GB (2x8GB) DDR5 RAM Kit
- 16GB (2x8GB) modules
- DDR5 standard
- 6000MHz
- Compatible with AMD EXPO overclocking
- Dual-channel configuration
Improve Your Cooling
Excess heat can make or break your PC’s performance, especially if you don’t have a high-quality thermal solution. Without one, your computer won’t be able to expel any unwanted heat which can have a serious impact on performance as it can potentially cause hardware throttling and shorten component lifespan. Meaning you may end up spending more in the long run.
An AiO, or All-in-One, CPU cooler will provide you will all the cooling power you need. These coolers feature all the components of a custom water-cooling loop such as a radiator, water block, liquid coolant, and of course fans, but with a significantly smaller impact on your wallet. These components work in sync to dissipate excess heat, keep temperatures to a minimum, and deliver whisper-quiet operation.
Kolink Umbra Void 240mm AiO CPU Cooler
- AiO CPU cooler
- 240mm radiator
- 2 x 120mm PWM ARGB fans included
- Compatible with both Intel and AMD sockets including AM5 and LGA 1700
MSI MAG Coreliquid 360mm AiO CPU Cooler
- AiO CPU cooler
- 360mm radiator
- 3 x 120mm fans
- Compatible with Intel and AMD sockets including LGA 1700 and AM5
Consider Investing in B-Grade Hardware
The Overclockers UK website is a great place to find your next PC upgrade, especially since we have a whole host of B-Grade hardware. B-Grade components are items that have been sent back to us unwanted, have damaged packaging, or are missing accessories. However, they are still fully functional with only a few small aesthetic faults such as a scratch or scrape.
Why is this important when shopping on a budget you ask? Since B-Grade hardware isn’t factory fresh out of the box, we can’t sell them as such. These items are all reduced in price, meaning you can secure a great deal that doesn’t break the bank.
If you’re looking for some great savings, you can explore our full B-Grade section with the click of a button. We’ve also picked out some of our faves further below.
be quiet! Pure Loop 240mm ARGB AiO CPU Cooler
- B-Grade AiO CPU cooler
- 240mm radiator
- 2 x 120mm PWM fans
- PWM pump for whisper-quiet operation
- Supports both Intel and AMD sockets including AM5 and LGA 1700
Gigabyte M27Q 27” Gaming Monitor
- B-Grade gaming monitor
- 27’’ display
- 2560 x 1440 resolution
- 165Hz refresh rate
- 1ms response time
Want to learn more about B-Grade hardware? Be sure to take a look at our dedicated blog post.
PC Shopping on a Budget
Still struggling to find the perfect budget PC upgrade? Over on the Overclockers UK blog, we’ve got a whole host of dedicated articles designed to make PC shopping on a budget even easier.
What’s more, we’ve also got a section on our website designed to help you score the perfect deal on your next upgrade.
How Did You Upgrade Your PC on a Budget?
Have you recently upgraded your PC on a budget? Got any top tips to share? Leave them in comments below.
- 6 min read
Ruth Rowley
Author
Ruth has been with Overclockers UK for over a year and has gone on to write about everything ranging from in-depth hardware guides to monthly game releases.
Outside of writing blog posts, she can be found wrapped in a blanket with her black cat, engrossed in a book or playing life-simulation games such as The Sims, Stardew Valley, and Animal Crossing.
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