Building a high-speed gaming PC packed full of next-generation hardware doesn’t have to break the bank! In fact, it’s pretty easy to build a great PC on a budget, thanks to more and more manufacturers offering cutting-edge hardware at wallet-friendly prices.
Therefore, we’ve put together all the hardware you need to build the ultimate, yet affordable, gaming PC.
The Essential but Affordable Hardware
CPU
For the purposes of building an affordable gaming PC, we’ve chosen the AMD Ryzen 5 7600 CPU. Utilising all-new AMD Zen 4 architecture, this processor comes equipped with six cores and 12 threads. Capable of reaching up to 5.10GHz, unlock ultra-fast speeds in both single- and multi-threaded tasks, including AAA gaming, streaming, or even video editing.
What’s more, the AMD Ryzen 7000 series features support for the latest cutting-edge technology, including PCIe 5.0, DDR5, and even AMD EXPO, to optimise your gaming performance. Plus, with a TDP of only 65W, you won’t have to worry about your gaming PC landing you a hefty electricity bill. This CPU also comes included with an AMD Wraith Stealth CPU cooler. Not only will this keep your processor performing at optimum temperatures, but it will also save you a few extra pennies as you’ll no longer need to purchase an additional cooler.
AMD Ryzen 5 7600 CPU:
- AMD Ryzen 7000 series
- 6 cores and 12 threads
- 3.80GHz base clock
- 5.10GHz boost clock
- Supports DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0
Available for £188.99*
For more details about the AMD Ryzen 7000 series, including everything you need to upgrade, check out our dedicated guide.
Motherboard:
To pair with the AMD Ryzen 5 7600 CPU, we’ve selected two different motherboards – a Micro-ATX and an ATX.
A Micro-ATX motherboard is best suited for those looking to create small space saving PCs (SFF) on a budget. These motherboards are usually cheaper compared to the other form factors and can fit into most cases, except for Mini-ITX. A Micro-ATX motherboard will only feature one PCIe lane, which means it is suited to single GPU set ups.
Alternatively, an ATX motherboard is bigger and will only be able to fit inside mid or full tower PC cases. Since it is a larger motherboard, these will typically feature multi-GPU support along with high RAM capacity. This makes them more suited to those who wish to enjoy intensive AAA gaming or workloads, such as 3D image rendering or video editing.
If you need more details on different motherboard form factors, you can check out our dedicated guide.
The Asrock B650M PG Riptide Micro-ATX Motherboard is the perfect choice for a Micro-ATX motherboard that is compatible with the latest generation of hardware. This motherboard features support for the AM5 socket, DDR5 RAM, PCIe 4.0, and up to two M.2 slots. Everything you need to enjoy a reliable, fast, and high-quality gaming experience.
Asrock B650M PG Riptide DDR5 Micro-ATX Motherboard:
- Micro-ATX form factor
- AM5 socket
- Compatible with AMD Ryzen 7000 series
- Supports DDR5 RAM and PCIe 4.0
Available for £179.99*
Alternatively, there is the ASUS TUF Gaming B650-Plus DDR5 ATX Motherboard. Compatible with the latest AM5 socket, this motherboard comes equipped with support for PCIe 4.0 and DDR5 RAM, perfect for gaming at reliable speeds with smooth frame rates at up to 1440p. Plus, with support for up to three M.2 slots, you will have plenty of space for all your storage drives and expanding gaming library. In addition to this, the ASUS TUF Gaming B650-M comes with integrated Wi-Fi support. This removes the need to run an additional Ethernet cable or spend extra money on an external Wi-Fi adapter.
ASUS TUF Gaming B650-Plus DDR5 ATX Motherboard:
- ATX form factor
- AM5 socket
- Compatible with AMD Ryzen 7000 series
- Supports DDR5 RAM and PCIe 4.0
Available for £169.99*
If you want to see more of our motherboard recommendations, take a look at our list of the top five motherboards for gaming.
GPU:
Another crucial component in any gaming PC is the graphics card. Responsible for ensuring you get the best possible performance in all your favourite games.
You can opt for budget-friendly GPUs from either NVIDIA or AMD. These graphics cards come equipped with a full suite of intelligent features, such as enhanced Real-Time Ray Tracing or AMD FSR 2.0. Both of the GPUs we’ve chosen, the NVIDIA RTX 4060 and AMD Radeon RX 7600, are suited for gamers who wish to unlock high-quality performance, smooth frame rates, and an immersive gaming experience. All whilst remaining well within their budget.
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4060 WindForce OC 8GB GDDR6 Graphics Card:
- NVIDIA RTX 40 Series
- 3072 CUDA cores
- 2475MHz boost clock speed
- 8GB GDDR6 video memory
Available for £289.99*
ASUS Radeon RX 7600 Dual OC 8GB GDDR6 Graphics Card:
- AMD Radeon RX 7000 series
- 2300MHz base clock speed
- 27125MHz boost clock speed
- 8GB GDDR6 video memory
Available for £248.99*
Memory:
In order to utilise the AMD Ryzen 5 7600 CPU, you will need a compatible DDR5 RAM Kit. We recommend the Kingston Fury Beast 16GB Dual-Channel RAM Kit. 16GB is more than enough RAM capacity for both gaming and streaming alike. With speeds of up to 5600MHz, wave goodbye to pesky slow loading times and input lag.
Kingston Fury Beast 16GB (2X8GB) DDR5 Dual-Channel RAM Kit:
- 16GB (2x8GB) RAM capacity
- DDR5 standard
- Up to 5600MHz
- Dual-channel configuration
Available for £65.99*
PSU:
A high-quality power supply is an absolute must in any gaming PC. We would always recommend a PSU with a high and efficient 80 Plus Rating, such as the Corsair CX750 ATX Non-modular PSU. This power supply will deliver a steady flow of power to all your vital components, whilst keeping your PC’s overall efficiency up, and your electricity bill down. Plus, since it is completely modular, use only the cables you need, making cable management a breeze!
Corsair CX750 750W ATX Non-modular Power Supply:
- Non-modular form factor
- 750W power capacity
- 80 Plus Bronze rating
Available for £69.95*
Storage:
Storage is another vital component – where else are you going to store all your favourite games?
If your budget can allow it, we recommend an SSD with a capacity of at least 1TB. This will ensure you have plenty of room for your gaming library, favourite music, videos, creative projects, and so much more. As a result, the WD Black SN770 is a great choice. This M.2 SSD features a 1TB capacity, along with read speeds of up 5150MB/s and write of up to 4900MB/s, for ultra-fast data transfer rates. As a PCIe M.2, this SSD will utilise the NVMe interface to ensure fast loading times and near-zero latency.
WD Black SN770 1TB 2280 PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD:
- 1TB capacity
- 2280
- 5150MB/s read speed
- 4900MB/s write speed
Available for £74.99*
Case:
Selecting your PC case is where you can really let your creativity shine, and you don’t need a hefty budget to do this. You will need to ensure your PC case is compatible with the size of the motherboard you’ve selected. Therefore, we’ve recommended both a micro-ATX case and a mid-tower.
The Kolink Citadel Mesh Micro-ATX PC case features everything you need to create a stunning battle station that boasts excellent airflow, along with stylish RGB lighting. This case includes a full mesh front panel to ensure consistent airflow to all your vital components. Plus, with three pre-installed PWM ARGB fans, you will have everything you need to keep your PC cool and quiet, along with adding that all-important splash of colour. You’ll be able to display your budget-friendly hardware with pride, thanks to the hinged tempered glass side panel.
Kolink Citadel Mesh Micro-ATX Black Case:
- Micro-ATX form factor
- Supports mini-ITX and micro-ATX motherboards
- Vertical GPU support
- GPU clearance of up to 345mm
- Hinged tempered glass panel
- Integrated RGB lighting
Available for £64.99*
If you’ve opted for an ATX motherboard we highly rate the Kolink Void RGB Black Mid Tower PC case. This PC case is compatible with up to ATX motherboard and boasts a spacious interior that you gaze upon (and not get distracted by at all) through both the tempered glass side panels. You can also save a few extra pennies off your budget as this case comes with a pre-installed 120mm PWM fan.
What’s more, the front of the case boasts an incredible V-shaped cut out with an infinity mirror effect and integrated RGB lighting. This is sure to add a dramatic flair to your battle station and you can easily customise the lighting to suit your desired aesthetic utilising the switch on the I/O panel.
Kolink Void RGB Mid Tower Black Case:
- Mid tower
- Supports up to ATX motherboards
- GPU clearance of up to 310mm
- Tempered glass side panel
- V-shaped cut-out on the front panel
- Integrated RGB lighting
Available for £52.99*
The Total Price
If you were to opt for the Asrock B650M Micro-ATX motherboard, AMD Radeon 7600 GPU, Kolink Citadel Mesh Micro-ATX PC case, and all of the other important pieces of hardware, the total price for your gaming PC would come to £893.89.*
Alternatively, if you were to choose the ASUS TUF Gaming B650-Plus ATX motherboard, NVIDIA RTX 4060 GPU, Kolink Void RGB Mid Tower case, along with all of the other hardware, the total price would be £912.89*.
Our Top PCs Under £100
If building your PC doesn’t sound like something you want to do, then don’t worry! We stock a vast range of pre-built and configurable gaming PCs for under £1000.
Refract Gaming Crimson Pre-built PC:
- Pre-built gaming PC
- Designed for casual and entry-level gaming
- Includes AMD Ryzen 7 8700G APU with integrated RX Vega Graphics
- Up to 32GB DDR5 RAM
- Includes a three-year warranty which covers parts & labour
Available for £849.95*
OcUK Gaming Kestrel PC:
- Configurable gaming PC
- Designed for casual gaming
- Includes an AMD Ryzen 5 5500 CPU and AMD Radeon RX 6600 GPU
- 16GB DDR4 RAM
Available from £850.00*
OcUK Gaming Tanto PC:
- Configurable gaming PC
- As standard comes with an Intel Core i3 12100F CPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 GPU
- 16GB DDR4 RAM
Available from £799.99*
Designed to Meet Your Budget!
Here at Overclockers UK, we’re committed to tailoring our products to every type of budget to ensure everyone can enjoy playing their favourite games, streaming the latest TV show, or the new hit viral video. That’s why we have a range of blog articles packed full of incredible hardware designed to suit every budget.
From budget gaming PCs to gaming chairs – you can all the tech you need to enhance your set up and your gaming experience!
PC and Hardware Under £1000
Best Budget Gaming Chairs
Best Budget Gaming PCs
TLDR: Don’t Worry You Can Watch How to Build It Instead!
If that was far too much reading for a Friday afternoon, how about watching our in-depth video all about building the ultimate affordable gaming PC instead?
Building your own gaming PC can be a daunting task. That’s why we’ve put together the Overclockers UK Ultimate PC Building Guide.
*Prices correct at time of writing and PC specs are subject to change.
- 10 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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