Best Budget Gaming PC Build under $500 in 2023

If you’re trying to build the absolute best budget gaming PC for $500, this is it. This budget gaming PC build will get you solid 1080p performance without destroying your wallet.

This $500 budget build is equipped with an AMD R3 3200G processor, an 8GB RX 580 graphics card, and 8GB of 2666MHz DDR4 RAM. This hardware lineup will ensure great 1080p gaming performance in almost every game out there. There’s simply no substitute for the power this build gives you without spending a lot more on a higher tier of parts.

One more bonus, depending on your needs, is that this build can be run without a graphics card! AMD’s R3 3200G is equipped with an integrated graphics chip (iGPU) that can handle 720p-1080p gaming, just in case you need to save up a bit more for a GPU, or none are available. 

The final thing you want to keep in mind is that we’re still crippled by hardware shortages. While most parts are readily available, graphics cards can be difficult if not impossible to find right now. If you have any issues, ask me in the comment section and I’ll do my best to help! 

With that all in mind, let’s get down to the build!

$500 Prebuilt Gaming PC Option

Skytech Chronos

Since it can be very difficult to find good prebuilt desktops around this price range, we’ve had to opt for one that’s a little more expensive than the DIY build… But, not by a ton. However, this prebuilt is quite powerful for what you’re getting and it’s something to consider if you don’t want to build your own gaming PC. 

Complete Build Breakdown

This $500 budget gaming PC build is guaranteed to give you solid 1080p performance in every game out there. It won’t be able to max out the newest games, but it’ll be running them on higher settings than consoles typically do with higher FPS (frames per second) to boot. 

Additionally, this build can be run without the graphics card in times of dire need. It’s not something I would necessarily suggest that you do, but it’s an option you have. The AMD R3 3200G is equipped with an integrated graphics chip (iGPU) capable of handling most games in 720p-1080p on low-medium settings. 

The graphics card may be very difficult to find right now due to hardware shortages. With that in mind, I’ll include links to other RX 580 models below. 

Case: The Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L is an awesome entry-level mATX case that gives you all of the necessary features that you’ll need for this build. That includes a spacious layout which lends to clean cable management and plenty of options for cooling.

The MasterBox Q300L comes with 1x 120mm fan by default which is just good enough for a basic cooling setup, but more fans can be added as needed. In fact, I would suggest adding at least one more 120mm fan like this one. 

CPU & Cooler: AMD’s R3 3200G is a great entry-level APU that’ll have zero issues with gaming. It’s packing 4 cores and 4 threads with a base clock speed of 3.6GHz. This CPU does come with a CPU cooler, but you can expect it to run quite warm under load while using the stock cooler.

The R5 3200G is unlike a lot of other AMD CPUs in the sense that it carries an onboard GPU. AMD refers to this as an APU, or an Accelerated Processing Unit. This means that you don’t necessarily need a graphics card to get this build up and running. With that in mind, the on board GPU is not ideal for gaming.  

MOBO: The Gigabyte GA-A320M-S2H is a solid mATX motherboard with all of the options required for this build. It’s equipped with 4x SATA ports for storage, 2x DIMM slots for RAM, and a total of 8 USB ports including Type-C. 

GPU: When it comes to good entry-level graphics cards, the 8GB RX 580 is a great choice depending on the price you’re paying. If you can find one for around $150, that’s a good deal and definitely something I would recommend. 

The XFX RX 580 GTX XXX Edition used in this build is one of the better options in terms of cooling and overall performance. 

RAM: Ideally, you want to be running 16GB of RAM in 2020. However, with a build at this level it can be hard to justify spending much more on RAM right off the bat. 

With that in mind, this build is running 8GB of 2666MHz DDR4 RAM from Patriot’s Signature Premium lineup. 

PSU: Power supplies are undeniably one of the most important parts of a PC. Without a strong power supply running quality components, you run the risk of damaging your parts. At the very least, you want a power supply that is rated 80+ Bronze.

The PSU used in this build is a 500W 80+ White rated unit from Thermaltake’s Smart lineup. This supply is non-modular which means all cables are permanently attached and there is no room for expansion beyond using splitters. 

Storage: This build is running a basic storage setup comprised of a single 250GB SSD. This isn’t a huge amount of storage, but it’s enough to get going and install a handful of games. Adding more storage drives is simple and only requires that you simply plug it in.

Keyboards, Mice, and Audio

Picking out a keyboard, mouse, headphones/speakers, and everything else you might need for a complete PC setup can be difficult. Not only that, but it can be completely overwhelming since there are just so many options available.

With that in mind, here are some suggestions which I feel are suited for this level of build. All of them have been hand-picked to compliment the build on this page. 

Operating System Options

When it comes to picking out the perfect operating system, you basically have 2 core choices: Windows, or Linux. Beyond that, there are multiple versions of both Linux and Windows which can make your decision more difficult than it needs to be. With that in mind, I’ll limit the choices to the best options. 

When it comes to compatibility, Windows is always the easiest to setup and start gaming with. But, on the other hand, Linux is great for the more advanced users – the other upside is it’s completely free. However, Linux has the downside of not being compatible with some programs/games without some form of emulation – typically a VM, or Virtual Machine. 

Internet Connection Options

Although this build comes with a wired Ethernet connection built-in, if you want or have to use a WiFi connection, you have 2 options to choose from; an internal or external WiFi adapter.

Typically, an external adapter is going to be good enough for some light gaming, but often won’t offer the same speeds as an internal option. However, internally-mounted WiFi adapters have a drawback, they take up space below your GPU that could be used for airflow.

Conclusion

This $500 gaming PC build is more than guaranteed to rip through your favorite games without an issue. It’ll have no issues handling most games in 1080p on at least medium settings. With its R3 3200G, 8GB RX 580, and 8GB of 2666MHz DDR4 RAM, this build is going to blow your mind in terms of price vs performance.

At the end of the day, you would be hard-pressed to get a better build without spending a lot more on a higher tier of parts!

As always, if you have any questions about the builds or parts on this page, feel free to leave a comment below!