Looking for premium gaming performance without the premium price? This guide walks you through assembling a PC that outperforms its budget tag.

1. Selecting the Processor

Target cost-effective CPUs like the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel Core i5-12400F. Both deliver excellent gaming throughput at a midrange cost.

2. Choosing Your Graphics Card

Opt for GPUs such as the NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super or AMD RX 6600 XT. They easily handle 1080p on ultra settings while remaining wallet-friendly.

3. Motherboard & Memory

Pick a B550 or B660 chipset board with robust voltage regulation. Pair it with 16 GB of DDR4 RAM clocked at 3200 MHz for seamless multitasking and gaming.

4. Storage Configuration

Install your operating system and key titles on a 500 GB NVMe SSD, and use a 1 TB SATA SSD for additional games and files—striking the right balance between speed and capacity.

5. Power Supply & Cooling

Choose a reputable 550 W 80+ Bronze PSU. For cooling, the stock AMD cooler or an aftermarket air cooler offers sufficient thermal headroom for most builds.

6. Case & Peripherals

Select an airflow-optimized budget-friendly case. For input devices, a reliable keyboard and mouse combo under £50 provides solid performance without breaking the bank.

7. Assembly & Validation

Carefully follow the motherboard manual when installing components, apply thermal paste correctly, then run stress tests like Cinebench and 3DMark to confirm system stability.

With these component choices and best practices, you’ll have a capable, cost-effective gaming PC ready to handle modern titles. Enjoy the build process and happy gaming!