How to build my first Gaming PC?

Tyler_05

Hi there! I’m currently setting about building my first gaming PC (or any PC for that matter) and would like to know what components, software, parts, etc. would best fit my taste. I’m looking to build a PC for casual gaming as well as school work (Google Classroom, PowerPoints, Documents, etc.) and surfing the internet. I would like a PC that could run Minecraft with ray tracing as well as other titles such as Battefield, PUBG, and other games on steam. My PC also needs to be compatible with a wired printer. My budget is about $900 but I’m willing to go lower or higher (albeit to a certain extent), any ideas on what’s best for me? Thanks!

TAPEthan

This is a sample build I put together. It doesn't include an operating system, but it's a pretty solid build for under $900 that will be able to do ray tracing with the RTX 3060. The 6 core Ryzen 5 5600 should also be able to handle basic classroom tasks and games easily. Hope this helps you!

https://www.microcenter.com/site/content/custom-pc-builder.aspx?load=50e7076a-b509-4535-b326-58fbb1a3f4c2

Aodhan_Gorman

TAPEthan has quite a good foundation on his list but I would recommend a few small changes.

First, I would recommend the motherboard being upgraded to a B450 or B550 platform. This will make sure you can take full advantage of the overclocking and upgrading available for the processor. It will also give you more USB ports and more stable power delivery to your components.

Second, the GPU only has a single fan, and may end up over heating because of this. going up to a dual fan card may help the long-term reliability for this part.

And finally, the Intel SSD is only QLC Nand, meaning it is the cheapest but also the least durable for writing data to it. For only a little more, our in-house brand Inland offers TLC (a good, sweet spot between QLC's price and MLC's reliability) for almost the same price.

I've added a revised list below with these changes:

https://www.microcenter.com/site/content/custom-pc-builder.aspx?load=762e8321-6825-4bb2-860d-3c84ddcf63f9

I have had mixed reviews of Team Force's RAM as well but the specs for that kit are right. A change in manufacturer may be something to look at to ensure that part works well in the long run.

You also omitted an operating system so if you need official OEM or a Retail key for your build, we offer those as well!

elcurr

@Tyler_05

Everyone has great ideas, but I would also recommend going into your closest Micro Center and working closely with one of the people in the Build Your Own Department. They should be able to help you gather all the components for what you need and keep you in your budget.