I'm looking to build my first gaming rig but don't want to overspend. With prices still quite high compared to a few years ago, is $1000 still a good budget for a system that can handle modern games at decent settings? I'm talking 1080p, 60fps+, not aiming for 4K or ultra settings. What components should I prioritize to get the best performance for my money? Should I focus mainly on the GPU first or try to balance everything? Also, how much should I set aside for future storage and RAM upgrades?
Is $1000 enough for a decent budget gaming PC in 2024?
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$1000 is still doable in 2024 if you focus on 1080p and don’t chase the absolute newest parts. I built a rig last fall with a RX 6700 XT and Ryzen 5 5600 for around $950 (sales help a ton), and it’s been holding 60+ FPS in everything from Cyberpunk with medium settings to Warzone at high. Prioritize GPU first—it’s the bottleneck most of the time at 1080p, so snagging a 6700 XT, RTX 3070, or even a used RTX 4060 will save you future headaches.
For the remaining cash, pick a solid B550 board, 16GB DDR4-3600 RAM, and a budget 1TB NVMe drive—you can add more storage later without breaking the bank. I left $150 in the budget for a case and PSU, and ended up with a 650W 80+ Bronze unit that’s been rock solid. Save $50–$100 for a future RAM/SSD upgrade so you’re not stuck starting over when you want to bump to 32GB or a 2TB drive.
Man, you can put together a solid $1,000 system, bro. First thing is to get a GPU—something like an RTX 4060 or an RX 7600 will do. For the CPU, a Ryzen 5 5600 or an Intel i5‑12400F is a good pick; I'd start with those. You can hold off on RAM and storage for now and add a 2×8 GB kit and a 500 GB SSD later when you need them.