Wondering how you can get yourself the best gaming computer for under $600 dollars? Well look no further because this build is not only going to blow 2018 out of the water but it’s also going to blow your mind. 
Maximize Your Potential With Your $600 Budget
In order to get MAXIMUM potential out of a gaming computer you’re going to have to build one yourself. Now most people that have never even thought of or tried to build a computer might think that it sounds like an impossible task but in reality it really isn’t that hard at all! 
There are plenty of tutorials out there on the internet on how to build a computer but the one I think is best is done by NeweggTV.
Newegg created a video series showing how to start from scratch to build the gaming computer of your dreams. Before I got into PC gaming I was gaming on a console. When I found out about all of the modding potential and the overall community that comes with PC gaming I just had to get into it.
When I researched pre-built desktops I was shocked by how expensive it was and when I kept reading I found out that most of the $600 computers aren’t even powerful enough to keep up with today’s hardware demands of PC games.
That’s why building a computer is so much better. This custom build could easily retail for $1,000+ so you can be sure you’re going to have a beast of a gaming computer after you finish building this one.
How To Build A Computer
This is the same video that I watched from beginning to end when all of my PC parts finally came in the mail. Sure it took me some time but the time spent building it was well worth it because I can now enjoy the luxury of great looking games and being able to modify them to my hearts desire.
I do have to say that if you’re looking to build your own custom gaming computer I must first say CONGRATS.
You’re about to join one of the most amazing gaming communities that the gaming industry has to offer and you’re also about to experience a fully customizable platform. This custom PC will not only be able to run games such as Dying Light, Grand Theft Auto V, Dragon Age: Inquisition and Evolve on higher graphical settings but you’re also giving yourself access to the benefits of just having a computer!
I mean you’re probably going to own some kind of computer anyway so why not make it a gaming beast on top of it?
In my opinion that is totally worth the little extra investment.
Optimal Hardware On A $600 Budget
Last Updated: February 10th, 2018
* = Optional part, final price includes the optional part. Read below for more details.
Case – VIVO ATX Mid Tower CASE-V01
Processor – AMD Ryzen 3 1200
Motherboard – MSI ProSeries PRO-VDH B350
Video Card – ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1050 Ti OC
RAM – Crucial 8GB Single DDR4
Power supply – EVGA 500W 80+
* CD Drive (Optional) – Asus 24x DVD-RW
Final Price: $674.80
(Higher price point due to overpriced RAM and video card)
Build Details
This build is AWESOME and trust me when I say you won’t regret putting this build together for yourself! Prepare yourself to being able to play your games at full 1080p HD resolution while still using the highest graphical texture settings. If you have a monitor with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 then you should try that resolution out as well because I’m pretty sure this card can handle it.
The computer case is entirely up to you, the one that I have listed above is the close to the cheapest one on Amazon but it is still a pretty good case. If you want to browse computer cases then do so by Clicking Here!
If you’re looking to get the best bang for your buck then I suggest just sticking with this case. Besides, it doesn’t really matter what your PC looks like but more so of how well it runs! 
The Ryzen 3 1200 CPU is a good choice at this budget, it has nice overclocking potential!
The Ryzen 1200 is a pretty awesome processor especially for this build. The new Ryzen line up has a nice upgrade path that you can go with down the road and when you overclock the 1200 you’re able to reach similar if not higher levels of performance in comparison to an Intel i3 CPU.
I had to make the switch to the Ryzen 1200 from the i3-7100 simply because it makes more sense when looking at the prices today. Performance wise, the main difference between the two is that the Ryzen 1200 would be better at heavy rendering tasks and it’s also able to be overclocked for further performance potential.
At stock, the Ryzen 1200 is still a very good CPU to go with when you’re thinking of using the build strictly for gaming. As far as upgrades, you could get something like a Ryzen 1700 if you really wanted to pump up to high CPU performance.
Overclocking isn’t something to be scared of – even with the stock Wraith cooler that comes with the 1200, you’re going to be able to get some decent overclocking done. Many people try to stray away from overclocking because of a fear of overheating or destroying their system…
Overclocking has come a long way and after watching some videos on YouTube of others that are OCing this exact same processor, you’re going to be able to do it too.
Because of the current pricing of better graphics cards, we have to use a 1050 Ti.
It’s not essential to overclock but if you do then you’ll be using the processor at it’s full potential and it makes sense to do so when you’re comparing it to the old processors usually used at this budget point.
Pairing the performance of the overclock with the video card… you’ll be surprised at how well everything will run!
Having the GTX 1050 Ti card is going to put you in awe the moment you start up your first game on this custom build. This would have been a great upgrade for me from my last card which was a Radeon HD 7770. That card was able to run Skyrim at max and Dragon Age: Inquisition on med-high tweaked settings.
This card blows that card WAY out of the water and you can expect some pretty amazing frame rates out of this card.
To be honest, a 570 or 580 would be the best choice for a video card at this budget point since it’s usually at an optimal price point for today’s market.
It wasn’t long ago when the prices weren’t making much sense with the newer graphics cards but it seems that this 500 series that just released is having issues with not being in stock right now hence why it makes sense to go with a 4GB 1050 Ti for now.
As far as an upgrade path for the video card – you shouldn’t worry about it for a good while yet. If you’re gaming at 1080p and/or plan to do some virtual reality gaming then you’re going to be set for a good while yet.
Sure, something like a 1070 might have a bit of a performance boost but when it comes to this budget point the 1050 Ti is going to be your best pick for now, at least until the 580 gets back in stock and at a good price point.
* It’s up to you if you want to include the CD drive. You can also install your operating system using a USB drive if you want, I included it because for new builders having the CD drive streamlines the process of getting Windows installed along with the necessary drivers since some parts come with a CD to do so.
You’ll also want to pick up a keyboard/mouse combo as well as a monitor to really finish up the build. Check out this keyboard/mouse combination by Cooler Master, it’s an amazing combo for the price point.
Keyboard/Mouse – CM Storm Devastator 3
As far as a monitor, this specific build is going to be able to run games at a 1080p resolution extremely well, so it’d be in your best interest to pick up a monitor at that resolution for the best quality you can get.
Monitor – Asus VS228H
You can’t go wrong with a $600-ish budget. This PC is definitely bound to impress you especially if you are currently using an out-dated computer. Once you build your computer and get the operating system installed you will instantly notice the difference!
Operating System And Internet Connection
As far as operating systems go, this would be a decision that is entirely up to you. For now I’d recommend picking up Windows 10 simply because I love the interface behind it and gaming for me hasn’t been an issue.
Windows 10 is sort of the overall best contender for those looking for the most optimal performance for gaming on an operating system. There are other choices as well but if you’re looking for an OS that is going to be able to run some of the most popular games then Windows 10 is going to be your best bet. Almost every single PC game is made for it.
SteamOS, a Linux based operating system by Valve, is also making some noise in the OS space. In my opinion, it will eventually be the best operating system if your computer is strictly for gaming use.
If you cannot afford Windows right now then I would suggest going the Linux route with Ubuntu. Not all games on Steam’s platform are compatible with Linux but that is soon to change. There are still plenty of free and paid games to enjoy on Linux and Windows.
Ubuntu is an open-source, FREE operating system that you can use to easily use the internet and play some pretty fun games. If you don’t have the extra $100 for Windows but you still want to use it then you could just throw Ubuntu on your computer then save up until you can afford it. Then you could either dual boot both operating systems or just go with one of them.
Now there is also an option of pirating Windows but I don’t condone to this at all and no I’m not going to show you how to do it. If you really want to go that route thenw there are plenty of YouTube videos for that but again please don’t ask me how to do it.
Oh, and if you’re wanting to connect to wifi in the best way possible then I recommend going broadband. It’s the fastest and most reliable way of connecting to the internet with a desktop. You should check out the wireless network adapter below if you’re interested in that! I’ve also included a link to a 64bit version of Windows 10.
ALWAYS make sure that you go for 64bit otherwise you won’t be able to use all 8GB of the RAM that you’ve got!
Windows 10 64bit – Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64bit
USB Wireless Network Adapter – Panda 300Mbps Wireless N USB Adapter
Check out those links above! The USB adapter will allow you to be able to have internet with Windows 10!
To Conclude
All in all, if you’re looking to run all of the games coming out in 2017 on some higher graphic settings then this is the build for you. The combination of this card and processor is going to blow your mind. (Seriously.)
So what do you guys think of this build? Beast mode system right?!
Let me know in the comments below!
P.S. If you have any questions about this build or anything on my site then feel free to comment and ask!
