Best gaming PC build under $600 in 2024
Built & Tested By Our Team
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Best Gaming PC Under $600
What is the best gaming PC build under $600? We recommend what we believe is the best gaming PC build for under $600 and exactly what is needed to take it from a pile of hardware and components to a fully operating gaming rig. We update our builds regularly when new and improved hardware options become available to ensure the absolute best products are being recommended for the available price. At $600, you are still operating near entry-level, however, you have room for a better dedicated GPU. And that dedicated GPU makes all the difference, you can expect a massive improvement in performance over the $400 build we put together using an iGPU.
$600 Gaming PC build of the month
We have selected components that we think give you the best bang for the buck at this price point. It might seem like we’re putting all of our budget into a GPU, and we are. The RX 6650 XT is a fantastic budget choice here, it brings 1080p 60FPS potential all within our tight budget. Not only that, but you have access to AMD FSR to further help the GPU along. Although it seems like an odd choice, the Core i3 12100F is merely a stepping stone on your journey to better gaming performance. It still has plenty to offer for a budget CPU, with its 4-core 8-thread config at 4.30GH, it suits the 6650 XT nicely. Aesthetics isn’t something we worried too much about in picking the MasterBox Q300L to house our components, but it’s affordable and easy to build in, so it gets our seal of approval.
AMD or Intel for your $600 PC build?
You might be wondering why we’ve recommended an Intel CPU in this build. The 12100F is very affordable and while it is 2 generations behind now, it still offers decent performance. Of course, the processor is one of the compromises made to ensure you get a better-performing GPU in your build. This is merely a stepping stone into the gaming performance you’ve dreamed of for years. One thing worth mentioning whilst we’re talking about AMD vs Intel is upgradability. Right now, the motherboard we selected has the scope to include a much better CPU down the line, along with faster RAM too, making upgradability a breeze.
The WePC experts that worked on this build
Shaun is a gaming enthusiast and computer science graduate who has been working with computers for the last 15 years. He took a shine to competitive FPS back in the mid-2000s and hasn’t looked back since.
Prebuilt gaming PC under $600
STGAubron Gaming PC (RTX 2060)
CPU
Intel Quad Core i5-4590
GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
RAM
16GB RAM
Storage
512GB SSD
STGAubron Gaming PC (RTX 2060)
CPU
Intel Quad Core i5-4590
GPU
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
RAM
16GB RAM
Storage
512GB SSD
Most gamers opt to build their gaming PCs since it’s much more cost-effective, often with savings in the hundreds, because you don’t have to pay labor. That being said, not everyone can, or wants to build their machine. For those who don’t have the time or the confidence to tackle this custom-build project, we’ve come up with a list of the best-prebuilt gaming PCs under $600. However, we strongly recommend you try to build your own PC, the experience is rewarding in the sense that it gives you a working knowledge of your machine, and it gives you a better value for money in the long run.
All our prebuilt PC recommendations come from reputable PC custom-building companies, with good build quality and warranties.
Our custom gaming PC build for $600
- Last Updated - Mar 12, 2024
Below is a more comprehensive look at some of the components we’ve chosen for the best custom build PC under $600, and why.
Our custom $600 gaming PC build
If you’re looking for a 1080p gaming machine that showcases admirable performance, great cooling, and at a very affordable price – then look no further. This $600 build offers budget-level performance, with older generation components that combine to deliver an enjoyable 1080p gaming experience.
The Intel Core I3-12100F is the brand’s older-gen budget CPU offering.
The 12100F features 4 cores/8threads and comes with a base clock speed of 3.3GHz that can be boosted to 4.3GHz. This should be more than enough to handle most games at 1080p and will churn through med-high demanding workloads. You won’t be running into bottleneck issues anytime soon either, the processor pairs perfectly with the RAM and is ideal for those looking to create a budget gaming PC. It may not be the best CPU by a long stretch, but it offers superb value in this machine.
Not only is this a solid motherboard for the price but it also supports Intel’s latest generation of processors. So you can climb all the way up to Intel’s 14th generation should you wish.
The motherboard doesn’t impact gaming performance too drastically, but it is important to have a reliable and stable board that can support your components. That is exactly what this board offers. It might not be the best motherboard available, but for the price, you’ll do well to find anything more suited. Its robust power delivery system and its plethora of connectivity make a perfect pairing with the 12100F and the RX 6650 XT we have in this gaming PC.
No items found.
There is no cooler selected because the i3-12100F comes equipped with a stock cooler.
Patriot Viper Steel Series DDR4 16GB (2 x 8GB) 3200MHz
Capacity
8GB (2 x 4GB)
Frequency
DDR4 3200MHz
CAS Latency
15
Patriot Viper Steel Series DDR4 16GB (2 x 8GB) 3200MHz
Capacity
8GB (2 x 4GB)
Frequency
DDR4 3200MHz
CAS Latency
15
This Patriot Viper Steel 16GB RAM kit offers excellent price to performance. We’ve opted for 16GB of DDR4 3200MHz RAM in our $600 gaming PC build to make sure it has enough power to play the most demanding game titles.
