So you are planning to build a PC, and your search ended up here. Here is what I learned from building some powerful machines, and btw my current rig is a 2-year-old Intel-Nvidia combo which still doesn’t have any hiccups. Building a PC meeting your requirements needs some planning of course. Let’s start making decisions for your dream machine.
How much will it cost you?
Yes your budget, you need to lay out if you need the best. The current trend requires at least 35-45K to build a budget gaming PC and this can go upto 4-5L for extreme builds.
CPU, are you an Intel or AMD lover?
The two giants have lots to offer in terms of performance vs cost. You need to make the tough choice here. The new Ryzen & Kaby Lake are really promising. Intel does offer unlocked processor models whereas AMD’s Ryzen is unlocked by default.
Motherboard, what’s your choice?
Choose a motherboard that suits your processor, they do come in different sizes viz Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX, EATX. Even Micro-ATX is sufficient if those extra expansion slots are sacrificeable. Opt for the best performance chipset offered by the manufacturer.
GPU, the heart of gaming, AMD or Nvidia?
Here again, we’ve two tight competitors AMD (Polaris & Vega) and Nvidia (Pascal). A perfect recipe would be using AMD GPU with AMD CPU & Nvidia GPU with Intel CPU. Double up with HB-SLI or CrossFire to get extreme performance.
RAM, did you forget something?
The more, the better. A typical gaming PC needs 8-16 GB, go for more if you’re a developer or designer. Get RAM modules with heat sink, if you’ve plan to overclock. Some good options are Corsair, G-Skill. Always cross-check the qualified RAM vendor list of your mobo manufacturer.
PSU, isn’t your rig hungry?
Feed your rig with an efficient source. Better power factor gives better efficiency, check for 80 Plus certifications on your PSU. Cable management would be easier with modular PSU’s. Corsair, Seasonic, Xigmatek are top performers.
Chassis, how big you want it?
Chassis aka PC case are often classified into mini-tower, midi-tower, mid-tower or full-tower. Adopt a future-proof chassis with enough room for upgradeability. A regular mid-tower chassis will be suitable for all form factors.
Storage, SSD or HDD?
SSDs are faster but they are expensive. Consider using an SSD for the OS and an additional HDD for the gigs of data. Samsung, Corsair, Kingston, & Transcend are the performers in SSD.
Display, is your picture perfect?
Bigger the screen estate, better the viewing experience. Go for a monitor with better GtG, refresh rate, & G-Sync or FreeSync technologies. Monitor panels also come in different shapes and types. IPS panels are the best followed by VA & TN.
Accessories, can you name some?
Mechanical keyboards, high DPI mice, headphones or speakers, etc. Get a UPS if you don’t have an inverter. Overclockers might need additional chassis fans and controller, larger heatsinks or liquid coolers.
Listed below are some good configs for low, medium, best, high & extreme budget PC’s for Intel & AMD build.
| Budget | Low | Medium | Best | High | Extreme |
| CPU | Intel Pentium G4560 | Intel Core i3-7100 | Intel Core i5-7600K | Intel Core i7-7700 | Intel Core i7 7700K |
| Motherboard | Asus H110M-A/M.2 | Gigabyte B250M D3H | Asus Prime Z270-A | ASUS ROG Maximus IX Code | ASUS ROG Maximus IX Formula |
| GPU | GTX 1050 2GB | GTX 1050 4GB | GTX 1060 or GTX 1070 | GTX 1080 SLI | GTX 1080Ti SLI or Titan X Pascal |
| RAM | Crucial DDR4-2133 8GB | Crucial DDR4-2133 16GB | G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 8GB | G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 16GB | G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 32GB |
| PSU | Corsair VS450 | Corsair VS500 | Corsair CX650M | Thermaltake Toughpower 750W | Corsair AX1500i |
| Chassis | Circle CC 815 | Coolermaster Elite 311 | Cooler Master MasterBox 5 | Corsair Carbide Series 600C | CoolerMaster MasterCase Maker 5 |
| Storage | Seagate Barracuda 1TB | Seagate Barracuda 2TB | Primary Storage – Samsung 850 Evo 12oGB Mass Storage – Seagate Barracuda 2TB | Primary Storage – Samsung 960 Pro 256GB Mass Storage – Samsung 850 Evo 1TB SATA | Primary Storage – Samsung 960 Pro 1TB Mass Storage – Samsung 850 Evo 2TB SATA |
| Display | LG, Dell 18.5-inch | LG, Dell 21.5-inch | LG IPS Monitor 27MP58 | Asus ROG Swift 24-inch | Asus ROG Swift 27-inch |
| Estimate | Rs. 40,000 | Rs. 60,000 | Rs. 1,10,000 | Rs. 2,80,000 | Rs. 4,90,000 |
| Budget | Low | Medium | Best | High | Extreme |
| CPU | Ryzen 3 TBU | Ryzen 3 TBU | Ryzen 5 1600X | Ryzen 7 1700 | Ryzen 7 1800X |
| Motherboard | MSI B350M Gaming PRO | MSI B350 Tomahawk | Gigabyte GA-AB350M-Gaming 3 | Gigabyte AORUS GA-AB350M-Gaming 5 | Gigabyte AORUS GA-AX370-Gaming K7 |
| GPU | TBU | TBU | TBU | TBU | TBU |
| RAM | Crucial DDR4-2133 8GB | Crucial DDR4-2133 16GB | G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 8GB | G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 16GB | G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 32GB |
| PSU | Corsair VS450 | Corsair VS500 | Corsair CX650M | Thermaltake Toughpower 750W | Corsair AX1500i |
| Chassis | Circle CC 815 | Coolermaster Elite 311 | Cooler Master MasterBox 5 | Corsair Carbide Series 600C | CoolerMaster MasterCase Maker 5 |
| Storage | Seagate Barracuda 1TB | Seagate Barracuda 2TB | Primary Storage – Samsung 850 Evo Mass Storage – Seagate Barracuda 2TB | Primary Storage – Samsung 960 Pro 256GB Mass Storage – Samsung 850 Evo 1TB SATA | Primary Storage – Samsung 960 Pro 1TB Mass Storage – Samsung 850 Evo 2TB SATA |
| Display | LG, Dell 18.5-inch | LG, Dell 21.5-inch | LG IPS Monitor 27MP58 | Asus MG24UQ 24-inch | ASUS MG28UQ 28-inch |
| Estimate | TBU | TBU | TBU | TBU | TBU |
Below are some recommended accessories for both builds.
| Budget | Low | Medium | Best | High | Extreme |
| Accessories | Logitech MK200 Keyboard Mouse Combo, Sennheiser HD 180 Headphones, APC BX600C-IN UPS | Logitech MK200 Keyboard Mouse Combo, Redgear pro Gamepad, Sony MDR-XB450 Headphones, APC BX600C-IN UPS | Razer or Steel Series or Logitech Keyboards, Mice, & Headphones, CoolerMaster Hyper or Arctic Freezer Heatsinks, APC BR1000-IN UPS | Razer or Steel Series or Logitech Keyboards, Mice, & Headphones, Corsair Liquid Cooling, APC BR1500G-IN UPS | Razer or Steel Series or Logitech Keyboards, Mice, & Headphones, Corsair Liquid Cooling, APC BR1500G-IN UPS |
| Estimate | Rs. 5000 | Rs 6000 | Rs. 30,000 | Rs. 45,000 | Rs. 50,000 |
Please note: Some build parts may not be available at offline stores, try official and authorized online sale partners like Amazon India and Flipkart. Estimate calculations aren’t purely based on MRP.
Good luck with your build, do comment below your suggestions or queries. Peace!
This post was last modified on March 9, 2017 9:55 am