Building a PC for under $600?
Building a PC for under $600?
Hi guys.
I’m planning to wait before assembling my PC and instead assist my little sister in setting up her own. Please share any build suggestions for someone just starting with 1080p gaming. We’re aiming to keep the total under $600. She’s a top student, so I’ll match whatever funds she has. This is my first build attempt, but I want to teach her how it works too—learning together would be fun! Also, she really enjoys RGB lighting, so we can go all out. Any tips would be great, thank you so much!
The CPU appears to be in good condition.
Here is the list of components:
CPU:
- AMD Ryzen 5 5600 3.5 GHz 6-Core Processor
Price: $128.00 (Amazon)
Total: $128.00
Includes shipping, taxes, and available discounts
*Selected lowest-priced parts based on criteria*
Generated by PCPartPicker
Date: 2025-04-02 22:29 EDT-0400
In China, a PC costing 600 USD consists of over 12,400 plus 4,060 parts.
Actually, it's indicating a compatibility issue when I select this.
🙁
Good call ^^
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU:
- Intel Core i5-12400F 2.5 GHz 6-Core Processor
($110.49 @ Amazon)
Motherboard:
- ASRock B660M Pro RS Micro ATX LGA1700 Motherboard
($109.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $220.48
Prices cover shipping, taxes, and available discounts
*Selected lowest-priced items based on criteria*
Generated by PCPartPicker
2025-04-02 23:09 EDT-0400
The build appears satisfactory as presented; should any adjustments be needed in your selection, they would resemble this.
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU:
AMD Ryzen 5 5600 3.5 GHz 6-Core Processor
($128.00 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler:
Thermalright Assassin X Refined SE RGB V2 66.17 CFM CPU Cooler
($18.69 @ Amazon)
Motherboard:
MSI B550M PRO-VDH WIFI Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard
($99.99 @ Amazon)
Memory:
Silicon Power GAMING 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3600 CL18 Memory
($27.97 @ Newegg Sellers)
Storage:
Klevv CRAS C910 500 GB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD
($34.99 @ Amazon)
Klevv CRAS C910 2 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD
($94.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card:
ASRock Challenger D Radeon RX 6600 8 GB Video Card
($209.99 @ Newegg)
Case:
Zalman T3 PLUS MicroATX Mid Tower Case
($38.90 @ Newegg Sellers)
Power Supply:
MSI MAG A650GL 650 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply
($79.98 @ Amazon)
Total: $733.50
Costs encompass shipping, taxes, and applicable discounts
Generated by PCPartPicker
2025-04-02 23:06 EDT-0400
The smaller SSD is reserved for your operating system, apps, and launchers; the bigger drive is allocated for your game library. For the Ryzen setup, a dual-channel configuration with high-speed DDR4-3600MHz RAM is ideal. I upgraded to a premium PSU and chose a compact case. A solid motherboard inside an ATX case feels mismatched. Regarding the BIOS version warning from PCPartPicker, refer to this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYL88wjbmbI
Concerning the motherboard, if your VC board lacks PCI slots, opt for the VDH model which includes them. For future upgrades, consider a higher-quality PSU to support GPU or platform changes.
Moved thread from Opinions and Experiences to Systems
I’d consider checking out the LGA 1700 if you’re searching for a more affordable option. While I appreciate AM4, it lacks the same upgrade possibilities as LGA 1700. I modified your existing setup by changing the base board, RAM, SSD, and PSU. The only increase is about $20, but it now includes 32GB of higher-quality RAM that operates faster, a superior SSD, a larger 100W PSU, and a slightly improved motherboard. The CPU remains unchanged; the 12400F and Ryzen 5 5600X are quite similar. It definitely pushes the “600 dollar” threshold, but you could opt for a board without Wi-Fi, lower RAM to 16GB, and save around $40. I don’t strongly advise it, though—it saves cash now and lets you upgrade RAM later, or add a cheap Wi-Fi card.
You can find more details here: https://www.techpowerup.com/review/intel...0f/23.html
PCPartPicker Part List
CPU: Intel Core i5-12400F 2.5 GHz 6-Core Processor
($110.49 @ Amazon)
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Assassin X Refined SE RGB V2 66.17 CFM
($18.69 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z790 S WIFI DDR4 (rev. 1.0) ATX LGA1700
($121.53 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL18
($47.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Crucial P3 Plus 1 TB M.2-2280 PCIe 4.0 X4 NVME SSD
($60.00 @ iBUYPOWER)
Video Card: ASRock Challenger D Radeon RX 6600 8 GB
($209.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT H510 ATX Mid Tower Case
($59.98 @ Newegg Sellers)
Power Supply: MSI MAG A650BN 650 W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX
($59.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $688.66
Includes shipping, taxes, and available discounts
Generated by PCPartPicker
2025-04-03 01:30 EDT-0400
Thanks everyone, I'm feeling uncertain about the build but I'll talk to my sister to get her opinion. Just a heads up, we're beginners here, so thank you all for your support and advice!