You also net yourself some sweet benefits with Intel's new 12th Gen platform, though we will be skipping DDR5 for this build since it's so pricey. So we like the Core 15 12400F a lot, and since Intel has released cheaper chipsets for its 12th Gen chips it's become a bit of a favourite for us on more budget builds like this one. In fact, they're exceptionally good for gaming, with really great single-threaded performance. This is one of Intel's 12th Gen Alder Lake processors, and while it doesn't contain the new Efficient Cores that make more high-end Alder Lake chips so special, the Performance Cores here do put some work in. For that omission you can pick this chip up for slightly less at checkout, and seeing as we're recommending a discrete GPU below we don't really need the onboard graphics anyways.

We're big fans of the Core i5 12400, and the only difference with the Core i5 12400F is the lack of onboard graphics. But you've come to the right place if you're after a more affordable setup with a discrete GPU. If you want to step up from the budget guild, our main gaming PC build guide (opens in new tab) has a higher budget and delivers more frames. While the RAM we chose isn't fancy, it is fast enough to keep up with our CPU choice. Most of the budget went into a decent CPU and GPU since those two components greatly affect the system's overall performance. It can run most new games at 60fps at 1080p on high settings, though. Our budget PC build does not include peripherals like monitors, mice, keyboards, etc. Regarding SSDs and RAM, you're practically swimming in affordable options, even at decent capacities. Intel and AMD have more budget CPUs than ever and competitive ones. High prices still didn't stop us from putting together a $400 gaming PC that doesn't need a graphics card (opens in new tab).Ĭrucial components like SSDs, RAM, and CPUs aren't as hard to find. If you keep a lookout, chances are you'll find one.

But thankfully the RX 6600 has dropped to a reasonable price. You might spot some entry-level GPUs like the RTX 3050 or RTX 3060 selling for above MSRP at some retailers.

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