The Best $1500 High-End Gaming PC Build – April 2024
Your Ticket to High-End Gaming!
Do you want to build the best high-end gaming PC possible for $1,500? Then you’ve come to the right place! The build we profile here offers the best balance of CPU and GPU power you’ll find in any build on the ‘Net, along with high-end yet cost-effective parts in every other category. The goal: maximum frames per dollar without skimping on the stuff everyone else does, like a quality power supply and a big solid-state drive. The last thing you want is a hot rod engine in an old beater chassis, so we make sure your gaming PC build checks off all the boxes!
This Month’s Build, Powered by AMD and Nvidia!
For April 2024, the $1,500 High-End Gaming PC Build starts with the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X six-core CPU, a proven gaming processor at a great price. It will have no trouble making the most out of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super 12GB, which offers tremendous performance for the price, and easily outpaces the original 4070. The combo of the 7600X and RTX 4070 Super will truly rip through resolutions up to 1440p.
But this build is about more than just a mighty CPU and GPU. It’s also equipped with 32GB of DDR5-6000 RAM and a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 drive. And new this month, we get a massive case upgrade in the form of the Phanteks XT Pro Ultra, which offers amazing looks and even more amazing performance thanks to the included four 140mm ARGB fans. It’s destined to become a legend! Finally, the build is anchored by a Gold-rated 650W power supply and cooled by a 120mm tower cooler.
Parting Thoughts
If you want to accessorize your new build, check out our top keyboard, mouse, and monitor recommendations at the end of this build guide. We update this build monthly, as prices and components in this market change quite frequently, and a few dollars here or there could buy you a lot of performance. Throughout our guides, we provide links to Amazon for our US readers, which will auto-convert for readers in Canada, the UK, and parts of the EU, with substitutions made based on regional availability. Your use of these links helps support this site, allowing us to continue to update this guide regularly.
The Pre-Built Option
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The High-End Gaming PC –
Skytech Nebula 5600X/RTX 4070
$1500Equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 6-core, 12-thread processor and a GeForce RTX 4070 12GB GPU, it’s ready to game, and priced hundreds of dollars below any other similar system you can find on the market today. Also on the component list is 16GB of DDR4-3200 RAM, a 1TB solid-state drive, a 600W Gold-rated power supply, and built-in 802.11ac wireless networking.This pre-built system will provide nearly the same performance as the one we spec out below, and comes ready to go out of the box!
The DIY Build
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CPU –
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
$207 The Guru’s TipThis CPU does not come with a cooler, so make sure to pick up the model we recommend later in this guide.
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Motherboard –
Gigabyte B650 Gaming X AX
$190 The Guru’s TipKeep in mind that this motherboard requires DDR5 RAM, which is what is spec'd in this build.
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Video Card –
Zotac GeForce RTX 4070 Super Twin Edge 12GB OC
$610 The Guru’s TipThe 4070 was the clear winner of the GPU wars in 2023, topping every "best of" list, and the 4070 Super takes performance to the next level!
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Memory –
TeamGroup 2x16GB T-Force Vulcan DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO
$103 The Guru’s TipThis RAM is really at the sweet spot for price-performance on the AMD platform.
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Solid-State Drive –
TeamGroup MP44L 1TB PCIe 4.0
$69 The Guru’s TipThis drive provides plenty of gaming performance at a great price!
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Case –
Phanteks XT Pro Ultra
$90 The Guru’s TipTo get this kind of cooling from a case, you typically have to spend twice as much. The value Phanteks is delivering here is astounding!
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Power Supply –
Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3 650W
$91 The Guru’s TipThis system will pull about 350W at load, so this PSU won't even be stressed!
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CPU Cooler –
Arctic Freezer 36
$25 The Guru’s TipThis cooler comes with the adapter required for the AMD processor we recommend.
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Operating System –
Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg
$139 The Guru’s TipWin11 is definitely what you want to support the latest games on your new PC build!
Optional Products
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The 27" 1440p 144Hz Gaming Monitor –
Sceptre E275B-QPN168
$223 The Guru’s TipThis monitor will let you get the most out of your new high-end gaming PC!
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The Budget Gaming Keyboard –
Logitech G213 Gaming Keyboard
$50 The Guru’s TipThere are a lot of off-brand keyboards that sell for the same price - SteelSeries is a trusted name that's been making gaming gear for decades!
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The Pro Gaming Mouse –
Razer Basilisk V3 X HyperSpeed Wireless
$69 The Guru’s TipIt's hard to overstate just how much freedom a wireless mouse gives you!
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The Budget Wireless PC Headset –
SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless
$87 The Guru’s TipAfter a recent price cut, this headset is an unbeatable deal, coming in under the price of competing wired headsets!
Total Cost: $1500
The Pre-Built Option
The DIY Build
- CPU – AMD Ryzen 5 7600X ($207)
- Motherboard – Gigabyte B650 Gaming X AX ($190)
- Video Card – Zotac GeForce RTX 4070 Super Twin Edge 12GB OC ($610)
- Memory – TeamGroup 2x16GB T-Force Vulcan DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO ($103)
- Solid-State Drive – TeamGroup MP44L 1TB PCIe 4.0 ($69)
- Case – Phanteks XT Pro Ultra ($90)
- Power Supply – Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3 650W ($91)
- CPU Cooler – Arctic Freezer 36 ($25)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg ($139)