The Best $2,000 Premium Gaming PC Build - August 2020
Looking to build the best gaming PC possible for $2,000? This is it! Incredibly stylish, ultra-quiet, and most importantly, brutally fast, this build offers the very best balance of CPU power, GPU power, and cooling performance out of any of the gaming PCs we profile. We call it "premium" for a reason! And take note: this build doesn't skimp on the wheels and chassis just to cram in a "big engine". We're all about long-term thinking here at TBG, and this is a seriously long-term build!
For August 2020, the $2,000 Premium Gaming PC Build continues to feature Intel's new Core i7-10700K, the clear choice for a gaming PC in this price range. Offering better gaming performance than AMD's competiting CPUs, this eight-core, 16-thread CPU can operate at frequencies AMD can only dream of! It's backing up the GeForce RTX 2080 Super 8GB, a hopped-up GPU that can easily drive any game at resolutions up to 4K! Despite the powerful CPU and GPU, there's no skimping on anything else in the $2,000 Premium Gaming PC Build. You get 16GB of ultra-fast DDR4-3600 RAM, a 1TB PCIe solid-state drive, and a super-efficient 750W power supply. Topping it all off is an great-looking high-performance case from Lian Li and an ultra-quiet cooler from Scythe.
We also list plenty of ways to accessorize the $2,000 Premium Gaming PC Build - just scroll down to the end of this guide to see our top picks among gaming keyboards, mice, and monitors. If you want to see even more options, check out our Monitor Buyer's Guide and Peripherals Buyer's Guide!
We update this build every month - to see how this PC compares to past months' components and prices, flip to the $2,000 Build Archive page. In our build guide below, we provide direct links to Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon Canada, and Amazon Germany for each product, with regional substitutions made where necessary. Our US links will also auto-convert for our readers located in Spain, France, and Italy. Your use of these links is the only thing that keeps this site on the 'net!
The $2,000 Premium Gaming PC Build - August 2020
The Pre-Built Option
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The Ultra-Compact Premium Gaming PC:
HP OMEN Obelisk 9900K Gaming PC
Don't want to build your own PC? No problem - HP's Omen division has you covered with an amazing deal on its Obelisk. It features a liquid-cooled Intel Core i7-9900K 8-Core processor, a GeForce RTX 2080 8GB, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 1TB solid-state drive, along with an ultra-compact chassis that will amaze you once you set eyes on how small it is!
The Guru's Tip:
This system also includes 802.11ac wireless networking and Bluetooth 4.2.
The Build-Your-Own Option
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CPU:
Intel Core i7 10700K @Newegg
Intel takes back the gaming crown with its Core i7-10700K, an eight-core, 16-thread CPU with an all-core boost speed of 4.7GHz out of the box! This chip is equivalent to the last-gen Core i9-9900K, but for less money, and on a more modern Z490/socket 1200 platform.
The Guru's Tip:
Remember, you need a new Z490 motherboard for this CPU - it will not even fit in older motherboards!
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Motherboard:
ASUS TUF Gaming Z490-Plus (WiFi 6)
This feature-packed Z490 board gives you everything you need for a premium PC build at a great price. Dual M.2 PCIe slots for high-speed SSDs, six USB ports (including Type-C), and built-in 802.11ax (WiFi 6) networking plus Bluetooth.
The Guru's Tip:
Intel's new socket 1200 featured on this motherboard is required to use 10th-Gen CPUs!
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Video Card:
EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Super KO Gaming @EVGA
Get fantastic gaming performance out of Nvidia's GeForce RTX 2080 Super 8GB. It will cut through any game you throw at it, even at 4K! Plus, you can score a 5% discount on this card by using Associate Code J45HKU1STKHTH3H at checkout on the EVGA site!
The Guru's Tip:
By going with EVGA, you can take advantage of the 90-day Step-Up Program - if a new GPU is released during that time, you can trade yours in for an upgrade!
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Memory:
Patriot 2x8GB Viper Steel DDR4-3600 17-19-19
This awesome 16GB kit will provide more than enough capacity for any game today and for years to come, and thanks to its mind-blowing DDR4-3600 speed and 17-19-19 timings, it will keep your fast CPU fed with data.
The Guru's Tip:
Most DDR4-3600 kits are much more expensive, and many have weaker timings. This is the real deal!
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Solid-State Drive:
XPG Gammix S11 1TB
Harnessing the power of cutting-edge TLC V-NAND, the NVMe protocol, and the PCIe interface, this SSD is by far the fastest drive at its pricepoint. It can hit sequential speeds of up to 3500MB/s! And this model even comes equipped with a heatsink to lower temperatures and allow for maximum throughput.
The Guru's Tip:
Note that you'll need a jeweler's-type screwdriver to affix it.
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Case:
Lian Li Lancool II Mesh RGB
Lian Li tops itself once again with the amazing new Mesh version of its Lancool II case. It includes triple 120mm fans behind a mesh panel for excellent cooling, plus integrated ARGB lighting for an eye-catching look. And unique among its competitors, it offers dual hinged glass panels for great looks and usability!
The Guru's Tip:
This case is only available in the US as of our latest update, so in other regions, we link to the original Lancool II.
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Power Supply:
SilverStone ST75F-GS-V3 Gold
COVID-19 NOTICE: Nearly all PSUs from reputable manufacturers are sold out, and most cannot even be backordered. But this high-end 750W Gold-rated, fully-modular model was just launched as was in stock as of our latest update. Grab it if you can!
The Guru's Tip:
The 750W class of Gold-rated PSUs has literally been sold out for months, with not a single unit from a reputable manufacturer available nearly the entire time.
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CPU Cooler:
Scythe Fuma 2
Offering amazing performance thanks to its big heatsink and dual 120mm fans, along with excellent compatibility thanks to its offset design, this is our favorite cooler at any price.
The Guru's Tip:
Learn more about this cooler in our full review!
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Operating System:
Microsoft Windows 10 Flash Drive
Windows 10 is the only OS to consider for a gaming system, as it includes the cutting-edge DX12 low-level API, which provides higher performance and better graphics in PC games.
The Guru's Tip:
As of our latest update, Windows 10 on USB is back in stock, but you can always go for the downloadable version, which you can load on any 8GB+ USB 3.1 thumb drive.
Optional Components
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The Ultimate Gaming Keyboard:
Razer BlackWidow Elite Linear
Offering up ultra-fast linear mechanical switches plus awesome Chroma RGB lighting, the BlackWidow Elite shows why Razer is the top-selling gaming peripherals brand.
The Guru's Tip:
Other nice touches include the media scroll wheel and magnetic wrist rest.
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The Pro Gaming Mouse:
Razer Basilisk X HyperSpeed Wireless
Offering up awesome functionality, a sleek design, and an ultra-fast 16,000 DPI sensor, the Basilisk X from Razer simply has no competition at its pricepoint.
The Guru's Tip:
Razer's Hyperspeed wireless technology makes the Basilisk more responsive than most wired mice!
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The Gamer's Dream Monitor:
LG 27GL83A-B
Offering a big 27" IPS panel, a 2560 x 1440 resolution, and an incredible 144Hz refresh rate (plus 1ms response time), this monitor offers amazing motion clarity and image quality. But most importantly, it has Nvidia's G-Sync technology, which will help get the very most out of the high framerates that the RTX 2080 can deliver.
The Guru's Tip:
We also really like that this model includes a fully adjustable stand.
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The Premium Wireless PC Headset:
Logitech G935 Wireless 7.1 Headset
Want an awesome premium headset to complete your system? Then go for the G935, which offers awesome DTS:X surround sound, up to 12 hours of battery life, the best RGB effects of any headset, and plenty of comfort. Oh, and it's wireless!!!
The Guru's Tip:
Read our review right here!
Total Cost: $1977.00
(as of August 3, 2020)- The Ultra-Compact Premium Gaming PC HP OMEN Obelisk 9900K Gaming PC ($2000.00)
- CPU Intel Core i7 10700K @Newegg ($410.00)
- Motherboard ASUS TUF Gaming Z490-Plus (WiFi 6) ($200.00)
- Video Card EVGA GeForce RTX 2080 Super KO Gaming @EVGA ($694.00)
- Memory Patriot 2x8GB Viper Steel DDR4-3600 17-19-19 ($85.00)
- Solid-State Drive XPG Gammix S11 1TB ($127.00)
- Case Lian Li Lancool II Mesh RGB ($132.00)
- Power Supply SilverStone ST75F-GS-V3 Gold ($130.00)
- CPU Cooler Scythe Fuma 2 ($60.00)
- Operating System Microsoft Windows 10 Flash Drive ($139.00)
- The Ultimate Gaming Keyboard Razer BlackWidow Elite Linear ($130.00)
- The Pro Gaming Mouse Razer Basilisk X HyperSpeed Wireless ($60.00)
- The Gamer's Dream Monitor LG 27GL83A-B ($380.00)
- The Premium Wireless PC Headset Logitech G935 Wireless 7.1 Headset ($130.00)
