The Best $2,000 Premium 4K Gaming PC Build - November 2019
Looking to build the best gaming PC possible for $2,000? This is it! Incredibly stylish, ultra-quiet, and most importantly, brutally fast, this system offers the very best balance of CPU power, GPU power, and cooling performance out of any of the PCs we profile. We call it "premium" for a reason! And take note: this PC 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 PC!
For November 2019, this build gets a complete overhaul, switching back to Intel's Core i7-9700K thanks to renewed availability and a lower price. It features 8 ultra-fast cores, making it a fantastic gaming CPU, and it's backing up a beast of a video card, the GeForce RTX 2080 Super 8GB. This hopped-up GPU can easily drive any game at resolutions up to 4K. And thanks to big price drop on it and various other components, there's no skimping anywhere in this build. You get 16GB of ultra-fast DDR4-3200 RAM with slick RGB lighting, a cutting-edge 1TB PCIe-based solid-state drive, a 750W Gold-rated power supply, an awesome new dual-fan tower cooler from Scythe, and a sleek, high-airflow case from CoolerMaster featuring sleek addressable RGB lighting.
We also list plenty of ways to accessorize your PC - 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 guide every month - to see how this build compares to past months' components and prices, flip to the $2,000 Build Archive page. Because we use real-time pricing engines, you'll always see up-to-date U.S. prices in our guide. We also provide direct links to Amazon UK, Amazon Canada, and Amazon Germany for each product, with regional substitutions made where necessary. To help support the continued development of this guide, please use the links we provide if you purchase products we recommend.
The $2,000 Premium Gaming PC - November 2019
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The Premium Gaming PC:
CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Supreme SLC10060CPGV2
Want to get into gaming in a hurry? Then look no further than the Gamer Supreme SLC from CyberpowerPC. It sports an Intel Core i7-9700K, RTX 2080 Super 8GB video card, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB PCIe-based solid-state drive, all at a price that's incredibly reasonable for a pre-built machine.
The Guru's Tip:
We especially applaud CyberpowerPC for finally equipping its PCs with decently-sized SSDs. That was the only thing holding them back previously.
The Build-Your-Own Option
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CPU:
Intel Core i7-9700KF
The 9700KF offers eight of Intel's fastest cores, making it a killer deal when it comes to a gaming-focused build (especially this "F" version, which drops onboard graphics and the price!). In terms of pure framerates per dollar in the most demanding games, it can't be beat.
The Guru's Tip:
This CPU does not come with a cooler, so make sure to pick up the one we list later in this guide!
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Motherboard:
Asus ROG Z390-E Gaming (Wi-Fi)
Based on the Z390 chipset, this is a truly full-featured board. It has eight USB ports (including a Type-C port), ultra-high-end audio, and two slots for M.2 solid-state drives. It also offers the Aura RGB lighting system with the addressable (digital) RGB header allowing you to sync with the advanced lighting used in this build's case.
The Guru's Tip:
This board also has built-in Asus WiFi, the best integrated WiFi on the market!
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Video Card:
MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Super Ventus XS OC
Get fantastic gaming performance out of Nvidia's GeForce RTX 2080 Super 8GB. It offers 5% more performance than the standard RTX 2080 for the same price, which means it will cut through any game you throw at it, even at 4K!
The Guru's Tip:
This model has upgraded fans and an oversided heatsink for extreme cooling performance.
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Memory:
Corsair 2x8GB Vengeance RGB Pro DDR4-3200
To get the most from your system, you want high-speed RAM. This DDR4-3200 kit from Corsair will make sure you don't throttle your CPU in the heat of the battle.
The Guru's Tip:
This kit also has slick RGB lighting that can be sync'd with the motherboard.
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Solid-State Drive:
XPG SX8200 Pro 1TB NVMe
The SX8200 Pro 1TB is by far the fastest drive under $150. It leverages the speed of the PCIe interface and NVMe protocol to easily beat every SATA drive ever released, and can keep up with the very best PCIe drives, even ones that cost hundreds of dollars more. That's the definition of technological progress!
The Guru's Tip:
Note that you'll need a jeweler's-type screwdriver to affix it.
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Case:
Cooler Master MasterBox MB530P
Offering up incredible style and great versatility, the sleek MB530P from Cooler Master is the way to go with this build. It includes three addressable RGB fans up front, which can all be sync'd with the motherboard we recommend, plus a 120mm fan in the rear. Even better, it offers three tempered glass panels (one on each side, plus one in the front), which really lets the lights shine through!
The Guru's Tip:
Unlike a lot of tempered glass cases, this one has a large offset in front to make space for ventilation, which provides far superior cooling.
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Power Supply:
Corsair RM750x
An eight-core CPU combined wiith the RTX 2080 Super will use a lot of power (on the order of 400W), so you don't want to skimp on your PSU. We recommend this Gold-rated, fully-modular model. Plus, this unit is backed up by a 10-year warranty!
The Guru's Tip:
Note that due to US tariffs, the prices of all power supplies are skyrocketing. We've found a pre-tariff on this unit, but don't expect it to stick around for long!
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CPU Cooler:
Scythe Fuma 2
Long-time cooler manufacturer Scythe is back with a vengeance in the form of the new Fuma 2. The original Fuma was already an amazing performer, as we found in our shootout review, but it posed some installation challenges, and it was a bit loud. Scythe went back to the drawing board and fixed everything! It's easier to install, much quieter (thank to an upgrade to dual Kaze Flex fans), and will fit around any RAM, no matter how tall, thanks to an offset design.
The Guru's Tip:
From our point of view, this is simply the best air cooler on the market, bar none. Yes, there are much more expensive models out there, but no, they don't perform as well as the Fuma 2.
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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:
This USB 3.0 version of W10 installs in under 5 minutes!
Optional Components
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The Ultimate Gaming Keyboard:
Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 Rapidfire Low Profile
For a simply sublime typing and gaming experience, you simply must try the K70 Low Profile. There's never been any other mechanical keyboard this fast, responsive, or quiet. It uses the new Cherry MX Low Profile Speed switches, exclusive to Corsair, which are a huge generational leap compared to everything else on the market.
The Guru's Tip:
Read our full review of the K70 Low Profile here.
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The Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse:
Logitech G703 Lightspeed w/Hero 16K
The best all-around mouse on the market, the G703 offers lag-free wireless freedom, an ultra-high-end sensor, and an ultra-comfortable shape. Simply put, it's our favorite mouse, the one we choose above all others, and trust us, we've tried a lot. Learn more in our hands-on review!
The Guru's Tip:
This mouse will run forever when paired with Logitech's one-of-a-kind PowerPlay charging mat. You literally will never have to charge it again!
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The Gamer's Dream Monitor:
Acer XB271HU
Offering a big 27" IPS panel, a 2560 x 1440 resolution, and an incredible 144Hz refresh rate (overclockable to 165Hz!), 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, but you can easily add a monitor arm to clamp it to your desk and get even more flexibility.
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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 Logitech's G935 Wireless, which features impressive 7.1 surround effects, RGB lighting, and up to 12 hours of battery life.
The Guru's Tip:
Read our review right here!
Total Cost: $1981.00
(as of November 6, 2019)- The Premium Gaming PC CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Supreme SLC10060CPGV2 ($1970.00)
- CPU Intel Core i7-9700KF ($350.00)
- Motherboard Asus ROG Z390-E Gaming (Wi-Fi) ($233.00)
- Video Card MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Super Ventus XS OC ($730.00)
- Memory Corsair 2x8GB Vengeance RGB Pro DDR4-3200 ($85.00)
- Solid-State Drive XPG SX8200 Pro 1TB NVMe ($148.00)
- Case Cooler Master MasterBox MB530P ($125.00)
- Power Supply Corsair RM750x ($115.00)
- CPU Cooler Scythe Fuma 2 ($60.00)
- Operating System Microsoft Windows 10 Flash Drive ($135.00)
- The Ultimate Gaming Keyboard Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 Rapidfire Low Profile ($135.00)
- The Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse Logitech G703 Lightspeed w/Hero 16K ($100.00)
- The Gamer's Dream Monitor Acer XB271HU ($500.00)
- The Premium Wireless PC Headset Logitech G935 Wireless 7.1 Headset ($130.00)
