The Best $2,000 Premium Gaming PC Build - April 2020
CRITICAL COVID-19 NOTICE: Amazon is currently shipping all in-stock product to clear its warehouses for essential goods, and will not re-order electronics until April 5th. According to our proprietary shipment data, we can confirm that all in-stock products ordered by our readers are still shipping out daily, and if the product is in stock, you WILL get it within a few days!
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 April 2020, the $2,000 Premium Gaming PC Build continues to feature AMD's Ryzen 7 3800X, which offers up 8 fast cores, plus 8 additional virtual cores for unbeatable all-around performance. 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 we pick a model with a big factory overclock and massive cooler to ensure maximum framerates and minimum noise! 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 DDR4-3600 RAM to maximize the speed of the Zen 2 platform, a 1TB solid-state drive utilizing the PCIe 4.0 interface only available on the AMD platform, a 700W Gold-rated power supply, and an awesome dual-fan tower cooler from Scythe. Topping it all off is a stylish tempered glass case from Cooler Master.
Need help building your Ryzen Gaming PC? No problem - check out our hands-on, step-by-step assembly guide! 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 - April 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 has you covered with this amazing setup: an Intel Core i9-9900K 8-Core processor, GeForce RTX 2080 Super 8GB, 32GB of DDR4-2666, and a 1TB solid-state drive, all packed into an ultra-compact micro-ATX case. Honestly, this is a system that would be nearly impossible to build on your own, regardless of price!
The Guru's Tip:
You also get a keyboard, mouse, and built-in WiFi with this system.
The Build-Your-Own Option
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CPU:
AMD Ryzen 7 3800X
The 3800X offers eight of AMD's fastest Zen 2 cores, plus 8 virtual cores, making it a killer deal when it comes to a gaming PC, or any PC for that matter!
The Guru's Tip:
Intel has basically given up on retail CPU sales - given its tremendous production problems, it's sending all of its CPUs to OEM manufacturers.
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Motherboard:
ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus (Wi-Fi)
Based on the X570 chipset, this is a truly full-featured board. It has seven USB ports (including a Type-C port), ultra-high-end audio, and two slots for M.2 solid-state drives. It also offers the 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 even includes built-in WiFi!
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Video Card:
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super Windforce OC 8G
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 a massive factory overclock and an equally-massive triple-fan heatsink, allowing it to outperform just about every other RTX 2080 Super on the market!
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Memory:
Patriot 2x8GB Viper Steel DDR4-3600 17-19-19
To get the most from your system, you want high-speed RAM... no, make that ultra-high-speed RAM! This DDR4-3600 kit will blast your Ryzen system into orbit, pushing the Zen 2 Infinity Fabric to its 1800MHz maximum and thereby getting the most out of the Ryzen 7 CPU.
The Guru's Tip:
We used to recommend RGB RAM modules, but after conducting our DDR4 Shootout, we found you get a whole lot more for your money getting faster RAM rather than blingy RAM!
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Solid-State Drive:
Corsair MP600 1TB PCIe 4.0
The MP600 PCIe 4.0 is the drive to get if you're looking for insane PCIe 4.0 speeds, enabled only on AMD X570 motherboards. And the included heatsink, which you don't get on most other models, will ensure that it doesn't throttle with high loads.
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
Combining stellar performance and classy looks in one reasonably-priced package, the MB530P may be the best all-around case under $150. It offers up four 120mm fans, with three of those featuring addressable RGB lighting. The case also has tempered glass panels on both side panels as well as the front panel, along with extended front vents to improve airflow over typical glass-paneled cases.
The Guru's Tip:
You can control the lighting of the built-in fans using the 3-pin ARGB header on the motherboard we recommend.
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Power Supply:
Silverstone ET700-MG
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 700W Gold-rated, fully-modular model, which will be operating right in its sweet spot with this build.
The Guru's Tip:
This new-for-2020 model has plenty of connectors, including the dual EPS power cables you need to fully power up the X570 motherboard.
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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:
Windows 10 on USB has sold out at Amazon, which is likely because Microsoft is preparing its spring update release, but luckily it appears to be restocking soon. You can also get it via download from the same product page if you don't want to wait. All you need is an 8GB or bigger flash drive to load the download onto.
Optional Components
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The Ultimate Gaming Keyboard:
Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 Rapidfire Low Profile
For a sublime typing and gaming experience, you simply have to go for the K70 Low Profile. There's never been any other mechanical keyboard this fast and responsive. It uses the Cherry's custom-designed low-profile switches to allow for incredible feel.
The Guru's Tip:
See our full review of this keyboard right 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 Mainstream Wireless PC Headset:
HyperX Cloud Flight
Want an awesome premium headset to complete your system? Then go for the Cloud Flight, which offers awesome stereo sound and up to 30 hours of battery life.
The Guru's Tip:
Read our review right here!
Total Cost: $1993.00
(as of March 27, 2020)- The Ultra-Compact Premium Gaming PC HP OMEN Obelisk 9900K Gaming PC ($2000.00)
- CPU AMD Ryzen 7 3800X ($340.00)
- Motherboard ASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus (Wi-Fi) ($185.00)
- Video Card Gigabyte GeForce RTX 2080 Super Windforce OC 8G ($720.00)
- Memory Patriot 2x8GB Viper Steel DDR4-3600 17-19-19 ($95.00)
- Solid-State Drive Corsair MP600 1TB PCIe 4.0 ($205.00)
- Case Cooler Master MasterBox MB530P ($130.00)
- Power Supply Silverstone ET700-MG ($119.00)
- CPU Cooler Scythe Fuma 2 ($60.00)
- Operating System Microsoft Windows 10 Flash Drive ($139.00)
- The Ultimate Gaming Keyboard Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 Rapidfire Low Profile ($125.00)
- The Pro Wireless Gaming Mouse Logitech G703 Lightspeed w/Hero 16K ($80.00)
- The Gamer's Dream Monitor Acer XB271HU ($400.00)
- The Mainstream Wireless PC Headset HyperX Cloud Flight ($95.00)
