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The Best $1250 Quiet Gaming PC Build – July 2022

The Best $1250 Quiet Gaming PC Build – July 2022

By Ari Altman | Published June 28, 2022 | Updated June 28, 2022

Game Hard, Run Silent!

Want a high-powered Quiet Gaming PC Build that delivers an excellent gaming experience while running in near silence? Then the $1,250 Quiet Gaming PC Build is the system for you! Every component has been chosen to maximize performance in both games and applications, while minimizing noise.

This Month’s Build, Powered by Intel and AMD!

For July 2022, the Quiet Gaming PC Build gets another round of upgrades, starting with Intel’s cutting-edge Alder Lake platform. In this build, we’re going for the Core i5-12400F 6-core, 12-thread CPU, which offers unbeatable performance for the price. It’s supporting the equally-amazing AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT 12GB video card, which after a recent price cut is a must-have upgrade versus the 6600 XT we previously recommended! This combo can handle resolutions up to 2560 x 1440 with ease, and the GPU is also very quiet thanks to its excellent efficiency and cooler.

As for the other components, the Quiet Gaming PC Build is loaded up with 16GB of DDR4-3600 RAM, a 1TB NVMe solid-state drive, a silent CPU cooler, and an ultra-efficient power supply. Bringing it all together is the stylish NZXT H510 tempered glass case.

Parting Thoughts

We also list a few of our favorite accessories to complete the Quiet Gaming PC build, including a responsive keyboard, a great low-cost mouse, and an excellent 165Hz gaming monitor, but feel free to check out our dedicated Monitor Buyer’s Guide and Peripherals Buyer’s Guide for more options.

We update this build on a monthly basis to incorporate new product releases or major price adjustments, so check back often. Throughout our guides, we provide direct shopping links to Amazon for our readers in the US, which will auto-convert for readers in other countries, including Canada, the UK, and parts of the EU, with automatic substitutions made where necessary. Your use of these links helps keep this guide alive!

The Pre-Built Option

  • Click to Buy
    The High-End Gaming PC –

    Skytech Archangel 12400F/RTX 3060

    $1280
    HOT DEAL! If you don’t want to build your own, Skytech has the answer in its Archangel gaming desktop! This tower comes equipped with the potent Intel Core i5-12400F 6-core, 12-thread CPU, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 3060 12GB video card, plus a 1TB PCIe solid-state drive and 16GB of DDR4-3200 RAM.
    The Guru’s Tip

    While not quite as fast as our DIY build spec'd out below, there's no shame in picking this up if you're not ready to build, as the price is great!

The DIY Build

  • Intel Core i5
    Click to Buy
    CPU –

    Intel Core i5-12400F

    $170
    The 12th-Gen “Alder Lake” CPUs are Intel’s most impressive release in a decade, and the Core i5-12400F offers the best value not only among Alder Lake CPUs, but among any CPU ever released! Packing in 6 performance cores and 6 additional threads, it can easily beat any CPU at its pricepoint, including everything from AMD! The “F” version of the 12400 does not include onboard graphics, but that’s fine for this build, which uses a separate video card.
    The Guru’s Tip

    This CPU comes with a cooler, but we recommend a much quieter aftermarket model later in this guide.
  • MSI Pro B660-A
    Click to Buy
    Motherboard –

    MSI PRO B660-A DDR4

    $150
    This budget-priced Socket 1700 ATX board from MSI is a perfect match for Intel’s latest value-packed CPUs. It offers two PCIe M.2 slots, five PCIe expansion slots (including a PCIe Gen 4 video card slot), seven USB ports (including a Type-C port), and integrated 2.5Gbs LAN. Note that it conforms to the DDR4 RAM standard, allowing the use of less expensive memory while maintaining similar performance to DDR5-based systems.
    The Guru’s Tip

    This board has video outputs, but they will be disabled in this build. You will connect the monitor to the video card.
  • PowerColor RX 6700 XT
    Click to Buy
    Video Card –

    PowerColor Radeon RX 6700 XT 12GB Red Devil

    $470
    It’s time to get gaming again! This Radeon RX 6700 XT 12GB has impressive gaming power, going head to head with the RTX 3070, but with 50% more VRAM for better future-proofing! And this model from PowerColor has a massive triple-fan cooler to keep heat under control while running quietly!
    The Guru’s Tip

    This card offers not only tremendous value, but also a color scheme to match this build's case!
  • Viper Steel
    Click to Buy
    Memory –

    Patriot 2x8GB Viper Steel DDR4-3600 17-19-19

    $65
    To get the most out of DDR4 memory, you want high frequencies, and Patriot’s Viper Steel 2x8GB DDR4-3600 RAM delivers! DDR4-3600 is the sweet spot in terms of price/performance, and this kit has tight 17-19-19 timings to back up the high frequency!
    The Guru’s Tip

    The motherboard we recommend supports high-speed RAM like this kit.
  • Click to Buy
    Solid-State Drive –

    Silicon Power 1TB NVMe

    $70
    You simply can’t do better for the price than this value-packed SSD, which uses the speedy PCIe 3.0 interface and TLC NAND to vastly outperform all the SATA drives that sell for around the same amount! Note that to install this drive, you’ll affix it in an M.2 slot on your motherboard using a jeweler’s-type screwdriver.
    The Guru’s Tip

    This drive will fit into one of the two M.2 slots on the motherboard, leaving another slot free for future upgrades!
  • NZXT H510 Red
    Click to Buy
    Case –

    NZXT H510 Red/Black

    $90
    The H510 is the world’s top-selling case for a reason: it offers great style and performance at a great price. It serves up two 120mm fans, a tempered glass side panel, and plenty of space for your components. Note that this case comes in three colors: black on black, white-on-white, and red-on-black, and the latter really stands out as the most eye-catching while still being classy.
    The Guru’s Tip

    The solid steel front panel will keep this system running very quiet. We happen to like the red and black version for its extra style, but feel free to get the standard all-black version.
  • EVGA 550 GA
    Click to Buy
    Power Supply –

    EVGA SuperNOVA 550 GA

    $55
    EVGA’s SuperNOVA series offers exceptional performance at a great price, and has set the standard for high-end PSUs for years. The 550 GA is a perfect example of that, offering up 550W of Gold-rated power, fully-modular cables, and a hybrid fan design that shuts off at low loads for silent operation. It’s also backed by an exceptional 10-year warranty.
    The Guru’s Tip

    This quality power supply is selling for far less than its competitors!
  • Arctic Freezer 34
    Click to Buy
    CPU Cooler –

    Arctic Freezer 34 eSports w/ 1700 Kit

    $40
    This cooler is the perfect pick for a mainstream PC Build. Thanks to its advanced design, it offers nearly-silent operation despite excellent cooling capability. It uses our favorite all-around 120mm fan, the excellent Arctic P120.
    The Guru’s Tip

    The CPU we recommend for this build includes a cooler, but you'll want this one to keep things quiet!
  • Microsoft Windows 11
    Click to Buy
    Operating System –

    Windows 11 Home USB

    $139
    Windows 11 take everything people loved about Windows 10, and then takes it to 11! It adds significant under-the-hood changes to make it faster and more secure, and of course, the interface is sleek too!
    The Guru’s Tip

    It took a while for Microsoft to launch Win11 at retail after making it available as an upgrade to existing users, but now that it's here, it's what you want on your new PC!

Optional Products

  • Click to Buy
    Wireless Card –

    TP-Link Archer T5E AC1200/Bluetooth 4.2

    $34
    Need wireless networking? Look no further than this ultra-high-speed 802.11ac PCIe-based card!
    The Guru’s Tip

    Install this card in one of the lower PCIe x1 slots on the motherboard.
  • Click to Buy
    The 24-inch 165Hz Gaming Monitor –

    Asus VG248QG

    $189
    Asus pioneered the high-refresh rate gaming monitor years ago, and has returned to the mid-range market with the VG248QG, which boasts amazing specs for the price. It gives you a 24″ 1920×1080 TN panel with a refresh rate overclockable to 165Hz (144Hz is standard), plus a 0.5ms (GTG) response time. It boasts adaptive-sync technology to provide stutter and screen tearing, plus a highly-adjustable stand to dial in just the right ergonomics.
    The Guru’s Tip

    Connect this monitor via DisplayPort to take advantage of its high refresh rate.
  • K55 Pro
    Click to Buy
    The Budget Gaming Keyboard –

    Corsair K55 RGB Pro

    $44
    Pick up a great keyboard at a great price with the K55. It offers IP42-rated dust and spill resistance, zoned RGB backlighting, dedicated macro and media keys, plus quiet keys with a tactile bump to provide great feedback with low noise levels!
    The Guru’s Tip

    To set the keyboard's backlighting, you'll want to download Corsair's iCUE software.
  • Click to Buy
    The Pro Gaming Mouse –

    Razer Basilisk X HyperSpeed Wireless

    $37
    Offering cutting-edge performance, there’s nothing like the Basilisk X for anywhere near the price. Ultra-sensitive sensor, Razer’s awesome HyperSpeed wireless system, and perfect ergonomics. It’s a great mouse!
    The Guru’s Tip

    Avoid all the knock-off brands that often top the sales charts - they won't come close to offering the same performance and quality.
  • Click to Buy
    The Mainstream Gaming Headset –

    Corsair HS60 Pro Surround

    $55
    If you need a good headset at an unbeatable price, we recommend Corsair’s excellent HS60 Pro Surround headset. Light, comfortable, and stylish without being in your face, it’s a great headset for gaming, and can even be used with mobile devices that have a 3.5mm analog jack.
    The Guru’s Tip

    The HS60 Pro Surround offers up a virtual 7.1 Surround mode via an included USB adapter.

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