The Tech Buyer's Guru

The Best $1500 High-End Gaming PC Build – May 2022

The Best $1500 High-End Gaming PC Build – May 2022

By Ari Altman | Published May 19, 2022 | Updated May 19, 2022

Corsair 4000DYour 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 B6ild, Powered by AMD!

For May 2022, the $1,500 High-End Gaming PC Build is better than ever thanks to another round of price drops! Among our component picks that has dropped in price recently is the AMD Ryzen 5 5600X, a 6-core, 12-thread powerhouse. It’s backing up a great GPU, the new AMD Radeon RX 6750 XT 12GB, which beats the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 for far less money.

But this build is about more than a fast CPU and GPU. It is also equipped with a fast 1TB PCIe solid-state drive and 16GB of high-speed DDR4-3600 RAM. For the case, we recommend a sleek tempered glass model from Corsair, which happens to be the best-selling case on the market! Finally, the build is anchored by a Gold-rated 650W fully-modular power supply, and cooled by a great CPU cooler from Arctic.

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 or Newegg for our US readers, and our Amazon links 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

  • Skytech Shiva
    Click to Buy
    The High-End Gaming PC –

    Skytech Shiva 5600X /RTX 3060 Ti

    $1500

    HOT DEAL! Grab this Skytech gaming PC at an insane price before it’s gone! Equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 6-core, 12-thread processor and a GeForce RTX 3060 Ti 8GB, 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, built-in 802.11ac wireless networking, and a stylish case from InWin!

    The Guru’s Tip

    This system will perform within a few percent of the DIY build we spec below, for around the same price, so it's a great choice if you're not quite ready to build your own!

The DIY Build

  • Click to Buy
    CPU –

    AMD Ryzen 5 5600X

    $200
    AMD’s Zen 3 architecture made a huge splash in the PC industry. Beating Intel on a clock-for-clock basis for the first time in decades, and with far lower power consumption, the Ryzen 5 5600X is the perfect CPU for this build. And it brings along with it an advanced yet cost-effective platform, which will provide upgrade potential down the line should you wish to drop in an even more powerful CPU.
    The Guru’s Tip

    This CPU comes with a cooler, but we're recommending an upgraded model later in this guide for better performance and lower noise.
  • Click to Buy
    Motherboard –

    Gigabyte B550 AORUS Elite AX V2

    $180

    This feature-packed board gives you everything you need for a PC build at a great price. Dual M.2 PCIe slots for high-speed SSDs (the top slot being Gen 4), seven USB ports, and built-in WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5. It also has an ample power delivery system, with 12+2 phases.

     The Guru’s Tip

    This board even has a Type-C header, allowing you to use the advanced Type-C port included on this build's case.
  • PowerColor RX 6700 XT
    Click to Buy
    Video Card –

    PowerColor Radeon RX 6750 XT 12GB Red Devil

    $580

    It’s time to get gaming again! This Radeon RX 6750 XT 12GB from PowerColor has impressive gaming power, beating Nvidia’s RTX 3070, while being available for hundreds of dollars less! Plus, it has the added advantage of 12GB of VRAM, which is 50% more than competing Nvidia cards!

     The Guru’s Tip

    While the 6700 XT was already an easy winner in its price class, the 6750 XT is a nice step up, offering around 10% higher performance.
  • Viper Steel
    Click to Buy
    Memory –

    Patriot 2x8GB Viper Steel DDR4-3600 14-16-16

    $88

    To get the most out of DDR4 memory, you want high frequencies, and Patriot’s Viper Steel 2x8GB DDR4-3600 CL14 kit delivers! DDR4-3600 is the sweet spot in terms of compatibility with the majority of DDR4-based systems, and to get the most out of 3600 RAM, you want tight timings, which this delivers in spades: 14-16-16 at 1.45V, to be exact. We asked Patriot to create this kit back in 2020 when we tested their ultra-fast (but hard to use) 4400 kit. We knew Patriot could win a lot more users if it simply reprogrammed its kit for ultra-low latency rather than ultra-high frequency, and now it’s here!

     The Guru’s Tip

    Remember to engage the XMP profile to take advantage of this RAM's speed!
  • WD Blue SN570
    Click to Buy
    Solid-State Drive –

    WD Blue SN570 1TB NVMe

    $90

    WD knocked it out of the park with its high-performance yet bargain-priced SN570. Optimized for excellent real-world performance thanks to WD’s years of SSD development, it easily keeps up with much more expensive drives. This 1TB model can provide sequential read speeds of 3500MB/s and write speeds of 3500MB/s. Note that you’ll need a jeweler’s-type screwdriver to affix it.

     The Guru’s Tip

    While the 1TB NVMe market is very competitive, this drive clearly stands above the rest in terms of performance per dollar!
  • Click to Buy
    Case –

    Corsair 4000D Airflow

    $95
    The 4000D is simply the best performance-oriented case you can get for the money, thanks to its fantastic airflow design, dual 120mm fans, and a plenty of builder-friendly touches, like excellent cable routing, captive screws, and plenty of fan mounts.
    The Guru’s Tip

    This is the best selling case in the US, passing up the long-running record holder, the NZXT H510!
  • Phanteks Amp
    Click to Buy
    Power Supply –

    Phanteks AMP 650W Gold

    $90

    The AMP 650W from Phanteks offers exceptional performance at a great price. It features 650W of Gold-rated power, fully-modular cables, a low-noise fan design with zero-fan mode, and an ultra-compact form factor at just 140mm deep.

     The Guru’s Tip

    This premium unit is selling for a lot less than any of its competitors!
  • Arctic Freezer 34 eSports
    Click to Buy
    CPU Cooler –

    Arctic Freezer 34 eSports White

    $39
    Maximize the performance of your PC with this powerful but affordable cooler from Arctic. Featuring a 120mm fan equipped with hydraulic bearings, it’s both quiet and capable. Learn more about this awesome cooler in our massive 120mm cooler shootout!
    The Guru’s Tip

    While the CPU comes with a cooler, this model will allow the CPU to boost higher, while running far more quietly.
  • 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 Microsoft a while to launch the retail version of Win11 after releasing the upgrade version, but now that it's here, this is what you want on your new PC build!

Optional Products

  • Click to Buy
    The Mechanical Gaming Keyboard –

    Corsair K60 RGB Pro Low Profile

    $89
    For the very fastest gameplay, there’s nothing better than the K60 Low Profile. Thanks to Cherry’s unbeaten low-profile MX Speed switches, you get amazing response and feel, plus low noise.
    The Guru’s Tip

    The lighting on this model can be controlled via the iCUE software.
  • Click to Buy
    The Pro Gaming Mouse –

    Razer Basilisk X HyperSpeed Wireless

    $40
    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

    Remember, you're getting a great wireless mouse for the same price as many wired mice.
  • HP X27Q
    Click to Buy
    The 27" 2560x1440 Gaming Monitor –

    HP X27q

    $249

    HP has taken over the value high-end gaming monitor market with the X27q. Didn’t think you could get value in a high-end monitor? Think again! The X27q offers all the specs you could want: a 27″ 2560×1440 IPS panel capable of a 165Hz refresh rate, enhanced with FreeSync Premium frame-syncing technology. Previously, you couldn’t get anything but an inferior TN panel for this price. The X27q even has a height-adjustable stand, which we consider critical for a high-end monitor, making this a flat-out winner!

     The Guru’s Tip

    This monitor will let you get the most out of your new high-end gaming PC!
  • Click to Buy
    The Mainstream Gaming Headset –

    Corsair HS60 Pro Surround

    $50
    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

    To provide surround effects, this headset uses a USB adapter, which you connect in line with the attached 3.5mm audio plug.

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