The Best $3000 Elite RGB Gaming PC Build – October 2024

By Ari Altman | Published October 7, 2024 | Updated October 7, 2024

Game Hard and Look Good Doing It!

If you want a $3,000 Gaming PC Build that’s a true showcase, not just another black box, then this is the one for you! In addition to the best gaming components available, we’ve pushed the limit on aesthetics with this build more than any other – it sports white components, tasteful RGB lighting, and a glass-paneled white case to put your gear front and center!

This Month’s Build, Featuring Intel and Nvidia!

For October 2024, the $3,000 Gaming PC Build uses Intel’s dominating Core i9-13900KF, now discounted from its original price, which makes it an exceptional deal. It is paired with a seriously-fast GPU, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super 16GB, which equals AMD’s Radeon RX 7900 XTX in legacy games and blows it away in Ray Tracing titles.

For storage, we go with a blazing-fast 4TB PCIe Gen 4 drive, along with a screaming 32GB of DDR5-7200 RGB RAM. To make this system really stand out, this case uses the stylish Lian Li O11D case, which provides an unmatched view into the interior. Keeping the CPU cool is Corsair’s highest-performing 360mm liquid cooler (with integrated LCD screen!), and powering this system is an ultra-modern 850W ATX 3.0 power supply. And to give this system a distinctive look, all the main internal components are white (GPU, PSU, cooler, fans).

Parting Thoughts

If you’re looking for new accessories to add to your $3,000 Gaming PC build, check out our Monitor Buyer’s Guide, our Peripherals Buyer’s Guide and our Speaker/Headset Buyer’s Guide for all the latest and greatest accessories, although we list our top recommendations for the $3,000 Gaming PC Build later in this guide.

Throughout this guide, we provide direct links to Amazon or Newegg, and the Amazon links will auto-convert for our readers in the UK, Canada, and parts of the EU, with regional substitutions made automatically when necessary. To help support the continued development of this guide, please use the links we provide if you purchase products we recommend.

The Pre-Built Option

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The Extreme Gaming PC –
Skytech Legacy 7800X3D/RTX 4080 Super
$3000

Grab this Skytech gaming PC at an insane price with all the bells and whistles! Equipped with a blazing-fast AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 8-core, 16-thread processor and a GeForce RTX 4080 Super 16GB, it’s ready to rock every game you toss at it, and priced hundreds of dollars below similar pre-built systems. Also on the component list is 32GB of DDR5 RAM, a 2TB solid-state drive, and a 1000W Gold-rated power supply!

The Guru’s Tip
This system will offer performance right on par with the system we spec out, and is ready on day one to game!

The DIY Build

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CPU –
Intel Core i9-13900KF
$389

The 13900KF, based on the cutting-edge Raptor Lake architecture, takes everything to the next level. It packs in 8 Hyperthreaded performance cores that can boost up to 5.8GHz, along with an incredible 16 efficiency cores, for a total of 32 threads. It’s a shockingly-fast gaming processor and an elite-level multi-tasking monster. Simply put, it’s what you want in a killer PC!

The Guru’s Tip
This CPU does not come with a cooler, so make sure to pick up the capable liquid cooler we recommend later in this guide!
Click to Buy

Motherboard –
MSI Pro Z790-A Max WiFi
$223

MSI’s “A” line is legendary for offering up tremendous performance for the price, and this Socket 1700 model based on the Z790 chipset is a perfect match for Intel’s latest CPUs. It features a massive 16+1+1 Phase VRM, four M.2 slots (all being Gen 4 x4), a PCIe Gen 5 video card slot, eight USB ports (one being Type-C), and integrated WiFi 7. Note that it conforms to the DDR5 RAM standard, providing the ultimate in performance for high-end Intel processors.

The Guru’s Tip
This board has silver accents, which will look great with the white components we spec.
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Video Card –
Zotac GeForce RTX 4080 Super 16GB White
$1070

The RTX 4080 Super builds upon the dominance of the RTX 4080, adding more cores and more memory bandwidth while staying in the same power envelope. That allows it to offer the most performance per Watt of any GPU ever made.

The Guru’s Tip
We now strongly recommend the 4080 Super over the slightly-cheaper Radeon RX 7900 XTX, due to superior Ray Tracing capabilities.
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Memory –
G.Skill 2x16GB Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-7200 CL34
$130

For the ultimate in speed, you must go with DDR5 RAM, but not just any DDR5 RAM, because you need high-frequency DDR5 to blow past DDR4 RAM performance. And that’s what you get with G.Skill’s Trident kit running at DDR5-7200 with timings of 34-45-45-115 at 1.40V. This is the real deal when it comes to DDR5 performance!

The Guru’s Tip
This RAM will make the most of the Intel platform.
Click to Buy

Solid-State Drive –
Samsung 990 Pro 4TB
$290

For serious storage, you don’t just want high-end, you want ultra-high-end, and that means going for the 990 Pro PCIe 4.0. It offers mind-blowing performance, up to 7,450MB/s read and 6,900MB/s, plus blistering random speeds that no other drive can touch. The 990 Pro will go down in history as the drive that truly maxed out the PCIe Gen 4 bus.

The Guru’s Tip
You don't need a drive this fast for gaming, but you won't regret having this much fast storage for your game collection!
Click to Buy

Case –
Lian Li PC-O11 Dynamic Evo
$185

Lian Li put itself back on the enthusiast map after years of relative anonymity when it launched the immensely-stylish 011 Dynamic, which offered glass panels arranged to provide an unparalleled view of the interior of the system. The 011 Dynamic Evo is a further refinement of the design, with a larger interior volume plus classy integrated RGB effects on the front panel. And with radiator and fan mounts on the bottom, top, rear, and sides, it’s also an airflow champ!

The Guru’s Tip
Keep in mind that this case doesn't have fans, so you'll want to get the ones below.
Click to Buy

Case Fan –
Corsair iCUE LINK QX120 3-Pack White
$158

Add a ton of airflow and style to your system with Corsair’s 3-pack of QX120 White fans! They have 34 RGB LEDs per fan, and use the awesome iCUE Link system to allow connecting the fans together with zero power or RGB cables, meaning a much more streamline appearance!

The Guru’s Tip
Mount these to the bottom of the chassis, blowing up.
Click to Buy

Power Supply –
SilverStone DA850R White
$118

Offering up 850W of power and top-notch build quality, this PSU is a great value among high-end models. Thanks to its fully-modular cables and compact 150mm length, it’s very easy to install, allowing you to minimize cable clutter by leaving out cables you don’t need for this build. It’s also forward-looking, with both traditional video card power cables and a 12V-2×6 connector (an improved version of the 12VHPWR connector), allowing you to directly connect to any current or future GPU. The best part: thanks to its Gold-rated efficiency and zero-fan mode, the power supply will operate in silence most of the time!

The Guru’s Tip
This PSU even has white cables, which while mostly hidden in this system, will complete the look! The only one visible will be the GPU cable.
Click to Buy

CPU Cooler –
Corsair iCUE Link H150i LCD CPU Cooler White
$285

Corsair’s iCUE Link H150i LCD offers more performance and features than any other 360mm cooler. Its big radiator is equipped with triple QX120 RGB fans, which offer tremendous static pressure, making them unbeatable on a radiator. But the standout part is that the pump has a built-in LCD display, allowing you to monitor just about anything in your PC using the Corsair iCUE software. Also adding to the aesthetic is that the fans use the iCUE Link system to eliminate fan cables, making for the sleekest installation possible!

The Guru’s Tip
This cooler should be mounted to the top of the chassis, blowing up and out.
Click to Buy

Operating System –
Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg
$139

Windows 11 built on everything people loved about Windows 10, and then took 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! Note that we’re linking to Newegg, because Amazon long ago stopped selling this physical USB version of Windows, which is the most convenient one to use.

The Guru’s Tip
This is absolutely the OS you want on your system to take full advantage of a modern gaming system!

Optional Products

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The Ultimate Gaming Keyboard –
Corsair K100 RGB Optical-Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
$250

Corsair reestablishes itself as the king of gaming keyboards with the K100, which builds upon the strengths of the K70 and K95, but adds even more tech! In addition to incredible build quality and lots of configuration options, it features optical-mechanical switches for the smoothest, fastest response.

The Guru’s Tip
You can set up the RGB on this keyboard to integrate with the lighting in your system!
Click to Buy

The Ultimate Wireless Gaming Mouse –
Logitech G502X Plus Lightspeed Wireless
$129

Logitech designed the G502X Lightspeed Wireless to be the ultimate technological tour de force in the gaming mouse industry. Featuring a mesmerizing 25K Hero sensor, hybrid optical-mechanical switches, RGB lighting, and the best wireless connectivity, it is impossible to beat. And you can even upgrade to ultra-elite status with the optional PowerPlay charging mat, which allows you to use it forever without stopping to charge thanks to the exclusive wireless charging capability!

The Guru’s Tip
The lighting on this mouse can be controlled via Logitech's GHub software.
Click to Buy

The Deluxe PC Headset –
SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless
$128

PRIME DAY DEAL – SAVE $25 TODAY! From humble beginnings as a mousemat manufacturer, SteelSeries has come to absolutely dominate the gaming headset industry. And that’s because it’s not rocket science, it’s audio science! SteelSeries took a careful look at what gamers needed and and then applied all the proven techniques to get them everything they wanted. That includes ultra-high-fidelity audio, 360-degree surround sound for immersive gaming, dual audio streams for simultaneous connection to a PC and a smartphone, multi-platform support, and amazing 38-hour battery life plus quick-charge over USB-C, providing a 6 hour boost in 15 minutes! It also has among the best microphones in business, providing clear audio for everyone you’re talking to!

The Guru’s Tip
The Arctis series truly has a lock on performance!
Click to Buy

The 32" 4K 144Hz Gamer's Dream Monitor –
LG 32GR93U
$522

LG makes the best LCD-based gaming monitors, bar none. Known for its high-end TVs, it didn’t take long for LG to dominate the gaming monitor market once it entered the field, and its Ultragear line is synonymous with quality. The 32GR93U may not have a catchy name, but it certainly has the goods! Get a load of these specs: a 32″ 3840 x 2160 4K IPS panel, 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms (GTG) response time, FreeSync Premium, 10-bit color, 95% DCI-P3, and VESA DisplayHDR 400. While other products may seem similar on paper, LG’s Ultragear line is always a cut above!

The Guru’s Tip
There's no better way to show off brutal gaming horsepower than with a big 4K monitor!