The Best $3000 Corsair RGB Gaming PC Build – July 2022
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, it sports the latest in addressable RGB lighting and case design! We didn’t just add “RGB” to the name of this build without making sure it delivered on the looks front. The case fans, cooler, RAM, and motherboard can all be color-coordinated to make your build more than just blingy… it will be a work of art!
This Month’s Build, Featuring Intel, Nvidia, and Corsair!
For July 2022, the $3,000 Gaming PC Build gets more upgrades, thanks to another round of price drops. It all starts with the fire-breathing Intel Core i9-12900KF CPU, a 16-core, 24-thread gaming monster. It’s backing up a seriously-fast GPU, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 12GB, which nearly matches the RTX 3090 for far less money.
The rest of the system relies heavily on Corsair’s market-leading suite of components, starting with the iCUE 5000X RGB case, which stands out like no other chassis on the market. For storage, we go with a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 drive, the fastest on the market, along with 32GB of Corsair DDR4-3600 Vengeance RGB RAM. Keeping the system cool and looking great is the Corsair H150i Elite LCD 360mm liquid cooler with built-in display. Finally, keeping this system powered up is the awesome Corsair RM850X Gold-rated power supply. Feel free to post your build questions in our YouTube review of the 5000X case.
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 Ultra-High-End Gaming PC –
CyberpowerPC GXiVR8080A30 12900KF/RTX 3080 Ti
$3140EXTREME DEAL! Not ready to build your own PC? No problem! This awesome system from CyberpowerPC is equipped with a liquid-cooled Intel Core i9-12900KF 16-core, 24-thread CPU and the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti 12GB GPU, along with 16GB of DDR4 RAM, a 500GB NVMe solid-state drive, plus a 2TB hard drive. Plus it comes with Windows 11 pre-installed to make the most of the Intel Alder Lake processor!If you're not ready to build your own, this system offers equivalent speed to our DIY PC for a great price!
The DIY Build
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CPU –
Intel Core i9-12900KF
$550 The Guru’s TipThis CPU does not come with a cooler, and it needs a serious one, so make sure to pick up the huge liquid cooler we recommend later in this guide!
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Motherboard –
ASUS TUF Gaming Z690-Plus WiFi D4
$272 The Guru’s TipMost importantly for this build, this board has the best ARGB controller and software in the industry, and it's fully compatible with Corsair gear too!
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Video Card –
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3080 Ti OC 12GB
$1090 The Guru’s TipThis GPU is now well under MSRP, making it a steal!
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Memory –
Corsair 4x8GB Vengeance RGB Pro DDR4-3600 C16
$180 The Guru’s TipWe have specifically selected an Intel-based motherboard that supports DDR4 memory, as newer DDR5 offers far less performance per dollar.
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Solid-State Drive –
WD_Black SN850 1TB NVMe
$140 The Guru’s TipWhile the awesome speed of this Gen 4 drive may be overkill in a gaming system, we figure you only want the best at this level of build!
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Case –
Corsair iCUE 5000X RGB
$190 The Guru’s TipCorsair's iCUE software, which is what this case is named for, allows extensive control over RGB gear, including Corsair coolers, fans, RAM and peripherals, and even Asus motherboards like the one we recommend! Speaking of that board, we made sure to spec one with a Type-C header, so you can use this case's top-mounted USB Type-C port. Details matter, and we've got you covered!
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Fan –
Corsair iCUE SP120 RGB Elite
$25 The Guru’s TipIn this build, you'll be mounting this fan in the rear of the chassis, where it will complement the three SP Elite front fans and the fans on the Corsair 360mm CPU cooler.
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Power Supply –
Corsair RM850x (2021)
$140 The Guru’s TipThis model is fully-compatible with the slick individually-sleeved cables listed in our optional products section below, which will give your system a truly custom look!
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CPU Cooler –
Corsair iCUE H150i Elite LCD CPU Cooler
$290 The Guru’s TipThis cooler includes the socket 1700 adapter required for the 12th-Gen Intel CPU we recommend.
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Operating System –
Windows 11 Home USB
$139 The Guru’s TipThis is absolutely the OS you want on your system to take full advantage of the Intel 12th-Gen CPU!
Optional Products
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Cable –
Corsair Individually Sleeved PSU Cables Pro Kit – White
$113 The Guru’s TipThe kit includes all the cables you'll need for this build and then some! Note that they sell out constantly and are completely optional, so you can always pick them up later on.
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The Mechanical Gaming Keyboard –
Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 Rapidfire
$136 The Guru’s TipThis board will look great paired up with an RGB rig!
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Mouse –
Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE
$80 The Guru’s TipSync the mouse's lighting using the Corsair iCUE software!
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The Deluxe PC Headset –
Corsair Virtuoso Wireless Headset
$180 The Guru’s TipThis is our daily driver and we love it!
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The 32" 4K 144Hz Gamer's Dream Monitor –
Gigabyte M32U
$730 The Guru’s TipThere's no better way to show off brutal gaming horsepower than with a big 4K monitor!
Total Cost: $3016
The Pre-Built Option
The DIY Build
- CPU – Intel Core i9-12900KF ($550)
- Motherboard – ASUS TUF Gaming Z690-Plus WiFi D4 ($272)
- Video Card – Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3080 Ti OC 12GB ($1090)
- Memory – Corsair 4x8GB Vengeance RGB Pro DDR4-3600 C16 ($180)
- Solid-State Drive – WD_Black SN850 1TB NVMe ($140)
- Case – Corsair iCUE 5000X RGB ($190)
- Fan – Corsair iCUE SP120 RGB Elite ($25)
- Power Supply – Corsair RM850x (2021) ($140)
- CPU Cooler – Corsair iCUE H150i Elite LCD CPU Cooler ($290)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home USB ($139)
Optional Products
- Cable – Corsair Individually Sleeved PSU Cables Pro Kit – White ($113)
- The Mechanical Gaming Keyboard – Corsair K70 RGB MK.2 Rapidfire ($136)
- Mouse – Corsair Dark Core RGB Pro SE ($80)
- The Deluxe PC Headset – Corsair Virtuoso Wireless Headset ($180)
- The 32" 4K 144Hz Gamer's Dream Monitor – Gigabyte M32U ($730)