The Tech Buyer's Guru

The Best $3500 Ultimate Gaming PC Build – April 2025

The Best $3500 Ultimate Gaming PC Build – April 2025

By Ari Altman | Published April 7, 2025 | Updated April 7, 2025

Jump Into Ultra-High-End Gaming Today!

If you’re looking for the ultimate $3,500 Gaming PC Build, truly the best of the best, then this is the build for you! Sure, you could spend more, but in most games you won’t see better performance than what this PC Build can provide. It’s a showcase of the very best tech available in PC gaming today. And while the $3,500 Gaming PC Build isn’t exactly a bargain, it’s custom-tailored to deliver flat-out extreme gaming performance!

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

For April 2025, the Ultimate $3,500 Gaming PC Build offers incredible performance, anchored by AMD’s mind-blowing Ryzen 7 9800X3D, the world’s fastest gaming processor. It will have no trouble allowing you to get maximum frames out of the powerful new Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 16GB GPU!

Of course, the rest of the system is up to the task of keeping this system fed with data, including an incredible 64GB of DDR5-6000 CL28 RAM and a fast 4TB Gen 4 solid-state drive to store your game collection! Completing the $3,500 Build is an ultra-high-airflow case from be quiet!, a powerful 360mm liquid cooler, and a massive 850W Gold-rated power supply!

Parting Thoughts

Note that we list a number of “Optional Components” at the end of this guide that highlight the accessories we think best match a system of this caliber, including our favorite keyboard, mouse, and monitor picks. To browse even more options, check out our Monitor Buyer’s Guide, Peripherals Buyer’s Guide and Speaker/ Headset Buyer’s Guide, which provide our picks for the best accessories at every pricepoint.

Throughout this guide, we provide direct links to Amazon or Newegg, and our Amazon links will auto-convert for readers in the UK, Canada, and parts of the EU, with automatic substitutions being made where 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

  • Legacy
    Click to Buy
    The Extreme Gaming PC –

    Skytech Legacy 9800X3D/RTX 5080

    $3450
    Want mind-blowing performance without having to build your own PC? Then go for this incredible pre-built from Skytech. Equipped with the fastest gaming CPU on the planet, AMD’s Ryzen 7 9800 X3D 8-Core, 16-thread processor, along with the mighty Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 16GB GPU, you simply can’t do better for the money. This system also features 32GB of DDR5-6000 RAM, and a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 solid-state drive, a stylish high-airflow case, and a 1000W power supply. In other words, it’s locked, loaded, and ready to rock the latest games!

    The Guru’s Tip

    This system is a screaming deal, given that just the GPU on its own sells for well over half the price of this entire PC!

The DIY Build

  • 9800X3D
    Click to Buy
    CPU –

    AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D

    $479
    AMD’s 7800 X3D was impressive enough, easily beating every other CPU ever released in gaming. And despite it still holding the crown after the release of many other CPUs, AMD went and did it again, giving gamers the 9800X3D with enhanced 3D cache technology, redesigned to allow higher clockspeeds and manual overclocking. This CPU is the ultimate gaming processor, regardless of price.

    The Guru’s Tip

    This CPU is so far ahead of everything else that we're likely to see above-MSRP prices for quite some time.
  • Asus X870E-E
    Click to Buy
    Motherboard –

    Asus ROG Strix X870E-E

    $500
    This X870E board from Asus allows you to tap into the full potential of AMD’s cutting-edge AM5 platform. You get a potent 18+2+2 power design with 110A Smart Power Stage , a PCIe Gen 5 video card slot plus an additional PCIe slot, five M.2 slots (three being Gen 5, two being Gen 4), and built-in WiFi 7. On the back you have 13 USB ports, including two cutting-edge USB 4 (40Gbps) ports. It also has great aesthetics, making this an all-around premium choice!

    The Guru’s Tip

    This new board will have the necessary firmware to support the 9800X3D, so no flashing should be required.
  • RTX 5080
    Click to Buy
    Video Card –

    MSI GeForce RTX 5080 16GB Gaming Trio OC

    $1400
    The RTX 5080 is the ultimate GPU ever sold for under $1500. It has advanced Ray Tracing and DLSS technology, and this model from MSI has a powerful triple-fan cooler and a factory overclock, along with sweet styling!

    The Guru’s Tip

    Be forewarned, finding this GPU in stock anywhere near MSRP is going to be about as likely as winning the lottery! If you want to game today, consider going with the pre-built PC option listed earlier in this guide.
  • G.Skill Trident Z5
    Click to Buy
    Memory –

    G.Skill 2x32GB Trident Z5 Neo RGB DDR5-6000 CL28 EXPO

    $230
    To get the most out of AMD’s latest CPUs, you want fast RAM, and DDR5-6000 is the sweetspot not only in terms of price, but in terms of making the most of the AM5 platform. It allows for the highest overall performance thanks to running in 1:1 sync with the memory controller. And this 64GB Trident Z5 Neo kit from G.Skill is specially designed for AM5, thanks to the extraordinary 28-36-36-96 AMD EXPO timings. It offers tremendous capacity and speed in a single package!

    The Guru’s Tip

    This kit offers speed, capacity, and style perfect for the $3500 build!
  • Samsung 990 Pro 4TB
    Click to Buy
    Solid-State Drive –

    Samsung 990 Pro 4TB

    $300
    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

    As much as you may be tempted to splurge on a Gen 5 drive, you get a lot more capacity per dollar with this stellar Gen 4 drive, and here's the honest truth - for gaming, you won't see a difference.
  • Ceres 500
    Click to Buy
    Case –

    Thermaltake Ceres 500 @Newegg

    $157
    This case is designed one goal – maximum performance out of the box! To get you there, it features tons of mesh, plus four 140mm case fans (3 in front, one in the rear). This is the optimal setup for extreme cooling in a PC case.

    The Guru’s Tip

    The ARGB fans in this case can be controlled via the motherboard.
  • DA850R
    Click to Buy
    Power Supply –

    SilverStone DA850R White

    $139
    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

    Given the massive firepower of this system, we've given it an equally-massive PSU. The PC will draw about 500W at load, meaning you'll make good use of this unit's capacity!
  • IceMyst 360
    Click to Buy
    CPU Cooler –

    SilverStone IceMyst 360

    $170
    There has been tremendous innovation in the AIO liquid cooler market over the past few years, and the IceMyst 360 is the perfect example of this. Not only does its advanced pump, radiator, and fan design provide a tremendous leap over previous-generation coolers on a noise-normalized basis (which is what counts!), you also have the option of adding up to three 70mm accessory fans to the pump to cool RAM, VRMs, or SSDs. This is a truly unique feature that sets the IceMyst apart and makes it the clear choice among 360mm AIOs!

    The Guru’s Tip

    You should mount this radiator to the top of the chassis as an exhaust, which means you'll also want to move the pre-installed top case fan to the front of the case.
  • Microsoft Windows 11
    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 cutting-edge gaming rig!

Optional Products

  • Alienware OLED
    Click to Buy
    The 34" Ultra-wide OLED –

    Alienware AW3423DWF

    $781
    Welcome to next-gen gaming, here today! The AW3423DW features an incredible 34″ ultra-wide QD-OLED panel, able to hit 175Hz while also offering the most colorful images ever seen on the desktop. At this point, if you want an ultra-high-end monitor, you’ve got to go OLED!

    The Guru’s Tip

    This monitor will allow you to truly take advantage of all the power your new PC can deliver!
  • Corsair K70 RGB
    Click to Buy
    The Mechanical Gaming Keyboard –

    Corsair K70 RGB Pro MX Red

    $150
    The Corsair K70 set the standard for mechanical gaming keyboards and is still the benchmark by which all others are judged. With its solid aluminum construction and detachable wrist rest, it’s a truly premium option. It features Cherry’s classic MX Red switches, PBT Doubleshot keys for durability, a magnetic soft-touch palm rest, and 8,000Hz hyper-polling for amazing responsiveness. And yes, it also is fully blinged out with RGB!

    The Guru’s Tip

    Corsair has owned the high-end gaming keyboard market for years, and yet it continues to innovate, keeping a step ahead of the competition!
  • Razer Deathadder V3
    Click to Buy
    The Ultralight Gaming Mouse –

    Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro Wireless

    $110
    Sometimes a product is so far ahead of the competition comes along that it resets the entire industry. So it is with the DeathAdder V3. Featuring the same ergonomic grip as the original from years ago that set the gaming world on fire, this is nonetheless leagues ahead of that classic. Weighing in at a scant 63g, while offering up a 30K DPI sensor, optical switches, wireless operation, and an incredible 90 hours of battery life, this is as cutting-edge as it gets. To have all of this in a mouse that weighs half as much as the best wireless mice from a few generations ago shows you just how far the bar has been raised!

    The Guru’s Tip

    This mouse is all business - if you want tons of RGB, you'll need to look elsewhere, but you won't get the same performance!
  • SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7
    Click to Buy
    The Deluxe PC Headset –

    SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless

    $160
    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

    No headset can touch this in terms of value in the premium market!