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The Best $500 Home Office PC Build – June 2023

The Best $500 Home Office PC Build – June 2023

By Ari Altman | Published June 2, 2023 | Updated June 2, 2023

Thermaltake H17Maximum Office Productivity for the Minimum Price!

Looking to build the best possible home office PC for around $500? No problem! This guide lists all the parts you’ll need to put together a balanced computer that has the power to handle any office task. And luckily, while low-cost video cards are nearly extinct, this office PC’s built-in video means you can get your system up and running without wasting a dime!

This Month’s Build, Powered by AMD

For June 2023, the $500 Home Office PC Build gets a big upgrade to AMD’s budget-friendly Ryzen 5 5600G six-core, 12-thread processor. It offers tremendous value versus Intel’s similarly-priced CPUs, because Intel doesn’t offer six-cores with built-in graphics at anywhere near this pricepoint. We’ve been able to move from the older 4600G thanks to price cuts on nearly every component in this build!

Speaking of those other components, you’re getting top-shelf gear. This includes 16GB of RAM and a 512GB PCIe-based solid-state drive, which is lightyears ahead of the hard drives you’ll find in most off-the-shelf office PCs. The $500 Home Office PC Build is housed in a compact micro-ATX case and powered by a 430W power supply.

Perhaps the best thing about this build is that it offers plenty of opportunity for upgrades down the line thanks to the roomy interior, industry-standard components, and capable power supply. We’ve listed some of our top recommendations for upgrades, including a hard drive and gaming-grade video card, later in this guide!

The DIY vs. Pre-Built Question

In addition to the DIY PC build we profile in this guide, you may wish to consider the pre-built PC we list as an alternative, even if you are committed to building your own PC. Why? Well, the answer is simple: OEMs get great pricing on components and Windows software, translating to excellent overall value for the home or small office PC user, especially if you don’t have extra time to spare to build a PC.

Parting Thoughts

Need to accessorize your new Home Office PC? Just scroll down to the end of this guide for our top picks, or check out our dedicated Monitor Buyer’s Guide, Speaker/Headset Buyer’s Guide, and Wireless Networking Buyer’s Guide!

Note that this guide provides direct links to Amazon or Newegg in the US, and our Amazon links will auto-convert for readers in the UK, Canada, and the EU. with automated substitutions where required. If you decide to purchase any of the products we list, please use the links provided, which helps support continued development of these guides.

The Pre-Built Option

  • MSI DP21
    Click to Buy
    The Budget Home Office PC –

    MSI PRO DP21 12100

    $350
    Wow, just wow! Thanks to great specs at an amazing price, this desktop from MSI will no doubt be a PC you can use for years to come. It’s equipped with the Intel Core i3-12100 quad-core, 8-thread CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 250GB SSD, and WiFi 6 networking. Plus, it has Microsoft Windows 11 pre-installed. The one very inexpensive but significant upgrade we would suggest is to add a second 8GB SO-DIMM memory module to boost not only capacity but speed as well.

    The Guru’s Tip

    With this pre-built PC, you are truly ready to go right out of the box, as both a mouse and keyboard are included. All you need is a monitor, which you can find in our optional products section later in this guide.

The DIY Option

  • AMD Ryzen 5 5600G
    Click to Buy
    CPU –

    AMD Ryzen 5 5600G w/ Vega Graphics

    $122
    AMD’s Ryzen 5 5600G combines the best of all worlds, with its speedy 6-core/12-thread CPU powered by AMD’s Zen 3 architecture, along with the incredibly-fast integrated graphics powered by AMD’s Vega design.  It’s the ideal one-stop-shop if you want great CPU performance and don’t want or need a separate video card!

    The Guru’s Tip

    This CPU comes with a capable cooler in the box.
  • Gigabyte B550M-DS3H
    Click to Buy
    Motherboard –

    Gigabyte B550M DS3H AC

    $110
    This micro-ATX motherboard offers a lot in a compact package. There expansion slots, dual M.2 slots, eight USB ports, four RAM slots, and built-in 802.11ac wireless networking.

    The Guru’s Tip

    The motherboard's video HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 ports can both run 4K monitors, meaning you can hook up two huge monitors simultaneously!
  • TeamGroup VulcanZ
    Click to Buy
    Memory –

    Teamgroup 2x8GB Vulcan Z DDR4-3200

    $34
    You can now squeeze a whole lot of performance and capacity into your system by going with this budget-priced 16GB DDR4-3200 kit. It will help you make the most of your snazzy new system!

    The Guru’s Tip

    The speed of this kit will accelerate not just the CPU, but the built-in GPU as well.
  • Click to Buy
    Solid-State Drive –

    Silicon Power 512GB NVMe

    $24
    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

    Given that most 250GB drives cost the same or more than this one, it's an easy choice!
  • Thermaltake H17
    Click to Buy
    Case –

    Thermaltake H17

    $45
    The H17 offers plenty of features plus a sleek style at a bargain price. With venting in front and on top and a 120mm exhaust fan, you get performance and looks, plus the three USB ports up front provide more convenience than typical budget cases!

    The Guru’s Tip

    Low-cost cases sell out quickly as manufacturers prefer to focus on higher-priced models. So grab this if you can!
  • Thermaltake 430W
    Click to Buy
    Power Supply –

    Thermaltake Smart 430W 80+

    $33
    With 430W of power on tap, 80% efficiency at load, and a 5-year warranty, this power supply offers exceptional value and plenty of headroom for this system!

    The Guru’s Tip

    This is an exceptional deal coming from a major, trusted manufacturer!
  • Microsoft Windows 11
    Click to Buy
    Operating System –

    Windows 11 Home (USB)

    $136
    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! This version ships on a convenient USB stick, allowing it to be easily installed by just plugging it in.

    The Guru’s Tip

    Windows 11 is the OS you want on your new system!

Optional Products

  • PowerColor RX6600
    Click to Buy
    Video Card –

    PowerColor Radeon RX 6500 XT Fighter 4G

    $170
    This powerful and efficient GPU offers 4GB of fast GDDR6 VRAM and an effective cooler to keep noise and temps down, making it perfect regardless of how much you push it!

    The Guru’s Tip

    Equip your office system to game with this compact yet powerful graphics card - it will fit perfectly in this system!
  • Click to Buy
    Hard Drive –

    Seagate BarraCuda 2TB

    $50
    If you need extra space for bulk storage of media like photos, videos, and music, add this bargain-priced 2TB hard drive to your build. Coming in at just $10 more than most 1TB drives, it’s a tremendous bargain.

    The Guru’s Tip

    Using an SSD for the operating system and main applications, along with a hard drive for data, provides an incredibly-responsive user experience along with plenty of storage capacity.
  • Click to Buy
    The Basic Wireless Keyboard/Mouse Combo –

    Logitech MK270 Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo

    $23
    While you may have an old keyboard and mouse sitting in your desk, treat yourself to a new wireless setup from Logitech, the MK270!

    The Guru’s Tip

    This combo uses a single tiny USB receiver to connect both peripherals!
  • Click to Buy
    The 24-inch Small Office Monitor –

    Sceptre E248W-19203R

    $109
    This monitor offers a 24″ 1920 x 1080 panel, a 75Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling, a slim bezel for sleek looks, as well as dual HDMI inputs and a VGA input. It even has built-in speakers!

    The Guru’s Tip

    To use the built-in speakers, connect the monitor to your PC with an HDMI cable - it will carry both video and audio!
  • Click to Buy
    The Basic PC Speakers –

    Creative Pebble 2.0

    $19
    Because desktop PCs, unlike laptops, don’t have internal speakers, we recommend you pick up Creative’s Pebble kit. Whether it’s music, You Tube videos, TV, or movies, Pebble will sound great.

    The Guru’s Tip

    To connect these, you'll use a 3.5mm cable for audio and USB for power, both to your PC. No connection to the wall required!
  • Click to Buy
    Webcam –

    Logitech C920x Pro HD Webcam

    $70
    Need to use your PC for video conferencing? No problem! Just add this high-quality 1080p webcam from Logitech, which includes a built-in microphone. Just remember that if your monitor doesn’t have built-in speakers, you’ll also need stand-alone speakers for web conferencing to work. We’re amazed at the number of people who use headphones for video conferencing when it’s so much more professional to use gear attached to your PC, rather than your head!

    The Guru’s Tip

    We advise you not to buy any Logitech webcams from third-party sellers. They are likely to be used or counterfeit.

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