The Tech Buyer's Guru

The Best $750 Budget Gaming PC Build – January 2023

The Best $750 Budget Gaming PC Build – January 2023

By Ari Altman | Published January 16, 2023 | Updated January 16, 2023

Cooler Master Q300LGame Hard on a Budget!

Looking to build a budget gaming PC that’s anything but “cheap?” Then our $750 Budget Gaming PC Build is the one for you! While it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles you’ll find in higher-priced systems like liquid cooling or fancy RGB lighting, for pure gaming purposes, this build offers the best bang for the buck you’ll find. That means fantastic performance in all of today’s latest games without breaking the bank!

This Month’s Build, Featuring Intel and AMD!

For January 2023, the $750 Budget Gaming PC Build continues to feature the only budget gaming CPU that matters, the Intel Core i3-12100F, a quad-core gaming processor that beats its predecessor the 10100F by 50%. It’s backing up the vaunted Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super 6GB, which has finally come back down in price, making it a great value again!

In terms of storage, the $750 Budget Gaming PC Build gets a 1TB solid-state drive, ensuring that the PC doesn’t feel budget at all – it’s going to launch your games in a flash, and more importantly store a bunch at the same time. This build also has a big advantage over other budget PCs on the ‘net, namely 16GB of DDR4-3200 RAM rather than 8GB of slower RAM. This definitely gives the system a boost in games, above and beyond what the speedy CPU and GPU do on their own. Finally, this build is wrapped up in a stylish, compact mATX case, and powered by a high-capacity power supply.

Parting Thoughts

If you’d like to accessorize the $750 Budget Gaming PC Build, browse our recommendations for budget-friendly PC accessories at the end of this guide, including our favorite bargain high-refresh rate monitor and a great budget gaming mouse. You can also feel free to jump over to our Monitor Buyer’s Guide and Peripherals Buyer’s Guide.

We update this build monthly, as prices and components in this market segment change frequently, and a few dollars here or there could buy you (or cost you) a lot of speed! Throughout this guide, we provide links to Amazon or Newegg. Our Amazon links will auto-convert for readers located in the Canada, the UK, and parts of the EU, with substitutions made automatically based on regional availability. Your use of these links is the only thing that keeps this site on the ‘net!

The Pre-Built Option

  • Skytech Chronos Mini
    Click to Buy
    The Budget Gaming PC –

    Skytech Chronos 10100F/GTX 1650

    $680
    This pre-built PC from Skytech is well-equipped, with an Intel Core i3-10100F quad-core, 8-thread processor, an Nvidia GTX 1650 4GB video card, a full 16GB of RAM (impressive!), and a 500GB solid-state drive. Also on the list is a powerful, efficient 600W Gold power supply, built-in wireless networking, and an array of RGB lighting.
    The Guru’s Tip

    This is a great pick if you'd just like to get into your games and skip the building process!

The DIY Build

  • Intel Core i3-12100F
    Click to Buy
    CPU –

    Intel Core i3-12100F

    $111
    While AMD ruled the budget sector for a while, Intel has come roaring back, and its Core i3-12100F is simply the best CPU ever released anywhere near its pricepoint, thanks to its 4 cores and 8 threads based on the cutting-edge Alder Lake architecture. Note that the “F” version does not include built-in graphics, which is just fine given that this system has a separate video card!
    The Guru’s Tip

    Make sure to pair this with a socket 1700 motherboard, like the one below!
  • MSI Pro H610M
    Click to Buy
    Motherboard –

    MSI PRO H610M-G DDR4

    $89
    This board is an amazingly low-cost way to step into Intel’s socket 1700 platform. It’s the perfect match for a budget build, offering up a PCIe x16 Gen 4 slot for graphics cards, a PCIe x1 Gen 3 slot, an M.2 slot, two RAM slots, and six USB ports.
    The Guru’s Tip

    While this board has video outputs, they will not be enabled when paired with the 12100F CPU.
  • Zotac GTX 1660 Super
    Click to Buy
    Video Card –

    Zotac GeForce GTX 1660 Super 6GB

    $240
    Offering high performance in a compact package, along with very low power use, the GTX 1660 Super 6GB set new standards for GPUs at its pricepoint. It’s significantly faster than the original 1660 due to a much more advanced memory subsystem.
    The Guru’s Tip

    It's been a long time since you could get this much value in the budget gaming market!
  • Viper Steel
    Click to Buy
    Memory –

    Patriot 2x8GB Viper Steel DDR4-3200

    $49
    Because games and other applications can take serious advantage of RAM speed on the latest CPUs, we’re spec’ing a fast DDR4-3200 kit for this build. The Viper Steel set looks awesome and comes in at a lower price than all of its competition!
    The Guru’s Tip

    The modern Intel platform used for this build will make great use of this high-speed RAM!
  • Click to Buy
    Solid-State Drive –

    Silicon Power 1TB NVMe

    $52
    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 this 1TB drive is around the same price as many 500GB-class drives, it's an easy choice!
  • Cooler Master Q300L
    Click to Buy
    Case –

    Cooler Master Q300L

    $70
    Offering loads of style and performance for the price, the Q300L is by far the best buy in its price class. It features a mesh front panel, a 120mm rear fan, and slick magnetic dust filters on both the top and front. For style, it has a transparent side panel, providing a great look inside the chassis.
    The Guru’s Tip

    This is a micro ATX (mATX) case, so make sure to follow our recommendation on the mATX motherboard to use with it!
  • Thermaltake 500W
    Click to Buy
    Power Supply –

    Thermaltake Smart 500W 80+

    $40
    With 500W 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 PSU simply has no competition in its price range!
  • 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 a while for Win11 to arrive at retail after its initial virtual launch, but now that it's here, you definitely want it on your new build!

Optional Products

  • Click to Buy
    Wireless Card –

    TP-Link Archer T5E AC1200/Bluetooth 4.2

    $30
    Need wireless networking? Look no further than this ultra-high-speed 802.11ac PCIe-based card!
    The Guru’s Tip

    We recommend you install this in the last slot on the motherboard, to allow the GPU room to get fresh air.
  • HyperX Cloud Stinger 2
    Click to Buy
    The Bargain Gaming Headset –

    HyperX Cloud Stinger 2

    $40
    HyperX absolutely revolutionized the budget gaming headset market with the original Cloud Stinger, and has taken it up a notch with the Stinger 2. It retains the original’s big 50mm drivers, but has an updated rotating cup design and swing-down mic for better comfort and control. It also adds DTS Headphone:X for virtual 7.1  surround sound, making it is an unbeatable value.
    The Guru’s Tip

    This headset is the perfect match for a budget gaming PC!
  • Click to Buy
    The Budget Gaming Keyboard –

    Logitech G213 Gaming Keyboard

    $40
    Pick up a great keyboard at a great price with the G213. It’s quick, quiet, and responsive, and it also has sweet RGB backlighting, of course!
    The Guru’s Tip

    There are a lot of knock-off keyboards on the market selling for around the same price - our advice: avoid them!
  • Click to Buy
    The Pro Gaming Mouse –

    Razer Basilisk X HyperSpeed Wireless

    $35
    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

    Given how inexpensive this wireless model is, there's no reason to go wired!
  • AOC G2490VX
    Click to Buy
    The 24-inch 144Hz Gaming Monitor –

    AOC G2490VX 24″ 144Hz

    $131
    If you want to pick up a true “gaming” monitor, you want something with a high refresh rate. Luckily for you, AOC has been busy breaking down price barriers for high-refresh-rate monitors. This model features a 24″ 1920×1080 VA panel capable of displaying images at up to 144Hz, which makes it infinitely smoother than a standard 60Hz monitor that costs just a bit less. And thanks to its FreeSync technology, it will run with zero lag or screen-tearing.
    The Guru’s Tip

    Given that this model is priced like standard locked 60Hz monitors, it's a true dream for budget gamers!

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