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The Best $750 Budget Gaming PC Build – June 2021

The Best $750 Budget Gaming PC Build – June 2021

By Ari Altman | Published May 27, 2021 | Updated June 10, 2021

Critical Update: if you actually want to start gaming on a new PC any time before September 2021, you have two options: try to grab one of the few pre-built PCs still for sale, or build up a PC using Intel’s onboard graphics. That’s because GPUs are sold out worldwide due to the latest cryptocurrency mining crisis. We present both options to you in this guide.

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, tons of RAM, 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!

For June 2021, the $750 Budget Gaming PC Build features the awesome Intel Core i3-10100, a budget-friendly Core i3 processor offering gaming performance that matches the big guys. That’s thanks to its four cores and 8 threads, which no previous desktop Core i3 has offered. It also has a much higher clock speed than competing AMD processors, which puts it ahead for games. Perhaps most importantly, it has built-in graphics, which allows you to get your system running while we all wait for GPUs to return to the retail market.

Once you can buy a new video card again, we suggest the GeForce GTX 1660 6GB, which has the perfect blend of speed and VRAM capacity. As for storage, the $750 Budget Gaming PC Build sports a 512GB solid-state drive. Most other “budget gaming PCs” you’ll find on the ‘Net still use hard drives, which is a sure sign that whoever’s suggesting them has no idea what they’re talking about! An SSD ensures that the $750 Budget Gaming PC Build doesn’t feel budget at all – it’s going to launch your games and everything else in a flash! Another important upgrade the $750 Budget Gaming PC Build has over others on the ‘net is 16GB of RAM – skimping by going with 8GB would cause your gaming PC to hit the page file in the latest games, leading to massive hitching. The $750 Budget Gaming PC Build is powered by a high-output power supply and wrapped up in a stylish, compact mATX case. Learn more about this build and post your questions in our YouTube buyer’s guide!

If you’d like to accessorize the $750 Budget Gaming PC Build, just check out our recommendations for budget-friendly PC peripherals at the end of this guide, including our favorite low-cost 144Hz monitor and a great budget gaming mouse.

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 and Newegg or B&H for US readers. 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

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    The Budget Gaming PC –

    Acer Nitro 50 10400F/GTX 1650

    $845
    START GAMING TODAY! Want to start gaming before this summer? Well, you’re going to have to buy a pre-built, because video cards have been sold out since January and will be out of stock until at least July. Luckily, Acer is still offering this budget-priced but well-equipped gaming PC, so get started gaming today! This system includes an Intel Core i5-10400F six-core, 12-thread processor, a GeForce GTX 1650 4GB video card, plus 8GB of RAM and a 512GB solid-state drive.
    The Guru’s Tip

    Given that no one has been able to buy a GPU of any kind for months, pre-built gaming PCs are flying off the shelves, most being listed for just a day before they sell out!

The DIY Build

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    CPU –

    Intel Core i3-10100

    $153
    While AMD has ruled the budget sector for a while, Intel has come roaring back, and its Core i3-10100 is simply unbeatable at the price, thanks to its 4 cores, 8 threads, and high clock speed. It doesn’t hurt that Intel’s CPUs are also in stock, while AMD has fallen prey to constant stocking problems. What a turn of events!
    The Guru’s Tip

    Note that this CPU comes with a cooler in the box, and you'll be using it in this build. It also has built-in graphics, which will hold you over until you can actually buy a graphics card! Note that it has been selling out quickly, so we're switching vendors regularly. Make sure not to accidentally buy a Core i3-10100F, which has no built-in graphics!
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    Motherboard –

    Gigabyte B460M DS3H v2

    $95
    This board is the perfect choice for a low-cost build. With four PCIe slots, five USB ports, four RAM slots, and six SATA ports, it gives the system room to grow. Plus it has a PCIe M.2 slot, which you’ll be taking advantage of with this build’s SSD! Another awesome feature of this board is the built-in DVI, VGA, and HDMI ports, which will allow you to use the built-in graphics on the Intel chip we recommend.
    The Guru’s Tip

    Make sure not to accidentally buy any of the following boards: B360 (that's old Intel, not compatible!), B450 (that's AMD!), or B550 (that's AMD too!). B560 boards can work (they are the newest Intel standard), but are typically much more expensive.
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    Video Card –

    Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 OC 6G

    $210
    The GTX 1660 6GB is the GPU you want in this system… it’s powerful, efficient, and a great value at its MSRP. But you won’t actually find it in stock. GPUs of all types have been sold out since January 2021.
    The Guru’s Tip

    GPUs have sold out worldwide due to production shortages and renewed interest in cryptocurrency mining. That's why we seriously suggest you go with the pre-built system listed earlier in this guide! As an alternative, you can use the built-in graphics on the Intel CPU in this build to hold you over until GPUs are available again, which we believe will be at the end of Summer 2021 based on current market conditions.
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    Memory –

    Oloy 2x8GB DDR4 2666 Grey

    $75
    This cost-effective 16GB RAM kit will give you plenty of capacity to use your PC to its fullest! While 8GB is passable, there’s a good chance that modern apps will use the entire amount, leaving nothing for your OS and slowing the system down to a crawl.
    The Guru’s Tip

    The fastest RAM speed supported by the Core i3-10100 chip is 2666, so that's what we go with here. 
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    Solid-State Drive –

    WD Blue SN550 500GB NVMe

    $55

    Experience blazing-fast drive performance at a bargain price with WD’s Blue SN550 500GB solid-state drive. Utilizing the PCIe-interface and the NVMe protocol, it can achieve sequential speeds of up to 2,400MB/s, making it nearly five times faster than any SATA-based SSD, and orders of magnitude faster than a hard drive! To install this drive, affix it in the motherboard’s M.2 slot using a jeweler’s-type screwdriver.

     The Guru’s Tip

    Yes, you trade a little capacity going with an SSD, but consider that this drive is about 10x faster than any hard drive, and you'll understand that the tradeoff is worth it. So load up Windows and a bunch of your favorite games, and prepare to be blown away!
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    Case –

    Thermaltake Versa H18 Tempered Glass

    $55
    The H18 offers plenty of features plus a sleek style at a bargain price. With extensive venting, a 120mm exhaust fan, and a glass side panel, you get performance and looks, plus a whole lot more convenience than typical budget PCs!
    The Guru’s Tip

    This is a micro ATX case, which means it requires a micro ATX motherboard like the one listed earlier in this guide.
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    Power Supply –

    Gigabyte GP-P450B

    $40
    This model is an awesome pick for the Budget Gaming PC Build. With 450W of power and dual PCIe power cables, it can easily handle this system, and will even power up any high-end GPU upgrade you want to add down the line!
    The Guru’s Tip

    Don't go for a no-name power supply. It can cost you more than just your PSU!
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    Operating System –

    Windows 10 Home USB Flash Drive

    $130
    Windows 10 was a big step up from Windows 8.1, and Microsoft continues to support Windows 10 users not only with regular security updates, but with major content releases every six months. And the USB version installs in under 5 minutes, meaning you can get right into using your system!
    The Guru’s Tip

    Windows 10 on USB sells out often. If you prefer, you can go for the downloadable version and save some money, as long as you have an 8GB+ USB drive laying around.

Optional Products

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    Wireless Card –

    TP-Link Archer T5E AC1200/Bluetooth 4.2

    $35
    Need wireless networking? Look no further than this ultra-high-speed 802.11ac PCIe-based card!
    The Guru’s Tip

    This even has built-in Bluetooth, perfect for use with Bluetooth accessories
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    Hard Drive –

    Seagate BarraCuda 2TB

    $55
    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

    Remember, you do not want to use this for your OS installation, which should be on an SSD. A hard drive should only be used as secondary storage capacity.
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    The Budget Gaming Keyboard –

    Logitech G213 Gaming Keyboard

    $47
    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!
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    The Mid-Range Gaming Mouse –

    Logitech G502 Hero

    $47
    Get a jump on your competition with this awesome gaming mouse from Logitech, which features a next-gen 16,000dpi sensor and a classic ergonomic shape!
    The Guru’s Tip

    This has been the world's top-selling mouse since 2014!
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    The 24-inch 144Hz Gaming Monitor –

    Acer XFA240

    $200
    If you want to pick up a true “gaming” monitor, you want something with a high refresh rate. And this is the very best value out there in high-refresh-rate monitors. It features a 24″ 1920×1080 IPS 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

    Another nice feature of this model is the height-adjustable stand, which allows you to dial in just the right setup!
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    The Mainstream Gaming Headset –

    Corsair HS35 Stereo

    $35
    Assuming you actually want to hear the bullets whizzing by you in your games, you’re going to need a great audio source, and there’s no better budget gaming headset on the market than the HS35 from Corsair! With 50mm drivers and a comfortable fit, it’s the real deal, where all the other headsets in its price range are just pretending.
    The Guru’s Tip

    This headset weighs just 250g, making it virtually disappear once you put it on!