The TBG DIY PC Build Guides
Introduction to the TBG PC Build Guides
Welcome to TBG’s DIY PC Build Guides! This is where you’ll find all the best PC builds on the ‘net, from ultra-compact home office PCs to screaming-fast gaming towers. In total, we offer 18 distinct DIY PC Build guides, constantly updated with the latest and greatest components.
The February 2025 Updates
A lot’s been happening in the PC world as of late, but it’s been a little puzzling, to say the least. In late 2024, we saw AMD and Intel launch their biggest new CPU lineups in years, and they had something strangely in common – neither could clearly pull away from their predecessors. Then in January 2025, Nvidia launched its first new lineup of GPUs since 2022, and they advanced the ball just enough to be considered a new generation of products. So what’s an enthusiast to do? Find the best deals available on the best products you can buy right now, which is what you’ll find in our guides! And here’s some inside knowledge that you won’t find elsewhere – with the current GPU shortage, in many cases the best way to score the best gear is with a pre-built PC, because OEMs have been given first dibs on many of the most in-demand GPUs, so we list great pre-built alternatives in many of our DIY guides.
But we know some of you want the details on gear we recommend, so let’s dive in on where the market sits today…
When it comes to CPUs, it’s easy. We’re going all in on AMD, because while its 9000 series didn’t blow away critics, the subsequent launch of the shockingly underwhelming Intel 200 series made AMD look really, really good. Intel’s chips offered performance regressions in gaming, and overall seemed like a stopgap measure until Intel can figure out what its next best thing actually is. And interestingly, this also leaves AMD’s older 7000 series looking very good, along with a handful of Intel’s last-gen CPUs, given the big discounts on them. Overall, it’s a mix of old and new, and at the very top for content creators is the Ryzen 9 9950X, while at the very top for gamers is no doubt the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, which is simply in another league versus Intel’s offerings.
On the GPU side, things are even more complicated. To clear the decks for its new releases, Nvidia stopped producing all high-end 4000-series GPUs months ago. But oddly, it did not appear to ramp production up its 5000 series in any meaningful way, perhaps because it’s really more of an AI company now, and using its precious, limited production capacity for AI chips nets it much bigger margins. That’s just reality. So for this month, we’re actually going to be turning mostly to AMD for its remaining stock of RX 7000 series GPUs. AMD has announced that its new 9000 series (notably skipping 8000) will launch in March in the $500 price range and should offer honest value, but nothing to challenge Nvidia at the top (and perhaps won’t even match AMD’s top current-gen chips).
Now, if you want to know what Nvidia has on offer that you can’t buy right now, it’s as follows: the halo RTX 5090 32GB beats the 4090 24GB by about 30%, but for quite a bit more money: $2000 (but honestly, that’s just a “launch” version; most models will go for $2400 and up). Oh how we wish the 4090 were still around at its $1600 MSRP, what a deal it would be! Then we have the RTX 5080 16GB that launched at “$1000”, but with most models coming in at $1200 and above, we see what Nvidia is doing here. It’s a stealth price increase. With just 10% higher performance than the outgoing 4080 Super at $1000, this is potentially a decrease in performance per dollar, but again, the 4080 Super is as extinct as the 4090 – Nvidia made sure of it. Going on down the line, launching in February (in no doubt very small numbers) is the 5070 Ti 16GB at $750, perhaps matching the original 4080, and the 5070 at $550, offering a slight uplift over the 4070 Super. As we mentioned, AMD also has some new GPUs coming in March (the 9070 and 9070 XT), and they will likely compete with the 5070 and 5070 Ti, respectively, for about $50-$100 less, playing the spoiler in terms of value to Nvidia’s better overall software package. That means they’ll both have a place depending on the budget you’re working with. As soon as these GPUs are actually available to buy for more than a few minutes at a time, we’ll be sure to pick the best models to incorporate into our guides!
Using the TBG PC Build Guides
Whether it’s your first, tenth, or hundredth time building a PC, these guides will set you up with the best components you can buy. To find the right PC for you, feel free to browse all of the options below, or alternatively choose specific criteria from our filter browser below, which will display just the builds that meet your needs. You can then click on the “View Specs” button to see a quick view of prices, parts, and dimensions, or click the “View Guide” button to jump straight to the full Build Guide for that build. Happy hunting, and good luck with whichever build you choose!
Our DIY PC Build Guides are updated monthly, and sometimes daily, to ensure you get the most up-to-date info. If you appreciate the work we do on these, don’t forget to use our Amazon and Newegg links to support continued publication of these guides.
We’d like to express special thanks to SilverStone Technology Co., which sponsors the TBG PC Build Guides. Founded in 2003, SilverStone has made major contributions to PC case design, small form factor PC development, and power supply innovation!
![UM790 UM790](https://techbuyersguru.com/wp-content/uploads/MinisForumUM790Pro-MED400Tall.jpg)
The Best $500 Ultra-Compact NUC PC Build – February 2025
The Pre-Built Option
Optional Products
- Solid-State Drive – TeamGroup MP44L 2TB PCIe 4.0 ($102)
- Monitor – Asus BE24ECSBT 24″ Touchscreen Monitor ($301)
- The Basic Wireless Keyboard/Mouse Combo – Logitech MK270 Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo ($24)
- The Budget Wireless PC Headset – SteelSeries Nova 5 Wireless ($110)
- Webcam – Logitech C920x Pro HD Webcam ($70)
![Cooler Master Q300L Cooler Master Q300L](https://techbuyersguru.com/wp-content/uploads/CoolerMasterQ300LPromoMED400.jpg)
The Best $500 Home Office PC Build – January 2025
The Pre-Built Option
The DIY Option
- CPU – Intel Core i5-12400 ($146)
- Motherboard – MSI PRO H610M-G WiFi DDR4 ($90)
- Memory – Silicon Power 2x8GB DDR4-3200 ($26)
- Solid-State Drive – Silicon Power 512GB NVMe ($31)
- Case – Cooler Master Q300L ($37)
- Power Supply – Thermaltake Smart 500W 80+ ($40)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg ($139)
Optional Products
- Video Card – PowerColor Radeon RX 6600 Fighter 8GB ($200)
- The Basic Wireless Keyboard/Mouse Combo – Logitech MK270 Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo ($24)
- The 24-inch Small Office Monitor – Sceptre E248W-19203R ($94)
- The Basic PC Speakers – Creative Pebble 2.0 ($18)
- Webcam – Logitech C920x Pro HD Webcam ($70)
![Thermaltake H18 Thermaltake H18](https://techbuyersguru.com/wp-content/uploads/ThermaltakeH18PromoMEDSquooshed.jpg)
The Best $750 Budget Gaming PC Build – January 2025
The Pre-Built Option
The DIY Build
- CPU – Intel Core i5-12400F ($111)
- Motherboard – MSI PRO H610M-G DDR4 ($90)
- Video Card – XFX Radeon RX 7600 SWFT210 8GB ($260)
- Memory – Silicon Power 2x8GB DDR4-3200 ($26)
- Solid-State Drive – Silicon Power 1TB NVMe Gen 3 ($49)
- Case – Thermaltake Versa H18 Tempered Glass ($50)
- Power Supply – Thermaltake Smart 500W 80+ ($40)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg ($139)
Optional Products
![SilverStone GD09](https://techbuyersguru.com/wp-content/uploads/SilverStoneGD09FinalMEDSquooshed-wpcf_330x400-pad-16777215.jpg)
The Best $1,000 High-End Home Theater PC Build – January 2025
Required Components
- CPU – Intel Core i7-13700K ($316)
- Motherboard – Gigabyte B760 AORUS Elite AX ($180)
- Memory – Silicon Power 2x16GB DDR5-6400 CL32 ($88)
- Solid-State Drive – TeamGroup MP44L 1TB PCIe 4.0 ($55)
- Case – SilverStone GD09-C ($115)
- Power Supply – SilverStone ET550-HG ($71)
- Low-Profile CPU Cooler – Thermalright AXP120-X67 ($36)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg ($139)
![SilverStone PS15 RGB SilverStone PS15 RGB](https://techbuyersguru.com/wp-content/uploads/SilverStonePS15RGB-MED400.jpg)
The Best $1000 Mid-Range Gaming PC Build – February 2025
The Pre-Built Option
The DIY Option
- CPU – Intel Core i5-12600KF ($144)
- Motherboard – MSI PRO H610M-G WiFi DDR4 ($90)
- Video Card – XFX Radeon RX 7700XT 12GB ($400)
- Memory – Silicon Power 2x8GB DDR4-3200 ($26)
- Solid-State Drive – TeamGroup MP44L 1TB PCIe 4.0 ($55)
- Case – SilverStone PS15 Pro ($75)
- Power Supply – SilverStone ET550-B ($61)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg ($139)
![Silverstone SG13 Silverstone SG13](https://techbuyersguru.com/wp-content/uploads/SilverstoneSG13-MEDTall-wpcf_330x400-pad-16777215.jpg)
The Best $1000 eSports Mini-ITX Gaming PC Build – February 2025
The DIY Build
- CPU – AMD Ryzen 5 7600 ($185)
- Motherboard – Gigabyte A620I AX ($150)
- Video Card – PowerColor Radeon RX 6600 Fighter 8GB ($200)
- Memory – Crucial 2x8GB DDR5-5600 C46 ($58)
- Solid-State Drive – TeamGroup MP44L 1TB PCIe 4.0 ($55)
- Case – SilverStone SG13 ($67)
- Power Supply – SilverStone SX500-G ($140)
- Adapter – SilverStone PP08 ($13)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg ($139)
![SilverStone Fara H1M SilverStone Fara H1M](https://techbuyersguru.com/wp-content/uploads/SilverStoneH1M-MED400.jpg)
The Best $1,000 Stock Trading/Content Creation PC Build – February 2025
Required Components
- CPU – AMD Ryzen 9 9900X ($410)
- Motherboard – Gigabyte B650M Gaming Plus WiFi ($140)
- Solid-State Drive – TeamGroup MP44 1TB PCIe 4.0 ($66)
- Memory – TEAMGROUP 2x16GB T-Create Expert DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO ($89)
- Case – SilverStone Fara H1M ($70)
- Power Supply – SilverStone ET550-HG ($71)
- CPU Cooler – Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120SE ($36)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg ($139)
Optional Products
- The 34-inch Widescreen Monitor – Philips 346E2CUAE ($300)
- The Ultimate Business Keyboard – Logitech MX Keys S Wireless Illuminated Keyboard ($110)
- The Deluxe Wireless Mouse – Logitech MX Master 3S ($90)
- The Deluxe PC Speakers – Logitech Z207 Multi Device Speakers ($59)
- Webcam – Logitech C920x Pro HD Webcam ($70)
![SilverStone SG16 sg16](https://techbuyersguru.com/wp-content/uploads/SilverStoneSG16-MED400Lifted.jpg)
The Best $1500 High-End Mini-ITX Gaming PC Build – February 2025
The DIY Build
- CPU – AMD Ryzen 7 7700X ($274)
- Motherboard – Gigabyte A620I AX ($150)
- Video Card – PowerColor Radeon RX 6750 XT 12GB Fighter ($345)
- Memory – TEAMGROUP 2x16GB T-Create Expert DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO ($89)
- Solid-State Drive – TeamGroup MP44L 1TB PCIe 4.0 ($55)
- Case – SilverStone SG16 ($88)
- Case Fan – Arctic P12 PWM ($9)
- Power Supply – SilverStone SST-SX650-G ($141)
- CPU Cooler – Thermalright Aqua Elite 120 V3 ($36)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg ($139)
![LianLiLancool207-MED400 Lancool 207](https://techbuyersguru.com/wp-content/uploads/LianLiLancool207-MED400.jpg)
The Best $1500 High-End Gaming PC Build – February 2025
The Pre-Built Option
The DIY Build
- CPU – AMD Ryzen 5 7600X ($212)
- Motherboard – Gigabyte B650 Eagle AX ($155)
- – AsRock AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT Phantom Gaming 20GB ($750)
- Memory – TEAMGROUP 2x16GB T-Create Expert DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO ($89)
- Solid-State Drive – TeamGroup MP44L 1TB PCIe 4.0 ($55)
- Case – Lian Li Lancool 207 ($80)
- Power Supply – Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3 750W 80+ Gold ($90)
- CPU Cooler – Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120SE ($36)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg ($139)
![CoolerMaster NR200 Cooler Master NR200](https://techbuyersguru.com/wp-content/uploads/CoolerMasterNR200MED400squooshed.jpg)
The Best $2000 Premium Mini-ITX Gaming PC Build – February 2025
The DIY PC Build
- CPU – AMD Ryzen 7 7700X ($274)
- Motherboard – Gigabyte A620I AX ($150)
- Video Card – Sapphire Radeon RX 7900 XTX Pulse 24GB ($939)
- Memory – TeamGroup 2x16GB T-Force Delta RGB DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO ($100)
- Solid-State Drive – TeamGroup MP44L 2TB PCIe 4.0 ($102)
- Case – Cooler Master NR200 ($83)
- Power Supply – SilverStone SX700-G ($167)
- CPU Cooler – Scythe Fuma 3 ($55)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg ($139)
![Fara Fara](https://techbuyersguru.com/wp-content/uploads/SilverStoneFara514X-MED400.jpg)
The Best $2000 Premium Gaming PC Build – Feburary 2025
The Pre-Built Option
The DIY Build
- CPU – AMD Ryzen 7 9700X ($313)
- Motherboard – Gigabyte B650 Eagle AX ($155)
- Video Card – XFX Radeon RX 7900 XTX 24GB ($930)
- Memory – TeamGroup 2x16GB T-Force Delta RGB DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO ($100)
- Solid-State Drive – TeamGroup MP44L 2TB PCIe 4.0 ($102)
- Case – SilverStone FARA 514X ($100)
- Power Supply – SilverStone DA750R White ($96)
- CPU Cooler – ID-Cooling FX360 ($60)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg ($139)
![North North](https://techbuyersguru.com/wp-content/uploads/FractalNorthWhite-MED400.jpg)
The Best $2000 High-End Content Creation PC Build – January 2025
Required Components
- CPU – AMD Ryzen 9 9900X ($410)
- Motherboard – Gigabyte B850 AORUS Elite WiFi7 ($230)
- Video Card – Zotac GeForce RTX 4070 Super Twin Edge 12GB White @Newegg ($640)
- Memory – G.Skill 2x32GB Flare X5 DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO ($190)
- Solid-State Drive – TeamGroup MP44 2TB PCIe 4.0 ($115)
- Case – Fractal Design North White @Newegg ($154)
- Power Supply – SilverStone DA750R Gold ($111)
- CPU Cooler – Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 EVO ($50)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg ($139)
Optional Products
- Sound Card – Creative Sound Blaster AE-7 ($229)
- The 32-inch Professional 4K Monitor – ViewSonic VP3256-4K ($500)
- The Ultimate Business Keyboard – Logitech MX Keys S Wireless Illuminated Keyboard ($110)
- The Deluxe Wireless Mouse – Logitech MX Master 3S ($90)
- The Deluxe PC Headset – SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless ($150)
![3500X 3500X](https://techbuyersguru.com/wp-content/uploads/Corsair3500X-MED400.jpg)
The Best $2500 Extreme 4K Gaming PC Build – February 2025
The Pre-Built Option
The DIY Build
- CPU – AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D ($479)
- Motherboard – ASUS Prime X870-P WiFi ($230)
- Video Card – XFX Radeon RX 7900 XTX 24GB ($930)
- Memory – TeamGroup 2x16GB T-Force Delta RGB DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO ($100)
- Solid-State Drive – Samsung 990 Pro 2TB ($180)
- Case – Corsair 3500X ARGB ($107)
- Power Supply – SilverStone DA750R White ($96)
- CPU Cooler – SilverStone IceMyst 360 ($137)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg ($139)
![LianLi011Dynamicevo-MED400-wpcf_330x400-pad-16777215](https://techbuyersguru.com/wp-content/uploads/LianLi011Dynamicevo-MED400-wpcf_330x400-pad-16777215.jpg)
The Best $3000 Elite RGB Gaming PC Build – November 2024
The Pre-Built Option
The DIY Build
- CPU – AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D ($479)
- Motherboard – ASUS Prime X870-P WiFi ($230)
- Video Card – Zotac GeForce RTX 4080 Super 16GB White ($1040)
- Memory – G.Skill 2x16GB Trident Z5 Neo RGB DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO White ($125)
- Solid-State Drive – Samsung 990 Pro 2TB ($180)
- Case – Lian Li PC-O11 Dynamic Evo ($205)
- Case Fan – Corsair iCUE LINK QX120 3-Pack White ($158)
- Power Supply – SilverStone DA850R White ($105)
- CPU Cooler – Corsair iCUE Link H150i LCD CPU Cooler White ($280)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg ($139)
![Lian Li Dan A4 Lian Li Dan A4](https://techbuyersguru.com/wp-content/uploads/LianLiDanA4-MED350.jpg)
The Best $3,000 Extreme Mini-ITX Gaming PC Build – December 2024
The DIY Build
- CPU – AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D ($704)
- Motherboard – Asus ROG Strix B650E-I ($300)
- Video Card – Zotac GeForce RTX 4080 Super 16GB Black ($1020)
- Memory – G.Skill 2x32GB Flare X5 DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO ($190)
- Solid-State Drive – Samsung 990 Pro 4TB ($320)
- Case – LIAN LI A4-H2O X4 ($155)
- Power Supply – Corsair SF750 (2024) ($155)
- CPU Cooler – Thermalright Aqua Elite 240 ($45)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg ($139)
![bequiet Shadow Base 800FX bequiet Shadow Base 800FX](https://techbuyersguru.com/wp-content/uploads/bequietShadowBase800FX-MED400.jpg)
The Best $3500 Ultimate Gaming PC Build – February 2025
The Pre-Built Option
The DIY Build
- CPU – AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D ($589)
- Motherboard – Gigabyte X870E AORUS Master ($450)
- Video Card – Gigabyte GeForce RTX 5080 16GB Aorus @Newegg ($1300)
- Memory – G.Skill 2x32GB Trident Z5 Neo RGB DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO ($205)
- Solid-State Drive – Samsung 990 Pro 4TB ($320)
- Case – be quiet! Shadow Base 800 FX ARGB Black @Newegg ($190)
- Power Supply – SilverStone DA850R White ($105)
- CPU Cooler – SilverStone IceMyst 360 ($137)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg ($139)
![MSI MEG Prospect 700R MSI MEG Prospect 700R](https://techbuyersguru.com/wp-content/uploads/MSIMEGProspect700R-MED400-wpcf_330x400-pad-16777215.jpg)
The Best $5000 Dream Machine Gaming PC Build – October 2024
The DIY Build
- CPU – AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D ($704)
- Motherboard – Asus ROG Strix X670E-E ($440)
- Video Card – MSI GeForce RTX 4090 Suprim Liquid X 24G ($1903)
- Memory – G.Skill 2x32GB Trident Z5 Neo RGB DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO ($205)
- Solid-State Drive – Crucial T705 4TB PCIe Gen 5 ($489)
- Solid-State Drive – Samsung 990 Pro 4TB ($320)
- Case – MSI MEG Prospect 700R ($340)
- Power Supply – be quiet! Straight Power 11 Platinum 1500W ($250)
- CPU Cooler – SilverStone IceMyst 360 ($137)
- Operating System – Windows 11 Home (USB) @Newegg ($139)
![CoolerMaster HAF 700 CoolerMaster HAF 700](https://techbuyersguru.com/wp-content/uploads/CoolerMasterHAF700-MED400.jpg)
The Best $10,000 Supreme Dream Machine Gaming PC Build – September 2024
The DIY Build
- CPU – AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D ($704)
- Motherboard – ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E Hero ($610)
- Video Card – MSI GeForce RTX 4090 Suprim Liquid X 24G ($1903)
- Memory – G.Skill 2x32GB Trident Z5 Neo RGB DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO ($205)
- Memory – Second Kit of G.Skill 2x32GB Trident Z5 Neo RGB DDR5-6000 CL30 EXPO ($205)
- Solid-State Drive – Crucial T705 4TB PCIe Gen 5 ($489)
- Solid-State Drive – Western Digital SN850X 8TB ($800)
- Solid-State Drive – Second Western Digital SN850X 8TB ($752)
- Case – Cooler Master HAF 700 EVO ($400)
- Power Supply – be quiet! Dark Power Pro 13 1600W ($370)
- CPU Cooler – Arctic Liquid Freezer III 420mm ($115)
- Operating System – Microsoft Windows 11 Pro Flash Drive @Newegg ($199)
Optional Products