Get ready for the winter and staying in playing video games with this Gaming PC Build optimized for 1080p. Utilizing a 6 core Intel i5 processor and Nvidia’s new RTX this gaming pc build is sure to blow you away.
Intel Core i5-9400F 2.9 GHz 6-Core Processor
The Intel Core i5-9400f is a great processor that gives fantastic gaming performance as a budget price. It is a locked 6 core processor that doesn’t support hyperthreading but for gaming that is no problem. It being locked means that it does not support overclocking. Though with a Turbo clock of 4.1 GHz you won’t miss it. It also keeps the costs down by omitting integrated graphics. We are making a gaming PC here though so we wouldn’t be using that anyway. Better to put that money in to a better graphics card.
Intel Core i5-9400F Desktop Processor 6 Cores 4.1 GHz Turbo Without Graphics
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo CPU Cooler
Keeping your processor cool is important for maintaining the highest stable boost clocks you can get. As temperatures rise CPU clock speeds go down to protect the processor. By giving the processor adequate cooling we can expect better performance over long gaming sessions. The Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo is a tried and true cooler that outperforms some of the coolers at twice its price. I use this in my wife’s pc and it runs great. For a non overclockable Gaming PC Build this is a great choice.
While you can spend more for a cooler that may be prettier you won’t see much, if any, improvement in performance out of it. Better to spend the money on good quality intake fans to get the best airflow through the case.
Cooler Master Hyper 212 Evo CPU Cooler
MSI Z390-A PRO LGA1151
In this build we go for a Z series motherboard for a number of reasons but the main reason we are in this build is that it supports 3200 MHz memory. The i5-9400f is stated as only supporting 2666 MHz but through many tests done all over the internet 3200 is really the sweet spot for gaming with DDR4. Not all chips will support it but most have been. It depends on a few factors. One being the silicon lottery.
Note: To get your memory to run at 3200 MHz with this setup you will need to set your speed and timings manually in the BIOS and test it. There is no guarantee you will be able to hit 3200 MHZ on your memory speeds. Many people have and do though.
G.SKILL TridentZ RGB Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) (PC4 25600) F4-3200C16D-16GTZR
As stated above going with faster memory than is officially supported by your CPU doesn’t always mean you will get those speeds but if you can you can see a small increase in performance that can translate to higher FPS.
G.SKILL TridentZ RGB Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) (PC4 25600) F4-3200C16D-16GTZR
Another great set of Memory that will give you fantastic performance is to go with Corsair’s Vengeance LPX memory that at time of writing this will save you up to $20 USD. If you do opt to go this route you won’t see any of the benefits of the Z390 over the B360 series motherboards but the B360s are in this same price range anyway. At time of writing the Z390 board is on sale though so a comparison could save you some money with minimal loss in peformance. Consider the ASRock B360 PRO4 Motherboard.
Silicon Power 512GB NVMe M.2 SSD
512GB NVMe Solid State Drive with Read Speeds up to 3,400 MB/s and write speeds of up to 2,300MB/s for $59.99. Need I say more? That is a crazy good deal. A year ago you would have been looking at over $200 for those numbers. By putting your operating system on this drive your boot and load times will be almost as fast as they can be.
512GB is a good amount but with the size of games these days you won’t fit many on there. Buying an additional high capacity HDD is a good way to go due to how inexpensive they are these days. Or you could get a larger capacity SSD. Whichever option you choose you can always add a larger secondary storage drive in the future.
Silicon Power 512GB NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen3x4 2280 TLC R/W up to 3,400/2,300MB/s SSD (SU512GBP34A80M28AB)
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 2060 Gaming OC Pro 6Gb
More and more games are supporting Nvidia’s new Ray Tracing Technology. RTX creates even more immersive worlds by revolutionizing the way lighting is calculated. Even Minecraft is getting the RTX overhaul. Look at this video showing the difference in Minecraft.
Now imagine that in games that are designed to be more realistic. I am one of those people who likes to have the latest tech and RTX is certainly interesting.
Save On Your 1080p Gaming PC Build with GTX
Save some cash by giving up Realtime Ray Tracing and go for the GTX 1660 Ti. With this card you will still have a very capable gaming PC. WIth the GTX 1660 Ti you can still expect to get 60 fps is most titles. For higher frame rates and ray tracing the RTX 2060 or higher is a great option.
NZXT H510 – Compact ATX Mid-Tower PC Gaming Case
One of my favorite cases to build in. I personally have the H500 model and have yet to find a case that I like to build in more. It is an inexpensive case that has great aesthetic while not breaking the bank. Wire management is super easy. The one thing I would recommend with this case is to add a couple of 140mm fans to the front intake.
CORSAIR TXM Series, TX550M, 550 Watt, 80+ Gold Certified, Semi Modular Power Supply
Power Supplies are one of the most overlooked components of a Gaming PC Build. Never overlook your power supply and try to save your money here. On the other hand overdoing it is can also be detrimental. You should make sure that you have enough power. I like to use PCPartPicker.com to verify power needs and add a couple hundred watts to the number.
There is more science to it but that tends to be a good rule. This build clocks in at 329W. Most single GPU systems these days are going to perform quite will with a 550W PSU. By adding a couple hundred watts we leave headroom to add more components like extra hard drives or RGB Lighting if that is what you’re in to.
CORSAIR TXM Series, TX550M, 550 Watt, 80+ Gold Certified, Semi Modular Power Supply
Operating System
You are going to need an Operating System for your Gaming PC Build. There are some awesome Linux Distributions that work for a lot of people. Linux has come a long way in the gaming scene recently and it is looking very promising. More and more game developers are making their games support Linux as well Valve really pushing for compatibility.
Wendel at Level1Linux Talking About Native Gaming on Linux
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64
Windows 10 is still going to be the most convenient option because of support but it does have a cost. There are three version of Windows and those are Home, Pro or Enterprise. For the home user Home or Pro is what you will be looking at. I recommend Pro because it comes with some extra features like supporting remote desktop but may not be needed for everyone.
Windows OEM vs Full Copy
Windows 10 has two different licensing setup. One is OEM or Original Equipment Manufacturer. These licenses are only good for one machine. So if you upgrade your computer a lot you will need to buy a new copy of Windows when you upgrade your motherboard and CPU. If you are someone who is looking to save money on your build and don’t plan to upgrade very often then and OEM version can be a great option.
Personally, I upgrade pretty frequently and because of that I bought the full version. The full version allows me to upgrade my computer and just transfer the license over to the new components. OEM can save you up to $80 depending on where you buy it from so that could help get your costs down if you are on a budget.
Windows 10 Home OEM
Windows 10 Pro OEM
Windows 10 Home Full
Windows 10 Professional Full
Whichever version you choose the installation is pretty guided. Plug the USB drive in to your new computer and it will mostly walk you through it.
A Very Capable Gaming PC Build
All in all for the money I believe you will love this machine and avoid bottle necking issues. Let me know if you decide to do this build. I would love to see pictures!