The Best $800 Gaming PC Build (2026)

With 32GB DDR5 kits costing $350+ in 2026, the smartest $800 build skips DDR5 entirely. AM4 + DDR4 puts the money where it matters: the graphics card.

The parts (~$823)

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600 (~$99). 6 cores, includes a cooler.
• Motherboard: MSI B550M PRO-VDH WiFi (~$109). Wi-Fi built in.
• RAM: 32GB (2x16) DDR4-3600, used (~$119). RAM is one of the safest parts to buy used.
• GPU: AMD RX 9060 XT 8GB (~$299). About 93 fps on average across 11 games at 1080p Ultra in Tom's Hardware's testing. We skipped Intel's Arc B580 here: Arc cards lose speed with budget CPUs like the 5600.
• Storage: WD Black SN7100 1TB NVMe (~$89).
• Power supply: MSI MAG A650BN 650W Bronze (~$59).
• Case: Montech AIR 100 Lite mATX (~$49). Good airflow, fans included.
• Cooler: stock cooler that ships with the 5600 ($0).

Smart upgrades

• +$70: new Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB DDR4-3600 (~$189) if you'd rather not buy used RAM.
• +$90: RX 9060 XT 16GB (~$389) for 16GB of VRAM that will hold up longer in new games (see our GPU guide).
• +$121: Ryzen 7 5700X3D (~$199) plus a $21 air cooler (it has no cooler in the box). Big gains in CPU-heavy games, same board.
• +$21: Thermalright Assassin X 120 R SE if you want it quieter than the stock cooler.

What to expect

1080p high settings at 60+ fps in most current games, and well over 100 fps in esports titles like Valorant, CS2 and Fortnite. It's the most fps per dollar you can get new right now.

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