Have you always wanted to build a gaming PC to play the latest 3D games or do heavy processing like video editing? Well, a powerful computer is a must. This article shows you how you can build a gaming PC for just $1000. Please note, however, that the price does not include a monitor, though. This is usually not a problem - you can just salvage your old PC. One thing you will learn is that we don't have to accept poor components just because our budget is low.

Let's get started. But before you start to build a gaming PC, you need to know where to buy your components. You want a retailer that has a wide variety of computer parts and excellent good customer service.
 

Step 1: Choose a Processor

The first thing you need to do is to choose a CPU for your gaming PC. Now I reckon that one of the best value-for-money processors out there is the Athlon 64 3500+.
 

Step 2: Choose a Graphics Card

Right, next we need to look for a graphics card. This is a critical decision when you build a gaming PC. A list of good performance video cards can be found here. However, I personally choose the GeForce 7800 GT card to be our choice in building this rig. This category of cards retails for about $380 in the market.
 

Step 3: Choose a Motherboard

Alrighty then, the motherboard is next. When you build a gaming PC, remember that the motherboard is one of the most important components. Which one do you choose? Well, the MSI K8N Neo4 SLI motherboard, available for about $123, is a very good choice. It has all the features you need, including a nForce4 SLI chipset. This comes with an extra PCI Express slot should you want to upgrade in future.
 

Step 4: Choose Memory

For performance, a lot of memory is needed. I’d say that around 1GB of Corsair ValueSelect DDR400 would suffice for our system. This is selling at around $90.
 

Step 5: Choose a Hard Drive

To build a gaming PC, we need lots of hard drive space for storing our games, videos, photos and music files. One of the best deals I’ve found is the Maxtor DiamondMax 10 6L300S0 – it gives you a whopping 300 GB. What’s more, its SATA enabled too. This goes for around $135.
 

Step 6: Choose a Case

We’re almost there. A good case and a associated power supply is also needed to build a gaming PC. I tend to lean towards a RAIDMAX Cobra case. This sells for about $45 and comes with a powerful 420W power supply unit.
 

Step 7: Choose a DVD Drive

The last step is to choose a DVD drive. I’d reckon that a good DVD drive is the NEC ND-3520A drive. It’s not a writer – only a DVD-ROM. This unit sells at around $42.
 

Conclusion

Well, that’s it! Total price of the components above? Just over $1000. I hope this article has shown you the ingredients to build a gaming PC on a budget. Trust me, this system ain’t no pushover. It can perform. Try it out and let me know the results.

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