Best gaming PC build under $2000
Built & Tested By Our Team
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Table of Contents
Best Gaming PC Under $2000
The best gaming PC under $2000 may not feature flagship CPUs or GPUs but you are guaranteed a top-of-the-line experience none-the-less. It is true, that for the best 4K gaming performance, you may need to spring extra for the RTX 4090, however, this 4080 Super-based PC build will also be able to handle any game in any resolution at max settings – just with fewer FPS. To ensure the best CPU and GPU for the price are featured in this build, we have opted for an affordable air cooler and motherboard. While you may expect to see a liquid cooling solution, the air model is more than capable of keeping your CPU cool. The same can be said for our motherboard choice – we avoided the additional costs of a flagship X670E simply because this PC is put together with gamers in mind and delivers.
How we test
Any PCs we build are regularly used in the office for day-to-day work as well as a range of games, from low-demand indies to heavy AAA titles. While we test, we also run benchmarks to ensure our builds perform, all while keeping a close eye on the temperature and the overall health of the build.
Now you have chosen your PC build, there are a few things to discuss before you make that all-important purchase. We have broken down the various component choices and outlined a few different factors for your consideration below.
The WePC experts that worked on this build
As a Junior Staff Writer, Jack is involved in writing and maintaining a bunch of hardware guides & reviews. With an interest in PC gaming, he now focuses on writing about monitors, headsets, and more.
Shaun is a gaming enthusiast and computer science graduate who has been working with computers for the last 15 years. He took a shine to competitive FPS back in the mid-2000s and hasn’t looked back since.
Prebuilt Gaming PC Under $2000
ZOTAC Gaming MEK Hero RTX 4080 Super gaming PC
CPU
AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
GPU
RTX 4080 Super
RAM
16GB 4800 MHz DDR5
Storage
1TB SSD
ZOTAC Gaming MEK Hero RTX 4080 Super gaming PC
CPU
AMD Ryzen 7 7700X
GPU
RTX 4080 Super
RAM
16GB 4800 MHz DDR5
Storage
1TB SSD
For the less experienced builders out there, building a high-end gaming PC can be a daunting proposition. The last thing you want to do is break an expensive component by installing it incorrectly. Nevertheless, we encourage you to build your own PC as we feel it is the best for you and your wallet, it’s also really fun and way simpler than it looks.
As it stands the best prebuilt gaming PC under $2000 isn’t a million miles away from our build recommendations – it features the same GPU, however, a slightly lowered powered CPU, and half as much RAM.
Our Recommended Custom Build Details
- Last Updated - Sep 16, 2024
Now let’s break down the components that make this $2000 gaming PC tick. We will run through the main specifications and reasons for choosing each part.
Our Best Gaming PC Build Under $2000
Our $2000 gaming PC build features some of the best components available and allows you to play in any resolution you desire. While this doesn’t feature the absolute best GPU for gaming, it is no slouch and will hit high frame rates in any game you choose.
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Cores:
8
Thread:
16
Boost speed:
5.0GHz
Cache:
96MB
TDP:
120W
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Cores:
8
Thread:
16
Boost speed:
5.0GHz
Cache:
96MB
TDP:
120W
AMD’s Ryezn 7 7800X3D is still regarded as the best gaming CPU currently available – and it certainly is for a budget of $2000. With excellent single-core performance and top multithreading abilities, it will handle anything you throw at it, however, it is particularly gifted for gaming.
While we saved money opting for a B650 over an X670E – the features in this MSI motherboard are going to serve your new PC build well. The Gaming Plus board comes with fast RAM support and wifi6E. With this product from MSI, you are getting a reliable and sturdy board that oozes quality.
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
CPU Block Dimensions
125 x 110 x 155mm
Socket Support
Intel: LGA 115x/1200/1700 AMD: AM4/AM5
Fans
2x TL-C12C 120mm
Rated speed
up to 1550 RPM±10%
Rated Airflow/pressure
up to 66.17 CFM / 1.53mm H2O
Rated noise level
up to 25.6 dBA
Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
CPU Block Dimensions
125 x 110 x 155mm
Socket Support
Intel: LGA 115x/1200/1700 AMD: AM4/AM5
Fans
2x TL-C12C 120mm
Rated speed
up to 1550 RPM±10%
Rated Airflow/pressure
up to 66.17 CFM / 1.53mm H2O
Rated noise level
up to 25.6 dBA
Noctua’s legendary pedigree for cooling is well proven by this point, and its NH-D15 line of coolers, in particular, have been a staple for those not quite so keen to trust their processors to the world of AIOs and liquid-cooling, yet still want the same levels of performance. It is one of the best coolers for Ryzen 7 7700X
Once only available in beige and brown, Noctua’s Chromax Black line, do exactly what it says on the tin, and swaps out that iconic color scheme, for something a little more low-key.
CORSAIR VENGEANCE RGB DDR5 RAM 32GB (2x16GB) 6000MHz
Capacity
32GB (2x16GB)
Speed
6000MHz
Timings
CL30
CORSAIR VENGEANCE RGB DDR5 RAM 32GB (2x16GB) 6000MHz
Capacity
32GB (2x16GB)
Speed
6000MHz
Timings
CL30
This 32GB 6000MHz memory kit from Corsair offers more than enough in terms of capacity and speed for gaming. With this DDR5 kit, you can be sure there is no compromise when multitasking.
ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 4080 SUPER
Core clock speed
2.505GHz boost, 2.025GHz base
CUDA count
10,240
Memory
16GB GDDR6X
Dimensions
348.2 x 150 x 72.6 mm
PSU required
850W
TBP
320W
ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 4080 SUPER
Core clock speed
2.505GHz boost, 2.025GHz base
CUDA count
10,240
Memory
16GB GDDR6X
Dimensions
348.2 x 150 x 72.6 mm
PSU required
850W
TBP
320W
The RTX 4080 Super is one of the best graphics cards on the market right now. To put it simply, this card is one of the highest-performing GPUs to ever grace the benchmarks and will handle any game you throw at it, with incredible performance across the board.
You can expect stable frames, in max settings, while playing in 4K. Everything below 4K is an absolute breeze for this GPU.
We’ve decided to go for Crucial’s 1TB NVMe SSD for this build as it offers lightning-quick load times and comes to shelves at an extremely affordable price point. You get speedy boot times for your operating system and favorite games but we would recommend going for 2TB if you can afford it.
Montech AIR 903 MAX
Type
Mid-tower
Dimensions
478*230*493 (mm)
Motherboard Support
E-ATX, ATX, mATX, Mini-ITX
Included Fans
3X 140mm ARGB PWM & 1x 140mm PWM
Montech AIR 903 MAX
Type
Mid-tower
Dimensions
478*230*493 (mm)
Motherboard Support
E-ATX, ATX, mATX, Mini-ITX
Included Fans
3X 140mm ARGB PWM & 1x 140mm PWM
Three things matter when it comes to choosing the PC case for your build. Performance and compatibility. A current price-to-performance champ is the Montech AIR 903 MAX – a high-performance case with enough bells and whistles to make your new build look superb with minimal effort.
Every high-end build needs a solid and reliable power supply to keep things ticking over. While some may think more watts are better, 750W is more than powerful enough to supply this gaming rig with all the juice it needs. While you may not need the most efficient PSU out there, the gold level of efficiency for this power supply is one of good quality.
Our Best Gaming PC Build Under $2000
Things To Consider
What You Get For Your $2000
For $2,000, there’s no doubt you’ve entered the realm of high-end PC gaming. This build comes packed with a ton of premium features. From a potent processor to an unstoppable GPU from Nvidia, and some of the latest and greatest PCIe 4.0 storage, you’ll be more than well-equipped to take on any AAA 4K game imaginable.
We mentioned earlier that this build features one of the current best GPUs from Nvidia, and that comes in the form of an RTX 4080 Super This card was a beast across our testing, we regularly saw framerates hit over 100 fps in multiple 4K games, with lows hovering around the 70 fps mark, well above that 60 fps sweet spot.
Aside from the GPU, the AMD Ryzen CPU also makes this gaming PC sing, while also delivering incredible performance in all of those processor-heavy games and tasks.
Even though you’re set on spending around $2,000 it is still important to check it’s the right budget for your gaming needs. For the hardcore gamers out there who just can’t get enough of high-fidelity AAA games, this $2000 build is going to have your back for a considerable amount of time. For the casual gamers out there who play less intensive games and aren’t quite interested in 4K gaming, you may want to consider one of our other build options. It is important to remember that the prices on Amazon can fluctuate and bring the build slightly over or under budget.
Can you upgrade this $2000 gaming PC build?
Of course you can, unless you have the best of the best, there’s always room for improvement. The first component we would suggest upgrading would be the GPU, as formidable as the RTX 4080 Super is, nothing can compete with the RTX 4090. Remember, with any upgrade comes extra costs, which will almost always push you over budget. If you’ve left room in your budget for upgrades, then you should always try and improve your system to best suit your needs.
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- Last Updated - Sep 16, 2024
Upgrade Options
We know that $2000 is a lot of money, but if you have the room for it, you may as well throw a little extra cash at your build to make it perform better and future-proof it further. We feature an RTX 4080 Super in this PC build, a GPU that offers no compromises on performance. However, for unrivaled 4K RT performance – nothing can beat the RTX 4090.
Note: These upgrades will raise the price of the $2000 build!
We know that $2000 is a lot of money, but if you have the room for it, you may as well throw a little extra cash at your build to make it perform better and future-proof it further. We feature an RTX 4080 Super in this PC build, a GPU that offers no compromises on performance. However, for unrivaled 4K RT performance – nothing can beat the RTX 4090.
Note: These upgrades will raise the price of the $2000 build!
ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4090 OC
Core Clock Speed
2,640 MHz boost
CUDA Cores
16,384
Memory Size
24GB GDDR6X
Dimensions
357.6 x 149.3 x 70.1mm
PSU Required
1000W
TDP
450W
ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4090 OC
Core Clock Speed
2,640 MHz boost
CUDA Cores
16,384
Memory Size
24GB GDDR6X
Dimensions
357.6 x 149.3 x 70.1mm
PSU Required
1000W
TDP
450W
Operating System & Peripherals
This section is separate from the $2000 PC build since we only factor in the cost of the base hardware and most people already have their own peripherals laying around.
If you don’t, though, that’s fine- we’re still here for you
Note: These will raise the price of the build!
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Building Tips
When building a PC, you need to handle it with care. This is especially true if this is the first PC you’ve ever built; definitely read various online tips to clear up any questions you have before starting.
If you want a comprehensive guide to building your gaming PC from start to finish, then our how to build a gaming PC guide tells all.
FAQs
Is $2000 for a gaming PC considered high end?
Yes, $2000 for a PC is considered high-end. All of the components in this build comprise a machine capable of high FPS 4K gameplay, making it the very definition of high-end. It might not be the best of the best, but it’s up there.
Is the $2000 Gaming PC future proof?
The $2000 gaming PC we have constructed will be future-proof for the foreseeable, at the very least staying relevant for the next 4 – 6 years. In terms of actual longevity, we’ve seen PCs last well over the 10-year mark without any issues, although that depends largely on the conditions, use case, and build quality of the PC.
Closing Thoughts
So there you have it, the best gaming PC for around $2000. The GPU and CPU combination here are ready to smash any game you can think of, with some excellent gaming credentials. We highly recommend AMD, as the new Ryzen CPU is simply fantastic with a higher core and thread count than its Intel counterpart. Aside from better overall performance, you are also giving your build a slightly greater life span when going down the AMD route.