Best cheap gaming PC deals

Skytech gaming PC
(Image credit: Skytech)

If you're seeking the ultimate PC gaming experience without needlessly breaking the bank, these gaming PC deals could be precisely what you need. We've spent years tracking down the best prebuilt systems for the best prices, and we think that service is vital now more than ever.

Because PC gaming is in a bad way right now due to rising memory and storage costs, and as my nonna used to say, every penny saved is a penny earned. We've scrutinized the newest systems on sale this week, allowing you to make informed decisions about where to invest your hard-earned money. Sometimes that's a genuinely great price, or as is often the case today, the cheapest we've found for a given system and graphics card.



Our gaming setups are categorized into three tiers: you've got budget picks, around $1,000 or less; mid-range machines that'll be suitable for most gamers, sitting around $1,000 – $2,000; and high-end machines from $2,000+, though don't expect an RTX 5090 without paying a lot more than that for it.

Gaming PC deals — quick links

Nvidia GeForce-powered gaming PCs

🕹️ RTX 5060 - ABS Cyclone Aqua | $899 @ Walmart
🕹️ RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB - iBuyPower Element SE | $1,299 @ Walmart
🕹️ RTX 5070 - MSI Codex Z2C | $1,399 @ B&H Photo
🕹️ RTX 5070 Ti - Skytech Harpy | $2,149 @ Walmart
🕹️ RTX 5080 - Stormcraft Phantom | $3,000 @ Newegg

AMD Radeon-powered gaming PCs

🕹️ Ryzen 5 5600GT - Yawyore gaming PC | $600 @ Newegg
🕹️ RX 9070 XT - Andromeda Insights V3 | $1,950 @ Newegg

Under $1000

Yawyore Gaming PC | Ryzen 5 5600GT
Save $220
Yawyore Gaming PC | Ryzen 5 5600GT: was $819.99 now $599.99 at Newegg

The integrated graphics on this processor won't get you gaming at higher resolutions or higher settings in modern games, but it's a great way to get into some light 1080p gaming. This gaming PC mainly acts to get you up and running, and you can then upgrade with a (relatively low-power) discrete GPU down the line, though bear in mind if you want the latest and greatest specs, including processor and RAM, you'll have to upgrade the entire PC, motherboard, too. Also note that you won't be able to keep many games installed at the same time on that 500 GB drive.

Key specs: Ryzen 5 5600GT | 16 GB DDR4-3200 | 512 GB SSD

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ABS Cyclone M Aqua | RTX 5060 | Core i5 14400F
ABS Cyclone M Aqua | RTX 5060 | Core i5 14400F: $899 at Walmart

The cheapest RTX 5060 rig out there that I'd recommend looking at; the chip in it is pretty budget-friendly, and the memory is nothing special, but you're getting a reasonably solid gaming rig without spending an arm and a leg, which is the best we can hope for in these memory-crisis-troubled times.

Key specs: Core i5 14400F | RTX 5060 | 16 GB DDR4 | 1 TB SSD

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ABS Cyclone Aqua | RTX 5060 | Core 5 120
Save $50.99
ABS Cyclone Aqua | RTX 5060 | Core 5 120: was $999.99 now $949 at Walmart

You're making quite a lot of sacrifices here to keep the price tag under $1,000—namely a pretty lacklustre CPU and only 16 GB of previous-gen RAM. But you are getting an RTX 5060 machine for a very reasonable price in today's market. That means decent, discrete graphics for 1080p and even some lighter 1440p gaming.

Key specs: Core 5 120 | RTX 5060 | 16 GB DDR4 | 1 TB SSD

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MSI Codex Z2C | RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB | Ryzen 7 8700F
Save $600.99
MSI Codex Z2C | RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB | Ryzen 7 8700F: was $1,599.99 now $999 at Walmart

Yes, this machine features what is essentially a repurposed laptop processor, meaning it lacks the amount of cache we'd like and is a little power-limited, but you're also getting an RTX 5060 Ti in this rig for under $1,000. Given the market in 2026, that's no joke. DDR5 memory, too, which will make this a great platform to upgrade from, especially given it's socket AM5.

Key specs: Ryzen 7 8700F | RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB | 16 GB DDR5 | 1 TB SSD

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$1,000 - $2,000

MSI Codex R2 | RTX 5070 | 32 GB DDR5
MSI Codex R2 | RTX 5070 | 32 GB DDR5: $1,699 at Walmart

A tidy look and a tidy price for a full-on RTX 5070 rig right now. Especially so when you consider it comes with 32 GB of DDR5 memory. Not too shabby.

Key specs: Core i5 14400F | RTX 5070 | 32 GB DDR5 | 1 TB SSD

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Skytech Gaming PC Desktop | RTX 5070 | 32 GB DDR4
DDR4
Save $200
Skytech Gaming PC Desktop | RTX 5070 | 32 GB DDR4: was $1,899.99 now $1,699.99 at Amazon

It's tough to get 32 GB of RAM at a reasonable price full stop, even if it is DDR4. Combined with the RTX 5070, this is very reasonably priced. You might want to hold off on upgrading the memory for the time being though.

Key specs: Intel i7 14700F | RTX 5070 | 32 GB DDR4 | 1 TB SSD

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Acer Nitro Desktop | RX 9070 XT | 16 GB DDR5
Save $600.99
Acer Nitro Desktop | RX 9070 XT | 16 GB DDR5: was $2,299.99 now $1,699 at Walmart

Combining a 9000-series chip we really quite lacked back in 2024 with a beefy GPU, the only real letdown here is the 16 GB of memory, but even then, that's perfectly fine for gaming. A decent sale makes this the most affordable 9070 XT rig in our list. It is worth considering the rig below, though, if you can stretch your budget just a little further.

Key specs: Ryzen 9 9900X | RX 9070 XT 16 GB | 16 GB DDR5 | 1 TB SSD

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Andromeda Insights AMD Spectra | RX 9070 XT | 16 GB DDR5
Andromeda Insights AMD Spectra | RX 9070 XT | 16 GB DDR5: $1,749.99 at Newegg

It's wonderful to see a gaming PC with such a high-end GPU going for this kind of price. Even for pre-memory shortage prices this would be a good deal, but in 2026 it's fantastic. You're only getting 16 GB of RAM, but this will be a perfect platform for an upgrade, too—perhaps to a new X3D chip and 32 GB of DDR5, if you can stomach the memory cost.

Key specs: Ryzen 5 9600X | RX 9070 XT | 16 GB DDR5-6000 | 1 TB SSD

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Acer Nitro 85 | RTX 5070 | 16 GB DDR5
Save $129.01
Acer Nitro 85 | RTX 5070 | 16 GB DDR5: was $1,949 now $1,819.99 at Amazon

If you prefer Intel/Nvidia to AMD/AMD (each to their own, I guess) then this PC doesn't falter for the money. It has a modern processor in the Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF, DDR5 memory, a 1 TB SSD, and a bunch of RGB elements to boot. I prefer the RX 9070 XT, personally, but there are other options out there as this shows.

Key specs: Core Ultra 7 265KF | RTX 5070 | 16 GB DDR5-4800 | 1 TB SSD

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$2,000+

Skytech Harpy | RTX 5070 Ti | 32 GB DDR5
Save $550.99
Skytech Harpy | RTX 5070 Ti | 32 GB DDR5: was $2,699.99 now $2,149 at Walmart

If you want an RTX 5070 Ti rig right now, you are pretty much forced to come up to this price point. But, with a solid Intel chip and 32 GB of DDR5 memory, it's a powerful PC you're getting for the price.

Key specs: Intel Ultra 7 270K | Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti | 32 GB DDR5 | 1 TB SSD

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CyberpowerPC GM70929 | RX 9070 XT | 9800X3D
Save $300
CyberpowerPC GM70929 | RX 9070 XT | 9800X3D : was $2,559.99 now $2,259.99 at Newegg

This is the whole caboodle: a top-end AMD GPU, the best CPU for gaming on the market, a full 32 GB of DDR5 RAM, and 2 TB of storage. There's nothing about those core specs I'd change, and you're getting it all for cheaper than many other lower-spec rigs.

Key specs: Ryzen 7 9800X3D | RX 9070 XT | 32 GB DDR5 | 2 TB SSD

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Stormcraft Phantom | RX 9070 XT | 9800X3D
Stormcraft Phantom | RX 9070 XT | 9800X3D: $2,399.99 at Newegg

Another top-end AMD rig, here, offering everything you might want for gaming, across the board. The best CPU, AMD's best GPU, plenty of fast RAM, and 2 TB of storage. The chassis here is particularly gorgeous, too.

Key specs: Ryzen 7 9800X3D | RX 9070 XT | 32 GB DDR5-6000 | 2 TB SSD

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Andromeda Insights V3 Elite AMD | RX 9070 XT | 9800X3D
Andromeda Insights V3 Elite AMD | RX 9070 XT | 9800X3D: $2,399.99 at Newegg

This is a fantastic high-end PC, provided you're fine opting for AMD over Nvidia. The best gaming CPU paired with AMD's best GPU offering, and with 32 GB of fast RAM and 2 TB of storage to boot. Just solid, all around.

Key specs: Ryzen 7 9800X3D | RX 9070 XT | 32 GB DDR5-6000 | 2 TB SSD

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Skytech Tempest | RTX 5070 Ti | 9800X3D
Save $269.99
Skytech Tempest | RTX 5070 Ti | 9800X3D: was $2,699.99 now $2,430 at Walmart

You can get similar performance to what you'll get out of this rig for a bit cheaper if you're willing to go for AMD, but if you're keen on sticking with Nvidia, this is about as cheap as you'll get something so high-end. The CPU-GPU combo here will have you powering through modern games at 1440p and even at 4K in many cases.

Key specs: Ryzen 7 9800X3D | RTX 5070 Ti | 32 GB DDR5-6000 | 2 TB SSD

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HP Omen 35L | RTX 5080 | 32 GB DDR5
Save $2,200
HP Omen 35L | RTX 5080 | 32 GB DDR5: was $4,999.99 now $2,799.99 at HP US

I didn't expect to see an RTX 5080 alongside a Ryzen 7 9800X3D for this kind of price again, given the state of the current market. But here we are, and I'm certainly not complaining. There's no slack in the other specs, either, given you're getting 2 TB of storage and a full 32 GB of fast DDR5 memory.

Key specs: Ryzen 7 9800X3D | RTX 5080 | 32 GB DDR5-6000 | 2 TB SSD

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Stormcraft Phantom | RTX 5080 | 270K Plus
Save $300
Stormcraft Phantom | RTX 5080 | 270K Plus: was $3,299.99 now $2,999.99 at Newegg

The specs on this one pretty much speak for themselves. What more could you ask for? Not much, really, unless you're willing to practically double the cost for an RTX 5090 rig. Here you're getting one of the best CPUs for gaming on the market, an RTX 5080, and plenty of RAM and storage, all during during a global memory shortage.

Key specs: Core Ultra 7 270K Plus | RTX 5080 | 32 GB DDR5-6000 | 2 TB SSD

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Andromeda Insights V3 Ultra 50 | RTX 5080 | 32 GB DDR5
Save $350
Andromeda Insights V3 Ultra 50 | RTX 5080 | 32 GB DDR5: was $3,499.99 now $3,149.99 at Newegg

This not only comes with the second-fastest graphics card on the market, the RTX 5080, but also the best CPU for gaming, the Ryzen 7 9800XD. Of course it's not a cheap rig, but given you're getting top-tier components for truly top-end performance, it's a great rig with tons of longevity.

Key specs: Ryzen 7 9800X3D | RTX 5080 | 32 GB DDR5-6000 | 2 TB SSD

Price check: Best Buy $3,150

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UK gaming PC deals

AWD-IT Lian Li A3 | RTX 5060 8 GB
Save £150
AWD-IT Lian Li A3 | RTX 5060 8 GB: was £1,099.99 now £949.99 at awd-it.co.uk

This is a great price for all you SFF (small form factor) lovers. You're getting an older and not very powerful CPU, and only 16 GB of DDR4 RAM, but for a cheap, portable gaming system these should serve just fine alongside the RTX 5060. Usually you have to pay the SFF tax for a mini PC, so it's great to see such a low price on this one. Don't expect miracles with this hardware, but for some light gaming and a small physical footprint, look no further.

Key specs: Ryzen 5 5500 | RTX 5060 | 16 GB DDR4-3200 | 1 TB SSD

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OcUK Gaming Quartz | RTX 5060
OcUK Gaming Quartz | RTX 5060: £1,099.99 at Overclockers

If you're looking for something around the £1,000 mark, something like this gaming PC will be your best bet. Don't expect to be able to play all the latest titles on max settings and high resolutions, but for 1080p it'll do great, and should even handle smooth 1440p gaming in most games if you're willing to mess around with your settings a little.

Key specs: Core i5 12400F | RTX 5060 | 16 GB DDR5-5200 | 1 TB SSD

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CyberPowerPC Ultra 57 D457 | RX 9070 16 GB
Save £100
CyberPowerPC Ultra 57 D457 | RX 9070 16 GB: was £1,399 now £1,299 at CyberPowerPC

In some ways this is a peculiar build, because you're getting a relatively high-end graphics card alongside just 16 GB of DDR4 RAM. But in other ways, it's an absolute steal, given you're getting this raw GPU power for well under £1,500. And with 16 GB of VRAM on that GPU, to boot.

Key specs: Ryzen 7 5700X | RX 9070 16 GB | 16 GB DDR4-3200 | 1 TB SSD

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CCL Horizon | RTX 5070
CCL Horizon | RTX 5070: £1,499.99 at CCL

You're not getting the best CPU here, but for gaming it should do fine, especially with that RAM being dual-channel. The main allure here is getting an RTX 5070 in your build for this cheap of a price. If you're looking for a mid-range build for as cheap as possible, this one is worth considering.

Key specs: Ryzen 5 8400F | RTX 5070 | 16 GB DDR5 | 1 TB SSD

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CyberPowerPC Infinity U597 | RX 9070 16 GB
CyberPowerPC Infinity U597 | RX 9070 16 GB: £1,599.60 at CyberPowerPC

This rig might not have the most powerful CPU in the world, but it does come with 32 GB of DDR5 RAM, which gives it some great longevity during the current global memory shortage. And that RX 9070 is a fantastic midrange GPU that can even come close to matching some higher-end ones with a little overclocking.

Key specs: Core Ultra 5 225F | RX 9070 16 GB | 32 GB DDR5-5600 | 1 TB SSD

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AWD-IT Frame 4000D | RX 9070 XT
Save £210
AWD-IT Frame 4000D | RX 9070 XT: was £2,049.97 now £1,839.97 at awd-it.co.uk

This all-AMD gaming PC is about as cheap as you'll get for some bona fide high-end gameplay these days. You are having to settle for just 1 TB of storage and not the highest-end CPU, but it's still a more than capable rig, even for 4K gaming in most games. Just make sure you configure the build to match the specs below and price listed here.

Key specs: Ryzen 5 9600X | RX 9070 XT | 16 GB DDR5-6000 | 1 TB SSD (Kingston ver.)

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Scan Performance RTX | RTX 5070 Ti
Scan Performance RTX | RTX 5070 Ti: £2,479.99 at Scan

This might actually be the best shout for a high-end gaming PC right now. Of course the RTX 5070 Ti is fantastic, as is 32 GB of fast RAM during a memory shortage. But that CPU is a thing of beauty, too. The refreshed Arrow Lake chip performs about as well as a lower-end X3D chip (which means pretty damn well) but also happens to do incredibly well at productivity and other CPU-intensive tasks, making this a very well-rounded build.

Key specs: Core Ultra 5 250K Plus | RTX 5070 Ti | 32 GB DDR5-6000 | 1 TB SSD

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Chillblast Helios | RX 9070 XT
Chillblast Helios | RX 9070 XT: £2,599.99 at Chillblast

If you're happy opting for an AMD rather than an Nvidia GPU, this is about as high-end of a rig for such a low price as you can get right now. The best CPU on the market, paired with AMD's best GPU, plus a whole heap of memory and storage during a global memory shortage. Lovely.

Key specs: Ryzen 7 9800X3D | RX 9070 XT | 32 GB DDR5-5200 | 2 TB SSD

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Scan Performance RTX | RTX 5080
Scan Performance RTX | RTX 5080: £2,699.99 at Scan

If you're gonna go for a high-end RTX 5080 rig, you also want the CPU to match, and that's what you're getting here. Sure, it's not a current-gen X3D chip, but an X3D chip it is nonetheless, and that means some fantastic gaming performance. There'll be little worry of significant bottlenecks from either the CPU or GPU here, even in the latest demanding games at very high settings.

Key specs: Ryzen 7 7800X3D | RTX 5080 | 32 GB DDR5-6000 | 1 TB SSD

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Check out our dedicated WhatsApp channel for the latest PC hardware deals.

Graphics card hierarchy

The most important component for any gaming PC build will always be the graphics card. That will give you the best idea about how one machine matches up with another just in terms of raw gaming performance.

Below, we've listed the slew of GPUs we've had over the past couple of years listed in terms of their Time Spy Extreme index score as a way to put them in some consistent hierarchy.

Should I build my own gaming PC or buy a prebuilt?

One of the biggest advantages of putting together your own budget gaming PC build is the ability to choose every single component in the system. This allows you to shop around for deals and find the perfect combination of parts to fit your budget and performance needs. The downside for most inexperienced builders is that this whole process can take some time and has the potential to cause quite a headache if something goes wrong. This is where prebuilt gaming PCs really shine.

When you pay the premium to configure or purchase a prebuilt PC, you pay for more than just the parts. You are paying for warranty service, support, and the peace of mind that professionals put your system together. These are some of the things we value highly when considering the best budget gaming PCs. We also look at other unique selling points like design, upgradability, and anything you couldn't do when building it yourself.

Now that graphics cards are regularly available and the silicon shortage is starting to clear up, building your own PC is much easier than it was before. A prebuilt rig is still a reliable way to get your desired graphics card.

For most users who don't have the luxury of spending over $1000 on a prebuilt gaming PC, upgradability and performance per dollar are paramount. When we decided to choose our top choices for budget prebuilt gaming PCs, we looked at almost every major manufacturer and system integrator to find the best combination of value, reliability, customer feedback, design, and performance under $500 and under $1,000.

We still highly recommend the experience of building it yourself, but if you can't do that, one of the systems above will have you gaming in short order.

What is a decent price for a gaming PC?

The $1,000 - $1,500 mark is probably around the sweet spot for a new gaming PC. That will get you a graphics card that can nail 1440p at solid frame rates and a really good supporting spec. That should mean a relatively sizeable NVMe SSD, around 500GB, as well as 16GB of speedy memory and a modern CPU.

Is PC gaming better than console?

Unquestionably. In real terms, it's more expensive in terms of hardware, but there is a games library stretching back decades that no other gaming platform can possibly match. Games are also regularly cheaper or free on PC, too.

The PC is also more capable of doing more things than a games console, too. Try browsing the web on your PlayStation, and you'll know what we mean. It can also be portable, in either laptop or Steam Deck style.

What PC is equivalent to a PS5?

We suggest that the AMD RX 6700 GPU will deliver around the same level of raw graphics performance as Sony's PS5. That's an OEM part, so you'll only find it in a prebuilt gaming PC, but it's an 11.3 TFLOP GPU versus the 10.3 TFLOP of the PS5.

Those numbers aren't wholly comparative, but you would also need an 8-core CPU, 16GB of memory (though the PS5's is spread between GPU and system), and a 500GB+ SSD.

Jacob Fox
Hardware Writer

Jacob got his hands on a gaming PC for the first time when he was about 12 years old. He swiftly realised the local PC repair store had ripped him off with his build and vowed never to let another soul build his rig again. With this vow, Jacob the hardware junkie was born. Since then, Jacob's led a double-life as part-hardware geek, part-philosophy nerd, first working as a Hardware Writer for PCGamesN in 2020, then working towards a PhD in Philosophy for a few years while freelancing on the side for sites such as TechRadar, Pocket-lint, and yours truly, PC Gamer. Eventually, he gave up the ruthless mercenary life to join the world's #1 PC Gaming site full-time. It's definitely not an ego thing, he assures us.

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