Best $600 Custom Gaming PC Build Better Than a PS5

Specs:

• 4.2 GHz Clock Speed
• 6 Cores and 12 processing threads
• AM4 Socket
• 19 MB cache

AM4 might have been succeeded already by the more successful AM5 platform, but it’s still more than enough for today’s games. Most of the heavy lifting will be done by the GPU anyway.

In terms of performance, the Ryzen 5 5500 is only slightly worse than the more expensive 5600, or the mid-range gaming CPU for AMD.

Still, 12 processing threads is nothing to scoff at, and you’ll surely be able to browse and stream better with this kind of hardware.

Specs:

• 2425 MHz Clock Speed
• 10GB GDDR6 VRAM
• XFX SWFT 309 Triple Fan Cooling

If you want more 4K insurance, then here’s the key to beating the PS5 even if its dynamic resolution triggers and it compensates by degrading the game’s image quality.

The Radeon RX 6700 from AMD is quite the beast and can sometimes even match up with the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti’s performance (the latter being a more expensive card). 10 GB of VRAM definitely gives it an edge here for more of that 4K performance buffer.

Specs:

• Socket AM4
• DDR4 slot
• 1x NVMe slot

Here’s where compromises had to be made in the name of the budget. Our motherboard is the budget-oriented A520M-A PRO from MSI, and while it looks bare, it gets the job done.

It won’t overclock (the CPU is not going to overclock anyway) and the NVMe SSD slots are few, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more affordable motherboard that lets you save up and pour the savings on other components instead.

Specs:

• 3200MHz Speed
• CL16 Timing
• DDR4
• 8GB x 2 (16GB)
• Built-in Spreader
• Lifetime Warranty

For our budget-oriented RAM, here’s something that won’t break the bank yet is reliable and will last you until it becomes too outdated. Silicon Power’s Value Gaming RAM has incredible value, true enough to its name.

You wouldn’t expect a RAM kit at this price to have its own heatsinks. Moreover, the timings and the speed are up to par with gamer’s standards today (at least for DDR4). If you’re wary about the brand, they offer a lifetime warranty.

Specs:

• 512GB
• 540/490 MB/s Read/Write Speed
• SATA III 6Gb/s
• 3-year Warranty

We can’t go too generous with the SSD or storage amount so here’s a SATA III instead of an NVMe SSD. It doesn’t have the blazing fast speeds of the NVMe, but it’s not like you’ll notice that during gaming.

At worst, your game will load a couple of seconds (or a few milliseconds) later compared to a PS5 rocking an NVMe SSD. And besides, the PS5 usually only has 660+ GB of space.

Specs:

• Certified 80 Plus
• 87% Efficiency
• Non-Modular
• 600 Watts
• 5-Year Warranty

Zalman has been making some good PSUs and some of their models are well-regarded, like the GigaMax lineup. Sadly, we can’t go under 600 watts because AMD recommends that as a minimum for the Radeon RX 6700.

That should be enough or a bit more since our CPU and the rest of the components are not too power-hungry. If the PSU is gold-certified, then you might be able to get away with 500 watts, but it’s not worth the risk.

Specs:

• Micro ATX form factor
• Special Pattern Magnetic Dust Filter
• Acrylic Side Panel
• 360mm GPU clearance

One of the reasons why the budget went over $600 was this beauty. Despite the budget-tier price, this underrated case from Cooler Master is uniquely stylish. It’s all thanks to the magnetic dust filter at the front and top, complete with a mesmerizing pattern.

You can even view your build and cable management thanks to the transparent panel. Overall, it’s a good statement that despite the budget build, you still have a good sense of style.