Best gaming PC build under $400 for 2024

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Our $400 Custom Gaming PC Build
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Table of Contents

Best gaming PC under $400

Building a gaming PC for under $400 is extremely challenging, however, the advent of APUs made it viable. While an APU has some entry-level performance, that is reserved for our cheapest gaming PC build. Spending a little more for a dedicated GPU can go a long way for your overall gaming experience. As you can imagine, there are many compromises made at this price point but we have managed to squeeze in several key components that will give you the starter PC you are looking for.

How we test

We carefully build each of our recommended PCs to ensure the best performance and compatibility. Our PCs are thoroughly tested with everyday use and various games to ensure they can handle demanding tasks, all the while recording temperatures to ensure overall system health and stability. We also test for overclocking capability, but please be aware that overclocking has risks and may void warranties.

The WePC experts that worked on this build

Benchmarking Specialist
Team Seb

Sebastian Kozlowski

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Seb is a Mechanical Engineering Graduate who has always been passionate and involved in gaming and computers. Ever since tinkering with the family computer and being the tech wizard in the family, he’s had an interest in PCs and all things tech. So while at University build his own computer, became tech support for others and finally found a career working with them daily.

Custom Build Specialist
Team Shaun

Shaun Conroy

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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 $400

It is always a great idea to build your own desktop computer, especially if you’re restricted on how much you can spend. Nonetheless, not everyone is fond of building their gaming computer due to the hassle that comes with it. If you’re someone who isn’t overly keen on the idea of building their own, then you’ll be happy to know we’ve searched the web for the best-prebuilt gaming PC for around $400.

Our custom gaming PC build under $400

  • Last Updated - Sep 6, 2024

Considering this $400 build? We’ve outlined all the components below to help make this process as easy as possible.

Coolermaster Masterbox Q300L case

Our $400 Custom Gaming PC Build

Our best custom-built gaming PC for under $400 is about as good as you can get for entry-level gaming performance. We have managed to squeeze in a dedicated GPU, giving you some reasonable results in 1080p.

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The Intel 12100F may not be the best CPU in the world, but it’s certainly capable. You are going to struggle to get a different CPU and GPU in for around $400, so it is the 12100F or an APU instead. Regardless as far as entry-level processors go, this is a recommended go-to.

The motherboard is an area where we can save some money for this budget, that’s why we’ve opted for the ASRock B660M. This board offers enough in terms of features and offers out-of-the-box compatibility. That being said, it’s still effectively an entry-level board.

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The Intel i3-12100F comes with a stock cooler that we will be taking advantage of in this build to save some money.

Silicons power kit may be a budget selection but it is still reliable. We’ve opted for 16GB of their DDR4 3200MHz RAM kit in our $400 build. This Memory leaves your PC in a good spot for any future upgrades and allows you to make the most of the Intel CPU.

The RX 5500 XT is about as entry-level as you can go with graphics in today’s market. Regardless, we highly recommend this over an APU as it will give you far higher frame rate when playing games in 1080p.

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You’ll be glad to hear that this build makes use of a super-fast SSD storage solution. If you aren’t familiar with SSDs and how they work, in basic terms, the technology inside an SSD differs dramatically from that of traditional HDDs. This means they can read/write data much, much faster. We’ve managed to squeeze in 4080GB of storage space, something you will want to upgrade down the line.

Of all the entry-level cases we’ve recommended here on WePC, this is definitely the most aesthetically pleasing. It also has great out-of-the-box cooling, a clean design, great airflow, and plenty of room for a GPU or a few extra hard drives down the line. The Q300L currently showcases superb value for money and is the perfect option for this $400 gaming build. This PC case comes with one pre-installed 120mm fan, providing your system with some airflow out of the box. If you add a dedicated GPU to this build we recommend buying another case fan.

When buying a cost-effective PSU, we always recommend buying from reputable, reliable manufacturers. If you don’t, you run a serious risk of hardware malfunction down the line. For that reason, we’ve gone for a Thermaltake Smart 500W white-rated PSU. It isn’t going to win any awards for the most outstanding PSU, but it certainly does the job and will provide your components with efficient and safe power for years to come.

Coolermaster Masterbox Q300L case

Our $400 Custom Gaming PC Build

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Things to consider with this $400 PC build

$400 PC vs Console

In reality, there’s no way that this $400 PC can compete with the likes of a PS5 or an Xbox Series X in gaming workloads. Consoles are incredibly optimized and the games that are made for them are tailor-made to the hardware that these consoles carry, and we can’t compete with that level of optimization. However, with our $400 build, you can use it as, well, a PC. Surf the web, create a website, develop a game, do some software development, all things you can’t do (or would be a pain to do) on a games console.

If you want a very capable home server or media PC, then this $400 PC build would be a great consideration against a console. you can still do some light gaming until you save up enough money to pick up a 6600 XT for example, and then you’re off to the races. But if we’re talking of exclusively gaming, there is much more value to be found in a console.

$400 Custom PC Upgrade Options

  • Last Updated - Sep 6, 2024

If you’re looking to inject a little more performance into your $400 PC, then you can opt for a few of these upgrades. Bear in mind, that you will need to upgrade to a dedicated GPU if the CPU you choose does not come with an iGPU.

If you don’t have much money for upgrades but can stretch to a $500 budget, then you should instead opt for a $500 PC build which introduces a dedicated GPU to the PC, which more than triples the performance of this machine.

If you’re looking to inject a little more performance into your $400 PC, then you can opt for a few of these upgrades. Bear in mind, that you will need to upgrade to a dedicated GPU if the CPU you choose does not come with an iGPU.

If you don’t have much money for upgrades but can stretch to a $500 budget, then you should instead opt for a $500 PC build which introduces a dedicated GPU to the PC, which more than triples the performance of this machine.

Operating System & Peripherals

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Building Tips

We understand that building a PC, especially if it’s your first time, can be a relatively tricky and strenuous process. Below we have outlined some of our best building tips so that you don’t make the same mistake so many have before you. If our tips aren’t enough, we have created a list of the most popular PC building questions, which should cover pretty much everything there is to do with PC building. Furthermore, we would recommend checking our most popular mistakes made by PC builders page as well.

FAQs

Is a $400 PC worth it?

Honestly, there is much better value to be had than a $400 PC. If you save up an extra $100 you can opt for a $500 PC with a dedicated GPU, which will perform much better in every aspect.

How long will the $400 PC last?

In terms of longevity, We’ve seen PCs last 10-plus years, but future-proofing is a different story. This PC is already struggling to hang on, the fact that this build doesn’t have a dedicated GPU holds it back. We’d stronglyt reccomend either saving the extra $100, or upgrading your GPU as soon as possible.

Closing Thoughts

This is our best custom PC build for under $400! Our detailed guide streamlines the hardware selection and building process, sparing you the effort and frustration of looking for compatible parts. It’s perfect if you’re a beginner aiming to play low-intensity competitive esports games at 720 – 1080p. This build is ready for action and can be upgraded whenever you’re ready.

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