Best gaming PC under $1500 build 2024
Built & Tested By Our Team
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Table of Contents
Best gaming PC build under $1500
The best gaming PC under $1500 gets you a system that can handle every modern gaming title with ease. A $1500 PC build will allow you to play in high resolutions, with max settings. While we recommend this machine for 1440p gaming, there is room for 4K gaming also, with the odd setting tweaks here or there. This will be particularly strong for competitive players looking to hit high FPS numbers on fast refresh monitors. At this price point, you are able to build a new-gen computer, featuring the latest AM5 platform, DDR5 RAM, modern RTX graphics, and of course rapid storage.
How we test
We build each of our selected PCs from scratch to make sure all the parts we recommend can be configured properly together, fit into the selected case, and provide the best performance possible for the price. Once built, the PCs are tested in the office with everyday use as well as in a series of games that range from light to demanding. While we test, we also run benchmarks to see how well our builds perform, all while keeping an eye on the temperature of the components and the overall health of the configuration.
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 $1500
Skytech Nebula Gaming PC Desktop (R5 5600X, RTX 4070)
CPU
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
GPU
RTX 4070
RAM
16GB DDR4
Storage
1TB NVMe SSD
Skytech Nebula Gaming PC Desktop (R5 5600X, RTX 4070)
CPU
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
GPU
RTX 4070
RAM
16GB DDR4
Storage
1TB NVMe SSD
Not everyone can build a new gaming PC from scratch, so we have included some premium prebuilt options for your consideration. While building your own is always going to be the best choice, If you’re looking to buy a prebuilt gaming PC instead, we recommend the Skytech Nebula gaming PC. It’s powered by an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X CPU and the RTX 4070 GPU, that can run AAA games at high settings without breaking a sweat. However, the CPU is a little behind our option, the 12600KF.
Best gaming PC build under $1500
- Last Updated - Sep 4, 2024
This $1500 gaming PC was specifically crafted to play any game in both high settings and higher resolutions, while also providing smooth streaming/rendering performance.
Our $1500 custom gaming PC build
With the best gaming PC for around $1500, you’ll get to enjoy high-performance components that will allow you to play any game, in any settings, While we recommend this build to gamers who enjoy playing in 1440p, the included GPU is capable of 4K gaming too with some minor tweaks.
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
Cores
6
Threads
12
Base speed
4.7GHz
Boost speed
5.3GHz
Cache
L3 32MB
Socket
AM5
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
Cores
6
Threads
12
Base speed
4.7GHz
Boost speed
5.3GHz
Cache
L3 32MB
Socket
AM5
The Ryzen 5 7600X is still one of AMDs most successful budget options for the new AM5 platform. While we would love to fit a 7800X3D into this build, we have compromised to get a better GPU instead. This processor features 6 cores and 12 threads with a potential clock speed of up to 4.7GHz.
To seat the CPU, you are going to need a reliable motherboard. The MSI B650 Gaming Plu8s is just that, a solid DDR5 option that offers a nice balance of affordability and quality. This board is packed with features for the price, supporting overclocking, fast RAM speeds, Wifi6E, and more.
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120SE CPU Air Cooler
Type
Air
TDP
280W
Noise level
25.6 dB
MAX RPM
1500 RPM
Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120SE CPU Air Cooler
Type
Air
TDP
280W
Noise level
25.6 dB
MAX RPM
1500 RPM
While you may have expected a liquid cooling solution for this R5 CPU, the Thermalright Phantom Spirit is more than OK for this. This is one of the best CPU air coolers available and comes in at such an affordable price.
TEAMGROUP T-Create 32GB Kit (2 x 16GB) 6000MHz
Capcity 3
32GB (2x16GB)
Speed
6000MHz
Timings
CL38
TEAMGROUP T-Create 32GB Kit (2 x 16GB) 6000MHz
Capcity 3
32GB (2x16GB)
Speed
6000MHz
Timings
CL38
ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4070 Ti Super OC
Core clock speed
2,670MHz boost, 2,340MHz base
CUDA count
8,448
Memory
16GB GDDR6X
Dimensions
336 x 150 x 63 mm ( 13.22 x 5.9 x 2.48 inch)
PSU required
750W
TBP
285W
ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4070 Ti Super OC
Core clock speed
2,670MHz boost, 2,340MHz base
CUDA count
8,448
Memory
16GB GDDR6X
Dimensions
336 x 150 x 63 mm ( 13.22 x 5.9 x 2.48 inch)
PSU required
750W
TBP
285W
To power your graphical needs we have gone for one of the latest GPUs from Nvidia’s RTX 40-series – The RTX 4070 Ti Super. While pushing your frames in esports titles exponentially in high settings, this card will also smash through your favorite AAA titles and more when playing in 1440p. There is also some decent 4K performance from the 4070 Ti Super with the odd settings tweak.
The build quality of this 1TB SSD is unquestionable, and the boost in performance it gives makes it a no-brainer for this $1500 gaming PC. While testing, the benchmark results showed us that there is little difference between SATA SSDs and M.2, however, increased boot times are a lovely quality-of-life addition.
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
Last but not least is our PC case selection. The Montech AIR 903 isn’t exactly a high-end option, however, it is well-regarded for its relative airflow and performance for the price.
We have decided to include a very reliable power supply but if you wanted to you could save money easily in this area for a trusted Bronze-rated PSU instead.
Our $1500 custom gaming PC build
Things to consider
What you get for your $1500
When you are spending around $1500, you are pretty much guaranteed to give yourself a high-end PC with an array of top-shelf features. For this amount of money, you can expect a fast CPU that will enhance your gaming experience and also perform without issue when multitasking. You will also benefit from a high-end graphics card, capable of high frame rates in glorious high-fidelity graphical settings. Overall, a PC built under $1500 brings some of the very best components together and puts you in the lower high-end bracket, ideal for 1440p gaming on a high refresh rate monitor.
We separate our builds into different categories, all based on a specific budget. Regardless of this, it is still important to consider if this is the right budget for your gaming needs. If you are looking to play AAA titles in high settings and achieve relatively high FPS metrics, then you are in the right place. For the more casual gamers who primarily play less taxing indie games, this PC could be overkill. While we do our best to bring you a high-quality system that remains within our budget parameters, Amazon’s prices can fluctuate from time to time.
This $1500 gaming PC build features the latest next-gen components, ensuring you get high performance that will last for years. With an RTX 40-series GPU, you are guaranteed high frame rates in most titles in 1440p and below, with some 4K performance viable through the odd setting tweak.
Supporting the CPU and GPU, this $1500 build also comes with a rapid 1TB NVMe SSD to take care of your operating system and more than a few games. This storage solution will give you faster boot times than your standard HDD and will also improve your FPS in-game. We also see 32GB of ultra-fast 6000MHz DDR5 RAM in this PC, making this PC feel fast and responsive for years to come.
Overclocking
Some gamers and plenty of enthusiasts love to overclock their gaming rigs, so we have included components that can cater to this. Overclocking can squeeze extra power out of your system and provide you with even better performance.
If you are considering overclocking your system, remember to include a capable aftermarket cooler to handle the extra heat produced by the CPU. The fast RAM included in this build will not run at 6000MHz out of the box, so remember to overclock your RAM in the BIOS, by enabling the EXPO profile. It is worth noting that the motherboard selected can handle these speeds without any issues, so no need to worry.
Upgradability & Future-Proofing the $1500 build
Even though this is a $1500 gaming PC and is considered high-end, there is still some room for improvement. Upgrades in the right areas can give you an improved gaming experience if done right, and a greater life span out of your PC build, so certainly worthy of consideration. Upgrades will come at a significant extra cost for that boost in performance, but if you can accommodate it, go for it!
- Last Updated - Sep 4, 2024
Upgrade options
Even this powerful $1500 gaming PC has some wiggle room for upgrades but as we have opted for AM5 you have a lot of future options. As per our $1500 build, we’d say an upgrade in CPU would be the 7800X3d or future AMD Releases under the AM5 platform. As for the graphics card, the next step up from the 4070 Ti Super is the RTX 4080 Super or RTX 4090.
Note: These will raise the price of the build! Some of them more significantly than others. CPUs and GPUs are the options that raise the price the most, as they are the main drivers behind gaming performance.
Even this powerful $1500 gaming PC has some wiggle room for upgrades but as we have opted for AM5 you have a lot of future options. As per our $1500 build, we’d say an upgrade in CPU would be the 7800X3d or future AMD Releases under the AM5 platform. As for the graphics card, the next step up from the 4070 Ti Super is the RTX 4080 Super or RTX 4090.
Note: These will raise the price of the build! Some of them more significantly than others. CPUs and GPUs are the options that raise the price the most, as they are the main drivers behind gaming performance.
ASUS ROG STRIX RTX 4080 GAMING OC
Core Clock Speed
2,535 MHz boost, 2,205 MHz base
CUDA Cores
9,728
Memory Size
16GB GDDR6X
Dimensions
357.6 x 149.3 x 70.1mm
PSU Required
750 W
TBP
320 W
ASUS ROG STRIX RTX 4080 GAMING OC
Core Clock Speed
2,535 MHz boost, 2,205 MHz base
CUDA Cores
9,728
Memory Size
16GB GDDR6X
Dimensions
357.6 x 149.3 x 70.1mm
PSU Required
750 W
TBP
320 W
Intel Core i7-13700K
Cores
16
Threads
24
Base speed
P-cores 3.4 GHz / E-cores 2.5 GHz
Boost speed
P-cores 5.4 GHz / E-cores 4.2 GHz
Cache
24MB
TDP
125 W / 253 W boost.
Intel Core i7-13700K
Cores
16
Threads
24
Base speed
P-cores 3.4 GHz / E-cores 2.5 GHz
Boost speed
P-cores 5.4 GHz / E-cores 4.2 GHz
Cache
24MB
TDP
125 W / 253 W boost.
Operating System & Peripherals
No items found.
Building Tips
When spending this much money to get the best $1,500 gaming desktop, you want to make sure you’re doing everything right. So, to keep you from making the same mistakes every other newb PC builder makes, you’ll want to familiarise yourself with common PC building concerns.
FAQs
How long will this $1500 PC stay relevant?
The PC hardware industry advances fast, but we predict that this $1500 gaming PC will last around 4 years in terms of relevancy. Fortunately, we’ve designed this PC with future-proofing in mind, and we only need to upgrade the CPU to keep it relevant for a little longer.
Is $1500 the best value for a gaming PC?
$1500 is a good value and about how much we recommend you spend on a gaming PC. It may seem like a lot, but this PC will buy you 4 years of relevance, more if you spend a few extra bucks to upgrade the CPU, but for the price, and the system’s longevity, $1500 goes a long way.
Closing Thoughts
This $1500 gaming PC can glide through gaming in 1440p while pushing high FPS in AAA titles, and even dabble in 4k. The component list offered is the best for the price, leveraging the 13600KF’s performance-per-dollar, and the RTX 4070 Ti’s efficiency in 1440p. Whilst this $1500 build is targeted toward 1440p it can easily be pushed beyond with some minor setting tweaks, don’t forget, you always have the option to overclock or upgrade your components if you want a bit more performance. The upgradability of this machine is greatly increased by the Z790 motherboard which is comfortably set as Intel’s latest 14th generation CPUs without breaking a sweat, it’s what the Z790 was made for!
If you have more cash to spend and want even more performance out of your rig, you can look into our $2000 PC build. On the flip side, if you’re looking for something a little more budget, you can browse our $1000 gaming PC page.
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