Build Yourself a $1,000 Gaming Computer and Dominate the Competition

For those of you who are struggling to get good performance out of your computer while playing your favorite games, you should consider building your next system. There are essentially two main reasons why it’s a better idea to build a gaming computer rather than buy one...

The first reason you should build your next PC is because it will cost you less money than if you were to buy one. The build we will look at below costs approximately $1,000 to build. However, if you were to buy the same computer from one of the big computer assemblers (like Alienware) you would find that you would have to pay nearly twice as much for the same computer.


But that isn’t the only reason why it’s better to build your own gaming computer...

The other reason why you should build--and not buy--is because the big name computer assemblers like to cut costs wherever they can so that they can maximize their profits. This means that they settle for components that are cheaply built.
No, the well-known computer assemblers do not skimp on their processors or their video cards, but they do skimp on the quality of their other components. Instead of well-built components, they choose stripped down versions so that they can make more money.
Now, it is true that the more you spend on a pre-built gaming computer, the better the computer you will get. However, the price markup is so high, it’s just crazy to do. Especially when you consider how easy it is to build your own system...

In this post, I will show you the parts you will need in order to build a gaming computer for $1,000 that will perform better than most pre-built systems that cost twice as much.

Build Background

For this article I wanted to put together a rig that would be primarily used for gaming. This build can handle tasks like video/image editing fairly well, but it’s primary purpose is for gaming.

As of right now, Intel’s Ivy Bridge line of processors is the only way to go for a high-end gaming computer. And, since the only difference between the affordable i5 processors and i7 processors is that the i7’s have hyperthreading technology--which is not yet utilized in modern games--then the only processor that makes sense is the i5-3570k (unlocked) or the i5-3570 (locked).
Also, I wanted to put a build together that would be able to play any game I threw at it. And, I wanted to do so on the highest settings possible with excellent results. This build will do that.

Additionally, I wanted to make sure that I put together a build that had quality components across the board and a solid power supply that could handle overclocking and an additional video card should I choose to add one later.

This build is basically everything you could ask for in a gaming computer.

Parts List

● CPU - Intel Core i5-3570K Quad-Core Processor 3.4 GHz ($219.99)

● Motherboard - AS Rock LGA1155 Intel Z77 ($98.99)

● CPU Fan - Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO ($29.98)

● Video Card - XFX Radeon HD 7870 ($248.99)

● RAM - Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1600 MHz ($45.94)

● HDD - Seagate Barracuda 7200 1 TB 7200RPM ($69.99)

● SSD - Crucial m4 128GB Solid State Drive ($109.99)

● Case - Cooler Master HAF X ($159.99)

● Power Supply - Corsair Builder Series 600W ($66.24)

● Optical Drive - Lite-on 24x SATA DVD RW ($17.99)

Grand Total: $1,068.09 

What This Build is Capable of?

With an i5-3570k processor and an Intel z77 motherboard, this build can be overclocked if necessary. This will help keep it relevant for a long time as it will be able to be pushed to meet the performance of higher processors when necessary.

The 600-watt power supply and the SLI/CrossFireX-ready motherboard will also allow for the addition of a second HD 7870 in the future if necessary. This will allow this build to stay relevant for a long time so that instead of you having to build a whole new system in a couple of years, you will only need to make a couple of upgrades.

The other great thing about this build is that it features a Crucial m4 solid state drive. These SSDs have received excellent reviews and solid state drive technology has completely changed the the overall experience of computers. Since SSDs are still pretty expensive, I have chosen to also include a 1TB mechanical hard drive for data storage.

For optimal usage, it’s best to install the operating system and some of your favorite games on the SSD and then you can put all of your files and other data on the hard drive.

Finally, this build comes with a Cooler Master HAF X full tower case. Now, bigger cases are definitely heavier and harder to move around than mid-tower cases. But their added size also makes them easier to work inside, allows them to feature more drive bays, and helps them provide superior cooling. So, while this case probably won’t fit on your desk--and will therefore have to sit on the ground--it will keep your components cooler and will likely still be a viable option many years down the road.

Final Words

The bottom line is that with this computer setup you will be able to play any games you want to on the highest settings without having to pay well over $2,000 in order to do so. And, this computer will last longer and will run more efficiently that if you were to buy it from the manufacturers.

So, for your next gaming computer, consider building it yourself. There’s too much at stake!

Author Bio 

This article was provided by EliteGamingComputers.com—a site dedicated to helping gamers get an affordable gaming computer that best suits their needs. Elite Gaming Computers not only provides helpful information on how to build a computer, but it provides a number of builds put together for any budget.