If you’re looking to play the latest games, you want a high-performance gaming pc build. Unlike laptops or consoles, PCs aren’t set in stone when it comes to hardware, meaning you can upgrade your components as needed for the best gaming experience. If you’re not up for the DIY process, a prebuilt computer can be an excellent option. However, if you’re willing to put in the effort, a custom PC will offer far more flexibility and superior value.

This build from CyberPowerPC is just under the $1000 mark, but it offers next-gen performance thanks to an RTX 2060 and an Intel Core i5. The rest of the specs are solid, too: 16GB of RAM and a 500GB SSD—that’s not much storage nowadays but should give you room for a game library while keeping your operating system and apps off the slower HDDs.

The CPU is the brain of your computer, dictating tasks to all other components and performing complex calculations at high speeds. It’s important to choose the right one for your gaming needs, so make sure to check the recommended system requirements for your games before choosing a processor.

While it should go without saying, be wary of any dirt-cheap configurations with integrated graphics chips (aka iGPUs). You’ll need discrete GPUs to run demanding games on a desktop. If you’re shopping for a gaming rig, opt for a model with either AMD Radeon or Nvidia GeForce graphics. best gaming pc build