Dreaming of smooth 1080p or 1440p gaming without the premium price? This guide walks you through picking parts that deliver maximum performance per pound.

1. Selecting the Processor

Opt for value leaders like the AMD Ryzen 5 5600 or Intel Core i5-12400F. Both deliver excellent gaming FPS at reasonable costs.

2. Choosing Your Graphics Card

Look at the NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super or AMD Radeon RX 6600. These GPUs handle modern titles on high settings at 1080p while remaining budget-conscious.

3. Motherboard and Memory

Pair a B550 or B660 chipset board—ensure solid VRMs—with 16GB of DDR4 RAM clocked at 3200MHz for snappy multitasking and gaming.

4. Storage Strategy

Use a 500GB NVMe SSD for your OS and top-played games, complemented by a 1TB SATA SSD for mass storage. This combo balances fast load times and ample space.

5. Power Supply and Cooling

Choose a 550W or 650W 80+ Bronze PSU from a trusted brand. For cooling, the stock AMD cooler or an aftermarket air cooler keeps temps low without hefty expense.

6. Case and Peripherals

Pick a budget case with front-panel airflow and room for upgrades. A solid entry-level keyboard and mouse duo under £50 provides reliability without overspend.

7. Assembly and Validation

Follow manufacturer instructions carefully, apply thermal compound properly, and stress-test with tools like Cinebench and 3DMark to confirm stable operation.

Adhering to these tips ensures you build a capable gaming PC that won’t break your bank—let the frugal fun begin!