If you’re tired of playing games like Fortnite and PUBG on your smartphone,
you may be looking for a cheap PC for under $200. It is technically possible
to build a gaming PC for around $200, but under that price is near
impossible.
If you’re okay with a price that is just over that, you can build
a PC that can handle casual gaming relatively okay.
Pros of this $200 PC Build
- This cheap build comes it at just slightly above $200 at current part
prices. - It can handle Fortnite, League of Legends, DOTA 2 at 720p resolution and
60fps - The micro ATX tower build makes it compact, doesn’t take up much
space
Cons of this $200 PC Build
- The parts are very low-end to fit this budget.
- Price does not include peripherals like monitor, keyboard, and mouse.
- No dedicated graphics card in this build.
Note: The AMD CPU used in this build has its own built-in GPU. While
dedicated nVIDIA graphics cards are preferred in high-end builds, AMD’s
integrated GPU outshines Intel’s integrated graphics card. Despite not having
a dedicated graphics card, this PC can still play Fortnite @ 720p resolution
with a solid 60fps.
Let’s Build it: A Sub-$200 PC Build
Processor
- AMD A8-9600 – $59.79
This AMD A8-9600 quad-core APU clocks at 3.1Ghz and offers integrated
graphics. The CPU+GPU combo can’t hold a candle to a dedicated graphics card,
but gaming at 720p on medium settings is definitely possible. This component
is the centerpiece for this build as it covers both processing power and
graphics power.
If you can fit a bit more into your budget, you could upgrade this part to
the AMD Ryzen 2200G Processor with integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics. This
processor is about twice as expensive as the AMD A8-9600, but this one can
handle 1080p gaming.
Motherboard
- GIGABYTE GA-A320M-S2H – $58
This A320 motherboard by Gigabyte features all the components you need for
the system, in addition to upgradable slots in the future. The motherboard
features HDMI, VGA, and DVI outputs along with 4x USB 3.0 and 2x USB 2.0
ports for all of your peripherals.
The A320 has proven popular for cheaper builds, so it can be hard to find
in stock online. Refurbished units are going for around $58 on Amazon at the
time of writing, making this the best option for getting this motherboard. It
also features a PCIe slot for a dedicated graphics card, should you want to
upgrade later.
RAM
- Timetec Hynix IC 4GB DDR4 2400MHz PC4-19200 – $23.99
This 4GB DDR RAM stick should be enough to handle a Windows 7 installation.
You may experience hiccuping while streaming YouTube videos, simply because
4GB of RAM For a modern system is a tiny amount. If you plan to make any
upgrades to this computer in the future, start by doubling the RAM module to
8GB.
You can either buy an additional 4GB stick for this price or upgrade to 2 x
8GB RAM sticks for a total of 16GB of RAM. The motherboard included in this
build features 2 DDR4 RAM slots, meaning you can double your performance at
any time for around $20-$40.
Power Supply
- Apevia ATX-AS500W Astro 500W ATX Power Supply – $23.99
One of the choke points for most PC builds is the power supply. Finding a
power supply that can handle a dedicated graphics card at a cheap price point
is nearly impossible. This Apevia 500W power supply can handle everything in
this build just fine but should be able to handle a dedicated GPU if you
upgrade later.
The cheapest ATX power supply I could find was around $18, but paying a bit
more upfront for one that can handle a dedicated GPU is preferable. When you
have an extra hundred bucks to throw at this build, you won’t need to replace
the power supply too.
Hard Drive
- Western Digital Caviar Blue 320GB – $18
This hard drive is the cheapest drive available that offers excellent
performance and a reasonable amount of space. You should be able to install
Windows 7 and have room for at least one or two games, depending on the size
of their install.
The motherboard included in this build has enough connectors for two
additional drives so that this build can be upgraded in the future. Consider
a 2.5-inch SSD for faster boot and load times in games if you are tired of
waiting.
Case
- Thermaltake Versa H17 Black SPCC Micro ATX Mini Tower – $33.77
Who says a cheap gaming PC build has to be ugly? This Thermaltake Versa
Gaming case is stylish and has plenty of space inside to store all the
components on the list. If you decide to upgrade to a dedicated graphics card
in the future, this micro ATX tower should have plenty of space for it.
Another great thing about this case is additional USB and headset ports on
the top of the case. It features 2x USB 3.0 and 2x USB 2.0 ports on the top
along with an HD microphone and headset jack. The case also has one 120mm
rear turbo fan preinstalled. You can get three 120mm or two 140mm intake
front fans to add to the build in the future to optimize heat dissipation.
TOTAL BUILD COST – $217.77 (Windows install not included)
For just $220, you can have a pretty solid gaming PC that can handle 720p
at medium settings. The best part of this build is that it is fully upgradeable
if you decide you want more power in the future. With extra slots for more
RAM and a PCIe slot for a dedicated graphics card, this PC build can grow
with you.
Upgrades
Since the core PC build is knocked out for less than $220, you may be
wondering what upgrades are a good option here. For a dedicated graphics
card, you can throw around $90 at this build and get a pretty decent
dedicated graphics card.
This Gigabyte nVIDIA 1030 2GB GPU will let you play most games on high with
a solid 30fps. It also offers support for Direct X 12, which requires Windows
10.
Windows 7 or Windows 10?
You may have noticed the price for this build does not include the license
for Windows. You can always put Linux on this build for free, but your gaming
options will be limited. Windows 7 is recommended for the starter build with
only 4GB of RAM, but it does not support Direct X 12.
If you want to play games that support Direct X 12, you should consider
starting with 8GB of RAM and Windows 10. Starting with Windows 10 will also
make it easier to upgrade to a dedicated graphics card in the future.
Recommended Peripherals
The $220 price of this build doesn’t include any peripheral costs, either.
To take full advantage of this PC build you will need a monitor, mouse, and
keyboard to play. Here are a few budget recommendations for those
peripherals.
Monitor – AOC 18.5″” 768p – $70
While this monitor certainly isn’t top of the line, it will work just fine
if you’re used to playing on a phone screen. The quality won’t blow you away
either, but it’s hard to argue with the below $100 price tag if you are
gaming on a budget.
Keyboard – Rii USB Backlit Wired Mechanical Keyboard – $18
Mechanical keyboards offer the best tactile feel for gamers. It used to be
impossible to find a mechanical keyboard below $50, but innovation in switch
design has made that possible. You can pick up this Rii mechanical gaming
keyboard for less than $20 for your build.
Mouse – PICTEK Wired Gaming Mouse – $18
Most gamers use the side buttons on their mouse for a variety of controls.
This gaming mouse offers eight programmable buttons with 7200DPI that can be
adjusted. It’s not the best gaming mouse on the market, but it does have one
unique feature.
A button located near where your thumb rests turns one left click into
three, functioning as a turbo mode. This turbo button is excellent for battle
royale games where being fast can mean the difference between being alive or
dead.”
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