$800 Nvidia Gaming PC Template

I’d recommend sticking with AM4 for this build so we can spend more money on the GPU. My preference would certainly be AM5, but pairing an AM5 CPU with an RTX 5060 for this price point isn’t practical. The Ryzen 5 5600 is still a solid option for an affordable gaming PC like this, and with the motherboard that I chose you can upgrade to a Ryzen 7 5700X3D in the future if you want to.

I do not really consider any Intel CPUs at this point in time. Ryzen simply has too many better options for me to consider Intel right now.

The Vetroo V5 is usually priced between $20-$30 and is a safe bet for almost any AM4 CPU. The 5600 is very easy to keep cool, so feel free to go with my other budget favorites such as the ID-Cooling FROZN A410, or the Thermaltake UX200 ARGB.

If you wanted to keep the costs down then you have the option to go with a B450, but for a build like this I like the B550 play a little better. This gives us slightly better future proofing options with the 5700X3D, and the pricing of B450 boards seems to be climbing a bit so B550 makes even more sense. The MSI B550-A Pro and ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming 4 AC are also usually in stock for this same price point. If you absolutely need built-in WiFi, then be sure to look out for that when selecting a motherboard. An alternative option would be wired ethernet, or a USB WiFi Dongle instead.

Any 2x16GB DDR4 kit clocked at 3200MHz or higher will work. I would recommend trying to find one with a CL rating of 16 if possible, but not required. (You can use this Amazon Search to help) 16GB of RAM will work, but I’d highly recommend 32GB in 2025. More and more games are starting to use more than 16GB by themselves, so having the extra headroom for other applications like a web browser and Discord is a good option. If the listed kit isn’t in stock, then I also like the Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB kit as well.

I’d recommend starting with at least a PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD with 1TB. If you have more money to spend then feel free to creep your way up to a “High-Level NVMe” (Consult the SSD List), but sticking with a low/mid ranged SSD at this build price is perfectly fine. The Silicon Power UD90 has consistently been one of the most available and least expensive mid ranged drives, so it’s getting my top pick. If that’s not in stock, then the Teamgroup T-Force G50 probably is.

As somebody that values price to performance I have to provide the disclaimer that you probably have better options with an AMD GPU in terms of “FPS Per Dollar” value. However, I do understand that some people value ray tracing, DLSS, and/or Reflex more, which is why they go with Nvidia. If you prefer Nvidia, then for the $800 price point your best option is the RTX 5060. This can play any game in 1080p with respectable settings, and feel free to grab whichever one you find the best deal on or one with an aesthetic design that you like. There’s not a huge difference in the performance or cooling between the available options from the trusted manufacturers. If you can’t find the listed model in stock, then take a look at the ASUS Dual RTX 5060 or the Gigabyte RTX 5060 Windforce OC.

For a Ryzen 5 5600 and RTX 5060 build, my search filter will be any Tier C, B, or A 550W+ unit. (Consult the PSU Tier List) The MSI MAG A550BN has been consistently available for $50-$60, and I’ve personally used this dozens of times without an issue. If you can’t find that in stock, then look for an MSI MAG A650BE or an A650BN. Both of those are still Tier C but with slightly more wattage.

The case selection is always personal preference, but for the Nvidia Gaming Build Templates I’m sticking with the Montech XR. This is a fish tank style of case that holds an ATX motherboard at a crazy good price under $70. It doesn’t pack all of the bells and whistles, but it’s still a high quality case that’s easy to build with. By spending this low amount of our budget on the case, it allows us to fill it with higher quality components. If you don’t like the Montech XR then feel free to go with any ATX compatible case that you personally like. Some of my other favorites are the Fractal Design Pop Air RGB, Okinos Oak Wood, Corsair 4000D Airflow, and the Fractal Design North.