Best Gaming PC Build Under 400 Dollars – [2021 Buying Guide]

Recently, in this article, I have talked about different types of gaming PC components in my review. But for your need in building your own gaming PC, I have listed the best gaming PC components that you can buy in the year 2021. Some of these components are not available yet in the market, but they are still under development.

For a few years, the OEM system, which included firms like Dell, HP, Acer, and others, dominated the computer industry. Because you have to pay for the features you desire, the trend of custom PCs has made it easier to obtain more powerful components at the best price. The cheapest gaming PC you can construct is just $300, but at that price, you’ll have to sacrifice certain capabilities.

These entry-level setups are adequate, but you can buy a great gaming PC for $400 if you raise your budget. After all, AMD Ryzen APUs have made it feasible to buy a low-cost gaming PC that can run the newest games at acceptable frame rates without the need for a graphics card. Today, we’ll assist you in constructing a gaming PC; in fact, we’ll show you how to create the finest PC under $400.

At 720p resolution and the lowest settings, this $400 gaming PC will be able to play Esports and current AAA titles. Of course, creating a high-end PC on this price is impossible, but if you want more performance in the future, you can combine a good graphics card with it. So, without going into too much detail regarding this computer, let’s start with the CPU.

As you may know, building a gaming PC for under $400 is difficult, and you must choose the finest and cheapest hardware available. I would advise you to stay with these components or find replacements, but not below them, since this would damage your gaming experience. So you don’t have to worry about how to construct a gaming computer for $400 since we’ve got everything covered.

Components List for the Best Gaming PC Under $400

AMD Ryzen 5 3400G processor CPU

For these kinds of setups, there are a few choices, but the best one I discovered is the Ryzen 5 3400G. The other choices are an i3 9100 processor or a Ryzen 3 3200g processor with a GTX 1050 graphics card, but there is a catch. Because both the CPU and graphics card are inadequate for contemporary gaming, the best choice is the 3400g Ryzen 5, which allows you to combine better graphics cards in the future.

The Ryzen 5 3400G is a redesigned first-generation APU with more powerful integrated graphics, making it the finest APU ever produced. This processor’s pricing is extremely reasonable for a $400 gaming PC setup, and its performance is adequate for the budget, making it the best value.

The Ryzen 5 3400g features four cores and eight threads, providing enough performance in both apps and gaming. AMD used to release flagship CPUs with four cores and eight threads for $300, but with new Ryzen APUs, they’ve altered the game.

It has a base speed of 3.7GHz, but with the stock cooler and any decent B450 chipset motherboard, you can easily push it up to 4.2GHz. These AMD processors, unlike Intel processors, are factory unlocked, which means you may overclock them for even more performance. The integrated graphics card’s base frequency is 1400MHz, with a total TDP of 95W.

Another area where this APU outperforms Intel CPUs is the included cooling. As you may be aware, most Intel CPUs do not come with built-in cooling, forcing you to purchase an aftermarket cooler, which is more expensive. For AMD processors, however, this is not the case, and you may overclock these processors using the factory cooling.

With all of its excellent qualities, this CPU also has some flaws, although they are minor in comparison. First and foremost, the performance difference between this CPU and previous generations in this application is not significant. I found this CPU to be somewhat better than the previous version when evaluating its benchmarks; nevertheless, there is a $50 price difference between them. As a result, it will be ideal for a gaming PC under $400 in every aspect.

Specifications

B450M PRO4 by ASRock Motherboard

After you’ve decided on a processor, the following step is to choose a good motherboard that won’t restrict the processor’s performance. As I previously said, these CPUs’ multipliers are unlocked, allowing you to push their clock speeds to unprecedented heights. However, you must first choose which chipset motherboard is suitable for these setups.

Starting with the A320 chipset, which is the lowest choice, you will be missing out on a number of features, including overclocking. The X370 or X470 chipsets are capable, however they lack display output connectors and are prohibitively costly for budget setups. The other two chipsets are the B350 and B450, both of which are almost same in price. However, the B450 has considerably more features and performance, and I would suggest it.

The motherboard I chose for this setup is the ASRock B450M PRO4, which is reasonably priced yet has all of the features you’ll need. This motherboard comes pre-configured for Ryzen 5 3400g and provides maximum overclocking capability. It features a 9-phase power design VRM that is set in 6+3 mode, with doublers in all three phases.

This motherboard’s four DIMMs support up to 64GB of RAM and run at 2900MHz+ (OC), which is remarkable for a cheap motherboard. For high-speed data transmission NVMe modules, there are four SATA3 ports and two M.2 slots. This motherboard includes a lot of USB 3.0 Type-A and Type-C ports, thus it offers a lot of connection possibilities.

This design does not have dedicated graphics cards, but it does include two PCIe x16 slots that enable AMD Crossfire and one PCIe x1 slot for expansion cards. Video output connections are required with APUs, and the back I/O panel includes VGA, DVI, and HDMI connectors.

The only criticism I have is that for any cheap or entry-level setup, several graphics cards and a pair of M.2 slots are unnecessary; instead, it would be preferable if it had two more SATA slots. While this motherboard is reasonably priced, it lacks certain premium capabilities that other entry-level motherboards provide for the same or lower price. This motherboard is ideal for gaming computers with an AM4 socket CPU that cost less than $400.

Specifications

Cooler of the Wraith Spire is a kind of cooler.

The stock cooling that come with every Ryzen CPU are an advantage of using Ryzen series processors in budget builds. Most Intel cheap and even some high-end versions come without built-in cooling, forcing you to spend additional money on aftermarket coolers.

This CPU’s TDP is 95W, and this cooler is intended for that. As long as you don’t overclock the processor, you should be OK. In terms of performance and cooling, the Wraith Spire is one of the finest coolers in the Ryzen range. This cooler, on the other hand, isn’t as flashy as the one that comes with R7 37xx CPUs.

Getting a Ryzen CPU and not overclocking it makes no sense since these processors have no overclocking limitations. If you’re planning on doing some major overclocking with this CPU, I’d suggest investing in a decent AIO cooler, since the case we’ll be using supports AIO radiators.

I believe it would be much better if this cooler allowed for some CPU overclocking and included RGB lighting. However, it is still acceptable for entry-level or budget setups without these functionalities since we can spend that money on other components.

Specifications

SU635 240GB Adata SSD

Every day, as compared to a few years ago, storage devices are improving; we were trapped with conventional hard disk drives, which are considerably slower and impact the entire performance of computers. Then came SSDs, which are certainly far quicker than any HDD but have their own set of benefits and drawbacks. NVMe SSDs, which are much superior than conventional SSDs, are very popular these days.

So, in my opinion, a tiny SSD is sufficient in cheap PC setups since we can utilize a hard drive with it for gaming, but that is not the case here. Because our cheap build is mostly for Esports games rather than AAA games, we don’t need a lot of storage, thus an SSD is a fine choice. However, if you wish to increase your storage in the future, there are choices on the motherboard.

The drive we have is an Adata SU 635 240GB, and as its name suggests, it contains 240GB of memory, which is more than adequate for any computer construction. This drive’s makers say that it has a reading speed of 450MB/s and a writing speed of 520MB/s.

So, there are some positive and negative aspects to this drive, and we’ll go through them one by one. To begin with, it has much faster reading and writing speeds than a standard HDD. This drive has a variety of capabilities, including SMART and Trim, among others. It features a simple, clean, and effective SSD toolkit, while others are a little more difficult to use.

The only issue I’ve had with this drive is that when the SLC cache is full, the drive’s performance decreases to 50 MB/s, which is disappointing for any high-speed storage device. Another flaw I discovered with this SSD is that it only has a two-year guarantee, while most other drives have warranties of up to five years. 

Specifications

EVGA BR 450W 80+ Bronze Power Supply

The EVGA BR 450 W 80+ Bronze power supply is the power supply we’re utilizing in our gaming PC around $400. For this PC setup, a 450 W power supply is sufficient.

EVGA has launched the BR series of power supplies, which has been added to the company’s ever-growing range of products. EVGA claims that the BR series of power supplies are based on their current bronze-rated power supplies, but that they have added certain enhancements that consumers have requested. The EVGA BR 450 W power supply is 80 PLUS certified and has all black completely sleeved wires, a 120mm sleeve bearing fan, and improved voltage stability on the 3.3V/5V rails.

Specifications

The EVGA BR 450 W 80+ Bronze power supply features the standard ATX form factor with a black chassis. Instead of using a modular power supply, the power supply’s wires are hardwired, which saves time when plugging in the cables. However, the ease of knowing where to place the wires is sacrificed. The EVGA BR 450 W 80+ Bronze power supply features a 120mm sleeve bearing fan to keep the power supply cool, which EVGA claims results in quieter operation and a longer lifetime.

The improvements on the 3.3V and 5V rails come from a DC to DC converter with less signal, according to EVGA, which should assist with rail stability. The inbuilt safeguards of the EVGA BR 450 W 80+ Bronze power supply are extensive, ensuring the safety of the gear connected to it.

The primary reason we selected the EVGA BR 450 W 80+ Bronze power supply for our budget gaming PC under $400 is because it is 80 PLUS bronze certified, which means it is very dependable, and 450 W is enough for our $400 gaming PC. In addition, the EVGA BR 450 W 80+ Bronze power supply is reasonably priced for the level of dependability it offers.

Vengeance LPX from Corsair 8G RAM (2x4GB)

You may already be aware that when new technology and advances in the gaming business become available, you will need more resources than ever before. One of the most important components for transferring data from disk drives to the CPU for processing is main memory. Most people are unsure how much RAM is needed for a gaming setup, so I’ll walk you through it all in this review.

In this day and age, I would suggest getting at least 12GB of memory, and if you can afford it, two 8GB modules to take advantage of dual-channel technology. Because we’re constructing a cheap PC, the greatest RAM you can buy is 8GB, which will help eliminate any latency in your system.  

This memory features an eight-layer PCB, making it the finest memory module for overclocking and giving your build a lot of efficiency. These memory modules are compatible with the recommended motherboard and can operate at 3000Mhz with ease. Also, make sure you’re utilizing dual-channel memory modules, since they give double the bandwidth, which is very helpful in integrated graphics cards because it means you’ll get higher frame rates.

A heatsink or heat spreader constructed of pure aluminum sits on top of these modules, allowing for optimum heat dispersion. We’re utilizing Corsair RAM modules, which are a well-known brand, so you don’t have to worry about their quality or features since this business hasn’t let its customers down in the last several years.

Because the motherboard only has four DIMM slots, you’ll have an option with all of these sticks if you have any plans for future additions. One thing to keep in mind is that the speed of memory modules does not provide a fixed amount of extra frame rates; rather, it varies from game to game.

Specifications

Radeon RX Vega 11 graphics card GPU (Integrated)

The greatest feature of this design that really surprised me is the strong integrated graphics card. As I previously said, the Vega 11 is included into the chip, so you won’t need to purchase an additional GPU to play ordinary games. Despite the fact that this chip offers both benefits and drawbacks, we will examine them there.

Integrated graphics cards appeal to me the most because of their low cost and excellent performance. You may already be aware that specialized graphics cards are more expensive than the CPU you are using, and that the price may occasionally exceed a thousand dollars. APUs are pricier than alternatives, but they provide greater value since this one has an 11-core GPU and a base speed of 1400Mhz.

The major disadvantage of utilizing an integrated graphics processor is that it lacks dedicated memory, which is available on other graphics cards. Dedicated GPUs from AMD and Nvidia feature video memory to store video content on their boards, as you may know. The integrated graphics card uses memory from your computer’s main memory, which is why I suggest that you have at least 16GB dual-channel memory.

Also, you’ve probably heard of the phrase bottlenecking, which describes how if your GPU is more powerful than your CPU, it may restrict its performance. This isn’t the case with these APUs since they’re built into the CPU, thus their performance is identical to the processor’s, and you can use them to their maximum capacity.

This iGPU’s benchmarks are noteworthy since it achieves over 60 frame rates in Counter-Strike Global Offensive at medium settings, which is remarkable for an integrated graphics card. So that’s all you’ll get with this GPU, but if you find that it’s not enough, you can always switch to a dedicated GPU.

Specifications

Micro ATX Case with Aero Cool is the name of the case.

The case is optional, but if you have one, it has certain benefits, such as protecting your hardware from bugs, insects, and fluids while still maintaining ventilation. If you use your computer without a case, there will be no issue; however, you will have to avoid it on your own, and the fans will blow air over the components. They operate as an in-and-out system within a case, with the front fan pulling air in and the back fan pushing it out.

There are certain factors to consider when selecting a case, such as the ventilation within it, the number of bay drives, and motherboard compatibility, but most of the time, consumers choose cases based on their appearance. So we conducted some research, evaluated some of the finest inexpensive cases, and discovered that this is the most economical and beautiful case on the market right now.

AeroCool is a computer case manufacturer that has built a reputation for delivering the finest value cases to its clients. The case we have on the list is designed for micro-ATX setups and comes with all of the features you’ll need, such as tempered glass and RGB lighting.

It’s difficult to know if you should get the most visually pleasing PC case or not when purchasing a PC case. Because these components will not provide any in-game performance, users choose to omit them, however this is a mistake. That’s why I went with the most visually pleasing case at a low price.

This case comes in a basic black color scheme with a white color option, and it is constructed of a 0.5mm thick steel sheet. The total width, height, and depth of this case are 198x459x412mm, which is large enough for any graphics card and cooler. It can accommodate two 3.5-inch bay drives as well as five 2.5-inch SSDs. It has three front-facing fans, one back-facing fan, and one top-facing fan, as well as room for GPU fans. Because of its features and pricing, I considered this case to be the ideal for a budget gaming pc around $400.

Specifications

Conclusion

Getting the most costly item for your project doesn’t necessarily imply it’s the greatest option, but the components that can meet your needs are the best. We all know that there are many types of gamers, with some preferring to play games with high-end components and others preferring to play games with low-end components. This list is for people searching for the finest gaming PC under $400 that can handle E-sports and AAA games well. Though another high may become accessible with time, at the time of writing, this is the greatest build you can obtain. You may upgrade this computer if you desire more performance in the future if it meets your needs.

Disclaimer

Each component’s pricing is not constant. In the midst of a pandemic and a scarcity, prices may go up or down. The costs in this article are dependent on component availability.

FAQs

Is the Wraith Spire cooler capable of cooling Ryzen 3400G in the summer?

Because the Ryzen 3400G has a moderate overclocking capability, it will be good with a wraith spire cooler and may reach 70°C in the summer if the integrated GPU is used to its full capacity.

Is a GTX 1070 going to be a bottleneck in this build?

The Nvidia GTX 1070 is a DDR5 GPU with a PCI-e 3.0 interface. It’s designed to work with a four-core CPU. This GPU will also work well with the Ryzen 5 3400G and B450 chipset.

Is an AMD RX 580 with all of these settings compatible with the EVGA 500 power supply?

Yes! This whole setup will need a maximum of 450W from the power supply. As a result, the RX 580 would perform well without any power constraints.

Why are Ryzen APUs superior than Intel CPUs?

Why do most people choose APUs over the finest budget Intel CPUs for a cheap gaming PC is one of the most often asked topics. Because modern APUs provide greater performance and come with factory unlocked multipliers, you may overclock them, there are many reasons for this query. They also feature high-end integrated graphics cards that can run most games at acceptable settings, while Intel CPUs can barely run CSGO at 720p resolution at moderate settings. Another reason to think about them is the included cooling. Most Intel CPUs don’t come with a bundled cooler, so you’ll have to pay extra for an aftermarket cooler. 

Also check out these related articles:

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get a good gaming PC for 400?

You can get a good gaming PC for 400, but it will be more expensive than the one you are asking about.

Whats the best gaming PC for under 400?

The best gaming PC for under 400 is the Lenovo Legion Y520.

Is it worth building a gaming PC in 2021?

It is worth building a gaming PC in 2021, but it is also worth considering the cost of buying one. The cost of a new gaming PC can range from $500 to $2000 depending on what you are looking for and how much power you need.