Create an awesome rig
on a shoestring budget
BUILD ING A MONSTER PC and blowing the budget
sure is fun, but for most of us, the more realistic
challenge right now is constructing something
to a lower price. Whether that’s because you’ve
got other purchases to worry about, or you can’t
source all of the components right now, you might
be holding off building something for work, school
or pleasure when you really don’t need to.
So we decided to set ourselves a challenge:
could we build something we’d be proud to have on
our desk to a $600 budget? Something that would
not only offer bang-for-buck performance, but
also use quality components that will stand the
test of time? Something that can handle everyday
tasks, while also looking sleek doing it?
In starting our build, we first looked at where we
could make obvious savings. We figured that one of
the best components to start with would be a CPU
that includes an integrated cooler and graphics—
in effect, we’re getting three components for the
price of one. So, we chose the Intel Core i5-
with Intel UHD 630 graphics and a stock cooler.
Avoiding the need to pay for an AIO will inevitably
save money, leaving a decent chunk of the budget
to be allocated to the remaining parts of the build.
That’s what we’re aiming for anyway.
When starting a new rig, consider the bigger
picture and not just the individual parts. Rather
than spending a huge chunk of the budget on a
GPU then scraping around for savings elsewhere,
choose an even spread of components that
complement each other. It’s important to spend
the budget wisely and follow your brain, not your
heart. You can add and swap out parts further
down the line, so bear in mind the longer-term
requirements of your build.
So, with a budget of $600 burning a hole in
our pocket, a CPU from two generations ago, and
a sleek-looking case from NZXT, we kick off our
budget build hoping to end up with a decent PC
experience. Can we complete this under budget
or will we have to break the bank to achieve our
goals? Let’s find out. –SAM LEWIS$ 600
BUDGET
BUILD
Part Price
CPU Intel Core i5-10400 $RAM 16GB (2x8GB) Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-3200 CL16 $Mobo MSI MAG B560M Mortar WiFi Micro ATX $OS Storage PNY CS900 480GB 2.5” SSD $PSU Corsair CV450 80+Bronze PSU $Case NZXT H510 Flow ATX Mid Tower $Total $INGREDIENTS$600 budget build
16 MAXIMU MPC MAR 2022