The Budget-Busting 1080p Build

With just $500, is it possible to build a PC capable of gaming on today’s 1080p planet? Let’s find out…

BACK TO BASICS— how on earth did we come up with this one? Well, as graphics card prices have fallen, and the cost of memory is more reasonable than it has been of late, we thought it was time to see what you could do with an absolutely minimal budget. You’ll notice we keep referring to a “hardware budget” in particular—that’s because the operating system cost is one of the biggest variables.

In reality, this system is designed with Windows 10 in mind. You could game on Linux for free (or by paying a donation of your choosing), and we’ve covered that before—unfortunately, though, for now, Microsoft very much holds the keys to the kingdom. If you have a license already, it makes this build ridiculously affordable. Those not so lucky have two options: Either you can chunk out for a full license, bound to an email address, which will set you back around $100 or so; or you can see whether you can buy yourself an OEM one-time Windows 10 code online. These are typically available from less reputable sellers, and usually, if you can purchase a legitimate key, you’ll find that it’s a one-hit wonder. Pop that motherboard out, and whammo—you’ll need a new key. We always recommend you pick up a legitimate Windows license from Microsoft, and anchor it to an email account. If you do, activating any new machine is a piece of pie. Simply log in with your Microsoft account, and you’re good to go.