Buying Guide
The Best Gaming PCs Between $1,050 and $1,250
Five gaming PCs ranked on VRAM and memory, where the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti has the most memory; the STORMCRAFT Sirius is the cheapest route in.
By The PC Journal editorial team
12 min read5 products evaluated
A little above $1,000 you reach RTX 5060 class cards. Every pick cost between $1,050 and $1,250 with 8GB or more of video memory, ordered by SSD size.
Rankings weigh graphics card, VRAM and processor as the makers state them; if a maker skips memory type, the guide says so rather than guess, since we have not benched them.
Quick Picks
Our 5 recommendations at a glance. Tap a pick for the full verdict.
Also Consider
STORMCRAFT Sirius Gaming PC (Core i5-14400F, RTX 5060)
A current RTX 5060 near $1,100 at the time of writing.
Best for: Buyers who want current RTX 5060 near $1,100 at the time of writing.
Our take Check price for STORMCRAFT Sirius Gaming PC (Core i5-14400F, RTX 5060) (opens in a new tab)
Strong Alternative
iBUYPOWER Element SE (Core i5-14400F, RTX 5050 8GB)
An RTX 5050 on DDR5.
Best for: Buyers who want RTX 5050 on DDR5.
Our take Check price for iBUYPOWER Element SE (Core i5-14400F, RTX 5050 8GB) (opens in a new tab)
Worth a Look
Skytech Gaming PC (Ryzen 7 5700, RTX 5060)
An RTX 5060 near $1,200 at the time of writing.
Best for: Buyers who want RTX 5060 near $1,200 at the time of writing.
Our take Check price for Skytech Gaming PC (Ryzen 7 5700, RTX 5060) (opens in a new tab)
Most Memory
Prebuilt Gaming PC (Ryzen 7 5700X, RTX 3060 Ti 8GB)
The most memory here (32GB).
Best for: Buyers who put memory first.
Our take Check price for Prebuilt Gaming PC (Ryzen 7 5700X, RTX 3060 Ti 8GB) (opens in a new tab)
Premium Pick
Skytech Gaming PC (Core i5-14400F, RTX 5060, White)
The highest-priced pick here at the time of writing, with a white Archangel 5 case with tempered glass.
Best for: Buyers who want the most complete package.
Our take Check price for Skytech Gaming PC (Core i5-14400F, RTX 5060, White) (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
Also Consider1 of 5
STORMCRAFT Sirius Gaming PC (Core i5-14400F, RTX 5060) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
STORMCRAFT's Sirius is one of few listings in this range to name its PSU: 650W with 80 Plus Gold.
Best for
- Buyers who want current RTX 5060 near $1,100 at the time of writing.
Skip if
- Look at the others if this bothers you: 8GB of VRAM can force lower texture settings in newer games at 1440p.
Why we like it
It pairs a Core i5-14400F with a current RTX 5060. On memory it ties with the Element SE RTX 5050, the Skytech 5700 RTX 5060 and the Skytech i5 RTX 5060 White at 16GB. It shares a core i5-14400F processor with the Element SE RTX 5050 and Skytech i5 RTX 5060 White; the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti goes with a ryzen 7 5700X processor.
A DDR4 memory type is unique to it among these picks, while the Skytech 5700 RTX 5060 uses a DDR4-3200 memory type. You also get a current RTX 5060 near $1,100 at the time of writing. Check the STORMCRAFT Sirius's ports against your monitor: most graphics cards use DisplayPort and HDMI, so match the cable to the refresh rate you want. What it gives up: memory of 16GB, behind the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti (32GB); by contrast, the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti offers 32GB.
Key dimensions & specs
- Graphics card: RTX 5060
- VRAM: 8GB
- Processor: Core i5-14400F
- Memory: 16GB
- Memory type: DDR4
- SSD: 1TB
- Power supply: 650W
- PSU rating: 80 Plus Gold
Pros
- A RTX 5060 graphics card
- A 650W power supply
- An 80 Plus Gold power supply
- Current RTX 5060 near $1,100 at the time of writing
Cons
- 8GB of VRAM can force lower texture settings in newer games at 1440p
- 16GB of RAM is enough for games but tight alongside streaming or editing
- Memory of 16GB, behind the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti (32GB)
Strong Alternative2 of 5
iBUYPOWER Element SE (Core i5-14400F, RTX 5050 8GB) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Element SE RTX 5050 pairs a Core i5-14400F with an RTX 5050 with 8GB of VRAM, plus 16GB of DDR5-5200 and a 1TB SSD.
Best for
- Buyers who want RTX 5050 on DDR5.
Skip if
- Choose another pick if you can't accept this: 8GB of VRAM can force lower texture settings in newer games at 1440p.
Why we like it
Its PSU wattage isn't published, so ask the seller before a GPU upgrade. It matches the STORMCRAFT Sirius, the Skytech 5700 RTX 5060 and the Skytech i5 RTX 5060 White on memory (16GB). It is the only pick here with an RTX 5050 graphics card; the STORMCRAFT Sirius has an RTX 5060 graphics card instead.
No other pick in this guide offers a DDR5-5200 memory type; compare the STORMCRAFT Sirius, which has a DDR4 memory type. Check the Element SE RTX 5050's ports against your monitor: most graphics cards use DisplayPort and HDMI, so match the cable to the refresh rate you want. With 16GB installed, check for free memory slots before adding more.
At 8GB of VRAM, 1080p is the comfortable target for new games. The main gap: memory of 16GB, behind the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti (32GB). If that matters, the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti offers 32GB.
Key dimensions & specs
- Graphics card: RTX 5050
- VRAM: 8GB
- Processor: Core i5-14400F
- Memory: 16GB
- Memory type: DDR5-5200
- SSD: 1TB
Pros
- A RTX 5050 graphics card
- RTX 5050 on DDR5
- 1TB SSD
- DDR5-5200 memory type, the only one here
Cons
- 8GB of VRAM can force lower texture settings in newer games at 1440p
- 16GB of RAM is enough for games but tight alongside streaming or editing
- Memory of 16GB, behind the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti (32GB)
Worth a Look3 of 5
Skytech Gaming PC (Ryzen 7 5700, RTX 5060) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The Skytech 5700 RTX 5060 build pairs a Ryzen 7 5700, an RTX 5060 with 8GB of VRAM, 16GB of DDR4-3200 and a 1TB SSD.
Best for
- Buyers who want RTX 5060 near $1,200 at the time of writing.
Skip if
- Skip it if this is a deal-breaker for you: 8GB of VRAM can force lower texture settings in newer games at 1440p.
Why we like it
It also comes with an RTX 5060 near $1,200 at the time of writing. Its PSU wattage isn't published, so ask the seller before a GPU upgrade. On memory it ties with the STORMCRAFT Sirius, the Element SE RTX 5050 and the Skytech i5 RTX 5060 White at 16GB.
It shares an RTX 5060 graphics card with the STORMCRAFT Sirius and Skytech i5 RTX 5060 White; the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti goes with an RTX 3060 Ti graphics card. You get a ryzen 7 5700 processor here, which sets it apart from the Skytech i5 RTX 5060 White and its a core i5-14400F processor. A DDR4-3200 memory type is unique to it among these picks, while the Element SE RTX 5050 uses a DDR5-5200 memory type. It was priced above the Element SE RTX 5050 and below the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti at the time of writing.
Key dimensions & specs
- Graphics card: RTX 5060
- VRAM: 8GB
- Processor: Ryzen 7 5700
- Memory: 16GB
- Memory type: DDR4-3200
- SSD: 1TB
- Warranty: 1 year parts and labor
Pros
- A RTX 5060 graphics card
- RTX 5060 near $1,200 at the time of writing
- Eight-core Ryzen 7 5700
- Ryzen 7 5700 processor, the only one here
Cons
- 8GB of VRAM can force lower texture settings in newer games at 1440p
- 16GB of RAM is enough for games but tight alongside streaming or editing
- Costs more than the STORMCRAFT Sirius at the time of writing
Most Memory4 of 5
Prebuilt Gaming PC (Ryzen 7 5700X, RTX 3060 Ti 8GB) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
5700X RTX 3060 Ti pairs a Ryzen 7 5700X with an RTX 3060 Ti with 8GB of VRAM, plus 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.
Best for
- Buyers who put memory first.
Skip if
- Skip it if this is a deal-breaker for you: 8GB of VRAM can force lower texture settings in newer games at 1440p.
Why we like it
Its PSU wattage isn't published, so ask the seller before a GPU upgrade. Its 32GB memory is the most here; the STORMCRAFT Sirius comes next at 16GB. It is the only pick here with an RTX 3060 Ti graphics card; the STORMCRAFT Sirius has an RTX 5060 graphics card instead.
It is the only pick here with a ryzen 7 5700X processor; the STORMCRAFT Sirius has a core i5-14400F processor instead. Check the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti's ports against your monitor: most graphics cards use DisplayPort and HDMI, so match the cable to the refresh rate you want. At 8GB of VRAM, 1080p is the comfortable target for new games.
Key dimensions & specs
- Graphics card: RTX 3060 Ti
- VRAM: 8GB
- Processor: Ryzen 7 5700X
- Memory: 32GB
- SSD: 1TB
Pros
- A RTX 3060 Ti graphics card
- 32GB of RAM
- RTX 3060 Ti with 32GB of RAM
- Ryzen 7 5700X processor, the only one here
Cons
- 8GB of VRAM can force lower texture settings in newer games at 1440p
- Costs more than the STORMCRAFT Sirius at the time of writing
Premium Pick5 of 5
Skytech Gaming PC (Core i5-14400F, RTX 5060, White) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Skytech's white build puts a Core i5-14400F and an RTX 5060 in a white Archangel 5 case with tempered glass.
Best for
- Buyers who want the most complete package.
Skip if
- Pass on it if 8GB of VRAM can force lower texture settings in newer games at 1440 rules it out for your setup.
Why we like it
The warranty covers one year of parts and labor. It matches the STORMCRAFT Sirius, the Element SE RTX 5050 and the Skytech 5700 RTX 5060 on memory (16GB). Like the STORMCRAFT Sirius and Element SE RTX 5050, it has a core i5-14400F processor, while the Skytech 5700 RTX 5060 uses a ryzen 7 5700 processor.
It also offers 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. Check the Skytech i5 RTX 5060 White's ports against your monitor: most graphics cards use DisplayPort and HDMI, so match the cable to the refresh rate you want. The Skytech i5 RTX 5060 White's PSU wattage isn't published, so ask the seller before planning a GPU upgrade.
It was the highest-priced of the 5 picks at the time of writing, so the case for it rests on what it adds over the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti and the rest. The trade-off is VRAM; for more, the STORMCRAFT Sirius offers 8GB.
Key dimensions & specs
- Graphics card: RTX 5060
- VRAM: 8GB
- Processor: Core i5-14400F
- Memory: 16GB
- SSD: 1TB
- Warranty: 1 year parts and labor
- Case colour: White
Pros
- A RTX 5060 graphics card
- White Archangel 5 case with tempered glass
- 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD
- The highest-priced pick here at the time of writing, with a white Archangel 5 case with tempered glass
Cons
- 8GB of VRAM can force lower texture settings in newer games at 1440p
- 16GB of RAM is enough for games but tight alongside streaming or editing
- Memory trails the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti (32GB)
How We Chose
Each pick was assessed across 4 criteria weighted for real-world use.
- The figures behind the order
- We compared five prebuilt PCs on graphics card, VRAM, processor and memory as the makers state them. We did not test them in-house.
- What every pick has in common
- All 5, from the STORMCRAFT Sirius to the Skytech i5 RTX 5060 White, state graphics card, VRAM and processor.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The 5700X RTX 3060 Ti and the Skytech i5 RTX 5060 White give no memory type; the STORMCRAFT Sirius, the Element SE RTX 5050 and the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti give no warranty.
- Price range
- From the STORMCRAFT Sirius to the Skytech i5 RTX 5060 White, all sat in the $1000 to $1500 tier when we checked.
What to Look for in a Gaming PCs Between $1,050 and $1,250
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
Memory
Here memory runs from 16GB on the Skytech i5 RTX 5060 White to 32GB on the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti. Start with the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti if memory decides it.
Processor
The STORMCRAFT Sirius, the Element SE RTX 5050 and the Skytech i5 RTX 5060 White list Core i5-14400F; the Skytech 5700 RTX 5060 lists ryzen 7 5700; the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti lists Ryzen 7 5700X. Rule out the mismatches before looking at price.
Memory type
The STORMCRAFT Sirius lists DDR4; the Element SE RTX 5050 lists DDR5-5200; the Skytech 5700 RTX 5060 lists DDR4-3200. Settle this first, then compare prices.
What to check at home
Check the STORMCRAFT Sirius's ports against your monitor: most graphics cards use DisplayPort and HDMI, so match the cable to the refresh rate you want.
Extras that separate them
The Skytech 5700 RTX 5060: an eight-core Ryzen 7 5700. The 5700X RTX 3060 Ti: an RTX 3060 Ti with 32GB of RAM. The Skytech i5 RTX 5060 White: 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.
How to Choose a Gaming PCs Between $1,050 and $1,250
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Buyers who want current RTX 5060 near $1,100 at the time of writing | STORMCRAFT Sirius | A current RTX 5060 near $1,100 at the time of writing |
| Buyers who want RTX 5050 on DDR5 | Element SE RTX 5050 | An RTX 5050 on DDR5 |
| Buyers who want RTX 5060 near $1,200 at the time of writing | Skytech 5700 RTX 5060 | An RTX 5060 near $1,200 at the time of writing |
| Buyers who put memory first | 5700X RTX 3060 Ti | The most memory here (32GB) |
| Buyers who want the most complete package | Skytech i5 RTX 5060 White | The highest-priced pick here at the time of writing, with a white Archangel 5 case with tempered glass |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The 5700X RTX 3060 Ti leads on memory at 32GB, ahead of the STORMCRAFT Sirius at 16GB.
| Prebuilt PC | Graphics card | VRAM | Processor | Memory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STORMCRAFT Sirius | RTX 5060 | 8GB | Core i5-14400F | 16GB |
| Element SE RTX 5050 | RTX 5050 | 8GB | Core i5-14400F | 16GB |
| Skytech 5700 RTX 5060 | RTX 5060 | 8GB | Ryzen 7 5700 | 16GB |
| 5700X RTX 3060 Ti | RTX 3060 Ti | 8GB | Ryzen 7 5700X | 32GB |
| Skytech i5 RTX 5060 White | RTX 5060 | 8GB | Core i5-14400F | 16GB |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which has the most memory: the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti or the STORMCRAFT Sirius?
The 5700X RTX 3060 Ti leads at 32GB, with the STORMCRAFT Sirius at 16GB.
Why is the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti our Most Memory pick?
It earns the label for the most memory here (32GB). It suits anyone who put memory first.
Do the STORMCRAFT Sirius and the Element SE RTX 5050 differ on graphics card?
The STORMCRAFT Sirius, the Skytech 5700 RTX 5060 and the Skytech i5 RTX 5060 White use RTX 5060; the Element SE RTX 5050 uses RTX 5050; the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti uses RTX 3060 Ti.
Will the Skytech 5700 RTX 5060 work with my setup?
Check the Skytech 5700 RTX 5060's ports against your monitor: most graphics cards use DisplayPort and HDMI, so match the cable to the refresh rate you want. The Skytech 5700 RTX 5060's PSU wattage isn't published, so ask the seller before planning a GPU upgrade. In this guide it ranks third of 5.
What extras do the STORMCRAFT Sirius and the Element SE RTX 5050 include?
The STORMCRAFT Sirius: a current RTX 5060 near $1,100 at the time of writing. The Element SE RTX 5050: an RTX 5050 on DDR5. The Skytech 5700 RTX 5060: an RTX 5060 near $1,200 at the time of writing.
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the STORMCRAFT Sirius, chosen for a current RTX 5060 near $1,100 at the time of writing. Look at the Element SE RTX 5050 for an RTX 5050 on DDR5, the Skytech 5700 RTX 5060 for an RTX 5060 near $1,200 at the time of writing and the 5700X RTX 3060 Ti for the most memory here (32GB) if those matter more to you.
Check the PSU rating; the cheapest ones skip it.