Buying Guide
The Best Budget Gaming Rigs
Five budget gaming rigs, from RX 580 to RX 9060, each with its CPU, graphics, memory and storage named.
By Alex Morgan, PC Hardware Editor
12 min read5 products evaluated
A budget rig should put money into the graphics card first. We ordered these by graphics memory and RAM per dollar at the time of writing.
Our comparison uses what each seller states, not hands-on testing. Listings without a named CPU, a GPU with its VRAM, a RAM figure or an SSD size were dropped, as were renewed units and outlier prices.
Quick Picks
Which of the 5 picks to look at first. Tap a name for the full analysis.
RX 580 Build
Evounic Gaming PC (Ryzen 5 5500, RX 580 8GB)An RX 580 with 8GB of VRAM.
Best for: 1080p gaming.
Check price for Evounic Gaming PC (Ryzen 5 5500, RX 580 8GB) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
RX 6600 Build
STGAubron Gaming PC (Core i7-10700F, RX 6600 8GB)An RX 6600 with 8GB of VRAM.
Best for: 1080p gaming.
Check price for STGAubron Gaming PC (Core i7-10700F, RX 6600 8GB) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Ryzen 5 5600 Build
SKYESEV Prebuilt Gaming PC (Ryzen 5 5600, RTX 3050 6GB, 32GB)A Ryzen 5 5600 processor.
Best for: Buyers who prefer this CPU platform.
Check price for SKYESEV Prebuilt Gaming PC (Ryzen 5 5600, RTX 3050 6GB, 32GB) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Well-Rounded Choice
STGAubron Gaming PC (Ryzen 5 5500, RTX 3050 6GB, 512GB)STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050 pairs a Ryzen 5 5500 with an RTX 3050 with 6GB of VRAM, plus 16GB of DDR4 and a 512GB SSD.
Best for: Buyers who want a rtx 3050 graphics card.
Check price for STGAubron Gaming PC (Ryzen 5 5500, RTX 3050 6GB, 512GB) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Stated Warranty
Skytech Gaming PC (Ryzen 5 5500, Radeon RX 9060 8GB)A 1 year parts and labor warranty.
Best for: Buyers who want support terms in writing.
Check price for Skytech Gaming PC (Ryzen 5 5500, Radeon RX 9060 8GB) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
RX 580 Build1 of 5
Evounic Gaming PC (Ryzen 5 5500, RX 580 8GB)
Inside the Evounic RX 580 are a Ryzen 5 5500 and an RX 580 with 8GB of VRAM, backed by 16GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage.
Best for
- 1080p gaming.
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. On VRAM it ties with the STGAubron RX 6600 and the Skytech RX 9060 at 8GB. On memory it ties with the STGAubron RX 6600 and the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050 at 16GB.
On SSD capacity it ties with the STGAubron RX 6600, the SKYESEV 5600 and the Skytech RX 9060 at 1TB. You get an RX 580 graphics card here, which sets it apart from the Skytech RX 9060 and its an RX 9060 graphics card. It shares a ryzen 5 5500 processor with the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050 and Skytech RX 9060; the SKYESEV 5600 goes with a ryzen 5 5600 processor.
Check the Evounic RX 580'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.
Key specs
- Graphics card
- RX 580
- VRAM
- 8GB
- Processor
- Ryzen 5 5500
- Memory
- 16GB
- SSD
- 1TB
Pros
- A RX 580 graphics card
- Older RX 580 with 8GB of VRAM
- VRAM of 8GB, ahead of the SKYESEV 5600
- SSD capacity of 1TB, ahead of the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050
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 SKYESEV 5600 (32GB)
The catch
What it gives up: memory of 16GB, behind the SKYESEV 5600 (32GB); by contrast, the SKYESEV 5600 offers 32GB.
RX 6600 Build2 of 5
STGAubron Gaming PC (Core i7-10700F, RX 6600 8GB)
The STGAubron RX 6600 build pairs a Core i7-10700F, an RX 6600 with 8GB of VRAM, 16GB of DDR4 and a 1TB SSD.
Best for
- 1080p gaming.
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 Evounic RX 580 and the Skytech RX 9060 on VRAM (8GB). It matches the Evounic RX 580 and the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050 on memory (16GB).
It matches the Evounic RX 580, the SKYESEV 5600 and the Skytech RX 9060 on SSD capacity (1TB). No other pick in this guide offers an RX 6600 graphics card; compare the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050, which has an RTX 3050 graphics card. Like the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050, it has a DDR4 memory type, while the SKYESEV 5600 uses a DDR4-3200 memory type.
Check the STGAubron RX 6600's ports against your monitor: most graphics cards use DisplayPort and HDMI, so match the cable to the refresh rate you want. On price it sat third of 5, between the cheaper STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050 and the pricier SKYESEV 5600, at the time of writing.
Key specs
- Graphics card
- RX 6600
- VRAM
- 8GB
- Processor
- Core i7-10700F
- Memory
- 16GB
- Memory type
- DDR4
- SSD
- 1TB
Pros
- A RX 6600 graphics card
- Desktop RX 6600 with 8GB of VRAM
- VRAM of 8GB, ahead of the SKYESEV 5600
- SSD capacity of 1TB, ahead of the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050
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 Evounic RX 580 at the time of writing
Ryzen 5 5600 Build3 of 5
SKYESEV Prebuilt Gaming PC (Ryzen 5 5600, RTX 3050 6GB, 32GB)
SKYESEV 5600 pairs a Ryzen 5 5600 with an RTX 3050 with 6GB of VRAM, plus 32GB of DDR4-3200 and a 1TB SSD.
Best for
- Buyers who prefer this CPU platform.
Skip if
- Look at the others if this bothers you: 6GB of VRAM can force lower texture settings in newer games at 1440p.
Why we like it
It also comes with 32GB of DDR4 under $1,000 at the time of writing. Its PSU wattage isn't published, so ask the seller before a GPU upgrade. It matches the Skytech RX 9060 on memory (32GB).
It matches the Evounic RX 580, the STGAubron RX 6600 and the Skytech RX 9060 on SSD capacity (1TB). Like the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050, it has an RTX 3050 graphics card, while the Evounic RX 580 uses an RX 580 graphics card. It is the only pick here with a ryzen 5 5600 processor; the Evounic RX 580 has a ryzen 5 5500 processor instead.
Like the Skytech RX 9060, it has a DDR4-3200 memory type, while the STGAubron RX 6600 uses a DDR4 memory type. Its price falls between the STGAubron RX 6600 and the Skytech RX 9060, based on our last check.
Key specs
- Graphics card
- RTX 3050
- VRAM
- 6GB
- Processor
- Ryzen 5 5600
- Memory
- 32GB
- Memory type
- DDR4-3200
- SSD
- 1TB
Pros
- A RTX 3050 graphics card
- 32GB of RAM
- 32GB of DDR4 under $1,000 at the time of writing
- SSD capacity of 1TB, ahead of the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050
Cons
- 6GB of VRAM can force lower texture settings in newer games at 1440p
- Costs more than the Evounic RX 580 at the time of writing
Well-Rounded Choice4 of 5
STGAubron Gaming PC (Ryzen 5 5500, RTX 3050 6GB, 512GB)
STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050 pairs a Ryzen 5 5500 with an RTX 3050 with 6GB of VRAM, plus 16GB of DDR4 and a 512GB SSD.
Best for
- Buyers who want a rtx 3050 graphics card.
Skip if
- Choose another pick if you can't accept this: 6GB of VRAM can force lower texture settings in newer games at 1440p.
Why we like it
It also comes with the lowest price among the listings we considered at the time of writing. Its PSU wattage isn't published, so ask the seller before a GPU upgrade. On VRAM it ties with the SKYESEV 5600 at 6GB.
On memory it ties with the Evounic RX 580 and the STGAubron RX 6600 at 16GB. On SSD capacity it trails the group at 512GB, while the Evounic RX 580 is rated for 1TB. It shares an RTX 3050 graphics card with the SKYESEV 5600; the Skytech RX 9060 goes with an RX 9060 graphics card.
It shares a ryzen 5 5500 processor with the Evounic RX 580 and Skytech RX 9060; the SKYESEV 5600 goes with a ryzen 5 5600 processor. It shares a DDR4 memory type with the STGAubron RX 6600; the Skytech RX 9060 goes with a DDR4-3200 memory type.
Key specs
- Graphics card
- RTX 3050
- VRAM
- 6GB
- Processor
- Ryzen 5 5500
- Memory
- 16GB
- Memory type
- DDR4
- SSD
- 512GB
Pros
- A RTX 3050 graphics card
- The lowest price among the listings we considered at the time of writing
- Ryzen 5 5500 six-core processor
Cons
- 6GB 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
- A 512GB SSD fills quickly with modern games
The catch
It gives ground on VRAM, where the Evounic RX 580 offers 8GB.
Stated Warranty5 of 5
Skytech Gaming PC (Ryzen 5 5500, Radeon RX 9060 8GB)
The Skytech RX 9060 build pairs a Ryzen 5 5500, an RX 9060 with 8GB of VRAM, 32GB of DDR4-3200 and a 1TB SSD.
Best for
- Buyers who want support terms in writing.
Skip if
- Pass on it if 8GB of VRAM can force lower texture settings in newer games at 1440p rules it out for your setup.
Why we like it
It also comes with 32GB of RAM with a Radeon RX 9060. Its PSU wattage isn't published, so ask the seller before a GPU upgrade. It matches the Evounic RX 580 and the STGAubron RX 6600 on VRAM (8GB).
It matches the SKYESEV 5600 on memory (32GB). It matches the Evounic RX 580, the STGAubron RX 6600 and the SKYESEV 5600 on SSD capacity (1TB). It is the only pick here with an RX 9060 graphics card; the Evounic RX 580 has an RX 580 graphics card instead.
Like the Evounic RX 580 and STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050, it has a ryzen 5 5500 processor, while the STGAubron RX 6600 uses a core i7-10700F processor. Like the SKYESEV 5600, it has a DDR4-3200 memory type, while the STGAubron RX 6600 uses a DDR4 memory type. It was the most expensive pick when we checked, so weigh what it adds over the SKYESEV 5600.
Key specs
- Graphics card
- RX 9060
- VRAM
- 8GB
- Processor
- Ryzen 5 5500
- Memory
- 32GB
- Memory type
- DDR4-3200
- SSD
- 1TB
- Warranty
- 1 year parts and labor
Pros
- A RX 9060 graphics card
- 32GB of RAM
- 32GB of RAM with a Radeon RX 9060
- VRAM of 8GB, ahead of the SKYESEV 5600
Cons
- 8GB of VRAM can force lower texture settings in newer games at 1440p
- Costs more than the Evounic RX 580 at the time of writing
How We Chose These Budget Gaming Rigs
Alex Morgan compared the manufacturer specifications, connectivity, warranty terms and compatibility of every pick. Figures come from the makers unless a third-party source is named; we did not test these products ourselves.
- What we compared
- We set side by side five prebuilt PCs on graphics card, VRAM, processor and memory from manufacturer specifications. We did not test them in-house, and memory type is missing for at least one pick.
- The shared baseline
- All 5, from the Evounic RX 580 to the Skytech RX 9060, state graphics card, VRAM and processor.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The Evounic RX 580 gives no memory type.
- Price range
- At our last check the picks ran from the Evounic RX 580 ($500 to $1000) to the Skytech RX 9060 ($1000 to $1500).
What to Look for in a Budget Gaming Rig
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
VRAM
Across these 5 picks VRAM spans 6GB (the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050) to 8GB (the Evounic RX 580). The Evounic RX 580 is the pick for VRAM.
How much memory you need
Here memory runs from 16GB on the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050 to 32GB on the SKYESEV 5600, a 100% spread. If memory is your first filter, the SKYESEV 5600 sets the ceiling at 32GB.
A desktop PC beside a monitor on a corner gaming desk SSD capacity across these picks
Here SSD capacity runs from 512GB on the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050 to 1TB on the Evounic RX 580, a 95% spread. Start with the Evounic RX 580 if SSD capacity decides it.
Processor
The Evounic RX 580, the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050 and the Skytech RX 9060 list ryzen 5 5500; the STGAubron RX 6600 lists Core i7-10700F; the SKYESEV 5600 lists ryzen 5 5600.
A desktop PC and monitor on a desk lit with red and blue lighting Memory type
The STGAubron RX 6600 and the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050 list DDR4; the SKYESEV 5600 and the Skytech RX 9060 list DDR4-3200. Sort out memory type before price: it splits 4 stated picks into groups of 2 and 2.
How to Choose a Budget Gaming Rig
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p gaming | Evounic RX 580 | An RX 580 with 8GB of VRAM |
| 1080p gaming | STGAubron RX 6600 | An RX 6600 with 8GB of VRAM |
| Buyers who prefer this CPU platform | SKYESEV 5600 | A Ryzen 5 5600 processor |
| Buyers who want support terms in writing | Skytech RX 9060 | A 1 year parts and labor warranty |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The Evounic RX 580 leads on VRAM at 8GB, ahead of the STGAubron RX 6600 at 8GB.
| Prebuilt PC | Graphics card | VRAM | Processor | Memory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evounic RX 580 | RX 580 | 8GB | Ryzen 5 5500 | 16GB |
| STGAubron RX 6600 | RX 6600 | 8GB | Core i7-10700F | 16GB |
| SKYESEV 5600 | RTX 3050 | 6GB | Ryzen 5 5600 | 32GB |
| STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050 | RTX 3050 | 6GB | Ryzen 5 5500 | 16GB |
| Skytech RX 9060 | RX 9060 | 8GB | Ryzen 5 5500 | 32GB |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
By price at the time of writing
At our last check the cheapest pick, the Evounic RX 580, sat in the $500 to $1000 tier, 2 tiers in all up to the Skytech RX 9060 at $1000 to $1500; Amazon prices move, so recheck before buying.
| Price tier | Prebuilt PCs |
|---|---|
| About $500 to $1000 | Evounic RX 580, STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050, STGAubron RX 6600, SKYESEV 5600 |
| About $1000 to $1500 | Skytech RX 9060 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Skytech RX 9060 worth paying more than the Evounic RX 580?
The spec sheets show memory (32GB against 16GB) in its favour. The Evounic RX 580 sat in the $500 to $1000 tier and the Skytech RX 9060 in the $1000 to $1500 tier when we checked, with 3 other picks between them; pay the difference only if memory decides your purchase.
What makes the SKYESEV 5600 the Ryzen 5 5600 Build?
The label rests on a Ryzen 5 5600 processor. It gives up VRAM (6GB against 8GB) to the Evounic RX 580, the cheapest pick. It is aimed at anyone who prefers this CPU platform.
Do the Evounic RX 580 and the STGAubron RX 6600 differ on graphics card?
The Evounic RX 580 uses RX 580; the STGAubron RX 6600 uses RX 6600; the SKYESEV 5600 and the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3050 use RTX 3050; the Skytech RX 9060 uses RX 9060.
What should I check before buying the SKYESEV 5600?
Check the SKYESEV 5600's ports against your monitor: most graphics cards use DisplayPort and HDMI, so match the cable to the refresh rate you want. The SKYESEV 5600's PSU wattage isn't published, so ask the seller before planning a GPU upgrade. In this guide it ranks third of 5, as our Ryzen 5 5600 Build pick, and fourth of 5 on VRAM (6GB).
Beyond the specs, what sets the Evounic RX 580 and the STGAubron RX 6600 apart?
The Evounic RX 580: an older RX 580 with 8GB of VRAM. The STGAubron RX 6600: a desktop RX 6600 with 8GB of VRAM. The SKYESEV 5600: 32GB of DDR4 under $1,000 at the time of writing.
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the Evounic RX 580, chosen for an RX 580 with 8GB of VRAM. Look at the STGAubron RX 6600 for an RX 6600 with 8GB of VRAM, the SKYESEV 5600 for a Ryzen 5 5600 processor and the Skytech RX 9060 for a 1 year parts and labor warranty if those matter more to you.
Spend any extra on the GPU before the case or lighting.
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About the author
PC Hardware Editor
Alex covers PC hardware, monitors, components, upgrades and peripherals for The PC Journal, with a focus on helping readers understand specifications, compatibility and meaningful product trade-offs.
Covers: Monitors, Graphics cards, Processors, PC components, Peripherals, Upgrades and compatibility
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