Buying Guide
The Best Gaming Desktop PCs Under $1,000
Four gaming desktop PCs under $1,000, from RTX 3060 to RTX 5050, each with its CPU, graphics, memory and storage named.
By Alex Morgan, PC Hardware Editor
11 min read4 products evaluated
These towers stay under $1,000 at the time of writing. We ranked them by graphics memory first, because an older card with more VRAM can outlast a newer one with less.
Every pick names its CPU model, graphics, memory and SSD capacity in the listing; we left out renewed units and listings that hide a part behind "brand may vary". We researched the listings and did not test the machines.
Quick Picks
Which of the 4 picks to look at first. Tap a name for the full analysis.
Most VRAM
STGAubron Gaming PC (Ryzen 5 5500, RTX 3060 12GB)12GB of VRAM on the RTX 3060.
Best for: High texture settings at 1440p and above.
Check price for STGAubron Gaming PC (Ryzen 5 5500, RTX 3060 12GB) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Lowest Price Here
Evounic Gaming PC (Ryzen 5 5500, RX 580 8GB)The lowest price among these picks at the time of writing.
Best for: Keeping the budget tight.
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)
Largest Listed PSU
ZOTAC MEK (Ryzen 5 5500, RTX 5050 8GB)A 650W power supply rated 80 Plus Gold.
Best for: A bigger graphics card later.
Check price for ZOTAC MEK (Ryzen 5 5500, RTX 5050 8GB) on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
| Pick | Why it stands out | Best for | Check price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12GB of VRAM on the RTX 3060. | High texture settings at 1440p and above. | Check price for STGAubron Gaming PC (Ryzen 5 5500, RTX 3060 12GB) on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| The lowest price among these picks at the time of writing. | Keeping the budget tight. | Check price for Evounic Gaming PC (Ryzen 5 5500, RX 580 8GB) on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| An RX 6600 with 8GB of VRAM. | 1080p gaming. | Check price for STGAubron Gaming PC (Core i7-10700F, RX 6600 8GB) on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| A 650W power supply rated 80 Plus Gold. | A bigger graphics card later. | Check price for ZOTAC MEK (Ryzen 5 5500, RTX 5050 8GB) on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
Our Picks
Most VRAM1 of 4
STGAubron Gaming PC (Ryzen 5 5500, RTX 3060 12GB)
The STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 build pairs a Ryzen 5 5500, an RTX 3060 with 12GB of VRAM, 16GB of DDR4 and a 1TB SSD.
Best for
- High texture settings at 1440p and above.
Skip if
- Look at the others if this bothers you: 16GB of RAM is enough for games but tight alongside streaming or editing.
Why we like it
It also comes with 12GB of VRAM on an older RTX 3060 at a sub-$900 price at the time of writing. Its PSU wattage isn't published, so ask the seller before a GPU upgrade. On VRAM it leads this guide at 12GB, ahead of the Evounic RX 580 (8GB).
An RTX 3060 graphics card is unique to it among these picks, while the Evounic RX 580 uses an RX 580 graphics card. It shares a ryzen 5 5500 processor with the Evounic RX 580 and MEK RTX 5050; the STGAubron RX 6600 goes with a core i7-10700F processor. It shares a DDR4 memory type with the STGAubron RX 6600; the MEK RTX 5050 goes with a DDR4-3200 memory type. When we checked, only the STGAubron RX 6600 and cheaper picks cost less, and the MEK RTX 5050 cost more.
Key specs
- Graphics card
- RTX 3060
- VRAM
- 12GB
- Processor
- Ryzen 5 5500
- Memory
- 16GB
- Memory type
- DDR4
- SSD
- 1TB
Pros
- A RTX 3060 graphics card
- 12GB of VRAM for high texture settings
- 12GB of VRAM on an older RTX 3060 at a sub-$900 price at the time of writing
Cons
- 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
Lowest Price Here2 of 4
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
- Keeping the budget tight.
Skip if
- Worth skipping when 8GB of VRAM can force lower texture settings in newer games at 1440p is a problem.
Why we like it
Its PSU wattage isn't published, so ask the seller before a GPU upgrade. It matches the STGAubron RX 6600 and the MEK RTX 5050 on VRAM (8GB). It is the only pick here with an RX 580 graphics card; the MEK RTX 5050 has an RTX 5050 graphics card instead.
Like the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 and MEK RTX 5050, it has a ryzen 5 5500 processor, while the STGAubron RX 6600 uses a core i7-10700F 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.
At 8GB of VRAM, 1080p is the comfortable target for new games. It was the cheapest of the group when we checked; the STGAubron RX 6600 was the next step up.
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
- The lowest price among these picks 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
- VRAM of 8GB, behind the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 (12GB)
The catch
The main gap: VRAM of 8GB, behind the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 (12GB). If that matters, the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 offers 12GB.
RX 6600 Build3 of 4
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
- Worth skipping when 8GB of VRAM can force lower texture settings in newer games at 1440p is a problem.
Why we like it
Its PSU wattage isn't published, so ask the seller before a GPU upgrade. On VRAM it ties with the Evounic RX 580 and the MEK RTX 5050 at 8GB. An RX 6600 graphics card is unique to it among these picks, while the Evounic RX 580 uses an RX 580 graphics card.
A core i7-10700F processor is unique to it among these picks, while the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 uses a ryzen 5 5500 processor. It shares a DDR4 memory type with the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060; the MEK RTX 5050 goes with 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.
With 16GB installed, check for free memory slots before adding more. When we checked, only the Evounic RX 580 cost less, and the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 cost more.
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
- Core i7-10700F 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 Evounic RX 580 at the time of writing
Largest Listed PSU4 of 4
ZOTAC MEK (Ryzen 5 5500, RTX 5050 8GB)
The MEK RTX 5050 build pairs a Ryzen 5 5500, an RTX 5050 with 8GB of VRAM, 16GB of DDR4-3200 and a 1TB SSD.
Best for
- A bigger graphics card later.
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 also comes with a 650W Gold PSU under $900 at the time of writing. On VRAM it ties with the Evounic RX 580 and the STGAubron RX 6600 at 8GB. You get an RTX 5050 graphics card here, which sets it apart from the STGAubron RX 6600 and its an RX 6600 graphics card.
It shares a ryzen 5 5500 processor with the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 and Evounic RX 580; the STGAubron RX 6600 goes with a core i7-10700F processor. A DDR4-3200 memory type is unique to it among these picks, while the STGAubron RX 6600 uses a DDR4 memory type. Check the MEK RTX 5050's ports against your monitor: most graphics cards use DisplayPort and HDMI, so match the cable to the refresh rate you want.
The 650W power supply is the stated figure; check its connectors before a later GPU upgrade. With 16GB installed, check for free memory slots before adding more.
Key specs
- Graphics card
- RTX 5050
- VRAM
- 8GB
- Processor
- Ryzen 5 5500
- Memory
- 16GB
- Memory type
- DDR4-3200
- SSD
- 1TB
- Power supply
- 650W
- PSU rating
- 80 Plus Gold
- Warranty
- 1 year system, 3 years GPU
Pros
- A RTX 5050 graphics card
- A 650W power supply
- An 80 Plus Gold power supply
- 650W Gold PSU under $900 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
- VRAM trails the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 (12GB)
The catch
It gives ground on VRAM, where the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 offers 12GB.
How We Chose These Gaming Desktop PCs Under $1,000
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.
- How these picks were ranked
- We lined up four prebuilt PCs on graphics card, VRAM, processor and memory, using each maker's published specs. We did not test them in-house, and memory type is missing for at least one pick.
- What every pick has in common
- All 4, from the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 to the MEK RTX 5050, state graphics card, VRAM and processor.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The Evounic RX 580 gives no memory type.
- Price range
- From the Evounic RX 580 to the MEK RTX 5050, all sat in the $500 to $1000 tier when we checked.
What to Look for in a Gaming Desktop PC Under $1,000
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
VRAM across these picks
The STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 tops VRAM at 12GB and the MEK RTX 5050 sits lowest at 8GB. Start with the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 if VRAM decides it.
Processor
The STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060, the Evounic RX 580 and the MEK RTX 5050 list ryzen 5 5500; the STGAubron RX 6600 lists Core i7-10700F.
A desktop PC beside a monitor on a corner gaming desk Memory type
The STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 and the STGAubron RX 6600 list DDR4; the MEK RTX 5050 lists DDR4-3200. Sort out memory type before price: it splits 3 stated picks into groups of 2 and 1.
Fit and compatibility
Check the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060's ports against your monitor: most graphics cards use DisplayPort and HDMI, so match the cable to the refresh rate you want.
A desktop PC and monitor on a desk lit with red and blue lighting Extras that separate them
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 MEK RTX 5050: a 650W Gold PSU under $900 at the time of writing.
How to Choose a Gaming Desktop PC Under $1,000
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| High texture settings at 1440p and above | STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 | 12GB of VRAM on the RTX 3060 |
| Keeping the budget tight | Evounic RX 580 | The lowest price among these picks at the time of writing |
| 1080p gaming | STGAubron RX 6600 | An RX 6600 with 8GB of VRAM |
| A bigger graphics card later | MEK RTX 5050 | A 650W power supply rated 80 Plus Gold |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 leads on VRAM at 12GB, ahead of the Evounic RX 580 at 8GB.
| Prebuilt PC | Graphics card | VRAM | Processor | Memory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 | RTX 3060 | 12GB | Ryzen 5 5500 | 16GB |
| Evounic RX 580 | RX 580 | 8GB | Ryzen 5 5500 | 16GB |
| STGAubron RX 6600 | RX 6600 | 8GB | Core i7-10700F | 16GB |
| MEK RTX 5050 | RTX 5050 | 8GB | Ryzen 5 5500 | 16GB |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 ahead of the Evounic RX 580 on VRAM?
The STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 leads at 12GB, with the Evounic RX 580 at 8GB.
Why is the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 our Most VRAM pick?
It carries the badge for 12GB of VRAM on the RTX 3060. On VRAM it leads the Evounic RX 580, 12GB against 8GB, a 50% margin. It makes sense for high texture settings at 1440p and above.
Do the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 and the Evounic RX 580 differ on graphics card?
The STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 uses RTX 3060; the Evounic RX 580 uses RX 580; the STGAubron RX 6600 uses RX 6600; the MEK RTX 5050 uses RTX 5050.
Will the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 work with my setup?
Check the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060's ports against your monitor: most graphics cards use DisplayPort and HDMI, so match the cable to the refresh rate you want. The STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060's PSU wattage isn't published, so ask the seller before planning a GPU upgrade. In this guide it ranks first of 4, as our Most VRAM pick, and first of 4 on VRAM (12GB).
What extras do the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060 and the Evounic RX 580 include?
The STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060: 12GB of VRAM on an older RTX 3060 at a sub-$900 price at the time of writing. The Evounic RX 580: an older RX 580 with 8GB of VRAM. The STGAubron RX 6600: a desktop RX 6600 with 8GB of VRAM.
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the STGAubron R5 5500 RTX 3060, chosen for 12GB of VRAM on the RTX 3060. Look at the Evounic RX 580 for the lowest price among these picks at the time of writing, the STGAubron RX 6600 for an RX 6600 with 8GB of VRAM and the MEK RTX 5050 for a 650W power supply rated 80 Plus Gold if those matter more to you.
Whichever tower you choose, check the free RAM slots and PSU wattage before planning upgrades.
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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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