Expert advice: There's still time to build a 1440p gaming PC with AMD X3D chip for under $800 after Black Friday

Black Friday budget gaming PC build
The case, GPU, and CPU are just the start; this sub-$800 build has everything you need to start gaming. (Image credit: Future | AMD | MSI | Phanteks)

Black Friday is technically behind us, but retailers like Newegg and Best Buy have extended the sales an extra day to help those who couldn't shop yesterday. With many people reaching out to ask for help assembling a new gaming PC on the cheap, I put together this awesome rig on the cheap.

Black Friday discounts still available one day after the main event have made it relatively easy to spend about $800 on a complete system that can handle 1440p gaming. This isn't just some random PC I cobbled together with the cheapest parts — it has AMD's Ryzen 7 5700X3D CPU, NVIDIA RTX 3060 GPU, 1TB Crucial SSD 1TB WD_BLACK SN770 SSD, and 32GB of G.Skill RAM.

Everything is guaranteed to work together, and I've even included PSU, case, and motherboard in the price. Just add Windows (or make peace with the "Activation required" note on your screen) and you're ready to go. The parts I've selected here come out to $793.80 $798.80, but the Black Friday deals are drying up as we slide into Cyber Monday.

Recent updates

November 30, 2024: I replaces the Crucial SSD with a 1TB model from WD_BLACK; otherwise, the deals are still live. If you want to build your own PC on the cheap, this is still a great way to go. — Cale Hunt

Black Friday gaming PC build quick links


AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3DWas: $249Now: $229 at NeweggBonus: Free 32GB (2x16GB) G.Skill Ripjaws V RAM
CPU + RAM bundle deal

AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D
Was:
$249
Now:
$229 at Newegg
Bonus: Free 32GB (2x16GB) G.Skill Ripjaws V RAM

"If you're only interested in gaming, the Ryzen 7 5700X3D is the go-to chip for budget gaming builds, particularly for AM4 upgraders. AMD's potent 3D V-Cache tech is phenomenal in gaming but does result in lower performance in some productivity applications, so be sure you're aware of the trade-offs. — Paul Alcorn (Tom's Hardware)

Tom's Hardware review ⭐⭐⭐⭐½

✅Perfect for: PC gamers who want strong performance in their favorite titles without overspending. 32GB of quality G.Skill RAM for free doesn't hurt, either.

❌Avoid if: You want an AMD chip on the AM5 socket and don't mind spending more or waiting for X3D stock.

Cores/Threads: 8/16. Base/Boost clock: 3.4GHz/4.5GHz. Memory: DDR4. PCIe: 4.0. TDP: 105W. Socket: AM4. Launch date: 2024.

👉See at: Newegg.com

Return period: 30-day free returns. Price match? Select items (noted). Membership: Newegg+ is a free membership with free shipping, exclusive sales and discounts, and dedicated customer service.

🤩Alternative deal: AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D (no RAM included) for $196.89 at Amazon

MSI Ventus 3X OC RTX 3060Was: $295.99Now: $264.99 at NeweggCoupon code: BFDDY2A623
Discounted GPU

MSI Ventus 3X OC RTX 3060
Was:
$295.99
Now:
$264.99 at Newegg
Coupon code:
BFDDY2A623

"It's more than capable of handling PC games at high settings and 1080p, even some at 1440p, but you'll see the limitations of the slower memory and fewer cores to handle more demanding tasks, especially if you enable ray tracing." — Rich Edmonds

Windows Central review ⭐⭐⭐⭐

✅Perfect for: A steady gaming experience at 1080p or even 1440p if you don't mind turning down in-game settings.

❌Avoid if: You want stronger ray tracing support and DLSS 3 Frame Generation.

Interface: PCIe 4.0. Boost clock: 1,807MHz. Memory: 12GB GDDR6. Power: 170W. Recommended PSU: 550W. Launch date: 2021.

👉See at: Newegg.com

Return period: 30-day free returns. Price match? Select items (noted). Membership: Newegg+ is a free membership with free shipping, exclusive sales and discounts, and dedicated customer service.

💰Price check: $285 at Best Buy

🤩Alternative deal for smaller PCs: $264.99 MSI Ventus 2X OC RTX 3060 at Newegg

MSI B550 Gaming Gen3Was: $119.99Now: $89.99 at Amazon
Discounted mobo

MSI B550 Gaming Gen3
Was:
$119.99
Now:
$89.99 at Amazon

Customer reviews: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ @ Amazon

✅Perfect for: Pairing with the 5700X3D without overspending. Has four RAM slots, three M.2 slots, lots of PCIe expansion.

❌Avoid if: You can spend a bit more and want some slightly higher-end features. Check out the MSI B550-A Pro if so.

👉See at: Amazon.com

Return period: 30 days (Most items). Price match? No. Free shipping: $35 minimum. Membership: Amazon Prime w/ free shipping, exclusive deals, music, video, ebook, & audiobook access, & more.

💰Price check: $120 at Newegg

🤩Alternative deal: MSI B550-A Pro for $105 at Amazon

Crucial P3 Plus 1TBWas: $109.99Now: $59.99 at Newegg
Quality 1TB SSD

Crucial P3 Plus 1TB
Was:
$109.99
Now: $59.99 at Newegg

🚨Alternative deal🚨: 1TB WD_Black SN770 SSD for $64.99 at Newegg

"The P3 Plus performed surprisingly well, buoyed by its aggressively large SLC cache and many improvements to the QLC flash. Newer DRAM-less drives simply blow the old technology out of the water, which doesn’t hurt either." — Shane Downing (Tom's Hardware)

Tom's Hardware review ⭐⭐⭐½

✅Perfect for: Reliable PCIe 4.0 bulk storage on the cheap, even for gaming.

❌Avoid if: You need more space in your PC or want to spend less on something like a SATA SSD.

👉See at: Newegg.com

Return period: 30-day free returns. Price match? Select items (noted). Membership: Newegg+ is a free membership with free shipping, exclusive sales and discounts, and dedicated customer service.

💰Price check: $59.99 at Amazon

🤩Alternative deal: T-Force Vulcan Z 1TB SATA SSD for $46.99 at Amazon

Corsair CX650M PSUWas: $79.99Now: $64.99 at Best Buy
650W PSU

Corsair CX650M PSU
Was:
$79.99
Now:
$64.99 at Best Buy

Customer reviews: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ @ Best Buy

✅Perfect for: Affordable and reliable power for your PSU. You don't want to go any cheaper than this. It's semi-modular for easier future upgrades.

❌Avoid if: You have a bit more to spend and want something with a better efficiency rating (80+ Bronze)

👉See at: BestBuy.com

Return period: 15 days. Price match? Yes (Also applies within return period). Free shipping: $35 minimum. Membership: My Best Buy w/ free shipping, exclusive deals, 60-day return period, & expanded support.

💰Price check: $64.97 at Amazon

🤩Alternative deal: Thermaltake Smart BX3 650W PSU for $64.99 at Newegg

Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SEWas: $38.90Now: $34.90 at Amazon
Awesome air cooler

Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
Was:
$38.90
Now:
$34.90 at Amazon

"Wow. Not only is Thermalright’s Peerless Assassin 120 SE the best-performing air cooler I’ve tested. It runs whisper silent and is only $36. You can’t beat the value and performance offered by this cooler." — Albert Thomas (Tom's Hardware)

Tom's Hardware review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

✅Perfect for: Quiet and efficient cooling for the 5700X3D.

❌Avoid if: You prefer an AiO rad for water cooling.

👉See at: Amazon.com

Return period: 30 days (Most items). Price match? No. Free shipping: $35 minimum. Membership: Amazon Prime w/ free shipping, exclusive deals, music, video, ebook, & audiobook access, & more.

💰Price check: $49.90 at Newegg

Phanteks XT ProWas: $59.99Now: $49.94 at Newegg
Slick PC case

Phanteks XT Pro
Was:
$59.99
Now:
$49.94 at Newegg

Customer reviews: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ @ Newegg

✅Perfect for: A mid-tower build with tempered glass side panel. Comes with one exhaust fan and has USB-C connectivity.

❌Avoid if: You want a more compact PC or prefer something with more case fans.

👉See at: Newegg.com

Return period: 30-day free returns. Price match? Select items (noted). Membership: Newegg+ is a free membership with free shipping, exclusive sales and discounts, and dedicated customer service.

🔥The hottest Black Friday & Cyber Monday deals🔥

Can I play at 1440p with this setup?

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D CPU and NVIDIA RTX 3060 GPU will run your games at 1440p, especially with 32GB of DDR4 RAM on board. You won't be able to max out in-game settings in demanding games at the higher resolution, but it will certainly keep up with your QHD monitor.

If you're targeting 1080p, this build will easily run any games on the market today. The newer RTX 4060 really isn't much of an upgrade over the RTX 3060, and the 12GB of VRAM certainly helps with modern titles.

The 5700X3D is designed specifically for supreme gaming performance thanks to the 3D V-Cache, and it's currently the cheapest way to get ahold of the tech. The chip was released by AMD in 2024 as a more affordable X3D option, with Ryzen 7 7800X3D only available at MSRP or higher, and the 9800X3D sold out everywhere unless you want to spend big on a pre-built gaming PC.

What are my options for Windows?

I didn't include a copy of Windows 11 in this list as you might have your own cheaper way to get ahold of a copy for this PC.

Worst case scenario, you can use Windows 11 without a license indefinitely; there will be a watermark on your screen, but it's easy to ignore until you find a great deal on a real copy. You'll miss out on some personalization options, but it won't get in the way of gaming.

Is there enough cooling in this PC?

The Phanteks XT Pro case I chose comes with just one exhaust fan at the back, so I strongly suggest adding some extra fans along the front to increase airflow.

You'll hopefully have some extra fans lying around that you can use in this new PC, but compatible fans — either 120mm or 140mm — are always inexpensive. For example, this three-pack of 120mm RGB fans from Corsair is down to $44.99 at Newegg with a Black Friday deal.

Those upgrading from an older PC might even be able to use the current case and cooling that's already in place for this new build. As for the CPU, Thermalright's Peerless Assassin 120 SE will easily handle the heat from the Ryzen 7 5700X3D.

🍁More great Black Friday & Cyber Monday deals🦃

When is Black Friday?

Black Friday is technically on Nov. 29, 2024, but this sales event seems to start a little earlier each year. Retailers increasingly get more aggressive in terms of when discounts start in order to entice consumers ahead of the main event, so you can see early Black Friday deals as soon as October. Black Friday itself can feel overwhelming and be limited by stock shortages, so it's often a great idea to take advantage of those early sales ahead of time.

When is Cyber Monday?

This year, Cyber Monday falls on Dec. 2, 2024. This continuation of the Black Friday weekend was once the online-version of the aforementioned sales event, but as more retailers go online it's not uncommon to see Black Friday and Cyber Monday blend into one another. If you miss out on sales on Black Friday, you may have another chance on Cyber Monday. Better yet, though, is staying ahead of the curve and getting your holiday shopping done weeks in advance.

CATEGORIES
Cale Hunt
Contributor

Cale Hunt brings to Windows Central more than eight years of experience writing about laptops, PCs, accessories, games, and beyond. If it runs Windows or in some way complements the hardware, there’s a good chance he knows about it, has written about it, or is already busy testing it.