The best PC build for gaming isn't the one that costs the most. It's the one that delivers the performance you actually need, at a price that makes sense. 

From budget-conscious builds that still deliver excellent 1080p performance to no-compromise rigs that max out every setting, our custom PC builders in NZ cover the essential components and what you should look for to create the best gaming experience.

What Your Gaming PC Budget Gets You

Entry-Level ($1,100 - $1,400)

What you’re getting: Solid, reliable 1080p gaming that doesn’t compromise on quality or longevity. You'll run modern AAA games at high settings (not ultra, but genuinely high) with frame rates that stay comfortably above 60fps. 

Real-world performance:

• Cyberpunk 2077 at medium-high settings, 1080p: 60-70fps
• Spider-Man Remastered at high settings, 1080p: 75-85fps
• Fortnite at high settings, 1080p: 144fps+
• Apex Legends at high settings, 1080p: 110-130fps

Best for: Students, first-time PC builders, those upgrading from console gaming, and anyone searching for the best cheap gaming PC build.

This tier is ideal if you primarily play competitive games, older AAA titles, or indie games. It's also brilliant for first-time PC gamers who want to experience what PC gaming has to offer without risking a significant investment. You can always upgrade the GPU in 2-3 years when prices drop or your standards rise.

Mid-Range ($1,800 - $2,200)

What you’re getting: Welcome to 1440p gaming at high-to-ultra settings, where games look genuinely gorgeous and still run battery smooth. You’re getting proper VR capability, high refresh rate 1080p gaming, and hardware that won’t need major upgrades for 4-5 years if you’re willing to adjust settings slightly as new games push boundaries. 

Real-world performance: 

• Cyberpunk 2077 with ray tracing, 1440p: 70-80fps (or 100fps+ without RT)
• Hogwarts Legacy at ultra settings, 1440p: 75-85fps
• Microsoft Flight Simulator at high settings, 1440p: 50-60fps
• The Last of Us Part 1 at ultra, 1440p: 80-90fps
• Any esports title at 1080p: 240fps+

Best for: Serious gamers who want longevity, 1440p monitor owners or those planning to buy one, VR enthusiasts, streamers who need multitasking power, and competitive gamers who want high-refresh rates.

While this costs more than an entry-level build, it's still the best budget gaming PC build in terms of long-term value. The price-to-performance ratio is exceptional, as you’re spending roughly 60% more than entry-level but getting 100%+ better performance in demanding games and unlocking an entire resolution tier. If your budget allows, this is where we recommend spending your money. 

High-End ($3,200-$4,500+)

What you’re getting: Absolute, uncompromising power. This isn’t the best budget gaming PC build in 2025; it’s the ultimate expression of what your money can buy.

Think 4K gaming at ultra settings with ray tracing fully enabled, hitting 60-90fps in the most demanding titles. You’re also getting hardware that will remain highly capable for 5-7 years, though you may need to adjust settings slightly towards the end of that span as new ray-traced AAA titles push boundaries. 

You’ll also have the ability to drive multiple high-resolution monitors and access professional-grade content creation capabilities.

Real-world performance: 

• Cyberpunk 2077 with path tracing, 4K: 60-80fps
• Any game at 1440p ultra: 100fps+ minimum
• Flight Simulator at ultra settings, 4K: 50-60fps
• Star Citizen at high settings: Actually playable
• VR at maximum settings: Flawless in every current title

Best for: 4K gaming enthusiasts, professional streamers and content creators, flight and racing sim fanatics who want maximum immersion, competitive gamers who want every possible frame, and tech enthusiasts who want cutting-edge hardware. 

This tier makes sense if you:

• Have a 4K monitor and want to use it properly at native resolution with high settings
• You’re doing professional content creation, streaming, or 3D work alongside gaming
• You want the best and don’t want to think about upgrades for the better part of a decade

The Essential Components

Processor (CPU)

Your CPU is your PC’s brain, handling everything from game logic to background tasks to Windows operations. For gaming specifically, you want strong single-core performance (how fast each core runs) and enough cores to handle modern games that typically use 6-8 cores effectively. Even the best cheap PC build can use excellent CPUs that won't bottleneck your gaming performance.

• Entry-level: Intel Core i5-12400F or AMD Ryzen 5 5600 
• Mid-range: Intel Core i7-13700F or AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 
• High-end: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D

Graphics Card (GPU)

This is the single most important component for gaming performance. Your GPU renders everything you see on screen—every texture, lighting effect, and frame. This is typically where 40-50% of your total budget should be allocated, and it is not the place to compromise if gaming is your priority.

You should aim for a minimum of 8GB for 1080p gaming, 12GB for comfortable 1440p, and 16GB for 4K or future-proofing.

• Entry-level (1080p): Nvidia RTX 4060 8GB or AMD RX 7600 XT 16GB 
• Mid-range (1440p): Nvidia RTX 4070 Super 12GB or AMD RX 7800 XT 16GB 
• High-end (4K): Nvidia RTX 4080 Super 16GB or RTX 4090 24GB 

RAM

This is your PC’s short-term memory, where games load assets, textures, and level data for instant access. Modern gaming has settled around 16GB as the baseline, with 32GB increasingly becoming the "no worries" standard for multitasking and future-proofing.

Always buy RAM in matched pairs (dual-channel configuration). Two 8GB sticks give you noticeably better performance than one 16GB stick. Most motherboards have four slots, so you can start with 16GB and add another matching 16GB later if needed.

• Entry-level: 16GB (2x8GB) DDR5-5600 for budget builds 
• Mid-to-high-end: 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5-6000 

Storage

This is where even the best PC builds for gaming can stumble if you cut corners. In 2025, NVMe SSDs are non-negotiable. They're fast, increasingly affordable, and dramatically improve load times, level streaming, and overall system responsiveness. 

You’ll need at least 1TB for your main drive, as modern AAA games are massive. An NVMe M.2 format plugs directly into your motherboard, while PCIe 4.0 delivers read speeds of 5,000-7,000 MB/s, which is more than enough for gaming. Consider 2TB if you play many AAA titles simultaneously or don't want to constantly uninstall games to make space.

If you need more space for less-played games, media files, or backups, a 2-4TB SATA SSD or even a large HDD works fine as a secondary drive.

• Budget: WD Black SN770 1TB
• Better value: Crucial P3 Plus 2TB 
• High-end: Samsung 990 Pro 2TB

Power Supply (PSU)

A quality PSU protects all your expensive components, ensures stable power delivery under load, and lasts through multiple PC upgrades. A dodgy PSU can literally destroy your entire system, cause crashes and instability, or even become a fire hazard.

Add up your CPU and GPU power draw, then add 20-30% headroom for stability and future upgrades:

• Entry-level builds (i5 + RTX 4060): 650W minimum
• Mid-range builds (Ryzen 7 + RTX 4070): 750W recommended
• High-end builds (Ryzen 9 + RTX 4090): 1000W minimum, 1200W safer

Recommendations:

• Entry-level: Be Quiet! Pure Power 12 650W 80+ Bronze 
• Mid-range: Corsair RM750e 750W 80+ Gold Modular 
• High-end: Seasonic Prime TX-1000 1000W 80+ Titanium 

Our Recommendations for the Best Gaming PC Builds in 2025

Entry-Level PC Build

Complete Parts List:

• CPU: Intel Core i5-12400F (6-core, 12-thread) 
• GPU: AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT 16GB 
• Motherboard: ASRock B660M Steel Legend
• RAM: 16GB (2x8GB) DDR5-5600 Kingston Fury Beast 
• Storage: Kingston NV2 1TB NVMe SSD
• PSU: MSI MAG A650BN 650W 80+ Bronze 
• Case: Deepcool CC560 (includes 4 fans)
• CPU Cooler: Stock Intel cooler (included)

The i5-12400F offers excellent gaming performance with 6 powerful cores that handle modern games without breaking a sweat. It's efficient, runs cool on the stock cooler, and won't bottleneck the GPU. The RX 7600 XT's 16GB of VRAM is the secret weapon here—most competing cards at this price offer only 8GB, but that extra VRAM future-proofs you against increasingly demanding texture quality in newer games.

DDR5 memory ensures you're building on current technology rather than the outgoing DDR4 standard, and the 1TB NVMe gives you room for Windows, your essential programs, and 8-10 large games. The Deepcool case comes with four RGB fans out of the box, ensuring proper airflow without the need for additional cooler purchases.

Mid-Range PC Build

Complete Parts List:

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D (8-core with 3D V-Cache) 
• GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4070 Super 12GB 
• Motherboard: ASUS TUF Gaming B650-Plus WiFi 
• RAM: 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5-6000 G.Skill Flare X5 
• Storage: Crucial P3 Plus 2TB NVMe SSD
• PSU: Corsair RM750e 750W 80+ Gold Modular
• Case: Lian Li Lancool 216 (includes 2 fans) 
• CPU Cooler: Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE 

While this surpasses what most people think of as the best budget gaming PC build, it's actually the smartest place to invest if you want serious longevity and performance. The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is a gaming powerhouse thanks to AMD's 3D V-Cache technology, which gives games access to a massive 96MB of ultra-fast cache. In CPU-intensive games, this translates to 10-20% better frame rates compared to non-X3D chips. It's the sweet spot CPU for serious gaming.

The RTX 4070 Super delivers exceptional 1440p performance with 12GB VRAM handling high-resolution textures effortlessly. DLSS 3.5 with frame generation can literally double your frame rates in supported games—turn on DLSS in Cyberpunk 2077 and watch your 70fps become 130fps without noticeable quality loss.

The 32GB of fast DDR5-6000 RAM means you can game, stream, run Discord, browse with 30 Chrome tabs open, and never worry about stuttering. The 2TB storage gives you ample space for your entire library without the need for constant game uninstalls.

High-End PC Build

Complete Parts List:

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (8-core, latest gen 3D V-Cache) – $850
• GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4090 24GB – $3,200
• Motherboard: MSI MAG X870 Tomahawk WiFi – $480
• RAM: 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5-6400 G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo – $220
• Storage: Samsung 990 Pro 2TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 – $280
• PSU: Corsair RM1000e 1000W 80+ Gold Modular – $320
• Case: Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO (tempered glass) – $210
• CPU Cooler: DeepCool LT720 360mm AIO Liquid Cooler – $200

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is simply the fastest gaming CPU available in 2025. Its latest-generation 3D V-Cache delivers 5-15% better gaming performance than the already-excellent 7800X3D, and it runs cooler thanks to improved architecture.

The RTX 4090 exists in its own performance tier. With 24GB of VRAM, it handles 4K ultra settings with ray tracing like mid-range cards handle 1080p. DLSS 3.5 with frame generation is almost unfair—enable it and watch already-high frame rates soar even higher. This GPU won't struggle with anything for years to come.

The 360mm AIO liquid cooler keeps the CPU ice-cold, even under sustained loads, while running quieter than tower coolers and looking spectacular through the case's tempered glass. The 1000W Gold-rated PSU delivers clean, stable power with headroom for future GPU generations that may draw even more power.

Get Your Game On with AEPC

Want these exact builds but don’t fancy building them yourself? That's where we come in.

Don’t waste time staring at hundreds of component options, trying to figure out if that motherboard supports your RAM speed, or wondering if your PSU has enough wattage headroom. Whether you're after the best budget gaming PC build in 2025 or a no-compromise powerhouse, our professional assembly service means you choose the components (or let us guide you), and we'll build your PC with expert cable management, thorough testing, and proper optimisation.

Contact AEPC’s PC builders today and let us help you build your dream rig together. And if your current PC is having issues? Our computer repair shop across Auckland can diagnose and fix problems quickly.