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- With Intel i7-7700k/8700k, 32GB RAM, 1080 Ti, and a 2TB HDD, you can get over 182 FPS at 1080p and 117 FPS at 1440p, on average.
- For older single-player games, you can opt for even the highest settings, but for competitive games or modern titles, reducing the settings can be beneficial.
- This isn’t the right one for you if you prefer a future-proof set. But if you’re looking for older or single-player games, then this is the best option for you.
When you think of gaming in 2025, you think of a high-end GPU, the latest processor, all the RAM slots occupied with the beefiest memory sticks, and a brand new chunky motherboard—all of which provide the highest framerates for your games.
While this assumption isn’t far from the truth when it comes to high-end gaming performance, what’s surprising is that you can still get over 60 FPS in most games with a $300 gaming PC.
What A $300 PC Will Get You In 2025
When I’m talking about a $300 PC, I’m not at all referring to a pre-built one because that might have lower performance. Instead, I’m talking about building one on your own with the used components that still get games running smoothly, even at higher resolutions. To elaborate, the specs I’m talking about are the:
- Intel Core i7-7700K/8700k
- Nvidia Geforce GTX 1080 Ti
- Asus Strix Z390-E Gaming Motherboard
- 32GB of DDR4 RAM
- Seagate Barracuda 3.5” 2 TB HDD
All of it costs somewhere around the $300 price range. Many of these components are older, with the 1080 Ti being nearly a decade old. But despite its low price, don’t expect extremely poor performance.
Far Cry 5 & Apex Legends
When you put together the aforementioned components, you get around a $300 gaming PC. Here’s how it performs. In games like Far Cry 5, you easily get around 147 FPS at 1080p, 109 FPS at 1440p, and around 58 FPS at 4K. All of this is set at the highest possible setting, which is impressive to see from a nearly decade-old card.
The same is with Apex Legends, where you will get framerates ranging from 115 FPS to 144 FPS, depending on where you are in the map. And all of it is operated at 1440p on a 144Hz monitor.
So, reducing the resolution will get you more framerates if that’s you’re preference. The framerates will drop at the beginning of the map before you jump out, but they ramp back up to the standard high one.
The setting is a blend of mainly high, some medium, and a few low options to maximise the performance. Since it’s a competitive game, you can lower the settings even further to squeeze every possible frame rate. Still, with these settings, you’re getting decent performance without sacrificing any visuals.
Shadow Of The Tomb Raider & Cyberpunk 2077
Next up, Shadow of the Tomb Raider at the highest settings at 1080p on this rig gives you 127 FPS, whereas at 1440p, you get 87 FPS, and at 4K, you’re down to 44 FPS. This goes to show that even on a $300 PC, you can still enjoy the stunning visuals without ray tracing enabled.
Next up on Cyberpunk 2077, the performance you’ll get on this rig will blow your mind, especially considering how affordable this setup is. At 1440p, you’ll regularly get over 50 FPS at the highest settings.
And the game looks stunning even without the ray tracing enabled. The experience is rather enjoyable, and if you hook up a controller, then this 10 FPS gap isn’t even noticeable, as it feels like you’re playing at 60 FPS.
Sure, you can reduce the settings to get better performance, but it is a smooth experience nonetheless. With an HDD, though, the world around you loads after you’ve sped past it in a car, but that is available if you extend the budget slightly by getting an NVMe SSD instead of the HDD. I recommend you get one from T-Force.
Should You Build A $300 Gaming PC?
If you want it for casual use, occasional gaming, and primarily single-player or older games, then this $300 PC is all you need. The only thing I recommend is that you consider swapping the HDD with an SSD, even if it means exceeding the budget slightly. This way, you really get the best out of this rig while being around the $300 price range, even in 2025.
What’s The Next Best Thing To A $300 Gaming PC?
But if you want to play modern AAA titles and want them to remain future-proof, then this budget PC may not suffice your needs. For that, you don’t need to splurge on a $1000 PC. Instead, you’re better off investing extra money in building a $500 gaming PC.
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[Error Fix Expert]
Hello, I’m Uzair Shabir, a tech enthusiast pursuing a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering. At Tech4Gamers, I’m an Error Fix Expert, crafting articles on different issues and how to fix them. With a Google IT Support Certificate, I navigate tech complexities to deliver insightful perspectives.
Get In Touch: UzairShabir@tech4gamers.com
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