Free guide how to build INTEL Game On a Budget: Building a $1200-$1350 Intel Gaming PC

Are you yearning for top-notch gaming performance without breaking the bank? Building your own gaming PC can be a fantastic way to enjoy your favorite titles with high-quality graphics and frame rates. In this guide, we'll walk you through building a gaming PC with Intel components within a budget range of $1200 to $1350. Get ready to power up your gaming experience!

Why Intel?

Intel processors have long been known for their powerful performance, making them a great choice for gaming. In this build, we'll pair an Intel CPU with other components to give you the best bang for your buck.

Processor (CPU): Intel Core i7-12700KF Gaming Desktop Processor 12 (8P+4E) Cores up to 5.0 GHz Unlocked LGA1700 600 Series Chipset 125W best price Graphics Card (GPU): GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3060 Gaming OC 12G (REV2.0) Graphics Card, 3X WINDFORCE Fans, 12GB 192-bit GDDR6, GV-N3060GAMING OC-12GD Video Card Motherboard: ASUS ROG Strix B760-A Gaming WiFi 6E D4 Intel B760 (13th and 12th Gen) LGA1700 white ATXmotherboard, 12+1 power stages, DDR4, PCIe 5.0, three M.2slots, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C®, and Aura Sync RGB

Memory (RAM):

Corsair VENGEANCE RGB PRO SL DDR4 32GB (2x16GB) 3600MHz CL18 Intel XMP 2.0 AMD Ryzen iCUE Compatible Computer Memory - Black (CMH32GX4M2D3600C18)

Storage: WD_BLACK 2TB SN850X NVMe Internal Gaming SSD Solid State Drive - Gen4 PCIe, M.2 2280, Up to 7,300 MB/s - WDS200T2X0E

 Power Supply (PSU): GAMEMAX 850W 80 Plus Gold Power Supply, ATX 3.0 & PCIE 5.0 Ready, 100% Japanese Capacitors, Fully Modular, ARGB SYNC with Motherboard, RGB-850 Pro

 Case: MSI Mid-Tower PC Gaming Case – Tempered Glass Side Panel – 4 x 120mm aRGB Fan – Liquid Cooling Support up to 240mm Radiator x 1 – MAG Forge 112R

Cooling (Optional): MSI MAG CoreLiquid 360R V2 - AIO ARGB CPU Liquid Cooler - Rotating Cap Design - LGA 1700 Ready - 360mm Radiator - Triple 120mm RGB PWM Fans

Step-by-Step Build Guide:

• Prepare Your Workspace: Clear a clean and well-lit workspace with plenty of room to work comfortably.

• Install CPU and Cooler: Carefully place the Intel Core CPU I7 into the motherboard's CPU socket and attach the included cooler.

• Install RAM: Insert the RAM sticks into the motherboard's DIMM slots.

• Mount Motherboard in Case: Secure the motherboard into the case using the provided screws.

• Connect Power Supply: Install the power supply unit in the case and connect all required power cables to the motherboard and components.

• Attach Storage and GPU: Install the SSD and GPU in their respective slots on the motherboard.

• Cable Management: Organize and secure cables for optimal airflow and aesthetics.

• Close Up the Case: Carefully close the case, secure it with screws, and ensure all cables are routed properly.

• Power Up: Connect your monitor, keyboard, and mouse, and power up your new Intel gaming PC.

Games to Play:

• That's a pretty powerful PC setup! You could play pretty much any game you throw at it with this configuration. Here are some specific examples

• Cyberpunk 2077: You can expect high frame rates at max settings in 1080p and very high frame rates at moderate settings in 1440p.

• Elden Ring: This demanding open-world game will run silky smooth at 1080p on max settings and at very high frame rates in 1440p with some settings tweaks.

• God of War (PC): This new port of the PlayStation classic will run beautifully at 1440p on max settings and potentially even at 4K with some adjustments.

• Microsoft Flight Simulator: This incredibly demanding game will still require you to turn down some settings for a smooth experience at 1080p, but you can easily achieve a comfortable framerate with some compromises.

• CS:GO: This is a very well-optimized game and you can expect incredibly high frame rates (over 300 fps) at 1080p even on max settings.

• Dota 2: Another well-optimized game, you can expect to maintain consistently high frame rates (over 200 fps) at 1080p on max settings and even at 1440p with some adjustments.

• League of Legends: Similar to Dota 2, you can expect consistently high frame rates (over 200 fps) at 1080p and very high frame rates at 1440p on max settings.

• Overwatch 2: You can expect high frame rates (over 150 fps) at 1080p on max settings and very high frame rates at 1440p with some settings tweaks.

• Half-Life: Alyx: This graphically demanding VR game will run quite well at medium settings with this setup, but you might need to crank down some settings further for a smooth experience at higher resolutions.

• The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners – Chapter 2: Retribution: This VR zombie shooter will run smoothly at most settings on this setup, even at higher resolutions.

• Boneworks: This physics-based VR game can be quite demanding, but you should be able to run it at medium settings with a comfortable framerate on this setup.

Now you're equipped with the knowledge to build your own Intel-powered gaming PC on a budget. Elevate your gaming experience and enjoy your favorite titles with excellent performance and graphics. Happy gaming!