Introduction
As prices for components start to fall in anticipation of the new and more powerful PC parts, it is becoming more affordable to start building a gaming PC. We’re also starting to see manufacturers develop more budget and consumer friendly products in light of these fresh releases.
For this reason we’ve put together a super affordable 3060Ti gaming PC featuring one of Cooler Master’s latest budget-oriented cases – the CMP520. We’ll be breaking down all of the core components, along with providing some peripheral options and some gaming benchmarks to see how this build fairs in terms of performance.
Game | Resolution | Settings | AVG. FPS |
F1 2022 | 1440P | Ultra High | 152 |
Marvel’s Spiderman Remastered | 1440P | High | 109 |
Battlefield 2042 | 1440P | High (DLSS) | 109 |
Apex Legends | 1440P | High | 154 |
Valorant | 1440P | High | 435 |
Fortnite | 1080P | Competitive | 202 |
Suggested Article: Nvidia RTX 3060 VS Nvidia RTX 3060Ti – Which GPU is Best?
Main Components
CPU: Intel Core i5 12400F
Intel’s Core i5 12400F is a CPU we’ve used multiple times because it offers incredible performance metrics at an excellent price point. This processor is geared towards the budget side of the market, but can also double as a mid-range processor for those that may want to upgrade later down the line. With a 4.4GHz clock speed, you should have no problems at 1080P or 1440P settings with this awesome 12th gen Intel CPU.
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Key Facts:
Boost Clock Speed: 4.4 GHz
Core Count: 6
Thread Count: 12
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB
For our cooler we’ve decided to pick the Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB. A budget option that offers great thermal efficiency while also allowing us to add some customisable RGB lighting to our build. While being a great air cooler, the sleek black design blends in very well with our build aesthetic making it a superb option at an affordable price tag.
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Key Facts:
Max RPM: 2000RPM
Connector Type: 4-Pin
RGB: Yes
Motherboard: Gigabyte B660 DS3H AX
Gigabyte’s B660 DS3H AX is a motherboard that we’ve given a Great Value GeekAward because of how awesome it is. This board truly encapsulates at consumer-friendly budget philosophy at GeekaWhat while also providing excellent features. This 12th gen motherboard on the B660 chipset utilises many of the latest features, such as PCI-E Gen4 for SSDs, and high speed memory overclocking. We also recommend checking out our full review on this board, where we’ve dived into all the features and specs.
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Key Facts:
Form Factor: ATX
Built-in IO Shield: No
Max Memory: 128GB DDR4
RAM: Corsair Vengeance RGB RS 16GB
Pairing with our CPU we’ve thrown in some high-speed DDR4 memory clocking in at 3200MHz, with a CL16 latency. The Corsair Vengeance RS RGB DIMMs also provide some additional flair and customisation with the sublime lighting bar which can be configured within Corsair’s industry leading iCUE software.
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Key Facts:
Capacity: 16GB
Clock Speed: 3200MHz
CAS Latency: 16-20-20-38
SSD: XPG Spectrix S20G
For our storage option we’ve picked out a Gen3 option, the XPG Spectrix S20G that provides blazing fast read and write speeds, while also giving us some flashy RGB too. Being a more price conscious build we’ve opted to pick a slightly cheaper storage option, but this will provide plenty of speed while also keeping our costs down.
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Key Facts:
Capacity: 1TB
Read Speeds: 2500MB/s
Write Speeds: 1800MB/s
Interface: PCIe Gen 3 x4
GPU: Gigabyte Eagle OC 3060Ti
As the driving force for our graphics we’ve picked out the unrivalled and unmatched 3060Ti. This Gigabyte Eagle edition will provide ample cooling with the dual fan shroud, and the RTX 3000 architecture will give us the power we need for insane performance at 1440P and 1080P settings. By picking an Nvidia card we’re also able to use the latest technology such as DLSS to give us some extra frames with AI upscaling. And RTX Ray-Tracing, drastically improving the graphical fidelity of our gaming titles with incredible lighting effects.
Gigabyte Eagle OC 3060Ti on:
Key Facts:
CUDA Cores: 4864
TDP: 200W
RT Cores: 38
Case: Cooler Master CMP520
The CMP520 is a new case range from Cooler Master offering plenty of features, customisation and aesthetics while coming in at an affordable price point. The CMP520 features a mesh front panel for better airflow, and a tempered glass side panel giving us a window to view our glorious build from afar. This case is an excellent budget selection, and we recommend checking out our review for a full dive into the features, aesthetics and some alternative options!
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Key Facts:
Form Factor: ATX
Fan Support: 7 x 120mm
Motherboard Support: mini-ITX, micro-ATX, ATX
PSU: Corsair CX650F RGB
Rounding off the core components of our build, for the power supply we’ve picked our Corsair’s tried and true, the CX650F RGB. This mighty PSU offers an 80+ bronze efficiency with full modular support, allowing you to pick and choose all of your cables. The power supply fan is also fully RGB which can be synced up with the aforementioned Vengeance RGB RS RAM and any other Corsair peripherals.
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Key Facts:
Wattage: 650W
Modular: Yes
Efficiency: 80+ Bronze
Peripherals
You can’t fully finish a build without picking up some peripherals to get Windows installed and then start playing some games. As this gaming PC build is more budget oriented we’ve decided to pick some peripherals that will give you a competitive edge while gaming, but we’ve been more price conscious in our selections.
Logitech G203 LIGHTSYNC Mouse
The Logitech G203 LIGHTSYNC mouse is a brilliant budget option, offering a variety of vibrant colours with the RGB lightbar, but also high accuracy with the 8000 DPI sensor. This mouse has a classic 6 button design which can be reprogrammed within Logitech’s G Hub software, and your DPI can be changed on the fly in your games so you can hit your targets with the included DPI cycle button.
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Corsair K55 RGB Pro XT Membrane
Corsair’s K55 RGB Membrane keyboard is a great selection coming in at a low price. The K55 has six onboard lighting effects which can be fully customised with a plethora of colours and styles using Corsair’s iCUE software. The non-slip integrated wrist rest provides plenty of support so you can lengthen your gaming sessions without any discomfort. You’ve also got access to six dedicated macro keys giving you an in-game advantage!
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Razer Kraken Wired Gaming Headset
This cross-platform plush and comfortable design offers custom tuned 50mm drivers for crystal clear audio. The Razer Kraken also has a high-quality bendable cardioid microphone allowing you to enjoy absolute clarity and clear communication while gaming. The headband and earcups of the Razer Kraken are also super lightweight with extra padding relieving any pressure on your head for long-lasting comfort.
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Gallery
Benchmarking
In order to see how this system performs we’ve put it up against some of the latest triple A and Esports titles. You can find all of our benchmarking runs from the most recent GPUs on our YouTube channel – ‘Benched’.