Cheapest Desktop PC You Can Build Today: Under 20K

Building your own desktop PC is quite a task. This is especially challenging if you aren’t the ‘techie’ kind of person who’s familiar with the “specs sheet” and other technical terminologies.

Thus, let’s make it easier for you to understand the things to consider when buying parts for your DIY desktop build. And, if you’re on a tight budget, sit tight as we dive into our options for the most affordable computer parts available.

This build leans toward the entry-level and should cater mostly to productivity needs and a little bit of gaming on the side. Needless to say, aesthetics may be disregarded as we prioritize affordability.

Details of the Build

First on our list is the CPU. Since we focus on affordability, AMD Athlon 3000G is the most qualified. It is a dual core CPU with four (4) threads integrated with Radeon Vega 3 graphics. This CPU operates on a base clocking of 3.5GHz and can be overclocked up to 4.0GHz which means that you may squeeze out more performance juice out of this CPU.

It usually comes with a wraith cooler, but sometimes the deal may only say “tray type” only which means there’s no inclusion of a wraith cooler or CPU cooler, so make sure you have it to keep the processor from overheating.

Take note that compatibility among the PC parts is of utmost importance. For example, Intel and AMD CPUs each have different “socket” types, the motherboard should be compatible depending on the chosen CPU.

The AMD Athlon 3000G having an “AM4” socket type, I partnered it with the compatible motherboard MSI A320M-A Pro Max. It can support up to 3rd generation of AMD’s Ryzen processors with memory support for DDR4 dual channel (two slots only and 64GB max). Although, the motherboard itself does not support overclocking, and you may consider a B450M variant with higher cost to utilize the unlocked overclocking on Athlon 3000G.

If you’re thinking to get Windows 11 as your operating system for this build, one of its requirements is having the TPM module for added layer of security, and the MSI A320M-A Pro Max has a TPM header built-in, thus a Windows 11 upgrade (from Windows 10) or direct installation is possible on this build.

When it comes to RAM, two 4GB sticks of Kingston Fury Beast 2666MHz (Black) is enough. Athlon 3000G supports up to 2667 MHz of system memory and the chosen RAM is DDR4 compatible boosting performance and stability.

On the next component, which is the Power Supply Unit (PSU), you may not want to be a scrooge on this one as this component delivers the needed power for your PC to function properly. If the PSU is below standard, chances are it could damage your system. I opted to 600W Cooler Master Elite V3 that claims to have over 80% efficiency for less power consumption. It supports PCIe (6 + 2 pin) connectors in case you install a better performing GPU with a compatible CPU—such as the Ryzen line—in the future.

This might lead you to the question, “Why is there no GPU on this build?” Well, the prices of GPUs are still volatile due to higher demand, and probably lower supply, that’s why I chose the AMD Athlon 3000G with integrated graphics already, instead of having to rely on separated GPU and CPU which will certainly jack up our intended budget.

Moving on to drive storage, the Western Digital 240GB SSD as boot drive for your OS is enough. This leads to faster boot up time, more immediate data transfers, and higher bandwidth. For your general storage like media files, documents, and game library, a 1TB Seagate 3.5” Barracuda is plenty for the build. You may add more storage drives in the future since the motherboard can support up to four SATA port, and one M.2 slot.

And lastly, the System Unit (SU) casing. This is purely subjective, but I chose the Silverstone FARA H1M Gaming Chassis which is fit for the micro-ATX form factor of the motherboard. It features a steel honeycomb mesh design up front, suitable for two 120 mm or 140 mm fans, two 120 mm at the top, and the included 120 mm fan at the rear. It has spacious drive bay where two 2.5” and two 3.5” drives can be installed. It has a tempered glass on the side giving you a brief view of your PC internals.

Here’s the PC build at a glance:

Recommendations on the Build

As mentioned earlier, this build leans on to being an entry level, and yes, it can game! Accordingly, you may have to tweak the game settings to the lowest levels. Based on this gaming test, the AMD Athlon 3000G with Radeon Vega 3 graphics can handle triple-A game such as GTAV at 1080p resolution with an average of 40 fps. And if triple-A games are playable, then it is expected to perform pretty well on non-graphically demanding games like Valorant, League of Legends, and the likes.

I should mention that I myself struggled with choosing the preferred CPU for this build. The other compelling alternative choice was the AMD Ryzen 3 3200G with Radeon Vega 8 integrated graphics. That is a sweet spot for gaming and performance, but it costs double the price of Athlon 3000G. If you can stretch your budget, go for the latter!

Of course, you hold the final decision on what parts should you purchase. Constantly fluctuating prices is inevitable and there could be much cheaper alternatives, or you may tone down the specs like getting a 500GB hard drive or getting a cheaper chassis. With all that said, this build will ultimately serve as your baseline and give you a better grasp on your choices for alternative components.

So, what do you think? Do you have prospective build as well? Comment down below and let us know your thoughts!

Author’s Notes:

This build was based on an under Php20K budget range with prices lifted from PCExpress price list dated February 18, 2022.

JM Chavaria

JM's highest stat is probably his curious ardor to anything tech—electronics and gaming in particular. He certainly heeds utmost regard to specsheet, visuals, and rule of thirds. If creativity and wit sometimes leave JM's system, watching films, anime and a good stroll for memes are his approved therapeutic claims.

https://www.yugatech.com/

8 Comments

YugaNot says:

3 years ago

Bad build. That’s why I never visit yugatech anymore.
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Gazer022 says:

3 years ago

Better put with Ryzen than athlon if you want to install/upgrade to Windows 11. The Box version of Athlon 3000G is microarchitecture. Windows 11 need at least Picasso microarchitecture. The Athlon 3000G picasso version is very rare. Most in the store and online are Raven Ridge.
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Paul says:

3 years ago

2 cores/4 threads in 2022 is outdated right from the get go. You should look into the PCX bundle with a Core i3 10100F and GT 710 card. It has double the cores and thread while having roughly the same GPU performance.

It’ll go over 20k but you can probably keep the build below 20k if you don’t get the 1 TB hard drive.
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Boy says:

3 years ago

Hi just a suggestion. Try to base your pc psrts selection off of other stores as well. As pc enthusiasts we know that pcexpress sells parts relatively more expensive than competing stores. If the goal is to build the cheapest pc for a certain budget id suggestion looking at other stores such as pchub which sells parts at a more competitive price vs pcx

Also for performance and actually usability. You could also add that the user can replsce the 1tb mechanical drive with a 128 or 256 ssd instead as they are in the same price range but offer significantly faster speeds that will be noticeable by the enduser
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Paul says:

3 years ago

Good observation, I checked it on one of the local PC assembly shops here, they have a desktop tower bundle with an Athlon 3000G for only 14k.

Rodel says:

3 years ago

The author said 2 sticks *4gb means 8 gb in total
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moon says:

3 years ago

I had a feeling you’d recommend a system with only 4 gigs of ram. that’s unacceptable na in this day and age. windows has become really bloated over the years. I can’t recommend anyone running windows 10 or newer to run 4 gigs of ran because when you boot up the system you only have about less than 1 gig of ram left most of the time with all the bloat in windows 10 and even 11 to some extent. when you open even chrome or firefox 2 or 3 tabs is all you need to finish the remaining ram you have left on average, specially if you just open one tab of youtube that’s usually all you need for your system to start paging on your rom drive, which is much much less efficient than ram better if ssd but will kill the ssd in the long-term. I always see this. people buy new systems with 4 gigs of ram tapos mag co complain saakin na mabagal it’s usually because of the ram constraint. that is the bottleneck now if you can stretch it out for an extra stick or just get the single 8 gig stick altogether or second option is to go to shopee check chinese surplus parts or used server parts that have tons of cores for little money. now you just have to clarify the security risks of most processors specially processors running intel i 5th gen and below that are super susceptible to meltdown and specter vulnerabilities and you are good to go you can probably build a monster of a computer for the same amount of money. kindly consider me for a consultant role for you guys if you run out of ideas :D the worst I can do is make a competing website/youtube channel vs local tech sites and channels :D but I wouldn’t have time to do even half of that since my work takes up most of my time. if you shoot an email to this email if you would like to hire me :D I have been a part of your core audience since I was in high school when I moved here :D I can probably push you guys to a new direction, reach new audiences and grow your sphere of influence. I’m a business intelligence analyst guys analytics is my jam pero I’m a tech nerd as well always was and probably always will be. to cover the future is one thing pero consider pausing and taking a step back to appreciate the present and what we have now. taking a page from jon rettinger the former owner of technobuffalo a once prominent tech website now surpassed by the verge and theyre full of political innuendos due to their parent company vox entertainment. dont fall down that rabbet hole. if you need ideas/ help/ a tech consultant? send an email. so much potential here you have good hosts and a host of writers there are still some points where you can expand on things or offer something new or consistently like a podcast for tech like the wanshow on LTT
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stars says:

3 years ago

I just find it a bit weird that someone wanting to be a “consultant” will miss out on key details of this budget build guide. Clearly, the build specifies a 2x4GB RAM configuration.

Sure you can go out and buy second-hand parts to get the most out of your hard-earned money. However, going the used market route will only complicate things for the average consumer. Not everyone knows what to look for in the used market. Recommending a build using brand new parts not only simplifies the buying process as it is widely available, it also gives them a peace of mind since these parts all come with warranty.

Actions speak louder than words. Yugatech’s been around since the early 2000s. If the guy is capable of competing, then he should have done it already.

YugaGaming