You should build a retro gaming PC instead of buying another console

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Things are tough out there, especially if you’re looking to build a gaming PC. Having built PCs for over twenty years, I’ll be the first to tell you that now is not the time to get into the high-end gaming business. Things are so bad that some people have decided to make their own RAM at home.

Even building a budget gaming PC can be problematic, as I was recently faced with the question of whether I should spend money to upgrade my CPU or GPU in a build. And the consoles aren’t much better, with consumer-unfriendly practices and steadily rising costs years after launch. But don’t lose hope, because budget options exist, including building retro gaming machines.

People are using affordable parts that aren’t heavily affected by RAM, storage, and price increases to build surprisingly powerful retro gaming rigs. You can build something for a few hundred dollars that can play all your retro games through modern emulation and eSports titles, while still handling native PC games from circa 2020 and earlier without too much trouble. With a few tweaks, even some modern titles can run at lower settings.

For this to work, you will need to look for certain items on the second-hand market. I would also avoid used CPUs, as they can easily be damaged in shipping. Also avoid used memory, as bad RAM can be difficult to diagnose and cause system instability.

I would start with an ASRock B550M, a motherboard from the machine I’m currently using. It’s regularly $70, making it a pretty affordable option on a budget. This is an AM4 based motherboard, so you will need an AMD processor; the board supports up to the Ryzen 5000 series. Pairing this motherboard with an AMD Ryzen 5 5500 is a solid choice, and you can usually find it on Amazon for around $80, keeping the build budget in check.

As for memory, you will be limited to DDR4 RAM. An 8GB stick should be enough for older titles, and the DIGIERA 8GB DDR4 memory module is your best bet. It regularly costs $50, but often goes on sale for a lower price. And you won’t find a better deal on RAM right now, unless you go the used route.

Another option is to purchase laptop RAM. This may seem strange, since laptop memory is half the size of PC memory, but there is an ingenious way around this problem. You can purchase a SODIMM laptop RAM adapter card that converts the format, allowing you to insert a laptop RAM stick into your PC. But be aware that support options may be limited.

As for the graphics card, you have a few options. For the true budget, the 8GB Radeon WX 5100 is an option, found online for around $80, but as low as $50 if you shop around. For something more powerful, the Radeon RX 6600 is a great mid-range choice, used for around $200 to $250. For more modern and demanding titles, the Intel ARC B580 is a solid option with its 12 GB of RAM.

Add in the $45 Cooler Master Q300L case, a $38 ESGAMING 700W power supply, a $10 Wraith Stealth CPU cooler, and a $40 Timetec 256GB SSD, and you’ve got a solid retro/budget gaming machine for under $350. It’s cheaper than any console on the market today, while still giving you the option to upgrade.