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Looking to get into PC gaming but not sure where to start?
In this article, we’ll break down the best starter gaming PCs in 2025 that give you great performance without breaking the bank.
Whether you’re into casual gaming, fast-paced competitive games, or open-world adventures, we’ve got you covered!
3 Best Starter PCs For Gaming in 2025 Round-Up
The table below will give you a quick look at our selections for the 3 starter gaming PCs currently available on the market. To read a full review, simply click on ‘read review’ in the respective row.
1. CyberpowerPC Gamer Master Best Starter Gaming PC Under $600 |  | 9.7/10 | |
2. Skytech Nebula Best Starter Gaming PC Under $800 |  | 9.8/10 | |
3. CyberPowerPC Gamer Master Best Starter Gaming PC Under $1000 | | 9.8/10 |
1. CyberPowerPC Gamer Master
Best Starter PC For Gaming Under $600
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5500 | Graphics Card: AMD Radeon RX 6400 | Motherboard: AMD B550 | RAM: 16 GB DDR4 | Storage: 500 GB SSD | Fans: 3x 120mm RGB Fans | Operating System: Windows 11 Home
REASONS TO BUY
- Excellent value for the price
- Strong 1080p gaming performance
- Future-proof with Ryzen 5 5500 and 16GB RAM
- Fast boot times and game loading with 500GB SSD
- Effective cooling with three RGB fans and an air cooler
- Ships with an RGB keyboard and mouse combo
- Uses quality components from reputable brands
- Stylish design with RGB lighting
REASONS TO AVOID
- The GPU is limited for high-end gaming
- 500GB SSD may not be enough for larger game libraries
- Included peripherals are basic
Our Rating: 9.7/10
The CyberPowerPC Gamer Master is one of the best entry-level gaming PCs you can get for around $600, offering an excellent performance per dollar in this price range.
It’s built with reliability and performance in mind, using a solid AMD Ryzen 5 5500 processor and an AMD Radeon RX 6400 GPU, making it an ideal choice for gamers looking for an affordable setup that still delivers a smooth gaming experience.
One of the biggest advantages is that it comes bundled with a keyboard and mouse, so you can get started right out of the box without spending extra on peripherals.
When it comes to gaming, this PC holds up impressively well for the price. For competitive titles like Counter-Strike Valorant, and Fortnite, you can expect well over 100+ FPS at 1080p on medium to high settings, ensuring smooth and responsive gameplay.
In slightly more demanding games like Apex Legends and Warzone, it still manages to stay in the 80+ FPS range on medium settings, which is perfectly playable. For AAA games like Cyberpunk 2077, the performance is respectable as long as you stick to lower settings, averaging around 50-60 FPS.
Some of the most demanding modern games will require a mix of low and medium settings to maintain stable frame rates, but for an entry-level gaming PC, it does an impressive job. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly way to play just about any game at 1080p, this system is more than capable.
Beyond gaming performance, the CyberPowerPC Gamer Master is also a good all-around system. The 16GB of RAM ensures smooth multitasking, allowing you to run multiple programs without major slowdowns. The 500GB SSD keeps load times fast, though if you plan to install a lot of large games, you may want to add additional storage down the line.
The build quality is another strong point. CyberPowerPC has a reputation for putting together reliable prebuilt systems, and this one is no exception. The case has a clean design with a tempered glass side panel and built-in RGB lighting, making it look and feel like a premium gaming rig despite its budget-friendly price.
The included keyboard and mouse may not be high-end, but they get the job done, making this a complete package for someone new to PC gaming.
Overall, the CyberPowerPC Gamer Master is the best option for anyone wanting to spend the absolute minimum while still getting a gaming PC that performs well. It offers the best balance of price and performance in the $600 range, can run virtually any game at 1080p with the right settings, and even includes peripherals to get you started immediately. If you’re looking for an affordable yet capable entry into the world of PC gaming, you’ll be hard-pressed to find anything better.
- READ ALSO: Best Prebuilt PCs For Streaming
2. Skytech Nebula
Best Starter Gaming PC Under $800
Chassis: Nebula Black | CPU: Intel Core i5-13400F | Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 | RAM: 16 GB DDR4 @ 3200 MHz | Storage: 1 TB NVMe SSD | Power Supply: 600W 80 Plus Gold | Fans: 4x 120mm RGB Fans | Operating System: Windows 11 Home
REASONS TO BUY
- Amazing value for the money
- Higher-end components, usually found in more expensive PCs
- Strong 1080p performance and solid 1440p gaming
- Intel i5-13400F and RTX 4060 provide excellent FPS per dollar
- Handles competitive and esports titles with ease
- Sturdy and well-ventilated chassis with good airflow
- Clean cable management and secure packaging
- Four 120mm RGB fans for effective cooling
- Includes a free keyboard and mouse combo
REASONS TO AVOID
- Basic included peripherals may not appeal to serious gamers
- Limited upgrade potential for long-term future-proofing
Our Rating: 9.8/10
The Skytech Nebula is currently the best mid-tier option in the starter PC category, offering excellent value for the money while delivering a noticeable step up in performance compared to entry-level systems.
With an Intel Core i5-13400F and an NVIDIA RTX 4060, this PC is built for gamers who want smooth gameplay at higher settings without spending a fortune. It’s also a great choice for those looking to future-proof their setup a bit while still staying in a reasonable budget range.
Gaming performance is where the Skytech Nebula shines. In competitive titles like Fortnite, Valorant, and Counter-Strike, you can expect well over 200 FPS at 1080p, making full use of high refresh rate monitors.
More demanding games like Warzone or Apex Legends run comfortably at 100+ FPS on balanced settings, delivering smooth gameplay without lag or stutter. For visually intensive AAA titles like Cyberpunk 2077 or Red Dead Redemption, this PC can easily maintain 60+ FPS on higher settings with ray tracing off.
If you’re looking to push beyond 1080p, the RTX 4060 also handles 1440p gaming quite well, keeping solid frame rates in most modern titles.
Beyond just raw gaming power, the Skytech Nebula is a well-rounded system that can handle a variety of tasks. The 16GB of DDR4 RAM ensures smooth multitasking, while the 1TB NVMe SSD provides plenty of fast storage for games and applications, cutting down on load times and eliminating the need for an immediate upgrade.
It’s also a highly upgradable system, with room for more RAM, additional storage, and even a future GPU upgrade when needed.
In terms of build quality, Skytech has done a great job with the Nebula. The case has a sleek modern design with plenty of airflow and RGB accents, giving it a premium look without going overboard. The included 600W Gold-rated power supply is a nice touch, ensuring stability and leaving room for future upgrades.
Overall, the Skytech Nebula is our choice for the best starter gaming PC under $800, offering a perfect balance of performance, future-proofing, and value. It delivers excellent gaming performance, comes with everything you need to get started, and has the power to handle more than just gaming.
If you’re looking for a system that gives you more longevity and can handle modern games at high settings without breaking the bank, this is currently the best choice in the $800 price range.
- RELATED ARTICLE: Best Prebuilt Gaming PCs
3. CyberPowerPC Gamer Master
Best Starter Gaming PC Under $1000
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 8700F | Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti | Motherboard: AMD B650 | RAM: 16 GB DDR5 | Storage: 1 TB NVMe SSD | Fans: 3x 120mm RGB Fans | Operating System: Windows 11 Home
REASONS TO BUY
- Best-performing PC in this price range
- Strong performance for the price with high FPS in modern games
- Futureproof AM5 platform allows for easy Ryzen CPU upgrades
- DDR5 memory provides faster speeds and better efficiency
- Smooth gaming experience at 1080p and 1440p
- Comes with a keyboard and mouse for an easy start
- 1TB NVMe SSD ensures fast load times and ample storage
- Quality build with attractive aesthetics
- Efficient cooling system
REASONS TO AVOID
- Included peripherals are basic and may not suit serious gamers
- May be too powerful for casual gamers
Our Rating: 9.8/10
The CyberPowerPC Gamer Master is our recommendation for the best high-end option in the starter PC category, offering not just great performance per dollar but also futureproofing, featuring the AM5 platform and DDR5 memory.
If you’re looking for a system that delivers high FPS in modern games while giving you an easy upgrade path down the line, this is the best way to start strong without overspending.
With a Ryzen 7 8700F and an RTX 4060 Ti, this build is a serious step up from mid-tier options, making it ideal for those who want smooth high-refresh-rate gaming at 1080p and even 1440p. Plus, it comes bundled with a keyboard and mouse, so you can get started right out of the box.
When it comes to gaming, the CyberPowerPC Gamer Master performs exceptionally well. In competitive games like Valorant, Fortnite, or Counter-Strike, you’re looking at 240+ FPS depending on the settings, making full use of high-refresh-rate monitors.
For more demanding multiplayer games like Warzone, Apex Legends, or Battlefield, the RTX 4060 Ti delivers 100+ FPS on high settings at 1080p and solid 80+ FPS at 1440p.
Demanding AAA single-player titles like Cyberpunk 2077 or Assassin’s Creed can be played on high settings with smooth frame rates, especially with DLSS enabled. The combination of the Ryzen 7 8700F and DDR5 memory ensures fast processing speeds, reducing stuttering and keeping performance consistent even in CPU-heavy games. If you’re thinking about stepping into 1440p gaming, this PC is more than ready to handle it.
Beyond gaming, this system is built with longevity in mind. The AM5 platform means you’ll have support for future Ryzen CPU upgrades, so you won’t have to swap out your motherboard when upgrading.
DDR5 memory also adds another layer of futureproofing, providing faster speeds and better efficiency compared to DDR4. The 1TB NVMe SSD gives you plenty of storage for games and applications while keeping load times quick.
One of the best things about this PC is that it comes with a keyboard and mouse included, making it a complete package for new PC gamers. Whether you’re upgrading from an older system or switching from console gaming, you won’t need to spend extra to get started.
Overall, if you’re looking for a capable gaming PC without spending a fortune, the CyberPowerPC Gamer Master is an excellent choice. It offers everything you need to start gaming out of the box, including high-performing hardware, a reliable build with good cooling, and solid bundled peripherals. For $1000, this PC is a steal.
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Final Words
There you have it – the 3 best starter gaming PCs in 2025.
Jumping into PC gaming for the first time is a game-changer. With the right starter PC, you’ll get better graphics, smoother gameplay, and the freedom to upgrade as you go.
No matter which one you choose, you’re unlocking a whole new level of gaming. So pick your setup, power it on, and get ready to play like never before!
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