This is what your mid-range gaming PC could look like

I’m assembling a mid-range PC. Read on to find out what such a PC might look like and get tips on selecting the right components.

The components

For this mid-range model, I didn’t pay attention to price. Rather, I’m building a system that, in my eyes, is currently classified as mid-range in terms of performance. In other words, playing modern AAA games in 1440p resolution and maximum details should be possible without problems.

I'm putting the system together as a mini-ITX, so I’m going with a small form factor. In addition, an all-in-one water cooling system keeps the processor at low temperatures.

The manufacturers provided me with all these components:

PC case

NZXT Gehäuse H1 2022 Schwarz (CS-H11BB-EU)

Mini ITX

6

Motherboards

MSI MPG B550I GAMING EDGE MAX WIFI - Motherboard - Mini-ITX - Socket AM4 - AMD B550

AM4, AMD B550, Mini ITX

1

Processors

170,99 EUR

AMD Ryzen 7 5700X

AM4, 3.40 GHz, 8 -Core

100

Graphics card

MSI GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Ventus

8 GB

13

SSD

103,90 EUR 101,46 EUR/1TB

Kingston KC3000

1024 GB, M.2 2280

87

RAM

Kingston FURY Renegade

2 x 8GB, 3600 MHz, DDR4-RAM, DIMM

40

This PC is easy to assemble. NZXT's case comes with built-in water cooling system and power supply, which is why it’s comparatively expensive. If you’d like to find out more about this case, I recommend reading my review.

The build

Since the case is ready to use, I only have to connect the motherboard with the components. On MSI's motherboard, the slot for the Kingston SSD is located underneath the chipset cooler. Everything else is as expected.

As always, make sure to insert the processor the right way around. Thanks to a printed triangle in one corner of the Ryzen 7 5700X and the corresponding counterpart in the slot on the motherboard, this should be easy to do. Next, insert the RAM – again be careful, as it only works in one direction.

Now all that’s left to do is screw on the motherboard and wire it up. The heat-conducting paste is already applied to the CPU cooling element of the all-in-one water cooling system, so I don’t even have to think about that. The water cooling system requires the standard AM4 bracket, which is already mounted on the motherboard. I screw it on.

After this, I close the lid and the PC is done. There’s hardly an easier building experience than with the H1. Only the cables are a bit fiddly, as there isn’t much space in the case.

How does it handle gaming?

The AMD Ryzen 7 5700X in combination with the MSI GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Ventus 3X 8G OC allows you to play all current AAA games in 1440p resolution smoothly with maximum details. By smooth, I mean over 60 frames per second. This works for the following four games I tried.

Thanks to the Kingston KC3000 SSD with 1024 GB of storage, you have enough capacity for Windows 11 and a few games. If that isn’t enough, MSI's motherboard can be expanded with a second M.2 SSD. Or you can use one of the two free 2.5-inch drive bays of the case.

Alternatives

Naturally, this is only one possible mid-range gaming PC you could build.

With the H1, I’ve given the mid-range gaming PC a luxury coat. If you want to reduce the cost of your build, simply go with a different case. My choice of a mini-ITX system also elevated the costs. If you want to save even more, choose an ATX system. If all that is still too expensive for you, RTX 3060 Ti or RTX 3070 or their AMD counterparts RX 6650 XT or RX 6700 XT would also be a more cost-efficient option – if they’re available at the recommended retail price.

You could also go for an Intel system with an i5-12600K. However, I’d recommend using a motherboard with DDR4 instead of DDR5 compatibility. Otherwise, things will quickly become expensive.

Want to know how to win this nifty PC? It’s simple: click on the «Participate» button below. With a bit of luck, we’ll send you an e-mail in a few weeks to let you know that you’re the winner. Participation is open for one week starting from the publication date of this article.