The launch of AMD's Zen 5 processors didn't exactly go as planned, with AMD dropping the ball with the Ryzen 9000 CPUs in some major areas. Arguably, the most disappointing aspect of the 9000 series was the lackluster gains in gaming performance compared to the previous-gen Ryzen 7000 processors.

The Ryzen 9000 series is basically the Ryzen 7000 series with a price hike, so here's the best value gaming PC you should build right now using some of the best gaming CPUs and gaming GPUs we have on the market.

Best $1,500 gaming PC build to date

The latest Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 5 9600X offer barely any performance gains over the 7700X and 7600X, respectively. Hence, for a $1,500 build, it makes sense to stick with the six-core Zen 4 chip, but not the 7600X — the Ryzen 5 7600 offers virtually the same performance as the 7600X at a lower TDP of 65W.

Yes, eight-core chips are becoming more relevant for gaming, but six-core parts like the 7600 are still more than capable for any 1440p gaming rig, especially if you're working on a strict budget. The lower TDP further makes the Ryzen 5 7600 an attractive proposition, and the AM5 platform ensures you can easily drop in a future CPU without changing your motherboard.

A 360mm liquid cooler might be overkill for the 65W Ryzen 5 7600, but I couldn't bring myself to recommend a 240mm AIO or air cooler in a $1,500 build. Considering you're not spending more than around $100 on this powerful 360mm AIO, it makes more sense to opt for it, since it can also keep up with any power-hungry CPUs you upgrade to in the future.

The Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 A-RGB is also our top pick for the best liquid coolers, and considering its cooling chops, fantastic RGB lighting, and affordable pricing, it's no surprise. It comes with an additional fan for your motherboard VRMs, an all-in-one cable to simplify motherboard connection and offset mounting support for optimal contact with AM5 CPUs. Do note that you'll have to apply considerable force before the screws can be properly tightened.

The RTX 4070 Super is one of the best RTX 40 series GPUs you can buy, considering its performance and the fact that the RTX 4070 is getting harder to find. The Gigabyte GeForce RTX 4070 Super Windforce OC is a no-nonsense AIB card with a capable cooler and an understated design without RGB.

For 1440p Ultra gaming with ray tracing on, the RTX 4070 Super will easily provide around 80 to 100 FPS in the most demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Dying Light 2, and Hogwarts Legacy. In terms of VRAM, it's lacking with only 12GB at the $600 price point, but it will still be fine for any title at 1440p. This is still one of the best gaming GPUs on the market, and until we see what RTX 5000 has to offer, I'll keep recommending it without any doubts.

For the motherboard, I wanted an option at a reasonable cost that still provides all you need for a powerful gaming PC. The Gigabyte B650 Aorus Elite AX is an ideal balance between quality, future-ready features, and affordability. You'll get great build quality combined with features like Gen5 M.2 support, Wi-Fi 6E, and BIOS flashback.

The VRM design and preinstalled heatsinks make this board suitable for some overclocking and high-performance SSDs. There are plenty of expansion ports and nice-to-haves, such as screwless PCIe 5.0 and M.2 connectors. There's even a bit of RGB lighting that you can sync with the rest of your RGB theme. The B650 Aorus Elite AX isn't the cheapest B650 motherboard you could find, but it's certainly one of the most value-packed models.

AMD's Zen 4 CPUs work best with 6,000MT/s memory, but when you get a 6,400MT/s kit for around the same price, why look elsewhere? The TeamGroup T-Force Delta RGB DDR5 series features a great design, gorgeous lighting, and support for XMP and EXPO. This particular 32GB (16GB x 2) kit is rated at 6,400MT/s CL32, so you don't need to worry about gaming performance.

In terms of stability, the kit isn't too fast to cause any compatibility issues with your motherboard or CPU. Plus, there's little to gain in terms of FPS when going higher than 6,400MT/s, so it doesn't make sense to spend more than around $100 on RAM for gaming. The T-Force Delta RGB kits aren't the most compact, but that won't be an issue for this build as we're not using any beefy air coolers.

The motherboard I chose for this build features a Gen5 M.2 slot, but price and performance considerations dictate that Gen4 NVMe SSDs are still ideal for gaming-focused systems. Hence, the WD Black SN770 2TB drive is ideal for this build, since it's plenty fast for your games and operating system, and large enough to house your gaming library and media collection for a long time.

SSD prices have shot up in the last year, so you'll have to spend a bit more on your gaming SSD, but the SN770 remains one of the best-performing and value-oriented drives on the market, making the asking price worthwhile. WD offers a game mode for even better performance by preventing the drive from dropping to lower power states. Even without DRAM, the SN770 is a seriously fast drive for any gaming PC.

You could easily get by with a 650W PSU for this build, but you don't buy a power supply often, so I recommend choosing the MSI MAG A850GL. This 80+ Gold, fully modular, 850W power supply is one of MSI's new ATX 3.0 and PCIe 5.0 units that comes with advancements for your RTX 40 series GPU. At just over $100, it also happens to be great value.

You don't necessarily need an ATX 3.0 PSU, even for an RTX 40 series GPU, but the money you'll save by picking an older unit isn't worth it when you consider the benefits of the A850GL. This is a top-rated unit and also has a 10-year warranty, so you can rest assured of its reliability. Plus, it can easily handle future GPU and CPU upgrades that you make to your PC, making this one of the best PSUs for gaming.

The best PC cases always have a few things in common — ample airflow, top-notch compatibility, good looks, and great pricing. The Vetroo AL700 checks each of those boxes. It's a dual-chamber case with tons of space for your massive GPU and a 360mm radiator. Airflow is aplenty, thanks to the front, side, and bottom mesh panels.

The front and side of the case have tempered glass panels, so it's easy to view your masterpiece inside. You also get a pre-installed ARGB strip at the front and a 120mm ARGB fan at the rear of the case. Moreover, you can pick the white variant if you're building an all-white PC. All this under $90 is a sweet deal, making this one of the best PC cases for gamers, despite Vetroo being known as a budget brand.

The AL700 has a pre-installed fan at the back, and the 360m AIO will also work as exhaust, but you still need some intake fans for optimum airflow in your PC. The Corsair iCUE AR120 RGB fans are high-performing, good-looking, and affordable, making them some of the best PC case fans for this build. Three of these installed as side intake will draw plenty of fresh air for your components.

You could go cheaper when picking case fans, but Corsair's brilliant RGB design, great performance, and RGB syncing via iCUE make the price fully worth it. If you prefer, you can swap the pre-installed 120mm fan from the rear to the bottom of the case to further increase air intake for your graphics card.

Versatile and future-ready gaming PC for $1,500

This gaming build will cost you around $1,539 at the time of writing. For this price, the performance, longevity, and looks you're getting are enviable. If you prefer more multi-core horsepower, you can buy the Ryzen 7 7700 instead. The same motherboard and CPU cooler will still work great for the 8-core chip.

And if you want to switch to a Gen5 NVMe SSD in the future, there's a PCIe 5.0 on the motherboard, ready to serve you. The A850GL PSU can easily handle any GPU up to the RTX 4080 Super, possibly even the RTX 4090 (but 1000W is recommended for the Nvidia flagship). Lastly, the AL700 case is ready for graphics cards measuring up to 400mm in length. You can also mount a 360mm radiator at the front of the case.

This gaming PC can easily last you for years without any need for upgrades. And if you really want to upgrade to a Zen 5 or Zen 6 CPU later, it's perfectly ready for that too.