PC gaming isn't affordable in the same way as console gaming. There's no standard $500 PC you can pick up that can deliver a great upscaled 4K gaming experience. In most cases, you need to spend a bit more for a lot less performance. However, if you need a budget gaming PC or want to switch from console to PC gaming without spending too much, then an AMD Ryzen APU can be a great starting point, at least for 1080p gaming.
Thanks to powerful onboard graphics, the latest Ryzen APUs like the Ryzen 5 8600G and Ryzen 7 8700G offer impressive 1080p gaming performance without a separate graphics card. For those who don't want to research CPU and GPU combos, Ryzen APUs are a simple, affordable, and upgradable starting point, especially when not everyone can buy discrete GPUs right now.
Do you really need a dedicated GPU?
Dedicated GPUs offer the best graphical fidelity for demanding applications. But not every workload can justify them.
4 They're great value for budget gaming
Who needs a graphics card anyway?
Currently, AMD is your only option if you want a CPU with strong onboard graphics. Intel's onboard GPUs are far behind in terms of gaming performance. AMD's Ryzen 8000 APUs can actually power a 1080p gaming rig without a discrete graphics card, offering fantastic value for people looking to build an inexpensive gaming PC for around $600. You can touch 60 FPS at 1080p low-medium settings in many modern games.
An affordable gaming rig with, say, the Ryzen 5 8600G can be a starter PC if you're moving from a console to PC gaming and don't want to spend $1,500 right away. Maybe you want to save up for a beefier rig with a discrete graphics card down the line. Whatever the reason, these APUs offer great bang for your buck, and not only because you don't have to spend on a graphics card. They also come with a bundled AMD cooler that's enough to keep these chips comfortably below 80℃.
AMD Ryzen 5 8600G
- Brand
- AMD
- Cores
- 6
- Threads
- 12
- Socket
- AM5
The AMD Ryzen 5 8600G is an affordable APU with dependable integrated graphics for 1080p gaming. This allows you to play games without a dedicated GPU with surprisingly great results.
What's the state of budget GPUs?
Sadly, current-gen budget graphics cards are rife with disappointing price-to-performance ratios
3 It saves beginners the arduous research
Pairing CPUs and GPUs can be overwhelming
Some find it fun, but staying updated with all the CPUs and GPUs on the market isn't easy for everyone. If you've never followed product launches or been interested in benchmarks, researching which CPU and GPU combo would be best for you can be overwhelming. There are countless opinions online, and you're always doing something wrong in someone's eyes. Your choices might be blamed for bottlenecking, overspending, or inadvertent obsolescence, when all you're looking for is just a convenient answer.
The Ryzen APUs could be that answer — a simple, strong CPU+GPU package offering enough gaming performance for less tech-savvy consumers. Sure, you'll not be able to enjoy the latest titles at the highest settings, but if you're not looking for that anyway, then you should strongly consider an APU instead of a conventional CPU and GPU setup. You don't need to spend weeks deciding which GPU to pair with your CPU, saving you time as well as the hassle.
6 mistakes to avoid when pairing your CPU and GPU
Buying the wrong CPU or GPU for your build can leave you with limited performance, wasted dollars, or no upgrade path.
2 You can upgrade your CPU when jumping to a discrete GPU
No need to buy a new motherboard
Suppose you don't want to stay on onboard graphics a year or two down the line. You want to upgrade to a powerful mid-range graphics card, but your existing APU is a bit underpowered for that GPU. The good news is that with a Ryzen 8000 APU on an AM5 motherboard, you can simply drop a new AM5 CPU in without buying a new motherboard. This platform longevity doesn't lock you in with an outdated motherboard, unlocking more choices for your current and future setup.
The cost of a new graphics card isn't something to be scoffed at. Combine this with that of a new motherboard, and the upgrade starts looking a bit out of reach. The ability to retain your existing motherboard gives you some relief, saving you money as well as the time it would have taken to disassemble and assemble your PC. As the Ryzen 8000 APUs support AMD's latest platform, platform considerations aren't something you need to worry about.
AMD Ryzen 7 8700G
- Brand
- AMD
- Cores
- 8
- Threads
- 16
- Architecture
- Zen 4
AMD's Ryzen 7 8700G is a powerful APU with integrated graphics, negating the need for a discrete GPU. It's powerful enough for both 1080p and 1440p gaming.
4 reasons AM4 won't die for a long time
While some may say that AM4 is dead, AMD and others say it still has plenty of life left
1 They're a great stop-gap till GPU prices stabilize
A temporary compromise
Maybe you do have the budget to buy a discrete graphics card, but not enough to stomach the inflated prices currently plaguing the GPU market. So, do you delay putting a PC together? No, you buy a Ryzen APU to ride out the GPU pricing storm, making do with a less powerful gaming rig for the time being, and upgrading to a discrete graphics card when both the supply and prices are back to normal.
The prices of Nvidia and AMD GPUs have started to fall already, showing a small improvement in April. Availability has also improved, and if you're patient enough to track the stock regularly, you might be able to grab a GPU at MSRP soon. Until that time, your Ryzen APU can allow you to enjoy most modern titles at 60 FPS with optimized settings, and almost all older titles at higher framerates.
5 reasons we may never get GPUs at MSRP again
Buying a GPU at MSRP might be officially over
Budget gaming is thriving
The current state of the GPU market might be disappointing to the majority of gamers, but things aren't completely terrible. Budget GPUs are few and far between, but affordable chips like the Ryzen 8000 APUs offer some respite for those who aren't chasing ray tracing or triple-digit framerates. You can build a $600 gaming PC with a Ryzen APU right now, and wait for GPU prices to settle down in a few months. And replacing your APU with an AM5 CPU down the line is simple, thanks to AMD's AM5 socket.