Best gaming PC for under £500
£500 is a tight budget for a gaming PC, but it can be done if you know what to expect. Here is what it buys, honestly, and where the money matters most.
What £500 really buys
At this price the biggest choice is the graphics card, because it decides how games look and how smoothly they run. Many PCs around £500 have no separate graphics card at all: the graphics are built into the processor. That is fine for some games and not for others.
- Built-in graphics: good for Minecraft, Roblox, older games and Fortnite at low settings. Not for Warzone, GTA or Cyberpunk.
- A separate graphics card: this is what makes a real gaming PC. Near £500 it usually means an older or refurbished card.
Where to put the money
- Graphics card first. It matters more for games than anything else in the PC.
- An SSD, not a hard drive, so Windows and games load quickly.
- 16GB of memory. 8GB is now too little for many games.
- A decent power supply, so you can add a better graphics card later.
New or refurbished?
For £500, refurbished is often the better buy for gaming. A refurbished PC can come with a separate graphics card that a new PC at the same price would not have. Read our guide to buying refurbished for what to check.
Our PCs at £500 or less right now
Picked from our shop's list by graphics card strength, then price. Prices update by themselves.
Refurbished1080p gaming
Sandbox Snowflake 3400G refurbished gaming PC
Ryzen 5 3400G + Radeon Vega 11 (built in)
No separate graphics card: good for Minecraft for Windows, Roblox, Fortnite at low settings, and everyday use. A graphics card can be added later.
- Processor
- AMD Ryzen 5 3400G (4 cores, 8 threads, built-in Radeon graphics) (tested)
- Graphics
- Radeon Vega 11 graphics built into the processor
- Memory
- 16GB DDR4 memory
- Storage
- 500GB WD Blue 2.5-inch SSD (tested)
- Windows
- Windows 11 Home not included (optional extra, installed by us)
£489
Built to order
Games this PC plays
- Fortnite Plays on low settings
- Minecraft (Bedrock Edition for Windows) Plays well
- Roblox Plays well
- VALORANT Plays well
- Counter-Strike 2 Plays well
- League of Legends Plays well
- Dota 2 Plays well
- Grand Theft Auto V Legacy Plays well
- Terraria Plays well
- Garry's Mod Plays well
Comes with an RGB case - you can swap it for a non-RGB case if you prefer.
Sold by Sandbox Computers, Worcester
If you can stretch a little
An extra £100 to £300 often makes a big difference, because it can buy a proper graphics card. See the best gaming PCs for under £800.
Questions people ask
Can you get a gaming PC for £500?
Yes, for lighter games. At about £500 you get a PC that plays Minecraft, Roblox, Fortnite and Valorant at 1080p with lower settings. For the newest big games you need a separate graphics card, which usually means spending more or buying refurbished.
Is a refurbished gaming PC a good idea at £500?
Often, yes. A checked and tested refurbished PC can give you a stronger graphics card for the same money as a new PC with none. Ask what has been replaced and what warranty comes with it.
Can I upgrade a £500 PC later?
Usually. The most useful upgrade is a graphics card. Check the power supply can handle one, and that the case has room. We can tell you before you buy.