Project Overview
Not every great gaming PC needs to be built around the latest and most expensive hardware. At AnderMaxPC, I regularly build custom gaming PCs around the customer's budget, focusing on one thing above all: getting the best possible balance between performance, reliability, and value for money.
This particular project was a great example of that approach. The goal was to build a capable budget gaming PC for a young gamer without wasting money on unnecessary components. Instead of simply choosing the newest parts available, the system was carefully balanced to make sure that every euro spent delivered useful gaming performance.
The result was a compact custom-built gaming PC combining an Intel Core i5-6500, 32GB of DDR4 memory, and a powerful Gigabyte RTX 3060 Gaming OC 12GB graphics card.
Despite being based on an older platform, the system delivered excellent gaming performance for its price point. The RTX 3060 was given priority in the build, allowing the PC to offer strong 1080p gaming performance while keeping the overall cost sensible. This is exactly why a properly planned custom PC can often make more sense than simply buying a prebuilt system off the shelf.
Hardware Specification
- CPU: Intel Core i5-6500
- Motherboard: Intel Z270 chipset motherboard
- CPU Cooler: be quiet! tower air cooler
- Memory: 32GB DDR4 Corsair (4 modules)
- Graphics Card: Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3060 Gaming OC 12GB
- Storage: 1TB SSD
- Power Supply: be quiet! 650W
- Case: Lian Li A3-mATX
- Operating System: Windows 11 Pro
The compact Lian Li A3-mATX case was a particularly good fit for this build, allowing the system to remain relatively small while still providing plenty of airflow for the hardware inside. A quality 650W be quiet! power supply was more than sufficient for the system and provided stable power with room for the RTX 3060 under full load.
Performance Tuning and System Optimisation
As with every custom PC build, the work did not stop once the components were installed.
The Gigabyte RTX 3060 Gaming OC was tuned using MSI Afterburner to get the maximum practical performance from the card. During FurMark testing at 1080p, the GPU was able to reach approximately 210W and deliver around 110 FPS.
The system was also stress-tested using OCCT to check stability, temperatures, and general system behaviour under sustained load. The available OCCT result shows the system running for more than 30 minutes without errors, with CPU temperatures sitting around 60°C and the GPU around 58°C at the time of the screenshot.
Windows 11 Pro was also cleanly installed and optimised for gaming and everyday responsiveness. Unnecessary pre-installed software was removed, telemetry and background activity were reduced where appropriate, and unnecessary processes were disabled to free up system resources. The aim was simple: the PC should feel fast, responsive, and ready to game from the moment the customer received it.
A Budget Gaming PC Is All About Balance
A budget gaming computer does not have to mean poor gaming performance. The most important part of building a system on a limited budget is understanding where the money should be spent. In this case, pairing the i5-6500 platform with a powerful RTX 3060 12GB allowed the budget to be focused on the component that would make the biggest difference to gaming performance.
There is no point spending money on expensive RGB accessories, an oversized power supply, or unnecessarily premium components if that money could instead go towards a faster graphics card or more memory. This is where working with an experienced PC repair and building service can make a real difference.
At AnderMaxPC, I can build systems around different budgets and requirements — whether you are looking for an affordable gaming PC for yourself, a gaming PC for a teenager, a first gaming computer for your child, or a reliable system for a student who also wants to play games in their spare time. The goal is always the same: get the maximum sensible performance from the available budget.
Delivered to Castlebar, County Mayo
This custom gaming PC was built for a young gamer and later delivered to its new home in Castlebar, County Mayo. The system was purchased for a 12-year-old, and more than a month later, the feedback has been excellent. The PC is being actively used for gaming, and the owner is very happy with its performance.
As part of the handover and after-sales support, I also provided advice on how to organise game installations and storage correctly. Games and large files can quickly fill a system drive, so I recommended keeping the C: drive as free as reasonably possible and using other available storage for games and larger files where appropriate. This helps maintain available space for Windows updates, temporary files, and normal operating system activity, contributing to a smoother and more responsive experience over time.
Final Result
This build is a good example of what can be achieved with a carefully planned budget custom gaming PC. It did not rely on the newest processor or the most expensive components available. Instead, the budget was allocated where it mattered most, resulting in a well-balanced gaming system.
Looking for a Custom Gaming PC?
Every customer has different requirements and a different budget. If you are looking for a custom gaming PC, an affordable gaming computer, an upgrade to your existing system, or advice on choosing the right components, please get in touch with AnderMaxPC. A properly balanced PC can often deliver far more value than simply buying the most expensive hardware available.