Best gaming PC under Rs. 45,000 in February 2026

Building a gaming PC on a tight budget in early 2026 feels harder than it should. RAM and SSD prices have crept up steadily over the past year, turning what used to be easy upgrades into real budget decisions. Despite that, it is still possible to put together a capable 1080p gaming machine under Rs. 45,000 if every component is chosen with care. This build focuses on raw value, modern platform support, and a clear upgrade path instead of flashy extras. Here is how the money stacks up, and why each part earns its place.

Also read: Best gaming PC under Rs. 1,50,000 in January 2026

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5500

The Ryzen 5 5500 remains one of the best value CPUs in the budget segment. With 6 cores and 12 threads, it is more than capable of handling modern games, background tasks, and light content creation. While it lacks PCIe Gen 4 support, that tradeoff is acceptable at this price point, especially when paired with a GPU like the RX 6500 XT. For gaming, the focus here is consistent frame rates rather than chasing benchmarks, and the 5500 delivers exactly that.

GPU: Sapphire PULSE Radeon RX 6500 XT 4GB

The RX 6500 XT is often controversial, but context matters. At Rs. 13,000, this GPU is firmly aimed at entry level 1080p gaming. Esports titles, older AAA games, and well optimized newer releases run comfortably at medium to high settings. The Sapphire PULSE variant offers better thermals and acoustics than most budget cards, making it a sensible pick. As long as expectations are realistic, this GPU punches above its price.

Motherboard: MSI A520M-A PRO

The MSI A520M-A PRO is a no nonsense motherboard that does exactly what it needs to. It supports Ryzen 5000 CPUs out of the box, has stable power delivery, and keeps costs low by cutting unnecessary features. For a budget gaming build, reliability matters more than RGB headers or extra PCIe slots, and this board delivers on that front.

RAM: Crucial 8GB 3200MHz DDR4

Memory prices are one of the biggest pain points right now, and it shows here. An 8GB stick at 3200MHz is not ideal in 2026, but it keeps the build within budget. Single channel RAM will slightly limit performance in some games, but it is a compromise that can be easily fixed later. The frequency is solid, and Crucial modules are known for stability.

Also read: Best gaming PC components under Rs. 1,00,000 in January 2026

Storage: EVM 512GB M.2 SATA SSD

With SSD prices rising, a 512GB M.2 SATA drive is a practical choice. It offers much faster load times than a hard drive and enough space for Windows and a handful of large games. While it is not NVMe fast, the real world gaming difference is minimal, especially in this price bracket.

CPU Cooler: MSI MAG COREFROZR AA13

The stock AMD cooler would have been sufficient, but the MSI MAG COREFROZR AA13 adds quieter operation and better sustained performance. It also improves overall airflow and keeps temperatures under control during long gaming sessions. At Rs. 2,000, it is a nice quality of life upgrade.

Power Supply: Cooler Master MWE 450 Bronze V2

A reliable PSU is non negotiable, even in a budget build. The Cooler Master MWE 450 Bronze V2 provides stable power, decent efficiency, and enough headroom for future upgrades. It is far better than generic units that often show up in cheap builds.

Case: Zebronics ZIUM Mid-Tower

The Zebronics ZIUM is basic, but functional. It supports standard components, has acceptable airflow, and keeps costs low. At this budget, the case is about utility rather than aesthetics, and it gets the job done.

Full build summary

Component	Name	Price
CPU	AMD Ryzen 5 5500 Desktop Processor	8,500
GPU	Sapphire PULSE AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT 4GB	13,000
Motherboard	MSI A520M-A PRO Motherboard	5,000
RAM	Crucial 8GB 3200MHz CL22 DDR4 RAM	6,700
SSD	EVM 512GB M.2 SATA SSD EVMM2/512GB	5,000
CPU Cooler	MSI MAG COREFROZR AA13 ARGB 120mm	2,000
Power Supply	Cooler Master MWE 450 Bronze V2	3,200
Case	ZEBRONICS ZIUM Mid-Tower Gaming Cabinet	1,600
Total		45,000

Performance expectations

At 1080p, this PC is ideal for esports titles like Valorant, CS2, and Fortnite, easily pushing high frame rates. Older AAA games and lighter modern titles run well at medium to high settings. Demanding new releases will require medium settings and smart use of upscaling, but the experience remains smooth and playable.

This build leaves room to grow. The most obvious upgrade is adding another 8GB stick of RAM for dual channel performance. Storage can be expanded with a larger SSD or an additional drive. In the long term, the PSU and platform can support a stronger GPU, such as an RX 6600 class card, making this system a solid foundation rather than a dead end.

For Rs. 45,000 in January 2026, this build proves that smart compromises can still deliver a genuinely enjoyable gaming PC, even in a market where memory and storage prices refuse to play nice.

Also read: Best gaming PC components under Rs 75000 in January 2026