Best PC Build for 1440p Gaming

If you consider yourself a serious gamer, it’s time to say goodbye to the classic 1080p (FullHD) resolution. Given that today’s hardware is powerful enough and relatively affordable, you must aim for a gaming PC that will give you a comfortable gaming experience in 1440p (2K) resolution. Such a gaming PC must have several essential hardware components to provide you with comfortable eSports or another favorite gaming genre in 1440p.

Such a gaming PC can be expensive if you don’t invest wisely. However, remember that modern AAA games require powerful hardware, so expect to spend around 1000 – 1500 USD. This article recommends components you should keep in mind when purchasing if you want to get the most out of your transition to 1440p gaming.

By switching to 1440p, your gaming experience will be much better, especially if you have played your favorite game exclusively in 1080p. A larger monitor screen and more precise and detailed content will be enough reasons for you not to return to lower resolutions. Now let’s see what kind of hardware you need.

Components for 1440p gaming PC rigs

In front of you are carefully selected components with which you can build a relatively strong and capable PC to cope with all challenges in 1440p without any problems. Please note that peripherals such as monitors, mice, keyboards, and headphones are not included in this list, but also see our recommendations for that type of equipment.

If you consider yourself a gamer who doesn’t have time to build your gaming computer, we recommend some prebuilt gaming PCs that will be more than ready for 1440p gaming.

Read More: Best 1440p Gaming Monitors, Best Gaming Keyboards under $100, Best Gaming Headsets Under $100, Best Gaming PC Under $1500

CPUs for 1440p Gaming PC

AMD Ryzen 5 5600X

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X belongs to the treat of Zen3 architecture because it offers the most for the money invested. If you are a fan of AMD and looking for the best answer to the Intel Core i5-12400, this is the 5600X. 

This AMD CPU is not only a good competitor for the new Alder Lake CPUs but also for the Intel Core i9 10th generation, which is an impressive result. All at a competitive price that is now below $ 200. Also, a big plus for the Ryzen 5 5600X is excellent energy efficiency.

In terms of performance, this CPU is close to its more expensive brother Ryzen 7 5800X. So there is no need to waste words that the 5600X is a complete hit for 1440p gaming and much more demanding everyday tasks.

The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X is an excellent 6-core CPU with an affordable price and high performance for mid-range desktop PCs. Although the new Zen4 architecture with DDR5 support is well on the market, we think the one-gen older Ryzen 5 5600 X still has the best price-performance ratio if you opt for an AMD platform.

So, the Ryzen 5600X is a well-rounded CPU that will serve you for a long time for gaming. It consumes little, is not noisy in operation, and has a competitive price.

Alternatives

Note that Ryzen 5 5600X does not come with an integrated graphics card, but the Ryzen 5 5600G model, which we already wrote about as the processor with the best-integrated graphics card.

If you currently don’t have the money for a discrete graphics card, maybe the Ryzen 5 5600G is a better choice for you, but then say goodbye to 1440p gaming because even in 720p, it will be tolerable only with low settings in most modern games.

 

Intel Core i5-12400F

If you prefer Intel over AMD, the Intel Core i5-12400F with six cores and 12 threads gives you the most bang for your buck. Note that the suffix F in the processor designation means that it comes without an integrated graphics card.

This Intel  Alder Lake six-core core chip belongs to the middle class at a very affordable price. Apart from the price, the essential thing that adorns this CPU gem is its exceptional performance, which matches AMD Ryzen 5 5600X and the older Intel Core i9-11900K.

In addition to the appropriate motherboard and fast RAM, there is the possibility of a slight overclocking (Z690 or B660 motherboards).

Another advantage of the new Core i5-12400 is that it doesn’t heat up too much with its TDP of 65W. The stock cooler (which comes in a retail package) will be enough to cool the CPU even when under a peak load of 117W.

Intel Core i5-12400F supports DDR4 or DDR5 memory. Still, the only drawback is getting a new motherboard for the Alder Lake platform. There are H or B series chipsets for Alder Lake for gamers on a more modest budget. Fortunately, these motherboards have become quite affordable so that you will have the perfect gaming platform for a long time.

Overall, with a good choice of the discrete graphics card, the Intel Core i5 12400F will provide a great gaming experience in 1440p.

Alternatives

Intel Core i5 12400 CPU comes with integrated Intel UHD 730 graphics that will be great for modest gaming if you don’t have a discrete graphics card. Integrated graphics card (UHD Graphics 730) performance is far below competing solutions in the form of the Ryzen 5 5600G (Vega GPU).

 

 

GPUs for 1440p Gaming PC

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

Nivida designed RTX 3060 Ti to offer 1440p gaming with ray tracing, but above all, to provide exemplary performance in competitive games at 1080p and 144 Hz refresh rates or higher.

The Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti is most similar in architecture to the RTX 3070. Both graphics cards use the same GPU, GA104, and have 8 GB of GDDR6. The RTX 3060 Ti has the same amount of memory as the stronger RX 3070, with 8 GB of 14 Gbps GDDR6 on a 256-bit interface, which brings a rather impressive memory throughput of 448 GB/s.

GPU has 4864 CUDA cores, 152 Tensor cores, and 38 RayTracing (RT) cores. Second-generation RT cores and third-generation Tensor cores will bring better ray tracing performance than the RTX 20 series.

There is a noticeable improvement compared to the regular RTX 3060; although the weaker GPU has as much as 12 GB of VRAM, the larger amount does not decisively affect performance. The RTX 3060 Ti is the most energy-efficient GPU in the RTX 30 series, considering that the TDP is around 200 W. One 8-pin connector with PSU is required for operation.

Alternatives

On the other hand, if you prefer an AMD alternative to the great RTX 3060 Ti, you can find it in the form of the RX 6700 XT model. If you consider yourself a professional gamer, the lack of more advanced Nvidia functions such as DLSS and Reflex and much weaker RT performance than the RTX 30 series may bother you. If you can live without these features, you will have a great graphics card for 1440p.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070Ti

If you want a faster card with which you could easily enjoy 2K with occasional trips to 4K, consider the RTX 3070 Ti. We won’t recommend the RTX 3070 because the prices are very close, so get a stronger model immediately. Regarding performance, the RTX 3070 Ti is placed between the RTX 3070 and RTX 3080 with the fast GDDR6X memory it took over from the stronger model.

So, the memory is faster than the standard RTX 3070, and the number of CUDA cores has increased by about 5% from 5888 to 6144 in the RTX 3070 Ti. Thanks to the faster memory, the RTX 3070 Ti reaches a memory bandwidth of 608 GB/s, which is a visible improvement compared to the 448 GB/s of the RTX 3070. It should be noted that both chips have an identical 256-bit memory bus.

The RTX 3070 Ti consumes more power from the PSU than the RTX 3070. The vanilla RTX 3070 comes with a TDP of 220W, while the RTX 3070 Ti can draw over 290W. Of course, higher energy consumption primarily refers to GDDR6X chips.

Alternatives

If you prefer an AMD alternative to the great RTX 3070 Ti, you can look at  RX 6800 model. However, as we mentioned, AMD GPUs lack advanced Nvidia functions such as DLSS and Reflex and have much weaker RT performance than the RTX 30 series. If the lack of these NVidia exclusives does not mean much, you will get an excellent graphics card for 1440p with occasional gaming in 4K.

 

Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080

If you want smooth competitive gaming even in 4K with high graphics settings, look no further than the RTX 3080. Compared to the previous generation of powerful GPUs, the RTX 3080 has almost 30% better performance than the RTX 2080 Ti and about 60% better than the RTX 2080, realistically bringing 4K gaming to a pleasant experience.

CUDA cores have increased from 2944 to 8704 compared to the previous generation, which is a significant shift. The RTX 3080, therefore, has 8704 Cuda cores, 68 RT cores, 10 GB faster GDDR6X memory, and a throughput of 760 GB/s on a 320-bit memory bus. The second generation of RT cores will work twice as efficiently as the previous RTX 20 series.

The RTX 3080 with 12GB GDDR6X also increases the number of cores by 3% and ROP by 8%. So there is a slight increase in bandwidth by 20%. In terms of performance, the RTX 3080 12GB is closer to the original RTX 3080 Ti than the original RTX 3080 with 10GB.

For the power supply, a new 12-pin connector is responsible for the connection due to the specific design of the PCB. Fortunately, the manufacturers supply an adapter for 2x 8-pin from the PSU to 12-pin. As for consumption, the RTX 3080 has a TGP of 320W.

When we discuss profitability, consider that the RTX 3080 is GPU for 2K and 4K gaming. It would be best if you did not take it for gaming at lower resolutions because you will have a bottleneck even with stronger processors.

Alternatives

If you still prefer AMD, we recommend the RX 6800 XT. Compared to the previous RX 5700 series, the new RX 6800 brings an 80% increase in computing units (CU). The AMD GPU is closer to the RTX 3080 in terms of performance but with a lower price and a significant amount of VRAM.

A disadvantage is a lack of more advanced Nvidia functions such as DLSS and Nvidia Reflex and a much weaker RT performance than the RTX 30 series. As for consumption, the RX 6800 XT is declared at 300W. Still, gaming ranges from 230 to 250W, meaning there is room if you are in the mood to overclock.

 

Read more: Best 5 Gaming Chairs Under $200, Best Gaming Chairs For Big Guys.

Motherboards for 1440p Gaming PCASUS TUF Gaming X570-Plus

There is an excellent selection of motherboards for the AM4 platform. We chose the ASUS AM4 TUF Gaming X570-Plus board because it is one of the more affordable motherboards based on the AMD X570 chipset.

Although cheaper, it has a powerful chipset, USB Type-C port, integrated Wi-Fi card, and RGB LED lighting. A motherboard on which you can save money, but it also won’t make you a bottleneck when working with other components.

The savings were achieved because Asus opted for a minimalist design without rich RGB lighting or rear IO board integration. The board supports eight SATA ports and four DIMM slots that can support up to 128 GB of DDR4 RAM.

A Realtek L8200A GbE NIC and a Realtek ALC S1200A audio codec for 7.1 surround and DTS audio are implemented for networking and audio. On top of that, the board supports two M.2 slots. Both slots support PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe as well as SATA-based drives.

There are seven USB ports on the rear IO, three of which are USB 3.1 Gen 2 (including the USB Type-C port). The other four Type-A ports are USB 3.1 Gen 1. On the rear IO, there are also two connections for Wi-Fi antennas, a LAN port, and five connections for audio with SPDIF.

If you use an AMD APU (Ryzen 5 5600G, for example), there are video outputs like HDMI and DisplayPort.

 

ASUS TUF Gaming Z690-Plus

The Asus TUF Gaming Z690-Plus WIFI D4 supports cheaper DDR4 RAM instead of DDR5, which allows you to save and shift money to a graphics card or processor. It is a competent and equipped board that will easily cope with stronger processors, such as Intel Core i9 12900K, with a minimal lag in performance compared to the DDR5 version.

In addition to PCIe 5.0 support, the board comes with as many as four M.2 slots, SATA ports, 2.5 GbE LAN, and Wi-Fi 6. There are a total of 8 USB ports on the rear IO board; two USB 3.2 Type-C ports (20 Gbps and 10 Gbps), four USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports (10 Gbps) and two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A (5 Gbps).

For integrated graphics, you have one HDMI and one DisplayPort available. Finally, you also have a 2.5 GbE port, two antenna ports for Wi-Fi, and an audio port with SPDIF.

The Asus TUF Gaming Z690-Plus WIFI D4 is a well-rounded budget motherboard supporting Alder Lake and 13th-gen Raptor Lake processors. DDR4 RAM support comes in handy if you’re looking to save every dollar but not at the expense of the board’s performance and capabilities. Our warm recommendation for Intel processors.

Read More: Best Mini ITX Motherboards, Parts Needed To Build a Gaming PC

RAM for 1440p Gaming PC

Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 16GB 3200 Mhz

While choosing RAM seems like an easy way to increase the performance of your desktop computer, you may not be sure how much RAM is enough for you. We recommend that you have at least 16 GB because playing new AAA games requires more RAM, and a larger amount is desirable if you multitask on your computer.

Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro white RAM comes with a 16GB dual-channel kit (2x8GB) and a reasonable price. The RAM has a good overclock margin, runs safely at 3600MHz with CL18, and can easily satisfy more demanding users – you should be able to reach a stable 4000MHz without much hassle. However, even at standard speed, most users will be delighted.

The RAM also works well with other RGB lighting software if this is your only Corsair product. Vengeance RGB Pro supports Intel XMP 2.0 and will work equally well on Intel and AMD DDR4 motherboards. It also boasts a limited lifetime warranty for greater peace of mind.

The only problem might be if you have a robust air cooler. Corsair RAM sticks have a 2-inch tall profile, so that they can cause issues with some coolers. However, if you have an AIO solution, you should be fine.

The Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro is undoubtedly among the best DDR4 RAMs on the market. With the combination of price, performance, and RGB solid light, you will not be disappointed if you decide to buy it.

PSU for Gaming PC

The power supply unit (PSU) is such a vital part of your computer hardware that we mention it first in our series of custom PC building guides. We strongly recommend you choose a quality power supply from a reputable company with a Gold efficiency certificate and, as long as possible, a manufacturer’s warranty.

MSI MPG A750GF

The MSI MPG A750GF 750W PSU comes with 80 PLUS Gold certification that promises lower power consumption and higher efficiency. The MSI MPG power supply is backed by a full warranty of up to 10 years, which gives you the confidence that your gaming PC will work for a long time without any problems.

With the fully modular design of the MPG power supply, you only use the connectors you need to connect components, dramatically reducing cable clutter and simplifying your gaming setup. 750W of power is enough for an average home gaming PC with the parts we recommend in this article.

Alternatives

Thermaltake Toughpower Pro RGB 750W

Thermaltake Toughpower Pro RGB 750W is a lovely power supply unit. Power supply up to 750W, with 80 plus Gold certification, makes power transfer to all components stable and compatible with any 1440p gaming PC. You can synchronize RGB lighting with Asus Aura Sync, Gigabyte RGB FUSION, MSI Mystic Light Sync, and ASROCK Polychrome via motherboards that have an addressable 5V RGB header.

The quiet 140mm fan only runs when the PSU workload exceeds 40%, and you can turn off the switch on the back of the PSU to keep the fan running constantly. Overall, the Thermaltake Toughpower Pro RGB 750W is a great PSU if you’re looking for RGB lighting, 80 Plus Gold certification, and enough power for all the components in this article.

Storage for 1440p Gaming PC

For the primary disk of your gaming computer, we recommend NVMe SSDs that you can install on the motherboards we mentioned above. Of course, you can combine an SSD with a classic hard disk for backing up your data, but always use fast NVMe for the primary disk.

Samsung 980 PRO

The 980 Pro is Samsung’s flagship line of premium NVMe drives for the PCIe 4.0 interface. Looking only at the specification, you will be amazed at the speed, like 7000 MB/s for reading and 5000 MB/s for writing. Samsung uses its NAND flash memory paired with its Elpis PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe controller.

The 980 Pro is available in 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB capacities. Durability for these models is set at 150 TBW, 300 TBW, 600 TBW, and 1200 TBW, respectively.

You should note that the 980 Pro will work without problems on the PCIe 3.0 interface. In that case, NVMe will work with a read speed of up to 3500 MB/s and a write speed of up to 3450 BM/s.

The only drawback, which greatly influenced the lower price, is the durability of the NAND TLC, which is approximately half of the previous 970 Pro series. However, it’s still at a desirable level. Only the 980 Pro model with 2TB has 1200 TBW, but we wish we had seen that on the 1TB model.

Overall, you get a fast, high-quality, affordable (for the PRO series) NVMe SSD that doesn’t heat up too much. You must pair the 980 Pro with the appropriate chipset and processor to full advantage of the PCIe 4.0 interface.

Alternatives

WD Black SN850 

The WD SN850 provides superior sequential read performance of 7000 MB/s and write of 5300 MB/s. It’s available in 500 GB, 1TB, and 2 TB. And WD, for its SN850, gives a five-year warranty with an endurance of 600 TBW.

The 2TB model supports twice as much, that is, 1200 TBW. The SN850 also supports the secure erasing of all data but lacks advanced AES 256-bit full-disk encryption, as Samsung has with its models.

The gaming performance is excellent. The SN850 runs brutally fast but lacks a few finesses to set it apart as a winner over the 980 Pro. The encryption mentioned can mean much to someone, but higher heating and consumption are also noticeable.

So for those who will use an SSD only for gaming, the WD SN850 is the perfect choice for a fast PCIe 4.0 bus.

Read More: Best 1TB NVMe SSD for Gaming, Best Storage for Gaming PC

FAQ

How is the 1440p gaming’s actual performance?

As for the performance in 1440p, we will take, for example, the games Apex Legends and PUBG, which still enjoy great popularity. As a graphics card, we will take the RTX 3060 Ti, which gives the most for your invested money.

We recommend the RTX 3060 Ti for 1080p monitors with high refresh rates of over 165 Hz. With the highest graphic details, the number of frames per second in Apex Legends will not drop below 180. If you want to run Apex Legends in 1440p with the highest details, the FPS number will constantly be higher than 130.

We ran PUBG in 1080p with ultra detail and achieved a high FPS of over 190. This card will pair nicely with a monitor with a 240Hz refresh rate. In PUBG at 1440p resolution, we still get three-digit frames per second. The average FPS goes over 120. And here we are talking about ultra graphics settings. In 4K, also with ultra graphic details, you can expect over 60 FPS, which is an excellent result.

RTX 3060 Ti is an excellent choice for 1440p, and with RTX 3070 or RTX 3080, you can also expect excellent FPS numbers in 4K.

What hardware do I need for 1440p gaming?

For pleasant 1440p gaming with sufficient FPS, you must have at least 16GB DDR4/DDR5 RAM, a newer 6-core processor (AMD Ryzen 5 or Intel equivalent), a PCIe NVMe SSD, a more recent graphics card with 8GB VRAM, and a compatible 1440p monitor.

Conclusion

The previous article recommended the hardware you should have if you want to enjoy 1440p gaming with occasional trips to 4K. We have taken care that the recommended hardware is sufficiently powerful and affordable so that it will not overburden your planned budget. Of course, you can get stronger hardware than recommended, but at least now you know where to start if you have any doubts.