The Best Gaming PC Parts to Prepare Your PC for 2024

PC games have been getting more and more demanding in the past three years. Titles like Cyberpunk 2077, Alan Wake 2, Starfield, and more now require a beefy gaming PC setup to get the best experience. If you want to be prepared for a high-end gaming experience no matter what the games of 2024 throw at you, here are the best gaming PC parts you should consider, whether you’re building from scratch or upgrading your PC.

Tip: Shopping for PC parts this holiday season? Here are 9 things to consider before building a gaming PC.

1. CPU – Invest in a Modern 8-core Processor

Price: ~$330

When you’re building a new gaming PC, it’s often centered around the CPU or the platform of your choosing. The choice right now is between AMD’s new AM5 platform, the older AM4, or Intel’s LGA 1700. Both the AM4 and LGA 1700 will not see any new processors, so you’ll be stuck with the CPU you buy right now. On the other hand, AMD’s continued support for the AM5 platform will ensure drop-in CPU upgrades two or even three years down the line.

So, I’ll heavily lean toward the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X to power high-end gaming without breaking the bank on something like the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. If you simply want to upgrade your existing AM4 or LGA 1700 setup, I’ll suggest the Ryzen 7 5800X3D or the Intel Core i7-13700KF respectively.

While buying a new CPU with 6 cores will get you by easily in any modern title, investing in an 8-core chip can benefit you in terms of better 1% low FPS as well as significant productivity gains in editing, streaming, and more.

2. Cooler – Premium CPU Needs Serious Cooling

Price: ~$100

When focusing on the best gaming PC parts for a build, you might treat the CPU cooler as an afterthought. But, one of the newer 8-core (and even 6-core) CPUs reach such high temperatures that cooling your CPU down during gaming is a task in itself. A premium air cooler might be able to handle your power-hungry chip but you’ll likely have to endure annoying fan noise and sub-par aesthetics.

Hence, a 360mm AIO liquid cooler is necessary to keep temps in check while enhancing the looks of your gaming PC. You don’t need to spend more than $100 on a 360mm AIO, thanks to the DeepCool LS720 SE WH that delivers exceptional cooling performance and rocks a gorgeous white aesthetic. You can easily sync the RGB theme of your PC with this cooler as well.

Good to know: Interested in watercooling your PC? Find out what is PC liquid cooling and which type suits you the best.

3. GPU – $1000+ GPUs are a necessity

Price: ~$1100

Being the component that’ll make the most impact on your performance and experience, the GPU rightly demands the biggest share of your budget. For the kind of custom gaming PC you’ll need for 2024’s games, you’ll need to spend upward of $2,000. And in that budget, I would strongly suggest the Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 4080 Trinity OC.

This card is easily one of the most powerful and good-looking graphics cards you can buy today. Combining the sheer horsepower of the RTX 4080 with a swanky white-themed design, it’s my go-to option for unbridled 1440p and 4K gaming. The RTX 4090 is, frankly, overkill and is extremely hard to find at MSRP. You could also consider the Gigabyte Radeon RX 7900 XTX if ray tracing isn’t a factor.

The RTX 4080 will allow you to crank up every single setting to 11, and thanks to the frame generation and ray reconstruction tech of Nvidia’s DLSS 3.5, you won’t need to worry about framerates ever again. Whether it’s Cyberpunk 2077’s path tracing or GTA VI in 2025, this graphics card can last you for years.

4. Motherboard – ATX, Gen5 M.2, Capable VRMs

Price: ~$200

Once you’ve picked your processor, choosing the motherboard becomes a bit simpler. But, you still need to go through various brands, features, and price points to shortlist a great option. To be able to support your CPU in intensive gaming sessions and overclocking, and to keep you prepared for the newer tech of the future, the Gigabyte B650 Aero G is a fantastic option.

The 12+2 VRM design, a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot, and an ATX design together make one of the best AMD motherboards for gaming. I prefer ATX due to the additional room and the better aesthetics with the case I’m recommending later. You even get heatsinks for all M.2 slots, AMD EXPO certification, Wi-Fi 6E, and subtle RGB. The white accents of its design further make this a sweet deal.

If you’re going the Intel route, the Asus TUF Gaming Z690-Plus comes with many of the same features but has a black design. The best Intel gaming motherboards will often cost a bit more than the competition if you want fancier designs and additional premium features.

5. RAM – 32GB, 6000MT/s, CL30

Price: ~$100

Choosing the best RAM for gaming is typically simpler than picking a gaming motherboard or graphics card. Considering the DDR4 vs. DDR5 discussion isn’t a factor in this case, all you need to do is pick a DDR5 memory kit that lies in the sweet spot of transfer speed and latency, and matches the theme of the build.

Teamgroup’s T-Force Delta RGB DDR5-6000 CL30 32GB (2x16GB) excels on all of these requirements while looking like a dream, thanks to its RGB-infused white design. It barely costs more than $100, and features powerful performance and exceptional stability, especially for AM5 builds.

If you want an even better white-themed RGB kit with slightly faster transfer speeds, the Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6400 CL36 32GB (2x16GB) kit is a great option for around $20 more.

6. SSD – Pick a 2TB Gen4 NVMe over Gen5

You might see Gen5 SSDs ranked among the best SSDs for gaming but you stand to gain very little by picking a Gen5 SSD over Gen4 options, at least for the near future. So instead, you should choose a high-performing Gen4 option for half the price and identical performance in gaming. The WD Black SN850X 2TB NVMe SSD is a premium yet affordable PCIe 4.0 SSD that’s great for gaming.

Besides powering fast loading times and snappy performance overall, the SN850X’s 2TB capacity is plenty for storing your games as well as all your software, media, and OS. It also has DRAM that helps in non-gaming workloads such as copying large files.

7. PSU – ATX 3.0, 1000W, 80+ Gold

The RTX 4080 requires a 750W PSU, at the minimum, but for a premium gaming PC, I suggest a 1000W 80+ Gold PSU to provide more than enough buffer as well as prepare you for any GPU upgrades in the future. The MSI MPG A1000G is a PCIe 5.0 and ATX 3.0 power supply rated 80+ Gold and features a fully modular design, premium Japanese capacitors, and a 10-year warranty.

The latest ATX 3.0 standard ensures the PSU has the 12VHPWR connector for your RTX 4080, and the PCIe 5.0 rating ensures the unit can handle any power spikes during gaming, protecting your precious hardware. MSI’s build quality is impressive and ensures reliable 80+ Gold efficiency throughout. It also runs extremely silent, ensuring there’s no power supply noise on your PC.

8. Case – NZXT, Lian Li, or Hyte

When it comes to choosing a PC case for your high-end gaming build, it comes down to airflow, acoustics, aesthetics, and upgradability. Almost all of the premium PC cases from NZXT, Lian Li, Hyte, and others will excel at each of these factors. Hence, what remains is picking a case that looks the best to you and fits with your build theme. For the best gaming PC parts that I’ve suggested here, the NZXT H9 Flow is the ideal option.

The H9 Flow is a pricey case but still doesn’t cost as much as, say, the Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO or the Hyte Y60. And its brilliant white-themed glass design gives you the best of looks and flexibility when building your PC. It also comes with four non-RGB fans, a dual-chamber design to hide away the PSU and clutter, and tons of airflow.

For a premium white-themed gaming PC, the NZXT H9 Flow is the best choice, according to me. It’s the case that your gorgeous PC deserves so that you can show off all the best gaming PC parts in style.

PC Gaming in 2024 and Beyond

With this list of the best gaming PC parts, you can rest assured that your gaming PC will be ready for the titles of 2024 and beyond. You needn’t worry about upgrading till 2026, for the most part. If you’re also interested in gaming on the go, find out if gaming laptops are worth it in 2023. And if you’re rethinking building a new gaming PC, it might be time to switch to console gaming. Also, check out our Steam Deck vs. ROG Ally comparison to know which PC handheld deserves your money in 2024.

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons.