Gaming PC build under $750 for online gaming

Just the tower—no peripherals included

An SSD is an absolute must here—you can always get away with a weaker graphics card if you invest more in a better processor, especially since the games I usually play tend to bottleneck on the CPU anyway.

That's just a one-time cash layout.

SSD 120 GB Western Digital WD Green PC SSD sat 2.5, WDS120G2G0A
It looks like a 1TB Seagate BarraCuda High-Performance drive, 3.5", 7200RPM, 64MB Cache, SATA3, HDWD110UZSVA. I guess it’s a standard enough option.
I guess we're looking at an ASUS Prime Z370-P motherboard, LGA 1151 socket.
It’s an Intel Core i3-8100 (6MB Cache, 3.60GHz) on the LGA 1151 socket, specifically part number BX80684I38100. I guess that's the one.
The Zalman Z1 NEO mid tower case.
It looks like we're looking at an 8GB stick of DDR4 G.Skill Aegis RAM—specifically the F4-3000C16S-8GISB model running at 3000MHz with CL16 timings. I guess it's a decent little module if you're just trying to get a single slot filled.
EVGA GTX1050Ti 4 gt OC, 4GB GDDR5, featuring DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort.
It looks like a 400W FSP Fortron Hexa Plus power supply, ATX 2.4, model PPA4004900. I guess it might do the job depending on what else you're running.

Total: $1.75 ADM

There's also a setup featuring the Ryzen 5 1600, I guess. $1733 If you go with a slightly lower-end case, it might not make your games run any better, but you’d be getting 6 cores and 12 threads instead of just 4 cores and 4 threads. I guess it really just depends on whether you can stretch your budget a bit.

It really depends—is there actually a significant difference? Honestly, I’ve been out of the loop on all this hardware stuff for years now, so I’m pretty much in the dark when it comes to those Ryzen builds

As for the case, I'm not sweating it too much—the PC is just going to sit in its own room, so I don't really care about noise levels or anything like that. Plus, I'm not planning on doing any major upgrades down the road, so I don't need extra space for whatever future components might come along

Which specific games are we talking about here? I guess if they aren't too demanding, maybe you could get by with the integrated graphics, which might free up enough budget to beef up the other components a bit.

Path of Exile and Warframe

Honestly, those Ryzen processors should handle that without any real trouble. You could even opt for this slightly lower-end CPU if you wanted to stay under budget.

1 x AMD Ryzen 5 2400G, 4C/8T, RX VEGA, box, AM4
1 x ASUS B350M-A, AM4, DDR4, U3, m.2, ATX
1 x Patriot Viper Red LED, 3000Mhz, 8GB (2x4GB), CL15
1 x Intel SSD 545
1 x Seagate BarraCuda 1TB, 64MB, 7200rpm
1 x Fortron Hexa 85+ 550W, 80+ Bronze, ATX
1 x MS CYCLOPS V gaming case, 2x120mm RED

Total: $1610
Best Buy

I did a little digging online, and it looks like this Ryzen Vega integrated graphics should handle Path of Exile pretty decently—plus, I get way more stutters in Warframe than I do in PoE, so if it manages there, it should be fine. Especially since Warframe is actually better optimized when it comes to letting you toggle off those annoying, graphic-intensive effects that just clutter up my screen anyway 😵

So, I think I’m going to roll with this option. Who knows? Maybe down the road I'll be able to pick up a solid mid-range GPU for $333 and then eventually upgrade the whole thing

Thanks to both of you for the suggestions

On this thread, guys were putting together builds for $1833. It’s pretty much the same setup, but this one includes a gtx 1060

gtx 1060

ASUS B350M-A motherboard, s.AM4, 7B38-004R
AMD Ryzen 3 2200G processor, 3.50GHz, 4MB Cache, s.AM4, YD2200C5FBBOX
SSD 120 GB Western Digital WD Green PC SSD sat 2.5", WDS120G2G0A
Seagate BarraCuda High-Performance 1TB HDD, 3.5", 7200RPM, 64MB Cache, SATA3, HDWD110UZSVA
Fortron 550W Hexa 85+ power supply, ATX 2.4
Zalman Z1 NEO mid tower case
DDR4 8GB (1x8GB) PC4-24000U 3000MHz CL16 G.Skill Aegis, F4-3000C16S-8GISB
EVGA GTX1060 FTW3 graphics card, 3GB DDR5, 192-bit, 1847/8008 MHz

Total: $1.75 - ADM -built by crimsonstag84

If you want my honest opinion, I believe you would be making the wisest decision by following the configuration suggested by crimsonstag84, though I would strongly recommend opting for the Ryzen 5 1600 paired with an ASRock B350 motherboard if that remains within your reach. By doing so, you secure a truly excellent processor that possesses enough longevity to remain relevant for years to come, all while being complemented by a very respectable graphics card, the EVGA GTX1050Ti 4 gt OC. To be quite frank, there really isn't much point in settling for that Intel Core i3-8100 when the Ryzen 5 1600 offers such superior value at a similar total price point; furthermore, the integrated graphics found in the 2200 or 2400G models simply cannot compete with the performance of the EVGA GTX1050Ti 4 gt OC.

In my opinion, he doesn't even need those games click, click (standard stock)
He could actually grab a 2200G and save some extra cash; honestly, 4 cores versus 4 cores/8 threads won't make a lick of difference in titles like those. Plus, once you overclock that integrated Vega graphics on the 2200G, you see a pretty significant jump in performance

Then, down the road, if he decides to get serious about AAA gaming, he can just pick up a dedicated GPU. Once the market volatility settles down, he might even be able to snag something significantly beefier than a gtx 1050 Ti for the price of $500 today

Assuming you aren't planning on overclocking anything, this setup is actually quite solid for the price—unless, of course, you happen to dislike the look of the case.
https://www.newegg.com/p/pc-build-example

I've actually decided to just go with integrated graphics—honestly, I’m currently running an HD 7770 and even that isn't hitting any bottlenecks when I'm playing both games at 1080p with medium settings. For these specific titles, what you really need is a solid processor, an SSD, and some fast RAM—mostly because the game is constantly loading a massive amount of effects all at once.

Path of Exile is notorious for being incredibly poorly optimized—honestly, the way it handles GPU utilization is just a mess. It’s one of those situations where you’ll see even relatively modern processors hitting a massive bottleneck before they even have to deal with a graphics card that's seven or eight years old. It’s just frustrating how inefficient the engine can be.

If I wasn't planning on just giving away my old rig, I’d probably be moving this GPU over to it myself—honestly, prices are getting absolutely ridiculous right now. I mean, seriously, screw the crypto mining craze for driving everything up like this.

Both of those integrated graphics options are actually going to be a bit stronger than an HD 7770.

You’re definitely going to want fast RAM paired with a dual-channel setup to get the most out of that integrated graphics; if you were running a dedicated card instead, you wouldn't need to worry about it nearly as much.

I feel you might be unnecessarily restricting your own options here. Why wouldn't you opt for the R5 1600 + 1050 ti i R5 2400 g setup—specifically the configuration Smarticev put together—for a price that is practically identical? Furthermore, you wouldn't be losing out on any RAM by opting for a build without integrated graphics, and you could even save a significant amount by picking up the most budget-friendly 2400MHz memory instead of the 3000MHz variety. It would be a total compromise on speed, of course, but provided you can find a 2400MHz module that is notably cheaper—say, around 500-$183—it becomes a very practical way to cut costs. The performance gap between the R5 1600 + 1050 ti i R5 2400 g is truly massive, whether you are looking at general productivity or gaming. You really ought to consider the fact that in two or three years, you might find yourself tackling more demanding tasks, or perhaps your favorite games will simply evolve to require more power. There is little sense in paying essentially the same amount for something that is significantly inferior, isn't there? 🤦