Gaming build ideas for $1,000 - $1,200 budget?

Hey everyone. You all helped me pick out my laptop and speakers a few years back, so now that I'm looking to build a new desktop, I was hoping you could lend me a hand (again😉) with a parts list. My budget is sitting around $7,000—$2667—though I'm skipping the case since I've already set my sights on a Corsair Carbide Air 540 (I'll probably grab it from Micro Center or Newegg, as they usually have it in stock)
. The main goal is gaming, though I'll be doing some graphic design too. I definitely want to stick with an Intel processor and an NVIDIA card.

Regarding the processor, there might be a bit of a wait involved...

Intel Core i5-8400 (9MB Cache, 2.80GHz)
MSI Z370-A Pro
Gigabyte GTX1060 WindForce OC 6GB, 6 GB DDR5
2x DDR4 8GB (1x8GB) PC4-1700 2133MHz CL15 Kingston Value
PNY CS900 240GB SSD, SATA3
Toshiba P300 High-Performance 1TB HDD, 3.5", 7200RPM, 64MB Cache
FSP Fortron/Source Raider 550W PSU, ATX 2.3, RA550

8,$1.75
craigslist.com

Stitching option 😬

AMD Ryzen 7 1700 box Gigabyte GA-AB350-Gaming WD Blue 1
Gigabyte GA-AB350-Gaming
WD Blue 1TB SATA
ADATA Ultimate SU800 256GB Serial ATA III
Corsair CX450M Watt (2015 Edition)
EVGA GeForce GTX 1060 GAMING, ACX 2.0(6GB)

6 $306 Best Buy

+:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/ram-memory...listing-24170233

Ryan Hayes82 said:Regarding the processor—there’s a chance you might have to wait a bit longer...

Intel Core i5-8400 (9MB Cache, 2.80GHz)
MSI Z370-A Pro
Gigabyte GTX1060 WindForce OC 6GB, 6 GB DDR5
2x DDR4 8GB (1x8GB) PC4-1700 2133MHz CL15 Kingston Value
SSD 240GB PNY CS900, SATA3
Toshiba P300 High-Performance, 3.5", 7200RPM, 64MB Cache
550W FSP Fortron/Source Raider power supply, ATX 2.3, RA550

8,$1.75
forum.us

The waiting part isn't really an issue for me—I was already planning to tackle this over the first month, maybe even the second.
I'll most likely follow that recommendation.
One thing I forgot to mention in my initial post, though—it's about my design work.
The rig is primarily for gaming, but I'd also be using it for some drawing in AutoCAD 2D and Archicad (though less frequently).
So, my question is—is the i5 sufficient for that? (Mainly asking because of the AutoCAD requirements)

Alex Sullivan4 said:The wait isn't really a dealbreaker for me since I was planning on tackling this during my first or maybe second month anyway.
I'll probably just follow that recommendation.
One thing I forgot to mention in my first post, though—it's about drawing work.
The PC is mainly for gaming, but I'll also be using it for design work in AutoCAD 2D and a bit of ArchiCAD.
So, my question is: will an i5 and 8GB of RAM cut it for that? (Asking mostly because of the AutoCAD stuff)

In the build you suggested, Amy Vaughn12 actually put in 2x8GB...

analogtiger19 said:In the build being suggested, Amy Vaughn12 actually specified 2x8GB...

My bad—sorry about that, 😵that was my mistake.
Actually, I guess my question was really just focused on the processor 👍--nothing else.

Look, the Intel Core i5-8400 is a 6-core processor... it’s hard to imagine it being anything less than "enough."

analogtiger19 said:Well, look—the Intel Core i5-8400 is a 6-core processor... I mean, it’s hard to imagine it being anything less than "enough."

Fair enough. Glad to hear it, though—thanks so much for the help. 🙏

Hey there. I managed to save up a bit more while waiting to pull the trigger on a new desktop—it was finally time—so my total budget is sitting at $4333, which includes the case from the original post (the Corsair Carbide 540, roughly $367).
I was wondering if it’s possible to squeeze an i7 and a GTX 1080 into the build Amy Vaughn12 suggested, or if maybe someone has a newer configuration that fits within this price range?

I suppose we should probably talk about the Intel Core i7-8700K. It’s a decent enough chip, I guess, though whether it actually holds up depends entirely on what you're trying to do with it.
I suppose I should mention that I'm looking at an MSI Z370 Krait gaming motherboard, which uses the LGA 1151 socket for 8th Gen processors.
I suppose I should probably mention the Gigabyte GTX1070Ti 8 g gaming DDR4. It’s just one of those components that seems to sit there, doing its thing without much fanfare, I guess.
I guess I was looking at some DDR4 16GB (2x8GB) kits lately—specifically that PC4-24000U 3000MHz CL16 setup from G.Skill Aegis. It seems like a decent enough option, though I suppose it depends on what you're trying to get out of your build. Maybe it's fine for a standard workstation or a mid-range gaming rig, but I'm not entirely sure if it's the absolute best move for everyone.
I suppose I should mention the Samsung 860 250GB SSD. It’s probably worth looking into if you need something reliable, though I guess it really depends on what you're planning to do with it.
I suppose if you're looking at storage, there's the 2TB Toshiba P300 High-Performance, which is a 3.5" drive running at 7200RPM. It might be worth considering depending on what you need it for, I guess.
I suppose I should mention the 750W Gigabyte G750H power supply, which follows the ATX 2.31 standard, specifically the GP-G750H model.
I suppose I should probably mention the GP-G750H Arctic Liquid Freezer 240, specifically the ACFRE00013A model. It’s just one of those components that you end up looking at when you're trying to figure out if your cooling setup is actually going to hold up under pressure, I guess. Maybe it's worth noting, though I can't be entirely certain without more testing, how it fits into a broader build.
I’ve been looking back at the Corsair Carbide Air 540 lately, and I guess there’s still a bit of a conversation to be had about it. It was one of those cases where the design felt like it was pushing a specific direction, maybe even a little too far for some people, but it certainly had its merits if you were willing to work around its quirks. It’s an interesting piece of hardware when you think about how much the industry has shifted since then, though I suppose that's just how things go.

13,$0.17
I suppose there isn't much to say here, really. It’s just me.