Build a PC / gaming

$6,000 gaming PC, part by part

An Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus with the GeForce RTX 5090, and the 6 parts around them that fit it: $5,983 all in.

Big titles at 1440p, high settings. Every part here was checked against every other for fit, and picked for 1440p frame rates, with a CPU that will not hold the card back. Typical US prices read on 2026-09-09, not a live checkout total: no operating system, shipping, tax, screen, keyboard or mouse.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and the GeForce RTX 5090 are well matched at 1440p.

Change the budget or the job

Fit for the job

Flagship

$5,983 of $6,000

The Gigabyte B860 Aorus Elite WiFi7 goes onto the Montech Air 903 Max's tray: ATX, B860, nine standoffs.

The Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus drops into the LGA1851 socket, lever down: 24 cores, up to 5.5 GHz.

The Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240's block sits on the chip and its 240 mm radiator bolts to the roof; rated 280 W against 250 W.

Two sticks of Corsair Vengeance 48GB (2x24GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 White click into the second and fourth slots: 48 GB at 6000 MT/s.

The WD Black SN850X 1TB screws into the first M.2 slot under the card.

The GeForce RTX 5090 slides into the x16 slot and latches: 330 mm in a case that takes 400 mm, 32 GB of memory.

The Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 1200W goes into the basement, 1200 W for a build that draws about 1100 W flat out, one native 16-pin cable to the card.

Side panel on, 4 case fans spinning. Fit for the job: 90 of 100.

Build order

Eight steps, the way a builder works through the case. $5,983 all in.

Gigabyte B860 Aorus Elite WiFi7 on the tray
Core Ultra 7 270K Plus in the socket
Arctic Liquid Freezer III 240 on top
2 sticks of memory
WD Black SN850X 1TB on the board
RTX 5090 in the x16 slot
1200 W supply in the basement
Panel on, power on

PartScore for the jobTypical price

ProcessorIntel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus

Highest gaming score the budget allows next to this card: 24 cores, boosts to 5.5 GHz.

2 swaps that still fit

Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus-$104, -7 ptsBuy on Amazon
Intel Core Ultra 7 265KF-$31, -7 ptsBuy on Amazon

84

$324

MotherboardGigabyte B860 Aorus Elite WiFi7

B860 board for the LGA1851 socket, DDR5, 3 M.2 slots, Wi-Fi.

76

$170

MemoryCorsair Vengeance 48GB (2x24GB) DDR5-6000 CL30 White

48 GB DDR5 at 6000 MT/s CL30; 32 GB or more is the floor for gaming.

84

$139

Graphics cardGeForce RTX 5090

32 GB of video memory, index 100 at 1440p; tuned for 1440p frame rates, with a CPU that will not hold the card back.

2 swaps that still fit

ASUS Prime GeForce RTX 5080 16GB White OC-$3,150, -23 ptsBuy on Amazon
MSI GeForce RTX 5080 16G Gaming Trio OC White-$3,130, -23 ptsBuy on Amazon

100

$4,830

CPU coolerArctic Liquid Freezer III 240

Rated 280 W for a chip that turbos to 250 W.

2 swaps that still fit

Thermalright Frozen Notte 360+$4, -10 ptsBuy on Amazon
Thermalright Frozen Notte 360 White+$4, -10 ptsBuy on Amazon

88

$51

Power supplyThermaltake Toughpower GF3 1200W

1200 W, 80 Plus gold; this build draws about 1100 W at full tilt, native 12V-2x6 cable.

92

$159

CaseMontech Air 903 Max

4 fans in the box, 3 of them lit, 4 is the least 825 W of parts needs behind a mesh front. Takes EATX/ATX/MATX/ITX boards and cards up to 400 mm.

2 swaps that still fit

Phanteks XT Pro Ultra-$4, -4 ptsBuy on Amazon
Montech Air 903 Max Whitesame price, same scoreBuy on Amazon

82

$90

StorageWD Black SN850X 1TB

1 TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe, 7,300 MB/s reads, with cache.

3 swaps that still fit

Crucial MX500 1TB-$76, -48 ptsBuy on Amazon
Kingston NV3 1TB-$63, -28 ptsBuy on Amazon
Crucial T500 1TB+$5, -4 ptsBuy on Amazon

86

$220

Total, typical prices8 parts$5,983

The same list, more or less money

$5,500 gaming PCWhat $500 less buys, and which parts change.$6,500 gaming PCWhat $500 more buys, and where it goes.

$6,000 spent on a different job

The same money buys a different machine when the work changes.