When money isn’t a barrier, an extreme PC build is the path toward gaming greatness. A build like this will run Elden Ring at 4K without flinching. There’s almost nothing that gets in the way of the best CPU for gaming and the best graphics card combined into one rig. You’ll be futureproofed and equipped to play any game out there today.
Just how much is this behemoth of a computer going to cost, you ask? Well, you’re looking at around $4,000. Fiscally responsible PC gamers looking for a more cost-effective build, designed with value per frame in mind, can check out our high-end PC build guide. For those who aren’t concerned with money, this is the build for you. Though, if you were looking for places to save, a smaller SSD or slightly slower RAM can shave off a few hundred dollars from the final cost.
The final price doesn’t include accessories or peripherals, so if you’re going all-in on 4K gaming, you should pick yourself up a gaming monitor that’ll make the most out of your GPU. Don’t bottleneck your high-powered components with a super out-of-date gaming monitor.
We’ve tested excessive numbers of components throughout the years, and put together all the best bits here. It’s a true monster of a gaming PC with little to no care about cost, and the PC of our dreams.
Best gaming monitor | Best gaming mouse | Best gaming keyboard
Best gaming headset | Best gaming router | Best gaming chair
Extreme gaming PC build
CPU
CPU: Intel Core i9 12900K (Image credit: Intel)
The new enthusiast processor to beat
Specifications
Cores: 8+8
Threads: 24
Base Clock: 3.2GHz P-core, 2.4GHz E-core
Boost Clock : 5.2GHz P-core, 3.9GHz E-core
Overclocking: Yes
L3 Cache (smart): 30MB
L2 Cache: 14MB
MTP: 241W
PCIe 5.0 lanes: 16
Today’s Best Deals
Reasons to buy
+
Incredible single-threaded performance
+
Much improved multithreaded ability
Reasons to avoid
–
Top performance requires power
–
Some games don’t play nicely with Alder Lake yet
The Core i9 12900K represents the very best in Intel’s desktop 12th Generation processors, and the fastest chip out there today. Its hybrid Core architecture, characterised by Intel’s addition of Performance Cores (P-Cores) and Efficient Cores (E-Cores), gives it an edge—the P-Cores especially, when it comes to gaming.
It’s second on our best CPUs for gaming list only because its a little ridiculous, and can get pretty pricey as a result, so it’s the perfect recommendation for an intense build like this. You’ll need a decent motherboard, some serious cooling, and a powerful PSU to get the most from it, but that’s what this build is all about.
Motherboard
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Pro (Image credit: Gigabyte)
An extreme motherboard for an extreme build
Specifications
Chipset: Z690
Memory: 4x DIMM, 128GB, DDR5-6200 (OC)
Expansion slots: 4x M.2 PCIe, 2x PCIe 3.0 x4, 1x PCIe 5.0 x16, 6x SATA 6GB/s
Video ports: 1x DisplayPort 1.4
USB ports: 20x
Storage: 4x M.2; 6x SATA
Network: Intel Wi-Fi 6; Intel i225V 2.5G LAN
Lighting: 2x aRGB (3-pin), 2x RGB (4-pin)
Reasons to buy
+
Four M.2 slots
+
13 rear USB ports
+
Strong VRM
Reasons to avoid
–
The very grey design might not be to your taste
–
WiFi 6 only
With DDR5 support, and space for up to four NVMe SSDs, the totally specced out Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Pro is perfect for an extreme build. It leaves hardly a thing to be desired, with 13 rear USB ports and strong VRM for delivering clean and consistent power to your components.
And by limiting it to Wi-Fi 6, and 2.5G Intel wired networking connections, and eschewing such unnecessary luxuries as Thunderbolt 4 or another M.2 slot, Gigabyte has managed to keep the price at least relatively sensible.
If you want more options, then check out our list of the best gaming motherboards.
CPU Cooling
CPU Cooler: NZXT Kraken X62 (Image credit: NZXT)
NZXT Kraken X62
Substantial cooling for your Core i9 processor
Specifications
Size: 280 mm
Fan speed: 1,200rpm
Airflow: 55.4 CFM
Noise level: 20.4 dB(A)
Dimensions: 315 x 143 x 29 mm
Socket support: LGA1700, LGA115x, LGA2011, LGA2066, AM2, AM3, AM4
Reasons to buy
+
Good cooling and software
+
Quieter than previous revision
Reasons to avoid
–
Not much more powerful than the Kraken X52
This rig has a beastly CPU, and yes, it needs overclocking. Liquid cooling is highly recommended when you’re trying to get the most out of Intel’s unlocked enthusiast chips, and the 12th Gen Core i9 processors require it.
The NZXT Kraken X62 is an impressive piece of kit and works with all major platforms. It’s reasonably easy to install and features a large 280mm radiator with a pair of 140mm fans. Once everything is installed, having a small water block on your CPU instead of a massive air cooler makes things look much cleaner. You’ll need a large case capable of housing the radiator, naturally, which we already took care of above.
But even with the X62, you may run into thermal limitations. If you’re serious about pushing the i9 12900K to its limits, you’ll want to consider going with a fully custom liquid cooling loop. That’s beyond this buying guide’s scope, but know that even a good AIO cooler likely won’t allow maximum overclock with the i9 12900K.
Graphics Card
Graphics card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti (Image credit: Nvidia)
The fastest graphics card for gaming on the cutting edge
Specifications
GPU Cores: 10,240
Boost Clock: 1,665 MHz
Memory: 12GB GDDR6X
Memory speed: 19 Gbps
Memory Bandwidth: 912 GB/s
Reasons to buy
+
More or less an RTX 3090 in games
+
Breezy 4K performance
+
Minimises ray tracing impact
Reasons to avoid
–
Slimmer VRAM than RTX 3090
–
Significantly pricier than an RTX 3080
–
Thirsty for power
The GeForce RTX 3080 Ti essentially offers the same gaming performance as the RTX 3090 but costs $300 less. Even here, with our extreme build, we can’t help but keep a vague eye on value for money, and with the release of the 3080 Ti, Nvidia has basically retired the RTX 3090 when it comes to gaming. The RTX 3080 Ti is still a $1,200 graphics card, and that’s if you net the Founder’s Edition and not a pricier third-party job. It’s hardly a budget option.
The only reason you might want to track down an RTX 3090 still is if you want to pair up your graphics cards, as at least for Nvidia Ampere, the RTX 3090 is your only option for dual-GPU action. Even with that installed, you’ll still have to worry about whether the games you play will use both GPUs. Hint: most don’t, and support is only dwindling further as time marches on.
Comparisons to the RTX 3090 aside, the key consideration for the RTX 3080 Ti is that it is a supremely capable card for 4K gaming. Even ray tracing is on the table, especially if you’re happy to turn on the modern magic that is DLSS 2.0—framerates are smooth, and the final image quality stands up to scrutiny without issue.
Here are the best graphics cards you can buy right now.
Memory
Memory: G.Skill Trident Z5 DDR5-6400 (Image credit: G.Skill)
The best DDR5 memory you can buy
Specifications
Capacity: 32GB (2x 16GB)
Speed: 6400MHz
Timings: 32-39-39-102
Voltage: 1.40V
Reasons to buy
+
Strong performance in memory sensitive apps
+
Lovely design
Reasons to avoid
–
Overkill for 98% of users
You could put more memory into this build (up to 64GB), but two sticks of 16GB DDR5-6400 RAM is more than sufficient for gaming. There are many memory options, and speed is more about bragging rights than actual performance, but we love the look of G.Skill’s Trident Z5 RGB sticks.
Sure DDR5 is blisteringly fast compared to yesterdays standard, but most importantly, the designs haven’t shied away from including pretty lighting.
Besides G.Skill, we recommend Corsair, Kingston, HyperX, Crucial, Adata, and Team as safe picks. RAM has reached the point where most modules work well, so it’s often a question of price—and color, if that’s your thing—rather than minuscule performance differences.
Need other options? Here’s the best RAM for gaming.
Storage
Primary Storage: Sabrent Rocket Q 4TB (Image credit: Sabrent)
A tiny SSD with a whole lot of speedy storage space
Specifications
Capacity: 4,096 GB
Interface: M.2 PCIe 3.0
Sequential read/write speed: 3,200 MB/s / 3,000 MB/s
Random IOPS: 550K read / 680K write
Today’s Best Deals
Reasons to buy
+
Huge capacity
+
Genuine speed
+
Almost affordable
Reasons to avoid
–
Last-gen PCIe 3.0 throughput
We’ve been pretty scathing about QLC SSDs in the past, even recently with Samsung’s 870 QVO, but it seems that if you match the cheapest, slowest form of SSD memory with a high capacity and an M.2 interface, some magic happens. The Sabrent Rocket Q 4TB drive packs a huge amount of storage into an SSD the size of a stick of gum and still maintains performance on par with MLC drives.
The Sabrent is not quite as bandwidth-friendly as some other PCIe 4.0 drives, but without platform-wide PCIe 4.0 support on our chosen combination of CPU and motherboard, that speed would only go to waste.
The Sabrent’s speed and capacity mean you can have a fast, capacious SSD boot drive without having to pick a slower option for data storage. If you’re capturing a lot of footage or want to have all your games installed at any one point, the Sabrent Rocket Q is a genuinely impressive drive.
And if you want to go all out, there’s the similarly spectacular Sabrent Rocket Q 8TB drive too. Though that is around $1,400 for the privilege…
These are the best SSD for gaming options right now.
Power Supply
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNova 1000 G5 (Image credit: EVGA)
EVGA SuperNova 1000 G5
Enough power for overclocking and then some
Specifications
Output: 1,000W
Efficiency: 80 Plus Gold
Connectors: 1x 24-Pin ATX, 2x 8-Pin (4+4) EPS12V, 8x 8-Pin (6+2) PCIe, 12x SATA, 4x Molex, 1x Floppy
Modular: Fully
Reasons to buy
+
Gold efficiency
+
Connectors to spare
+
10 year warranty
Reasons to avoid
–
Noisy
–
Increased Vampire Power
–
Poor transient response
A wise man once told us never to underestimate the power of the dark supply. Or something like that. The point is, you don’t want a crappy PSU taking down the rest of your rig, and when you’re putting together the best PC possible, that means getting an equally bodacious power supply.
The EVGA SuperNova 1000 G5 is a great option to build an extreme rig around when it comes to power supplies. If the name hasn’t given it away already, this sucker offers up 1000W of power for your extreme build to turn into super-smooth gaming experiences. And you’ll need most of that, as the i9 12900K and Z690 motherboard can draw a hell of a lot of power under load, and the RTX 3080 Ti is no wallflower either—and power draw only goes up if you run the CPU and GPU overclocked, which is the point of an extreme build.
If you only plan to run a more modest GPU, or a lower-tier CPU (like the i7 12700K), EVGA’s SuperNOVA 850 T2 is a great alternative that will save some money. If you want to save even more, the SuperNOVA 850 P2 costs about $50 (£50) less and is every bit as good. But saving money isn’t the objective here.
Need more? Here are our best power supply units for PC.
Case
Image 1 of 6
Case: Corsair Obsidian 1000D (Image credit: newegg)Image 2 of 6
Case: Corsair Obsidian 1000D (Image credit: Newegg)Image 3 of 6
Case: Corsair Obsidian 1000D (Image credit: Newegg)Image 4 of 6
Case: Corsair Obsidian 1000D (Image credit: Newegg)Image 5 of 6
Case: Corsair Obsidian 1000D (Image credit: Newegg)Image 6 of 6
Case: Corsair Obsidian 1000D (Image credit: Newegg)
Corsair Obsidian 1000D
The best high-end PC case
Specifications
Form Factor: Super-tower
Motherboard Support: ATX, Extended ATX, Mini-ITX, SSI EEB, microATX
Dimensions: 27.4 x 12.1 x 27.3 inches (697 x 307 x 693 mm)
Weight: 65 lb (29.5 kg)
Radiator Support: 120 mm; 140 mm; 240 mm; 280 mm; 360 mm; 420 mm; 480 mm
I/O Ports: 1x Audio/Mic, 4x USB 3.0, 2x USB 3.1 Type-C
Drive Bays: 6x 2.5-inch, 5x 3.5-inch
Today’s Best Deals
Reasons to buy
+
Supports just about any crazy build
+
Can house an E-ATX and Mini-ITX build at the same time
+
Supports dual 480mm front radiators
The Corsair Obsidian Series 1000D is a behemoth of a PC case ready to house the biggest and baddest systems. Standing tall at a staggering 27.3-inches, this “super-tower” boasts enough space to house 18 fans and up to four massive radiators installed simultaneously.
Don’t want to build?
If PC building isn’t part of your skillset, look at our guides for the best gaming PCs and best gaming laptops that can give you the most bang for your buck and save you a headache.
The 1000D features a unique triple-chamber design with convenient French-door-styled storage compartments and telescoping radiator trays for easy installation in addition to the stellar cooling support. Of course, there is also an RGB lit front panel I/O with built-in smart lighting and fan control courtesy of Corsair’s integrated Commander Pro controller.
The Obsidian 900D has long been a top choice for massive, over-the-top builds, and it only fits that the 1000D was designed to knock it off its throne.
Extreme Gaming PC – the full build
PC Gamer Extreme Gaming PC Build
Extreme gaming PC build FAQ
Should I build my own extreme gaming PC?
One thing to consider: With the component supply chain in shambles at the moment, CPU and graphics card stocks are sparse. You might want to consider picking up a pre-built system if you’re after the best gear. Otherwise, if you’re determined to build it yourself, and manage to spot some available stock of a like-for-like product, go for it.
Handling the high-end components of an extreme gaming PC can be daunting, especially if this is your first PC build. Have a look at our guide on how to build a gaming PC before you jump in to ease your worries.
Is it cheaper/better to build my own gaming PC?
Generally, manufacturers of pre-built gaming PCs will add an extra service charge on top of the cost of the components, but it’s possible to find a good deal every now and then. Just make sure you double check, don’t take their word that it’s a good deal.
We recommend building your own, though, for that feeling of ultimate satisfaction when the fans whirr to life and the splash screen seems to whisper “Good job, mate. You didn’t mess it up.”
Of course, if you rush or botch the job, building your own PC could result in some expensive mishaps. Handle your components carefully, and it’s sure to be a much more rewarding, intimate experience than just buying one someone else has put together. And you’ll probably save some dollar, too.
