Want to build the ultimate RGB battlestation, without spending an insane amount? The good news is there are some killer - and affordable - gaming peripherals now on the market. In the past, building out a rig with cheaper PC peripherals meant you had to compromise. For example, many budget keyboards used to feel cheap. Or if you were looking for RGB devices, you had to deal with less than stellar lighting software that left a lot to be desired. The absolute worst compromise, though, was the lack of a cohesive RGB lighting solution. There was no way to sync up lighting across peripherals from different brands, so shopping around for budget hardware meant you were stuck with a bunch of random, sub-optimal software slowing down your rig.
Fortunately, we created SignalRGB to solve this problem. SignalRGB controls RGB gaming hardware from any brand (Whirlwind FX, Razer, Corsair, SteelSeries, LogitechG and more) – including RAM, motherboards and GPUS – so gamers can finally unify their ecosystem. The software detects and recognizes events and critical utility moments for a next-level immersive gaming experience, with zero need for developer integrations. It’s free to use, with the option to upgrade to the Pro version for access to advanced effects and game integrations across all third-party peripherals.
Now that software will never hold you hostage to one brand again, read on for our top cheap gaming PC picks for 2021.
The best cheap RGB gaming keyboard
Call us biased, but there’s no better bang for your buck than our Atom 60% keyboard, available on Amazon for $49.99 for a limited time. It’s everything you love about our ElementV2 mechanical RGB keyboard, in a compact 60% form factor - available with red linear, brown tactile or blue clicky switch types.
Lightstrips to maximize your immersion
If you’re looking to build a rig with even more RGB lighting for enhanced immersion without breaking the bank, check out our FX Strips that ripple lighting effects across your entire battlestation. The FX Strips feature ultra-bright LEDs that can be mounted on the back of your monitor, on your desk, or inside your computer.
A solid budget RGB gaming mouse
When it comes to a RGB mouse, we like Cooler Master ($44) for a budget pick without compromise. It syncs with SignalRGB along with hundreds of other supported devices, so you don’t have to worry about using any other software. If you want to check out other options, you can find the best gaming mouses of 2021 rounded up by our friends at PC Gamer.
A good no-frills gaming monitor
If you’re in the market for a monitor that can keep up with your gaming habit without spending too much, this 27-inch AOC monitor will do the job. For other 4K, HDR and ultra-wide options, you can find a list of all the best budget gaming monitors via IGN.