Choosing the right parts for a computer can be a difficult and time-consuming process. With so many different components and configurations to choose from, you may have a hard time figuring out what exactly to buy. There is no perfect, all-around solution that works for everyone. It all depends on two things: what your needs are and how much money you are willing to spend.

The goal of this guide is to outline an entire mid-range computer system for around $1500. This includes the internal hardware, input devices, monitor and speakers (everything but an OS). The components we have chosen for this system are what we consider to be great all-around products with the best bang for the buck. Depending on your individual needs, you may prefer to swap out different components in order to focus more on gaming, multimedia or multitasking. While we will recommend specific components throughout the article, we will also point out some options that you may want to consider as well.