Apex Legends is a fast-paced battle royale game. It requires a lot of resources to run smoothly and seeing the opponents before they spot you can change the playing field of a fight before it begins.
This is only possible with smooth performance, enabled by a good PC. In Apex Legends, you’ll need a bare minimum of Intel i3-6300 as CPU, six gigabytes of RAM, and an Nvidia GT 640 as GPU. This won’t offer the most optimal experience, though. The best PC builds to play the game will be listed down below.
The build isn’t everything, however. You’ll have to do a bit of training to hone your skills., including game knowledge, as well as aiming and strategy. Here are some tips on improving your general level at Apex.
Related: The best reticle color settings used by Apex pros
In addition, the build must be in line with your gaming peripherals. Getting a high-quality graphics card won’t be of any use if you don’t have a screen that can match its performance. To help you with this, a list of peripheral suggestions is added below the build ones. Finally, it’s also vital to get the game settings right to adapt your build to the game.
To sort out another important aspect of your performance, here are the best PC builds for the best game experience in Apex Legends.
Entry-level – The aspiring prodigy
CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K 3.80 GHz 4-Core Processor
CPU cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM CPU Cooler
Motherboard: Gigabyte B365M DS3H Micro ATX LGA1151
Memory (RAM): Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB DDR4-3000 CL16
Storage: Gigabyte AORUS 500 GB M.2-2280 NVMe Solid State Drive
Video card: Gigabyte AORUS Radeon RX 5700 XT 8 GB Graphics Card
Case: Corsair 110Q ATX Mid Tower Case
Power supply: Gigabyte AORUS P GM 750 W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply
As you’ll quickly notice, this build is far from the basic PC for casual gamers who will mainly use the computer for work and other light uses. This is an entry build for resource-heavy titles, and it’ll already require spending a decent amount of money. This will already provide a decent game experience on Apex Legends and other competitive titles, however. Buying better components will also allow you to play for years before needing to replace them to match the game’s performance.
The Respawn Entertainment game only requires eight gigabytes of RAM to meet the recommended specs. This can be enough if you correctly manage your game settings and dedicate all your PC’s resources to the game, but it will allow less flexibility than a RAM of 18 gigabytes.
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This build should allow you to play Apex Legends at over 70 frames per second if you don’t have anything else running in the background. It features an Intel Core i5-3570K processor with four cores. If this processor is too challenging to find since it’s an older model, you can also opt for the Intel Core i5-9400F 2.9 GHz 6-Core Processor instead, which now features around the same price as the other model.
If you don’t expect to download a lot of games, you won’t likely use the full storage of your SSD, but there is another important aspect: speed.
The speed of your SSD, measured in Mb/s, determines how fast your game will load. It’s important to get a smoother experience. If you buy SSD with less than 500 Gb, it’s likely its speed will decrease as well as its storage limit, since it won’t be dedicated to gaming.
Mid-level – The rookie of the year
CPU: Intel Core i5-9600K 3.7 GHz 6-Core Processor
CPU cooler: Gigabyte AORUS Liquid CPU Cooler 240 59.25 CFM
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z390 AORUS Elite ATX LGA1151 Motherboard
Memory (RAM): Gigabyte AORUS RGB 16 GB (2 X 8 GB) DDR4-3200 CL16 Memory
Storage: Gigabyte AORUS 500 GB M.2-2280 NVMe Solid State Drive
Video card: Gigabyte AORUS GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8 GB Graphics Card
Case: NZXT H510 ATX Mid Tower Case
Power supply: Gigabyte AORUS P GM 750 W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply
As you can see, some elements of this build are the same as the previous one in this list. On the other side, the processor was changed to a more performing model, and other elements were adjusted to suit its characteristics.
As you’ll notice easily, it has two more cores, although its GHz remains similar. This will provide a higher performance to tackle more complex graphics. This will allow you to run Apex Legends with increased average FPS —vital criteria in shooting games, reaching at least 144.
This build also has the potential to be upgraded later. Contrary to the previous build, the processor can be overclocked, which means its performance can be pushed to the limits.
High level – The player of the year
CPU: Intel Core i9-9900k 3.6 GHz 8-Core Processor
CPU cooler: Gigabyte AORUS Liquid CPU Cooler 360 59.25 CFM
Motherboard: Gigabyte Z390 AORUS Elite ATX LGA1151 Motherboard
Memory (RAM): G.Skill Ripjaws V 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory
Storage: Gigabyte AORUS 1 TB M.2-2280 NVMe Gen4 Solid State Drive
Video card: Gigabyte AORUS GeForce RTX 2080 TI XTREME 11 GB Graphics Card
Case: Gigabyte AORUS C300 ATX Mid Tower Case
Power supply: Gigabyte AORUS P GM 850 W 80+ Gold Certified ATX Power Supply
If you’re willing to invest heavily in your build to get the best gaming experience possible, here is a suggestion. The key of this build is the processor, the rest getting adjusted to match its power, once again.
If this isn’t enough for you, you’ll also be able to overclock the processor up to double its initial speed, to 6.9 GHz. It’s recommended to be very careful when overclocking, especially to that limit.
The graphic card is high-end, with 32 GB of RAM that will allow you to get an average of 240 FPS with the right settings in Apex Legends. There are best models than the Gigabyte AORUS GeForce RTX 2080 TI, but it’s one of the best available.
In terms of pure gameplay in Apex Legends, the previous build will be enough to maximize the game’s performance to help you get the best experience and allow you to focus on honing your skills to become the best.
In addition, upgrading to a 1 TB SSD will grant higher reading and writing speeds as well as double the storage compared to the previous model suggested. The Gigabyte AORUS 1 TB NVMe Gen4 SSD is also one of the best models available.
With all of those high-performing components, you’ll want to get a strong power supply as well. The 850 W Gigabyte AORUS power supply is built to last and also includes a 10-year warranty.
The whole build will last for a very long time before you’ll have to replace components for more performing ones. Any additional tweaks to this rig, with compatible parts, can be done here.
You’ve got your PC, what’s next?
While a strong PC build is vital to get a better game experience, it won’t have much use if your peripherals can’t match its performance.
For this reason, a screen with a high FPS cap, as well as a keyboard and mouse with strong speed are required to get the best Apex Legends experience.
Monitor: Gigabyte AORUS FI27Q Gaming Monitor and Gigabyte AORUS KD25F Gaming Monitor
One of the first criteria to focus on when choosing your screen is the FPS cap it features, measured by the Hz refresh rate. It should match your build’s limit (at least 144 Hz if you’re getting one of those builds or equivalent, which is the base chosen by many players who’re climbing the ladder of shooting games).
Getting a screen that features a higher refresh rate than your build’s capabilities will be a waste of money.
The AORUS FI27Q gaming monitor is suggested for its outstanding response rate of one millisecond, its 27-inch size (with a 1440p resolution), and a refresh rate capped at 165 Hz.
If you don’t want to break the bank for a screen, you can also opt for a screen comparable to the MSI Optix G24C6. It features a 144 Hz refresh rate —the minimum value for a smooth battle royale experience, a one-millisecond response rate, a 1080p display, and includes an HDMI port. It’s curved, which increases immersion, but it comes down to personal taste.
Gigabyte AORUS KD25F, on the other hand, can be considered by users who’ve opted to a high-end PC build. It features an outstanding 240 Hz refresh rate.
Headset: Gigabyte AORUS H5 Gaming Headset
If you’ve been playing Apex Legends and other competitive games, you’re likely to know how important a good headset is. Its basic uses are communicating efficiently callouts to your teammates, as well as and hear your enemies with enough precision to understand from which direction they’re coming.
A good gaming headset does more than that, however. It’s vital for gamers who play for hours several times a week. If it’s heavy or designed with poor materials, it won’t be comfortable at all.
The Gigabyte AORUS H5 gaming headset is an entry gaming headset. It features drivers that can adjust the sounds of games you run to make them more accurate and crisp. The microphone can be folded when you’ve ended your gaming session. Suspension headbands make it lighter on your head.
If you’re comfortable with spending more on a gaming headset and are looking for a Bluetooth option, you can also opt for a SteelSeries Arctis 7, a pair that is highly recommended amongst users.
The Arctis 7 features a comfortable headband, a ClearCast microphone, and drivers to adjust the sound of video games. It includes many other features and has a 24-hour battery life. It features a very low latency, too, which means using a Bluetooth connection won’t hurt your performance.
Keyboard: Gigabyte AORUS K9 Optical Gaming Keyboard
For Apex Legends, similar to pretty much every other competitive game on PC, it’s highly recommended you buy a mechanical keyboard. The response rates are simply unmatched, and they’re designed for intense use. The switches are easily replaceable and created to last.
The downsides of mechanical keyboards are their noise, which can push users to buy semi-mechanical keyboards for more discreet use.
Among mechanical keyboards, there are also several kinds of switches. You can buy keyboards with either mechanical or optical switches. The latter is faster to actuate, giving an additional edge to players —but it comes at a cost.
The Gigabyte AORUS K9 features one of the best response times available on the market due to its optical technology. Switches will also last longer than mechanical ones. If you want a more affordable keyboard, you can also opt for something like the Logitech G413. It guarantees 70 million keystrokes as durability, compared to 100 million for the Aorus optical keyboard. The response time is also slower, but it’s hardly noticeable to the eye.
Mouse: Gigabyte AORUS M5 Gaming Mouse
Choosing a mouse can be more tricky than a headset or a keyboard. Everyone has a different way to use their mouse, so some might suit many players, but not all of them. You might unknowingly play using a palm or a claw grip, which will change the shape of your ideal mouse.
If you have small hands, you’ll generally want a lighter mouse—and the contrary can be said for heavier hands. Here is a list of the best gaming mice for big hands.
Choosing the right mouse is vital to your performance, though, so it shouldn’t be underestimated. It’s especially true for Apex Legends, which features a strong aiming component. It’s fast-paced, which means you need to be able to turn around in one flick, but also be incredibly precise to land those headshots.
The Gigabyte’s AORUS M5 gaming mouse‘s advantage is combining popular characteristics from different gaming mice, making it the all-in-one complete package.
Ergonomically, The M5 is similar to Razer’s DeathAdder. Its weight can be adjusted, which will make it compatible with a larger range of players, similar to Logitech’s G502. In addition, it’s built to last long: it has a life expectancy of 50 million clicks.
If you’re looking for a Bluetooth option, you also have a lot of good models without breaking the bank. They’ll be less versatile, however. Players with a claw grip will want something like the Logitech G Pro, which comes at the same price as the M5 mouse.
It’s ideal to play shooting games, tested out by CS:GO players like Shox. It’s also ambidextrous, with options for programmable buttons on both sides, depending on the hand you use. Similarly to a Bluetooth headset, playing with a wireless mouse won’t hurt your performance, as models now feature low latency.
Related: How to improve your precision and aiming fundamentals in Apex Legends
Finally, one last suggestion: get a high-quality mousepad. It’s often overlooked by players, but it’s vital to get to a higher level in shooting games, especially in battle royales, which require fast and larger mouse movements than other shooting games.
In addition, the first step in improving your aim is often to lower your sensitivity, but it’s only possible if your mousepad is large enough. It’s a matter of personal taste, but most professional shooting game players use low sensitivity. Here is a list of the best large mousepads for gamers.
