For many years, "pre-built PC" almost felt like a slur in some gaming circles, and I'll admit that I used to consider myself above the pre-built market.
What I'm working on this week: I'm in the process of testing the HP OMEN 45L pre-built gaming PC, and outside of work, I'm catching up on garden care when it's not too hot to breathe.
Who would buy a system built by someone else? That might not have proper airflow? That might have a ton of bloatware installed out of the box? That might use proprietary parts you can't upgrade yourself? That charges a premium price compared to building your own? To put it bluntly, pre-built gaming PCs had a poor reputation.
These things used to cross my mind before I regularly started testing pre-built PCs here at Windows Central, before I had a ton of experience with the pre-built market, and before the PC market's recent changes.
I won't pretend that I don't still prefer building my own gaming PC. Watching it power on and run my favorite games is a small joy that I love to repeat. But the time when building your own PC was cheaper and better than picking up a pre-built is coming to an end.
I've spent the past several months testing a wave of new pre-built gaming PCs here at Windows Central, and I can no longer pretend that they're inferior. Some of these machines are genuinely good. Not just "good for a prebuilt" — genuinely good and bordering on better than I could do myself.
The proof is in the pre-built PC
It was Acer's Nitro 65 pre-built gaming PC that finally spurred me to write this article. It's the most recent pre-built I reviewed — I'm also testing the HP Omen 45L right now — and I went in expecting the usual compromises often found in big-brand pre-built systems.
It turns out that, aside from a non-modular PSU tucked away out of sight, the PC is something I'd easily recommend to anyone looking for an upgrade.
Acer's Nitro 65 surprises with a clean build, a gorgeous case (mostly), regular components, and a competitive price compared to building your own similar system. It has some quirks, but they don't keep me from recommending it as an above-average pre-built option.
Acer Nitro 65 review
I saw a similar story play out on the boutique end. I tested Maingear's MG-1 MK.II earlier this year, handing it five stars and a Windows Central Editor's Choice award.
It's an expensive PC to be sure, but not much more than putting your own system together with everything considered. These PCs are assembled by hand by people who clearly have a passion for this type of thing, and I don't think I've ever paid as much attention to cable management and RGB lighting as what's found in Maingear's flagship.
Maingear took customer feedback from the original MG-1 and fed it into the development of the MG-1 MK.II. The result? An outstanding gaming pre-built that I have a hard time knocking for anything other than minor infractions.
Maingear MG1 MK.II review
The iBuyPower Slate 8 Mesh that I reviewed last year is another relatively affordable gaming PC that balances power and price quite well, and it regularly costs less than $1,500.
This leads me to the Steam Machine's launch, when I went looking for prebuilts that could best it on price and performance. This was during Amazon's Prime Day event, but it quickly became clear that the five PCs I chose could outperform Valve's box while also costing less.
This is really where I imagine PC purists are having a hard time: pre-builts are increasingly upping build quality, maintaining convenience, and winning on value.
Not every pre-built gaming PC is a winner
As I said, I'd still recommend anyone with the time and inspiration to put together their own system. If hardware prices weren't being completely skewed by the ongoing RAM and storage crisis, I might not be writing this piece.
And although I've had some positive experiences of late, I don't want to oversell pre-built PCs. There are certainly still a lot of oddities to be found in the market.
Take the ASUS TUF Gaming T500 that I reviewed as an example. It's built around a laptop-class mobile CPU stuffed into a desktop chassis, and, in my opinion, the mash-up didn't work.
It took the worst pre-built habits, including poor upgradeability, and added new problems on top. It's ultimately proof that pre-builts still aren't guaranteed to be winners, and that the ceiling has risen without the floor following.
A hybrid mobile/desktop pre-built gaming PC is an interesting idea, but the execution fails to impress. A desktop-class GPU doesn't make up for throttled mobile CPU performance and poor upgradeability. I recommend building your own PC or checking out a pre-built with a true desktop CPU inside.
ASUS TUF Gaming T500 review
That's the distinction that matters. Just a few years ago, the odds of landing a quality pre-built PC that was upgradeable and assembled properly weren't great. Enough so that using a blanket "just build your own PC" response was reasonable.
Those odds have shifted. More and more companies are shipping systems that hold up against self-assembled PCs in terms of price, component quality, and thermals.
My advice to gamers shopping for a new pre-built PC
Those shopping for a pre-built gaming PC shouldn't trust the entire category. Instead, trust specific reviews. Check what PSU is inside and whether an upgrade is necessary. Check what parts the case can fit inside. Check how much bloatware you're dealing with on day one.
Just a few years ago, I would have told a friend building their first gaming PC to skip pre-builts entirely. Now, I'd tell them to read a few reviews first, because there's a real chance the better deal is already sitting on a store shelf.
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