With the shortage of graphics cards, which are currently selling at several times their MSRP, fifty-fifty gamers who know how to build their own computers are looking for different ways to get capable gaming machines.

We recently compared a list of recommended build specs to what you tin can buy pre-built from the likes of HP, Dell, Lenovo and other big OEMs. Our decision was that building your ain PC nonetheless makes sense with a mid-range graphics card, but pre-built systems are far more reasonable in the high end. For example, if you lot're buying an RTX 3070 or above, pre-builts definitely have something going for them correct now.

Granted, buying a pre-congenital PC from an OEM has its drawbacks, including upgradability and non knowing exactly what'south inside of the auto. The solution to that seems obvious: boutique PC builders similar CyberPowerPC, Origin PC, iBuyPower, and many others who gather systems out of well-known retail parts that can be easily upgraded.

Now, boutique stores usually do come at a premium that larger manufacturers are able to offset. If all you want is the cheapest PC that can run modernistic games fairly, you should assemble a $500 rig yourself and add together a GeForce GTX 1660 Super, or but purchase a standard pre-built.

Some other problem with boutiques is shipping times, which are currently measured in weeks, and if you lot want one of the most sought-afterward graphics cards they can exist even longer. So, does patience pay off when buying a gaming PC?

Among the stores we checked out for putting together this commodity were: Origin PC, Maingear, iBuyPower, Falcon Northwest, Puget Systems, Digital Storm, AVADirect, XoticPC, CyberPowerPC, Xidax and even NZXT'due south BLD.

While all of them looked like legitimate options, we picked the three stores that offered the best combination of part selection, value and shipping times at the time of writing. Depending on when you are reading this article, each of those stores may offer the best deal for you, but our goal was to compare boutique builders in general to other means of getting a gaming PC.

DIY value gaming build vs. bazaar builders

The beginning table below compares our DIY Value Gaming Rig, which is a decent value compared to pre-builts even with current graphics card prices, to the best-value offerings we could find at iBuyPower, CyberPowerPC and XoticPC.

Discussion of advice: alongside their computers, boutique builders offer many peripherals and accessories. If you desire some of those, make certain y'all bank check whether you can go them for less elsewhere.

Component DIY Gaming Value iBuyPower CyberPowerPC XoticPC
Processor Ryzen five
3600X		 Ryzen five
5600X		 Ryzen 5
3600		 Ryzen 5
3600
CPU Cooler Wraith Spire Asetek 550LC A71C Air
Motherboard B550 Tomahawk B550 Tomahawk B550 Gaming Edge WiFi B550 Bazooka
Memory 2 x 16GB DDR4-3600 CL18 2 x 8GB DDR4-3200 2 10 8GB DDR4-3200 ii x 8GB DDR4-3200 Vengeance Pro
Storage 1TB Sabrent Rocket 4.0 1TB SN750 1TB SN750 1TB 970 Evo Plus
Graphics 1660 Super RTX 2060 RTX 2060 RTX 3060
PSU SuperNova GA 650 Thermaltake 600W Gold Thermaltake 600W Gold 600W 80 Plus
Instance 400D Airflow Versa 27 400D Airflow 400D Airflow
Price $1545 (current)
$1,125 (MSRP)		 $1,656 $1,699 $1,854

iBuyPower

Buying a PC from iBuyPower looks simple: you cull a configurator and become a default organization that you lot tin customize as you wish. It's important to choose the configurator whose default system is the closest to what yous are looking for, though, as the default system is discounted in a style that doesn't employ to the changes you make. We don't recommend using the site'south Like shooting fish in a barrel Architect, as information technology will merely show you a pocket-sized number of options, and not always the best ones.

When we chose the tertiary-gen Ryzen R5 configurator, the default (and cheapest possible) CPU was the 4th-gen R5 5600X, which is technically amend than the R5 3600X in our DIY system, although y'all won't run into the difference in well-nigh gaming scenarios with the current arrangement. Asetek's 550LC 120mm liquid CPU libation was 1 of the cheapest options, but should be enough for that efficient processor.

MSI's B550 Tomahawk is the motherboard we'd recommend for almost people in this toll range. Nosotros chose a two 10 8GB retentiveness kit with a 3200MHz speed from a "certified major brand." Choosing a specific brand would add $xxx or $45 to the toll, a 3600MHz kit is $lx more expensive, and going with a 32GB kit would increase the price past $150 – about the toll of a 32GB kit.

Western Digital's WD_Black SN750 is ane of the best PCIe 3.0 SSDs. Every PCIe 4.0 SSD on offer was much more expensive, and no other PCIe 3.0 one was much cheaper. iBuyPower does offer the GTX 1660 Super from our DIY system, but the stronger RTX 2060 was just $52 more, so we couldn't ignore that. We opted to pay $12 for knowing where the 600W, fourscore Plus Gilt PSU came from (Thermaltake).

Thermaltake also makes the instance that we chose – the Versa 27. Amazingly, information technology was one of the cheapest cases offered.

With current graphics bill of fare prices, this system is about $100 more expensive than our DIY system. The price includes Windows 10, so if you need to purchase a license anyhow, y'all tin can consider that a tie. In electric current games, iBuyPower's system will perform better, at least when nix heavy is running in the background. Information technology as well comes with a iii-twelvemonth standard warranty.

Possible additions include premium example fans and thermal pastes, RGB strips, sound-damping foam, all kinds of internal cards, "professional" cable wiring (does that mean that by default, their cable wiring isn't professional person?), an avant-garde packaging system and (ironically, for the same cost) one year of footing-shipping return coverage.

With the current configuration, the system is expected to ship within iv weeks.

CyberPowerPC

CyberPowerPC possibly offers more options than any architect that nosotros checked, which is why it'due south and so annoying that if you try to add your selected system to your cart without enabling cookies first, your cart will remain empty and y'all'll need to first over.

The EZPC feature is better than iBuyPower's Like shooting fish in a barrel Architect equally it lets y'all customize your rig every bit you wish. We still don't recommend using it, as information technology gives likewise many options, many of which are non groovy, with shockingly small SSDs or sometime and inadequate processors.

Using the Ryzen 5 configurator, the default CPU is the R5 3600. That CPU may perform identically to the R5 3600X from our DIY build with the correct cooler, so that's the CPU that we chose as the R5 5600X was $154 more. Cooler Principal's A71C, the cheapest libation offered, should be enough for getting the near out of the R5 3600, but if you want to be sure, improve coolers aren't much more expensive. MSI'southward B550 Tomahawk wasn't on offer, simply the MSI B550 Gaming Edge WiFi has basically everything that the Tomahawk has, plus Wi-Fi.

As CyberPowerPC's memory pricing policy is identical to iBuyPower's, we again chose two x 8GB of RAM from a "major brand." For the sake of comparison we chose a 3200MHz speed, even though in this case going down to 3000MHz would salvage u.s.a. $30. Our SSD of selection is once once more the WD_SN750.

CyberPowerPC doesn't have any GTX card, but it has the RTX 2060. If you want the faster RTX 3060 instead that would add 4 weeks of lead time, simply the organization volition actually be $10 cheaper, not to mention that the lead time would automatically qualify the purchase for a 5% instant rebate if y'all enter the "NORUSH" lawmaking during checkout. At iBuyPower, the RTX 3060 would brand the system $82 more expensive, in improver to the aforementioned lead time increase.

In this example, we had to add $21 for knowing that our 600W, lxxx Plus Aureate PSU comes from Thermaltake. CyberPowerPC doesn't have the Versa 27 case, simply information technology has the Cooler Master 400D Airflow from our DIY system.

The price includes Windows 10 and just ane year of warranty, merely 3 years of service and lifetime technical back up. CyberPowerPC offers basically all of the additions that iBuyPower does, plus laser engravings.

CyberPowerPC offers a like buying experience to iBuyPower'due south, but in this specific case information technology generally falls short, as this arrangement is more expensive despite having a slower CPU and a shorter standard warranty. It tin go slightly cheaper than iBuyPower'southward afterwards rebate if you enter the "NORUSH" code during checkout, just that would delay the shipping in most a week.

If y'all stick with the RTX 2060 and don't use the "NORUSH" lawmaking, the organisation will ship in betwixt iv and 5 weeks.

XoticPC

XoticPC's buying process is different from those of the other two stores. First you need to choose ane out of four vaguely defined series, so a case, and then a platform. In the Advanced series, nosotros found the 400D Airflow case.

We chose the R5 3600, fifty-fifty though the faster 5600X was merely $lxx more expensive. The air cooler wasn't named, but with the processor's 65W TDP we didn't think information technology would matter too much. MSI'southward Bazooka was the only B550 motherboard available. It'south not every bit good as those in the other systems in terms of thermal performance, but information technology still has iv retention slots and 2 G.2 storage slots.

In XoticPC, every RAM selection over 8GB is from a specific brand, and so we chose Corsair'south Vengeance RGB Pro 2 x 8GB kit at 3,200MHz, equally it's just $xx more expensive than the 2,666MHz 16GB kits (with no RGB).

XoticPC didn't have the WD_BLACK SN750, but it had Samsung's 970 Evo Plus, which is merely as skillful and really more than expensive in the aftermarket, for just $xx more the DRAM-less 980.

The main reason that we consider this system a decent value pick is that you tin get a GeForce RTX 3060 with no extra wait time, and for just $150 more than the vanilla GTX 1660. We'd need to add together at least $69 for a specific ability supply, so nosotros chose to stick with the "600W eighty Plus" option.

The cost includes an RGB kit, braided cables with 9 ten 9 colour options, Windows 10, custom foam packaging, lifetime technical back up and 5 years of office-replacement warranty.

The estimated shipping fourth dimension is between 10 and 20 business days. If you lot need your computer in the next month and gaming functioning is your peak priority, this system is a good selection.

Loftier-end pre-built vs boutique builders

Adjacent we'll compare offerings from the same iii boutique PC stores to the MSI Aegis ZS series equally nosotros configured it to match our loftier-end PC build recommendation. The MSI seems to offer the best combination of upgradability and value in the high-cease pre-congenital market, so how does the boutique do in comparison?

Component MSI iBuyPower CyberPowerPC XoticPC
Processor Ryzen 7
5800X		 Ryzen 9
5900X		 Ryzen 9
5900X		 Ryzen 5
5600X
CPU Cooler Dragon 120mm Castle 240X Castle 240X Air
Motherboard B550 B550 Tomahawk B550 Gaming Edge WiFi B550 Bazooka
Memory 2 x 8GB ii x 8GB DDR4-3200 2 ten 8GB DDR4-3200 2 x 8GB DDR4-3200 Vengeance Pro
Storage 1TB SATA 1TB SN750 1TB SN750 1TB 970 Evo Plus
Graphics RTX 3080 RTX 3070 RTX 3070 RTX 3080
PSU 650W Golden 650W Golden 800W Gold

760W Ion+ Platinum
Case ATX Versa 27 400D Airflow 400D Airflow
Toll $two,500 $2,293 $2,404
($2,284 after rebate)		 $2,633

iBuyPower

Stepping up to the R7 5800X processor from the R5 5600X makes the arrangement $138 more than expensive (when using the "Ryzen" configurator), and requires you to choose a 240mm liquid libation. At that bespeak it makes more sense to add another $90 for the R9 5900X, which performs similarly in modern games merely upwardly to l% better in other tasks, including live streaming and recorded video editing. Our 240mm libation of option is DeepCool's Castle 240EX.

We chose the RTX 3070 graphics card over the RTX 3080 because the departure in toll is $463, and nosotros don't like the combination of paying more and waiting longer for the aforementioned gaming performance as the Aegis ZS. The RTX 3060 is another $281 less, but that's not a high-end GPU.

Since MSI doesn't mention the brand of its 650W, eighty Plus Gold power supply, we don't feel obligated to pay more for a specific brand. The configurator does brand certain that we choose at least 650W with the RTX 3070, though.

All in all, this is a solid alternative to the Aegis ZS at about $200 less. It has a slower GPU but a much faster CPU (with a better cooler), a retail motherboard, meliorate SSD and case, and 3 years of warranty compared to MSI'south ane year. With the RTX 3070, the arrangement will ship in virtually eight weeks.

CyberPowerPC

At CyberPowerPC, the R9 5900X is again a better value than the R7 5800X at $100 extra using the "Ryzen 9X" configurator. We chose the Castle 240EX cooler once again, even though the configurator didn't tell united states to upgrade the cooler.

At $500 less, the RTX 3070 was an obvious choice over the RTX 3080. For another $135 less, the RTX 3060 Ti is a skillful alternative. Although CyberPowerPC would let us get by with 600W, nosotros wanted to at least match the other systems' 650W. The cheapest manner to practise that was to step upward to an 800W, lxxx Plus Golden unit from no specific make.

With its 5% instant rebates for systems with the RTX 3070, CyberPowerPC matches the iBuyPower pricing, despite including a more expensive motherboard and a better PSU (presumably). Your choice could come down to your case preference (including laser engravings), and to how much iBuyPower's longer standard warranty means to you.

The shipping time for this organization is between eight and nine weeks.

XoticPC

With XoticPC we once again chose to save on the CPU and become with the R5 5600X and an air cooler. An R7 5800X would make the organisation $240 more than expensive (including a mandatory 240mm liquid cooler), and an R9 5900X would add another $120 to that.

Past the time y'all are reading this, you may already be able to go an RTX 3080 with no extra expect time. As an alternative, the RTX 3070 is $330 cheaper, and already in stock at the fourth dimension of writing.

The RTX 3080 requires at least a 750W power supply with XoticPC'due south configurator. Nosotros chose Fractal Design'due south 760W, eighty Plus Platinum-rated Ion+ model for just $10 more than than an unnamed Gigabyte 750W, 80 Plus Golden model.

Compared to MSI's pre-built, this system will cost more than and perform similarly in realistic gaming scenarios, merely has a retail motherboard, ameliorate parts (SSD, power supply and case), premium looks and a longer warranty. Assuming that the graphics carte that yous choose is in stock, the system will transport in between 10 and 20 business concern days.

A 3-manner summary

Tin can you however get decent value for your money with a new gaming PC?

Yeah, only not with $600 like yous could in the recent past. If your upkeep is anywhere near that, perhaps you should try to get a console (delight, don't shoot the messenger!).

For $1,200 you tin can find several decent options in both the pre-built and DIY markets. The price indicate effectually $1,700 has great DIY and bazaar-shop options. For virtually $2,500 you can get a top-performing PC, either pre-congenital or from a boutique builder.