Best Prebuilt Gaming Desktop for $600-700?

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DarkSable
Patient enough to build a desktop? It takes perhaps two hours your first time. I seriously suggest you go in that direction. Why? Because prebuilt gaming desktops are almost universally horrible options, which cheap out on parts like the power supply, include things like core i7s because they look fancy, even though they don't give you a benefit, and are overpriced.


Seriously, you aren't getting a $700 gaming computer when you buy a prebuilt, you're getting a $550 or $600 gaming computer.

I mean, look at the computer that you yourself linked...

It's got an i3, which is a dual core, and a really puny power supply that won't let you upgrade your graphics hardly at all in the future. It comes with a graphics card that will barely hold...
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DarkSable

DarkSable

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Sep 27, 2012
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Patient enough to build a desktop? It takes perhaps two hours your first time. I seriously suggest you go in that direction. Why? Because prebuilt gaming desktops are almost universally horrible options, which cheap out on parts like the power supply, include things like core i7s because they look fancy, even though they don't give you a benefit, and are overpriced.


Seriously, you aren't getting a $700 gaming computer when you buy a prebuilt, you're getting a $550 or $600 gaming computer.

I mean, look at the computer that you yourself linked...

It's got an i3, which is a dual core, and a really puny power supply that won't let you upgrade your graphics hardly at all in the future. It comes with a graphics card that will barely hold its own at 1080p - it's a good card, but cheap.... and they want basically $800 for that!

Now compare that to a custom rig:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4430 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($180.49 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock H87M Pro4 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($79.99 @ Micro Center)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($67.50 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($56.99 @ NCIX US)
Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 760 2GB Video Card ($239.99 @ NCIX US)
Case: Rosewill REDBONE ATX Mid Tower Case ($39.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($44.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $709.94
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-04-12 11:40 EDT-0400)

That's actually AT your budget, so it's cheaper, it has a way better quad core, better RAM, a more reliable hard drive, a WAY better video card, a much higher capacity power supply for future upgrades...

Comparing those two, it should be obvious just how much money is totally wasted when you buy a prebuilt gaming computer.
 
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Baconator

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Jan 11, 2014
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Yeah, you're right. I guess I'll just have to try. Can that build run the newest games? (BioShock Infinite, BF4, etc)
 
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DarkSable

DarkSable

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Sep 27, 2012
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That build is WAY more powerful than the prebuilt you were looking at and will have zero problems running any modern game at medium-high settings.

Also, I think you're going to be surprised at how easy it is to throw a computer together - it doesn't take all that much patience.

Find a youtube video showing how to put it together (I like the ones by Newegg and NCIX), and just follow it, pausing to do each step. :)
 
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B

Baconator

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Jan 11, 2014
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Someone had previously recommended this build : http://pcpartpicker.com/p/37tE2
Is your build better?
 
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DarkSable

DarkSable

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Sep 27, 2012
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Yes and no. The build you got recommended is worse than mine if they're both at stock, but has the advantage of being able to overclock, which will give it a slight lead.

If you're willing to overclock, go for it, but since you didn't know if you wanted to even build for yourself and overclocking is time-consuming, my rig might well be better for you.
 
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Baconator

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Jan 11, 2014
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I don't think I have enough experience with computers to overclock.
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Mar 16, 2013
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Maybe not today. Experience is not static....;)
 
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B

Baconator

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Jan 11, 2014
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I really like computers so I might actually end up being really good at this kind of stuff.
 
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B

Baconator

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Jan 11, 2014
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I have question about desktop computers. How do u keep desktops clean? I mean, dust can mess stuff up inside, right? How can you prevent that?
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Take the side panel off once in a while and blow the dust out. A can of compressed air, gently, works well.
In extreme cases, take it outside and do it so as not to piss off Mom.
 
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B

Baconator

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Jan 11, 2014
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That's one more thing to buy.
 
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USAFRet

USAFRet

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Maybe one can a year ?
 
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ScrewySqrl

ScrewySqrl

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Aug 2, 2010
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Yeah, but not all that often. One can to blow everything out, once every 5-6 months should be fine. If you have pets, you might need to clean very 2-3 months.

 
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