Buying A New PC: Prebuilts vs Custom Builds

Have prebuilts caught up yet?

It's an age-old question for gamers: do I buy a prebuilt or take the plunge and build my own gaming PC? In this article we'll take three gaming rigs from reputable brands and build our own equivalent PCs.

Prebuilts are notorious for using proprietary parts that are manufactured in bulk. The motherboards usually come with minimal features and the quality is mediocre. Upgradeability can be limited as the boards require specific proprietary parts. Another common issue is poor cooling solutions, and prebuilts often run hot with noisy fans, which can lead to throttled performance in games and decrease the overall lifespan of the PC.

With that said, prebuilts can be more than sufficient for casual users that aren't overly concerned with upgradeability and bleeding edge performance. They have also improved in recent times as manufacturers learn from their mistakes. A custom build does require some knowledge and expertise, and it isn't everyone's cup of tea.

Prebuilt #1: Skytech Gaming Archangel $1199

Equivalent Custom Build: $1047

CPU: Intel Core i7 12700F	$290	Amazon
Cooler: Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240	$89	Amazon
Motherboard: Gigabyte B660M DS3H	$120	Amazon
GPU: Zotac Gaming GeForce RTX 4060 8GB	$280	Amazon
RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB 3200MHz	$37	Amazon
Storage: Western Digital 1TB WD Blue SN580	$40	Amazon
Chassis: Corsair 4000D Airflow	$95	Amazon
PSU:Thermaltake Toughpower GX2 80+ Gold 600W	$65	Amazon
OS: Windows 11 Home 64-bit OEM key	$30	Kinguin

Our custom build shaves a respectable $150 off the price, and you could use that money to upgrade to a Core i9 12900K and RTX 4060 Ti. The Skytech Archangel isn't a terrible prebuilt, but we'd definitely recommend going the custom route here. We know exactly what parts we're getting and we can always install upgrades down the line, like an additional 16GB RAM or new GPU.

Prebuilt #2: CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme $1289

Equivalent Custom Build: $961

CPU: Intel Core i7 12700F	$290	Amazon
Cooler: Thermalright Peerless Assassin	$35	Amazon
Motherboard: Gigabyte B660M DS3H	$120	Amazon
GPU: MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	$249	Amazon
RAM: Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 16GB 3200MHz	$37	Amazon
Storage: Western Digital 1TB WD Blue SN580	$40	Amazon
Chassis: Corsair 4000D Airflow	$95	Amazon
PSU:Thermaltake Toughpower GX2 80+ Gold 600W	$65	Amazon
OS: Windows 11 Home 64-bit OEM key	$30	Kinguin

The price difference is more pronounced with our second comparison, and we'd wholeheartedly recommend a custom build over the CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme. With the extra $300 we can make massive upgrades to the system and buy a 24" monitor.

Prebuilt #3: Zotac Gaming MEK Hero G1 $684

Equivalent Custom Build: $548

CPU: Intel Core i5 11400F	$133	Amazon
Motherboard: ASRock B560M Steel Legend	$105	Newegg
GPU: PNY GeForce GTX 1650 4GB	$135	Amazon
RAM: Patriot DDR4 8GB 3200MHz<	$18	Amazon
Storage: Crucial P3 500GB M2 SSD	$27	Amazon
Chassis: GAMDIAS ATX Mid Tower	$60	Amazon
PSU:Thermaltake Smart 500W	$40	Amazon
OS: Windows 11 Home 64-bit OEM key	$30	Kinguin

Even with the Zotac Gaming MEK Hero G1 marked down from $869 to $684, we're still able to beat the price by over $100. This means the prebuilt is 25% more expensive than our custom build. We'd recommend using the extra money to upgrade the GPU to a GeForce RTX 3060.

We can safely conclude that building your own rig is still the way to go. Apart from saving a good chunk of money, you know exactly what's inside your PC and future upgrades are a breeze. If you're still set on a prebuilt, choose carefully and make sure the price aligns with the value of the individual parts.

Also read: Best Gaming PC Builds 2023