Summary
- Pre-built PCs now use name-brand components and have shifted away from low-quality parts to a higher standard.
- Upgrading a pre-built system is easy, since you can add storage or swap out the RAM or GPU.
- Pre-built PCs come with better warranties for all original components compared to custom-built systems.
Are you looking at buying a pre-built gaming PC, but leery because of the reputation of pre-built systems? While the past they may not have been worth buying, modern pre-built gaming PCs are actually a great choice for your setup—here’s why.
Pre-Built PCs Used to Be Built With Bottom of the Barrel Parts
In the past, I had always told people to avoid pre-built gaming PCs. They were known for using low-quality and cheap parts to save a buck while charging a premium for being “built for gaming.”
When I used to work in PC repair, I can’t tell you how many no-name low-cost power supplies I replaced, nor can I even begin to remember how many junky motherboards blew caps after just a year or two of use.
This alone was enough to avoid going pre-built—but that’s all changed now.
Almost All Pre-Builts Use Name-Brand Components
A shift in recent years has changed the landscape of pre-built gaming PCs. For a while, you couldn’t get graphics cards (or any PC components, for that matter) unless you bought a pre-built system because of scalpers.
Companies actually saw this and did something good for a change: built better systems. Yes, pre-built PC prices did go up some, but so did the quality of the systems.
Related
Bought a New Gaming PC? Don’t Make These Infuriating Mistakes
Purchased or built a shiny new gaming PC? Here’s some gotchas you’ll want to watch out for.
Instead of no-name bargain-barrel power supplies, many mid-range gaming PCs now ship with name-brand PSUs. The same can be said for SSDs, graphics cards, motherboards, and RAM.
Another thing that happened was a lot of component manufacturers got into the pre-built gaming space. Yes, there are still brands like ORIGIN-PC and MAINGEAR out there, but CORSAIR, NZXT, MSI, and others now have pre-built gaming desktops that are pretty great, all things considered.
Rather than skimping out, many companies are now using name-brand and quality components, and everyone benefits from this. Of course, there are still bargain-bin PCs out there that use no-name components, but that’s becoming the exception, not the rule.
Pre-Built PCs Can Still Be Upgraded Just Like Custom-Built Ones
Something you might not realize is that pre-built PCs can be upgraded just like custom-built systems. A custom-built PC and pre-built PC is all built from the same parts—the only thing that changes is who is building it.
This means you can swap out the RAM, SSD, graphics card, power supply, or even processor without a problem. While the new components won’t be covered under the pre-built PC company’s warranty (more on that below), you’ll have an upgraded system.
Related
How to Tell When Your Gaming PC Needs a CPU Upgrade
Here’s how you can tell if your CPU is holding your GPU back.
One of the biggest ways you can upgrade a pre-built system is by adding more storage. Since many companies are using name-brand and premium motherboards, there are typically a handful of NVMe slots on modern systems, with only one being used up in a typical build from the factory.
Another way is by adding more or swapping out RAM entirely. Both the NVMe upgrade and RAM upgrade can add big benefits to your system while being easy and cost-effective to do.
However, the biggest thing you can swap out in a pre-built system is also (typically) the biggest component—the graphics card. Yes, in a pre-built system you can definitely swap the GPU out, so long as the power supply can keep up.
If the PSU is too underpowered for the new GPU you plan to add? Just upgrade the PSU at the same time.
Buying a Pre-Built PC Comes With a Better Warranty Than Custom-Built
The warranty of a pre-built gaming PC is actually better than that of a custom-built—sort of.
Pre-built systems are warrantied top to bottom for the original components that it ships with. Depending on what brand you go with, a warranty claim could result in either a full system swap or a single component swap.
Either way, however, the brand will likely offer full system diagnostics to help determine what the issue is. Custom-building your own PC isn’t quite so user-friendly in that regard.
I have a friend who re-built his gaming PC recently and did a custom build. He just spent almost two weeks diagnosing what the issue was so he could RMA the defective parts. To diagnose the issue, he had to purchase new components to test things one-by-one in order to find out what was broken.
This wouldn’t have been the case had he went pre-built.
So, if you’re not super savvy on PC building (or you just want to take the easy way out), there’s nothing wrong with buying a pre-built gaming PC these days. While the gaming community might see that as a lesser system, know that it’s not lesser in any way.
Pre-built gaming PCs are great options these days, and still remain one of the few ways to get brand-new graphics cards on release with any relative ease.