People have been debating about the two poles apart gaming setups: Prebuilt and Custom PC from time immemorial. It’s of no doubt that custom Pc gives you an edge over the selection criterion, and obviously, eradicates any chances of faulty inculcated parts. Since you have the granted power to shuffle between any CPU, GPU, RAM slots, motherboard, casing, you can create a mesmerizing and fully functional pc in no time. That’s where the argument about prebuilt vs custom pc starts to decline.
But wait, here’s the twist. Each gaming setup has its perks. For instance, if you have time constraints and really can’t build your gaming setup, then definitely, you’ll root for a prebuilt setup. On top of that, if you are looking forward to having already-organized components with preferable specifications, then what’s the need for having a custom pc? It’s also true that, at times, it can be ludicrous to understand how to create a functioning gaming pc from scratch. Also, if you are not professional enough or lack the required information, then the chances that you will make blunders.
That’s the reason why today, we will be comparing the two sorts of gaming setups and propose the merits and demerits of having either of them.
Availability of options
Let’s imagine a scenario. Assume that you have only $500, and you want to build a gaming pc. You start selecting components, and some of them exceed the given budget. What would you do? You will crank down or discard a couple of components, right? Exactly. When you are planning to build a gaming pc, you can also do that for under $300.
There are components that you can slot in and still get higher FPS on the latest triple-A titles. That’s only possible when you are building a gaming pc from scratch. At the same time, when you look at the prebuilt setups, they are extensively expensive. There’s a 90% chance that you won’t even end up with a single prebuilt setup. The reason is quite simple. The sellers gather all the parts, count in their profit, and add up the amount for compiling all the components. This all adds up to a huge amount; whereas, you can build your gaming setup with many open options.
If Intel Core i7 exceeds the budget limit, you can juggle between Ryzen processors and end up with a gaming beast, anyway. When considering the personal choice and budget, I would always suggest my fellow readers root for custom build setups, as you are open to tweaking, editing, and upgrading.
Overclocking
Overclocking is the most required technique for transgressing a component’s potential, and at times, people don’t pay enough heed while purchasing prebuilt setups. Although I’m not completely against prebuilt setups, usually, they don’t offer enough overclocking capabilities. Let’s take another scenario. Assume that you have $100 for buying a CPU. In that range, you can get Ryzen 5 2600, which is overclockable. But what if you buy a prebuilt setup with Intel Core i7 3770. That’s where the problem starts. You can only overclock those CPUs with the “K” version, which means that the prebuilt setup with Intel Core i7-3770 will not be overclockable at all; thus, curbing the overall potential of your system.
Similarly, when talking about individual components, you can grab hold of GPUs like GTX 1660 Super and AMD RX 580 for overclocking. Now you see the difference? When you build a custom PC, you always have the edge over the prebuilt setup.
Flexibility of upgrading
It goes without saying that you have an edge over a prebuilt setup when you are compiling your own custom PC. Number one, you know what sort of components will be cross-compatible with your motherboard. Number two, you can juggle between a new generation CPU and GPU when you are well-versed and know the norms regarding what it takes to upgrade.
In contrast, when buying a prebuilt setup, although it saves you from the hassle of going in-depth about the components, you don’t get to choose what sort of components you’ll slot in the future. Assume that the motherboard is a little outdated, slotting in only first-generation Ryzen processors. You possibly have no way out of this and would have to completely change the motherboard for upgrading.
On top of that, prebuilt setups have a restricted aura to them. For instance, they are built with a pre-mapped structure. If your prebuilt setup has an ITX motherboard, you would have to rip off everything to slot in a compatible GPU, CPU, and RAM. So do keep that in mind.
Well, price tags are also another important thing to keep in mind. Usually, prebuilt setups are extensively expensive, and that’s the reason why you should resort to a custom pc-built scenario since you can trade-off and chip in reliable and decent components.
You also have the option of interchanging DDR3 Ram modules with DDR4 if you have enough budget. On top of that, at times, you will definitely stumble upon cheap prebuilt setups just for marketing gimmicks. Believe me, I have gone through this, and the ultimatum is: You will regret your choice. Yes, prebuilt setups are wonderful, I agree. But, usually, they will die out sooner or later since the majority of them are laid in with mind that the customer will be moving to a newer prebuilt setup sooner or later.
Convenience and chilling out
Don’t worry; prebuilt setups are not completely a bummer when you know your way out. The insurmountable quality of having prebuilt setups is that you get a chance to decide the pre-mapped version of your gaming system. Also, if you lack enough knowledge about pc components, then why even choose a custom pc? You will only end up creating a mess for yourself. Imagine buying an Intel Core i7 10th generation processor and slotting it on a 3rd generation motherboard. Absolutely stunning, right?
Well, anyway, I don’t want to ridicule anyone, but I have personally come across hundreds of users complaining on Reddit and other forums only because they slotted in a non-compatible component. Who is to blame? That’s the reason why people should be careful when picking up parts since, at times, it’s really puzzling to pair up two different entities. Also, if you are not interested in overclocking your components, then I would recommend you to look for a prebuilt setup; it will serve you well.
What’s the ultimatum-Prebuilt setup or custom Pc?
At the end of the day, you are the one who’s going to buy a pc. The reason for pitching in all that information, in a light-hearted way, was to only enlighten on the norms regarding a custom pc and a prebuilt setup.
There’s no concrete way that I can convince you to buy one and ignore the other. It always boils down to your personal taste and preference. Still, I would recommend my readers and fellow enthusiasts to give a look at the custom pc realm since they lend you enough options and ways to tackle problems such as compatibility issues.
Also, it’s worth mentioning that prebuilt setups are a way to go in 2021 since they are already designed for a multitude of users. For instance, if you are looking forward to buying a prebuilt setup of CyberPowerPC, sure you can as they pitch in various withstanding setups. But at the same time, having enough knowledge about discrete components and perfectly aligning them with your expectations is a plus point in such dynamic times.
If you are still confused, how about you give a read to our gaming pc builds? The guides include gaming pc builds under $300, $400, $500, $1000, $1500, and $2000.
If you want to know how to build a gaming pc, then click here!
I hope you liked the article about prebuilt vs custom pc, and if you have any queries, do let us know in the comment session. We would be much obliged to help you out.
Hey, I’m Muhammad Bilal. I’m a tech fanatic (also read: Gamer), who loves scrutinizing fine details. I aim to strive hard in my respective fields (as a writer and software programmer). Before pursuing my majors in a university (right now in A-levels), I want to spend time exploring and reviewing the latest technology.