by OK, so listen to me. I bought a pre-built desktop gaming tower instead of building a PC from scratch and I don’t regret it for a second. Some PC building enthusiasts will balk at my decision, but the entire process from purchasing the desktop to setting it up in my home office was incredibly easy. I had just moved into a new house at the time and the convenience of a pre-built tower was just too good to pass up.
When you’re living out of boxes and everything is out of order, the last thing you want to do is have a bunch of loose hardware parts. If you’re still not convinced, hold on to your seats. I’m still going to convert you! Cue villainous laughter…
Pre-built gaming PCs are (relatively) inexpensive and easy to set up
Buying a PC is serious business. Building one from scratch is even more serious. Although there are a lot of useful guides available on the Internet, there is a lot that can go wrong. You can accidentally twist the pins on your CPU, or you can put the parts together incorrectly. Personally, I’m not willing to take the risk. I enjoy tinkering with hardware to an extent, but I’m not entirely confident in my assembly skills and I’m fine with that. I’d rather leave it to the professionals.
Pre-built gaming towers provide peace of mind. The parts inside these PCs are assembled and tested by professional builders. I bought a pre-built rig from NXZT and it was quick to ship. It also worked beautifully the moment I turned it on. Apart from connecting external devices and moving my files over, I didn’t have to do much else. Prebuilt prices aren’t too bad either.
I ended up getting the NZXT Starter PC Pro, which was $1,149. The Starter PC series comes in three configurations, with the lowest model costing $949. These prices are reasonable, especially for starter machines. NXZT’s Streaming Series line of PCs is much more powerful and heavier on the wallet.
Pre-built PC warranties and service support are worth it
In the case of pre-built PCs, you pay for the warranty and service support as well as the hardware. NXZT includes a warranty period of two years, which begins on the day you receive the machine. It covers any defects in workmanship or components. So, if you end up with a broken machine, NXZT will repair, replace or refund at its discretion.
In terms of service support, I was pleased with the live chat feature and found that my questions were answered in a timely and thorough manner. My PC works just fine, so I never had to get in touch by phone, but I found the FAQ page very helpful. The company also offers free lifetime technical support.
Why I chose NZXT
IDG / Ashley Biancuzzo
When I was looking for a pre-built desktop tower, I knew I wanted a rig that could handle games like Final Fantasy XIV Online, Phasmaphobia and Warhammer: Vermintide 2. In terms of graphics power, these aren’t the most demanding games in the world, but I play all three on a regular basis, and I’m more of a casual gamer anyway. As I mentioned earlier, I bought the Starter PC Pro model, which is the highest configuration in this range.
The Starter PC Pro is equipped with an Intel Core i5-11400F CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB of NVMe SSD storage. It’s more than enough power for my needs, which include casual gaming and productivity work. I decided to go with an NZXT machine after reading a handful of positive reviews. Plus, the site is clean and super easy to navigate. Trust me, you don’t want to be in a state of confusion when trying to choose a gaming PC.
I bought a pre-built gaming stationary tower instead of building one from scratch and I don’t regret it for a second
OK, but what are the cons or pre-builts?
Pre-built machines are not the easiest to upgrade. Unfortunately, with NXZT’s Starter PC series, you can’t mix and match the components either. You get what you get and you don’t get upset (or maybe you do). Building your own machine can be cheaper in the long run, which is great…as long as you know what you’re doing. If you’ve never assembled a PC before, it’s better to play it safe, as mistakes will cost you hundreds of dollars down the road.
So, do you go for it?
Hell yes, you go for it! If you’re short on time and don’t feel confident enough in your assembly skills, a pre-configured machine is the way to go. The plug-and-play aspect is fantastic, and they’re generally more affordable up front. I absolutely love my prebuilt rig and wouldn’t trade it for anything. That said, buying a pre-built means you’re stuck with limited configurations. At the end of the day, it’s no error decision here. It really boils down to your lifestyle and comfort level. Happy gaming, folks.
Want more insight? My colleague Gordon discusses pre-builts with one of YouTube’s staunchest prebuilt advocates, Braethorn. His channel is packed with useful insights on buying gaming desktops.
