$549 Prebuilt Gaming PC... It cant be good...

[@Mo-Thoughx]

I initially bought one for my son to play with and over time I have been able to change the components to improve it so much that he now uses it for work when he is resting or at school.

[@mike__5kp]

Of course, most of them work perfectly, just try to use non-free Windows and Office to avoid malware in the future.

[@Mo-Thoughx]

I already did it and it was BNH Software where I bought them and I have not had those kinds of viruses

[@joshthebutchergibson3218]

I actually bought one of these for my daughter before i knew how to build and its still going strong 10 months later with zero problems since

[@joshthebutchergibson3218]

She only plays roblox tho lol

[@GameslordXY]

​@@joshthebutchergibson3218 Maybe...what of it?

[@KelvinKMS]

This kind of PC usually lasts for about 1~2 years before it dies.

[@InfiniteDragonsUnlocked]

​@@KelvinKMSgood enough to save for a better one

[@RongDMemer]

​@joshthebutchergibson3218 I've just recently upgraded from my dell 790 optiplex to a modern pc for the same price I can finally play roblox on 2 graphic bars instead of 1

[@MrMartinSchou]

I foresee a new challenge. Build a PC for $549, including a keyboard, mouse, headphones and speakers.

[@Darksector88]

Same thinking lol. I ditched the speakers though. It was speakers or a better motherboard Chipset and I chose the better motherboard. They can use the TV or monitor speakers lol. Total is $552. Site used was Newegg. Brand new parts. Some highlights are this system would have better 1080p gaming performance. Higher core CPU and higher clocks. Newer generation Chipset. Arguably better CPU cooler (AMD Wraith). Gen 4 NVME speeds. Dual Channel Memory. 600 Watt PSU. Name Brand Parts for the PC internals. DIYPC Rainbow ATX Case with Fans $43 Ryzen 5500 $77 ASRock B550M Pro SE $85 G. skill Aegis 8gb x 2 DDR4 3200 $30 Team Group MP44L Gen 4 Nvme 512Gb. $37 EVGA 600 Watt 80+ white $45 Gigabyte RX 6600 Eagle $180 Marco Scorpion Combo with Keyboard, mouse, and headset. $35 Belkin mouse pad. $5 Windows 11 Pro Key $15 I think that would make a much better gaming rig in that budget. I'd actually prefer an 8Gb RTX 3050 for myself since a lot of stuff I do needs cuda, if the person ever wanted to dip their toes in 3D work like blender, Nvidia makes life easier there even though the 3050 doesn't game as well as the 6600. Even at this budget there are still options available.

[@thebandofmaids]

Been building PCs for 20 years and selling a few - new and used parts. I can't match $549 all new parts.

[@tiromandal6399]

@@Darksector88 Is that PCP or Microcenter?

[@Darksector88]

​@@thebandofmaidsYou need to learn where to search for parts then. Very easy to find new parts that will beat the rig jay showed for the same price. In the US at least.

[@Darksector88]

​@@tiromandal6399newegg

[@marcm.]

My reaction, $550. It does everything it says it's supposed to do. It doesn't look half bad. And you shouldn't be expecting quality peripherals with it, but it came with them which means you don't have to go around looking for a damn thing. Honestly I think it's a good price

[@CoronelOcioso]

Totally dude

[@0Blueaura]

and the case doesnt fall apart like the tryx luca that steve at gamers nexus recently reviewed lmao.

[@GameslordXY]

​@@0Blueaura What serious lol?I gotta see it lol

[@PrototypeOnyx]

For $550 brand new, that's not half bad. It's already assembled, so no hassle for the end user, comes with everything you need to start using it (even though all of the peripherals are trash quality), and it can still run games decently at 1080p. Edit: It doesn't look like it supports DLSS, only FSR, but it might still help with performance in some games. I would've loved to have something like this as a first PC when I was a kid.

[@MrJacobjj84]

i thought you needed rt cores fore dlss

[@iiviinstiinct3064]

​@@MrJacobjj84 you do I'm pretty sure

[@machintrucGaming]

But for 500 you can get a console at that price

[@Vss077]

the problem is that "brands" like STG also exists worldwide - has a similar name in EU - all STG- goes into 1 chinese company (while they use cheap parts which isnt a big problem) - but if u look at the power supply its either a fire hazard or has unknown lifetime - its some sort of the cheap chinese PSU - u usually avoid, some tested it and it explodes or stopped working after couple of weeks. cant speak for american psu quality but the one they sell in the EU it feels almost illegal to sell. (also the motherboard is questionable but as long u dont need anything setting wise like xmp or upgradeability i guess)

[@PrototypeOnyx]

@@MrJacobjj84 Oh yeah, you do have a point.

[@mrsmurf1]

For $500, I think I just found my nephews first "gaming" PC (he's 12). Thanks for this!

[@Dizzeke]

my first "gaming" pc prebuilt for 500 dollars had so many issues with it that it almost turned me off from pc gaming for good, almost burnt our house down, and was the worst value I could've gotten

[@jeanvi52]

And operating system

[@Robbie-mw5uu]

For that same price, you could just buy your nephew an Asus Rog Ally which is not only better supported, but has more powerful hardware. You wouldnt even need to buy him a monitor and other peripherals.

[@MrUniq]

He's 12, it's perfect...lol

[@jamesdrummond7684]

@@Robbie-mw5uu and then they drop it, it gets stolen at school or left on a bus. and it can't do any of the functionality of a computer.

[@zbrkesbris5987]

Jay forgot to test "smallest headset ever". Besides slow single-channel RAM - that is quite a decent starter prebuild.

[@cj-pz2kk]

his head is to big for them

[@GameslordXY]

Due to all the internet indoctination:"You cannot play games in 2024 with less than 16 gigs,I was surprised how well it work with 8 gigs. And a just a single channel at that. I've no doubt that some of the later bigger areas with a whole lot of houses or during some bigger shootouts that a PC would cry for additional 8 gigs.

[@Raivo_K]

@@GameslordXY Well the only game tested was a six year old game from the 8GB era...

[@noahghent8431]

​@@GameslordXY 9:54 In the BIOS it actually says it's got 16 gigs, just kinda slow at 2600 mhz. Wonder why they opted for 1x 16 instead of 2x 8, 'cuz it's usually a similar pricepoint

[@Wexelos]

@@GameslordXY you can game with 8gb of ram, just not perfect, comes from experience.

[@xJokerzWild]

Honestly, i run an I3-10100F, and this CPU is still kicking ass. Id legit say this is a system worth its price point, especially with a newer GPU than mine(RX 550)

[@bjamez007]

Run it till the "wheels" fall off. Still rocking a Ryzen 5 3600 CPU in 2024!

[@snipoxkillo1099]

​@@bjamez007 Mine was a ryzen 2400g which I had to RMA in about a year and since 2400g was out of production, they sent me a 3400g 😆

[@BigDrewski1000]

​@@bjamez007Same. I had it paired with a 1660 non super for a while but saw an ROG Strix 2070 super for $150 & couldn't say no. Lol

[@IgoByaGo]

I don't hate this. At all. I think this would make a decent 1080P gaming computer, something good for a kid or someone who doesn't have much money. I would recommend over a console too.

[@rhinostove]

Any game from pre 2018, so some of the best games ever almost always on sale on Steam, would look great on it at 1080p. Great system to get someone into PC gaming.

[@davyrando1203]

Yeah, there is definitely a legit market for this. If I wasn't into tech and had a kid who needed a computer for school but who also wanted something to game on, this would be great. Although I do think it'd be much improved without the craptastic RGB extras.

[@IgoByaGo]

@@davyrando1203 LOL One reason I love RGB is I love RGB puke. I like the way it looks, but that is me, I showed my friend that you can just change the colors and it doesn't have to look this way, so now he buys stuff in RGB and changes the color. My son is like me, the more RGB, the better.

[@МихаилКондаков-х7м]

"I don't hate this" - exactly how I feel. Outdated and not the most powerful, but still pretty decent hardware. And the case is surprisingly not junk. I mean it does its job and looks OK, and it's quite compact, too.

[@Stonerman135]

​@@IgoByaGo yeah, I hate the standard RGB puke so when I first got into PC building, I used to buy fans with a set color or no light at all depending on budget and what I wanted at the time. Then I found out the "A" in ARGB means "addressable" which means I can change not only the color but also have different lighting effects. Now I buy all ARGB fans if I care about aesthetics for a build so that I can make the lighting effects be whatever I want.

[@genericsidecharacter8915]

I’m so sad because my younger cousin got a prebuilt for $500 before I got into pcs. It had an i7 2600, gtx 1660 super, 16gb ram, and an matx mobo in an atx case. I wish I woulda learned sooner so I coulda helped him

[@wynandsmall19]

I've been subscribed to your channel for more than 7 years now...and I still remember the good old days, but I have to say Jay, I really enjoy your content these days and it makes me excited for the way forward. You guys are an awesome team! Please take care of yourselves in these tough times and many blessings to you and your family.

[@funnydale]

@@wynandsmall19 it’s getting to a point where you would almost be better off buying a cheap mini pc and a GPU dock and a cheap GPU.

[@flaw885]

​@@funnydaleWhat does that have to do with this person's comment?

[@funnydale]

@@flaw885 must have posted in the wrong comment. My bad.

[@XXsupervisor]

Dont think its talked about enough that the PC you need is based on the screen you're using. A lot of oeople still use 1080p monitor and a system like this will be fine for them

[@theghostofthomasjenkins9643]

yeah, if you're at 1080p on the monitor, you don't need anything over a 1070 realistically.

[@Thurgosh_OG]

Yes, thats a big screen to fill, so the card is having to work a bit more, than on a more common 24" monitor.

[@nddulac]

This is a very good point. Someone who is buying a $550 PC isn't pairing it with a $400 monitor.

[@jamesbyrd3740]

You can buy a new monitor.

[@GameslordXY]

​@@nddulac Correct. There are 180Hz sub 100$(99.99 from MSI and AOC from quick Pcpartpicker search) monitors on the market. Perfect for buyers of such PCs.

[@wage23]

in 2018 i bought one of my first gaming pc's being a single dad it was all i could afford at the time. from Lyte technology. 500$ included a i7 3770s, rx 580 8gb, 16gb ddr3 1600, 500gb ssd, 1tb hdd, 500 watt psu, with a keyboard and mouse. my father still has that pc he uses it for is 3d printing stuff now but but is crazy that what 6 years later 540$ pc's still have the same performance level of gpu's and honestly thats not THAT bad cause in that price range all you ever really see is 1650's or 3050's

[@oimazzo2537]

Some of those part were used though i assume

[@wage23]

@@oimazzo2537 the 3770 came out in 2012. and the rx 580 2017. considering the pc was bought in 2018....yeah some parts were used. you must not know how 90% of prebuilt companies work lol you can buy an ibuypower pc from walmart and it could have used parts in it. thats the reality of prebuilts

[@oimazzo2537]

@@wage23 i get it but its kind of still different stuff with warranty stuff and prebuilt. You did good but it's not apple to apples and with the same process you used back then you can probably build something fairly better than that or this prebuilt at the same price

[@AndreasA.S.]

as i still have my 3770 asus tuf rig, i use it as a truenas test rig now, its still very capable, mine has a 960 for transcoding testing. i used it for years as my main gaming system until i decided it was time for an upgrade when the i7 12k came out. night and day, but i was still gaming on it for that long, and it still JUST WORKS.

[@wage23]

@@AndreasA.S. it still keeps up for sure about 2 years ago i built my daughter her first pc with a i7 3770s with 16gb of ram and a 2tb hdd i got off facebook for 60$ swapped everything to a new case with a 40$ 500 watt psu, and threw in a 90$ brand new from amazon rx 580 8gb, plays games like warzone high settings 1080p 65-70 fps. cant beat it for the whole setup monitors, headset everything was like 550. granted she plays stuff like rocket league or goat simulator but its still a very capable pc.

[@awilliams1701]

ok 3 minutes in and this is better than the $8000 PC just because it contains useful documentation. lol

[@Vladislav888]

It's a decent starter system. It has an ok upgradabilty and thermals are decent. Just buy an additional stick of RAM, cheap tower cooler and 10700 on the aftermarket in the future, and it will be relevant for a very long time.

[@awilliams1701]

@@Vladislav888 lol at that point it's basically a new pc.

[@muskiet8687]

For that price, that pc is a much better deal than what I can get from your sponsor.

[@TurboLoveTrain]

Swap out the RAM and put in two sticks. All the tests he did was single channel DDR, which completely defeats the purpose of using DDR in the first place.

[@jacklarsen4]

The sky is blue.

[@mikedav178]

lol

[@Ludak021]

@@TurboLoveTrain DDR does not mean what you think it means...DC vs SC in games makes minimal difference on low end hardware.

Yuuuup!!

[@TakaChan569]

I like how 1080p 60+ is now " it's not bad" like a backhanded complement, there are a good number of pc gamers who are still rocking similar hardware heck i was till i upgraded recently to a 7800x3d and a 7900gre. Something like this along with my PS5 kept me a happy gamer.

[@insertnamehere4419]

Not sure if serious. This thing is Ewaste.

[@ryanj610]

It is a backhanded compliment; don't take it personally that that went the way of the dodo 13 years ago. We're talking about a modern purchase here..... Hell, teenage me in 2011 was able to get a 144hz 1080p monitor working at McD's.

[@scottydc]

man a 1440p 240hz monitor is like 279.99 nowadays, I can find 144hz monitors for less than a hundred bucks on ebay. this stuff is ancient

[@GameslordXY]

Precisely. Adding 1 more 8 gigs stick would make it very,very nice decently capable machine.

[@GameslordXY]

​@@insertnamehere4419 Why? Aside of almost necesity of adding 8 more gigs , there is nothing wrong with it. What's the minimum specs PC that you consider acceptable that has windows and peripherals?

[@thanasisanagnopoulos9265]

For the price it looks like a very good option for a lot of people getting their first pc or a pc for their kids. It's not the newest or the greatest in technology but it's very affordable and for most people looking for a cheap prebuild , i dont think high fps gaming and cinebench score are a concern .

[@mycosys]

but the crap parts are

[@williammathies2998]

Thanks!

[@johngalactus4014]

Prebuilds are not all bad; most are but there are some really good ones (like the recent Starforge that GN had reviewed).

[@chadley2014]

I find the powerspec lineup at microcenter is also really good for prebuilts.

[@FantomMisfit]

GN said Starforge was overpriced Edit: I'm not paying a $400-500 markup for labor that isn't worth more than 100 tops. Unless you're doing custom loops the most you can reasonably expect to charge as a build fee is $100 imo

[@personalcompertest]

I got one of these from STGaubron RX 470 8gb i7 16 gb of ram as well and I cannot complain. Had it for a while. Yes indeed I did have some slight issues originally but the issues died down after I reinstalled windows and installed the latest Radeon AMD driver.

[@chrismay2298]

That JayzThreeCents line got me dead... You guys smoked more breaksfast than I did today didn't you?

[@tusharuchil8220]

He's got the Valve Syndrome

[@ruikazane5123]

@@tusharuchil8220 "SCARED OF THE NUMBER 3"

[@pfcoiprocs]

as a matter of fact, i did just before breakfast (sometimes two joints and a glass of water is breakfast)

[@combatwombat594]

@@pfcoiprocs I smoke two joints in the morning, I smoke two joints at night... lmao

[@combatwombat594]

Change the channel name lol Jay Smokes Two Joints lmfao

[@ElderGamerX]

Hey, that's my GPU! I have a i5 9400, 1660 super, and 16 gb of ddr4 2666 ram. It can definitely play Elden Ring at 1080p 60fps on ultra without ray tracing. I've never tried to play any of those other games, but I know titles coming out this year (lile ff16 or Space Marine) are finally too much for it. Which is why I'm finally upgrading this holiday season.

[@revanisalive]

cpu most important upgrade there imo. that 1660 will still play decent with FSR for a while. i have a shitty rx 6400 but went from i5 6500 to r5 5600x. the difference is crazy

[@ElderGamerX]

@revanisalive Unfortunately for me, any better processor in that gen costs almost as much as getting a new midline chip. So I'll end up having to choose between a new GPU, like a 7900 gre or 7800xt, or getting a CPU, motherboard, and new ram as a combo and working from there over time..

[@Folsomdsf2]

the 1660 super is a remanufactured card by stg for sure. It's got a PNY XLR8 cooler design, an MSI backplate. They're literally just breaking down the cards, taking the gpu's, putting them on new boards and just copying the designs for coolers and such. Edit: Also the languages weren't weird. It is indeed setup for NA. MExican Spanish and Canadian French are not the same as regular french and spanish. There /are/ differences default by MS.

[@ffwast]

Being canadian or french was already bad enough then some sickos make up canadian french smh

[@maddog2010p]

it wasnt about it being weird, its about how the windows program only offers those 3 languages. not the other 500 they normally do. (not literally 500)

[@kravenfoxbodies2479]

Building or Fixing or Rebuilding gpu's is an art form if you have ever watched someone transplant the gpu from one board to another board.

[@greggmacdonald9644]

It's probably pirated or grey-market (at best) Windows. Jay did mention he'd check that, but he never did in this video.

[@johnpatz8395]

@@kravenfoxbodies2479 every now and then I can’t resist watching gpu repair videos, it’s so cool

[@erickruse4679]

Looks pretty sweet to me. Little 1080p dorm pc. You could do some legit productivity and gaming.

[@w4r10rd]

honestly i still prefer doing my own research and buying parts and assembling them by myself as per cost and need this prebuilt thing never gives me the peace of mind for satisfaction

[@GearheadK20C4]

For me, building the pc is part of the fun.

[@ccayco]

@@GearheadK20C4 Building is like the best part. Researching, buying, and actually using is just formalities haha

[@chowtuk]

@@GearheadK20C4 building and overclocking the best performance ur build can gave for a couple of hours for the game you want to play, played for a couple of hours and never play it again🤣

[@firstname565]

I also trust myself to assemble my PC with more care and in a better fashion than random dude doing it as his 9 to 5.

[@llortaton2834]

not everybody has the time to research the current trends in technology to then make a list of parts to then overclock that system and design an entire watercooling on top of that, but i get your point, some people have more money than time.

[@MastrSplinta]

STG Aubron is a subsidiary of STG Global. STG Global is a B2B repair and maintenance company. They have leftover stock that is outdated, and they use it to build competent gaming PC's with older platform components. But they are new, unused overstock that has been sitting in warehouses. I was happy with mine for a starter PC. Ran games well for the price. Kept it 6 months and never gave me headaches.

[@stevencarlson7853]

Nice to see a review on a lower price point pc

[@andrewlee9508]

Hey Jay, that screw hole for the cover for the GPU and PCI slots can be replaced with a security screw/anchors that allows Kensington lock chains to loop through. I've built several PCs for non-profits who want to physically secure their computers (and every penny counts for their budget, so my bills are all gratis to them). I have headaches sourcing for cases that do not have captive thumb screws, and yet allows me to install these anchor/loops that I can secure them with Kensington chains. Purely an anecdote from my side, but I have a practical use case for these dreaded screws.

[@siddcandy]

This build is what it is, imho it isn’t bad for this price range, even looks decent. What I liked about this vid was how you went from wanting to diss it and being a condescending cocky dude to a professional tester who was looking for the positive traits. Good one sir! Keep up the amazing work!

[@lunsmann]

This is exactly the sort of PC my wife would use. She doesn't need a new PC, because her current PC has better specs than that, but did cost AU$899 when I bought it maybe 3 years ago. I5 12400 with 1TB nvme, and 16GB Corsair Vengeance ram. Integrated graphics. She uses it with a 27 inch 1440p monitor. Basically youtube and shopping sites.

[@Shiggstream]

Your E-machine reference got me. I remember vividly upgrading my emachine with a used 6600GT and an extra 1GB of RAM - I could finally walk into Ironforge without stutters. Or rather, without too many stutters.

[@bobbym6130]

I ran a 1660 super for many years. It was a great card. Overall this seems like a totally decent deal

[@nopenope5398]

Should definitely do a side by side comparison. That prebuilt vs custom built version by Jay for same price including price of labor for assembly and if Jay can get close to cost to performance ratio...make it a true competition and throw Linus, Paul, Kyle, and as many other KZbinrs into the mix as possible. So that they all get an idea of what normal people can afford.

[@billwiley7216]

I am playing on a much newer more powerful system but honestly I find these days the majority of my game purchases being added to my Steam library are older games at very steep sale prices which would run fine on much lesser hardware. Back in the day I played a lot of the Assassins Creed series on the Playstation platform and on a current sale just bought Assassins Creed II for under $5 which should run fine on a system such as in this video or even better on a very budget PC build of currently available mainstream parts and pieces. Sure some of the older games may lack some of the effects or graphics of the new AAA stuff but they are available for super cheap price, many have excellent storylines and fantastic gameplay. I know over the years I have played many older "classic" game titles that although multiple years old since initial release at the time I played them were still totally new and fresh to me and thoroughly enjoyed. Just because a person whether through choice or budget restrictions PC games on more budget gear running lesser resolutions and refresh rates does not mean that person is not immensely enjoying the time they are gaming.

[@manuelcamacho-cazares4639]

I must agree, the Ezio trilogy was the best in the Assassins Creed franchise. That and Black Flag.

[@TheSteakPie]

@@billwiley7216 Yep who buys higher end PC to play AAA games ? Hell no, we just play older games faster 🤣

[@gmonkman]

yea, same here, I never buy new releases. Soooo many great games out there .. why fixate on the latest.

[@rexyoshimoto4278]

Pretty cool. That looks like my old Dell Studio 435 mt back in 2009. Kept upgrading year after year for 10 yrs. Only had the motherboard and processor that were original. Was my work horse for another 5 yrs. and last September, I gave it to a friend who loves it. Too much fun.

[@elnkr2603]

"Not the greatest gaming experience" You're getting 60fps at 1080p Highest...

[@malchir4036]

On a 6 year old game.

[@KunaiKrazy]

1080p/60fps isn't exactly great. It is, or should be, standard for PC. It's good for what it is, though.

[@mariozenarju6461]

@@malchir4036 Games didn't get much better from that point, honestly

[@heatnup]

copium

[@theghostofthomasjenkins9643]

it's a great PC, especially for the price. jays gotten spoiled and out of touch lately with what most gamers actually need for their set ups.

[@dandietlindrives]

Im watching this on a 12100 and 1660s that I built as a light duty computer. It runs any game Id want to play on a controller over 60fps, and with one case fan its very quiet. Anything competitive Id move to my more powerful computer but these are great when you dont want to hear fans. I liked this video, very light hearted PC fun.

[@jeffb.6642]

Lots of the HP machines I set up for work have English (United States) as the only language option in the OOBE setup.

[@wezite1983]

I probably spent more time picking a pre build than using one. Gave it to my son, built my own and never looked back.

[@Trigger444x]

2:30 - The Dead Space here is filled in by the accessories... I hope there's no Necromorphs hiding in there! You better watch the vents Jay!

[@tek_lynx4225]

It's probably a Machinist Motherboard, with a reclaimed chipset, they should of disclaimed that, it has all the tells that it one with the not full m-atx form factor and bios. Technically that makes the mobo used.

[@harleye1235]

I wouldn't be surprised if the whole build is technically used or refurbished parts

[@ABRetroCollections]

It's SECLIFE.

[@logantodd3974]

your camera man is on point with the zooms! dude knows when a point is needing to be made, and he does it well lmao!

[@chuckthetekkie]

My first PC was made by Epson that I got as a hand me down back in 1995 or so. Yes the Printer brand. It had an absolutely blazing fast Cyrix 486 that ran at 50MHz. LOL.

[@AndreasA.S.]

still faster than my fully operational Amiga 1200

[@TheSteakPie]

Honestly unless it blows up for 550 you can't moan. Yeah over time add a stick of ram, m2 and even a cheap keyboard a nice starter kit for someone

[@ShartSydePhil]

This is perfect for a kids first PC. For $550, they get everything except the monitor. My 11 year old got a prebuilt PC as his first one about a year ago, and since then we've upgraded the case, power supply, RAM, and CPU cooler. I plan on getting a 7900 XT in the near future and when that happens he's getting my current RX 6600. The only thing left of his prebuilt PC is the CPU, GPU, and motherboard. If this had been around when he got his, we probably would've went with this.

[@dragonman910]

For that price, that's a very good entry point into pc gaming!

[@sandosimracing8729]

Last winter I got my 9 y.o. son a Acer Nitro 50 with a i5 11440F/ GTX1660 6gb /512 SSD/8gb Ram for $200 open box. That was a great deal. Need to get the RAM up but other than that its a great first gaming computer. This computer seems to be in that ballpark. Cheers!

[@CaptainNamikaze]

I've seen some of these over the years and I get why people buy them, especially as their entry into PC but I'd rather take that 549 bucks, save a little more and then get a better system or parts in general. I know not everyone is able to save up 3000+ to spend on a system but I also feel those companies just want to get rid of their surplus product, or worse used product without declaring it. A friend of mine bought one of these on Amazon UK and all parts were clearly used but advertised as new. You don't know what the previous owner did with the parts and if you don't know better you're not only getting subpar parts but also parts that may not perform how they should.

[@Azurantine81]

Nice to see one of you bigger tech youtubers actually thinking about the lower end for a change. It is easy to forget the mere mortals when you live at the top. Nice job.

[@ATVProven]

8gb 1660? Never knew they made any bigger than 6gb

[@psyborg01]

I upgraded my pc this past month and still rock an EVGA GTX1660 Super and I play all my games on high or max at over 100fps.. having a blast. this card can still perform great. when I decide to look at the latest AAA games I might change but there just too many older games I still need to play which will last me for quite a while still.

[@domgag1756]

You don't need the latest and greatest to have fun.

[@hardwire666too]

Wow I had no idea Falcon NW was still around. I figured they vanished with the 90's, and I always liked the cases that has the PCI slot screws on the outside of the case. Makes it so much easier to get a real screwdriver in there.

[@Jzwiz]

The real downside is i dont see an upgrade path for anything in here but the type of people buying this would just buy a new pc anyways

[@francoishavenga9309]

With the H510 Motherboard you could go to 11th Gen or something like i5 11400f for a cheap price. Not to mentiom the Motherboard also supports Pci Express 4.0 which you could add a RTX 30506GB fir cheap price. So ur comment about being there's no upgrade path is usless and doesn't make sense

[@Atlessa]

I disagree. I can even see two different upgrade paths for this machine. In either case I would start with a new case. A bigger case, at least "full ATX" for two reasons: It easier to work in, and you don't have to worry about motherboard formats. 1, "slow crawl": -New PSU -replace the RAM for a dual channel kit and I would say 32GB (could be achieved by finding a compatible one identical (or close to) the stick that's already in there) -new MB and processor - I would go with something around Ryzen 5600X -new GPU, which one depends on many factors, including if you're okay with used hardware. I personally got myself a 2080Ti a few months ago - up from a 3060, and it only cost me 180€ And then repeat as needed over the following years. This is how I've been doing it for the last 2 decades, and I still maintain that I spend less on my PC while always able to play the latest games than someone who keeps buying the newest Playstation models. 2, "big leaps" -New SSD -New PSU (technically optional, but definite prerequisite to the next step), MB, Processor and RAM - in this case I'm thinking 7800X3d with maybe 64GB RAM -New GPU - in this case probably something in the 4070 range (or AMD equivalent if you are so inclined) In both paths: Add more/faster SSDs when needed. And switch to whatever storage technology comes next whenever it fits your budget. But I don't think we're gonna see and big changes that won't fit into the M.2 slot for a LONG time. But who knows. Maybe there's about to be a breakthrough on magneto-optical spinning discs next year and we'll all be using "Hyperdisks" or something in less than a decade. So long as the industry doesn't call them "HD" - that could get confusing.

[@beirch]

@@francoishavenga9309 My dude, are you joking? The RTX 3050 6GB is a literal downgrade vs the 1660S. The 8GB already performs nearly identical to the 1660S, and the 3050 6GB is 20-30% slower than the 8GB.

[@francoishavenga9309]

@@beirch i didnt say that the 3050 6GB can Run any Game at 1080p Ultra i Run CP 2077 on Ultra Woth SSR set To Ultra with DLSS amd get 60FPS most of the time. Im not a ID10T i know how strong the Base RTX 3050 is against a 1660S. The RTX 3050 6GB is only a Option if ur on a Tight Budget. And i have a 30508GB I nowhere even Mentioned 1660S

[@francoishavenga9309]

Go and Wath RandomGaminginHD he bencmarked the 2 3050's against each other. Its not Great Card bit its fine fir a Beginner

[@RisingReap]

not gona lie i whas suprised to see a solid 60+ fps in tomb raider shadows on this pc/hardware

[@FeartheBoxes]

Hi Jay, I have a better pc for the same price, but I can't put a link in the comment sections or it just takes my comment down. Here's my list! -Ryzen 5 5500 -Asrock B450M-HDV 4.0 -Silicon Power xPower 2x16gb ddr4-3200 -Teamgroup MS30 512gb m.2 -XFX Speedster RX 6650 XT -Cooler Master MasterBox Q300L -Thermaltake Smart 500w 80+ Little Bonus: Chonchow Gaming Keyboard and mouse Combo Everything comes at a price of 548.02$ US.

[@thisismelsemail1217]

No mouse pad or bluetooth speaker though. I know it's silly but even junk has value. Also I'm fairly certain the included fans with that case, if any at all, aren't RGB either. Having a better name brand motherboard does bring some value back though.

[@cj-pz2kk]

nice

[@Mattias1172]

No Windows license which would add a decent cost and it appears this one is licensed. Sure most enthusiast would either go unlicensed or Linux, but this is not a pc aimed at enthusiasts.

[@M0nsterRipper]

dunno man 5500 is kind shit i would prefer a 3600 if you could find it even if its same price

[@TheFluffyArmadillo]

You wasted money on a cooler the 5500 comes with a Wraith Cooler

[@MeGustaTuPP]

Perfect first pc for anyone between 10-14.

[@Phil_3491]

If you are 15 you can’t use this anymore. Fact.

[@rphntw1n]

Nothing wrong with that. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@pancakewaffles]

Hi Jay! When running the media creation tool for Windows, you choose the languages you want during setup. I installed Windows 11 for someone yesterday and didn't realize this, so while they mainly speak Spanish, I had to install in English. You can change the language more specifically after first time setup however, it's fairly easy

[@k24skin]

Most, if not all of these Chinese budget "Gaming" PCs have refurbished and rebranded old and now defunct crypto-mining farm cards, that's why nothing comes up when Jay searched its seriel number :/

[@cheesySOS]

the company that assembled this prebuilt is a company that also has a repair and maintenance business, the parts they use for these prebuilts are unused stock that is new but cant really be sold well anymore

[@abelke]

I’m here on the toilet post Chinese food Saturday. That’s commitment

[@JC-uq9pu]

Same

[@rum66runner]

😂 same

[@JohnSpartan-117]

KEK

[@92F0XBody]

Post Taco Bell. Same vibes

[@lifespanofafry1534]

Well shit, it’s Sunday? I’m not ready for tomorrow. Happy toileting fellow toileter.

[@rcairo2595]

I picked up one of these no name/ unknown name PC's for like $580 a year ago, but with an I7 and a 2060 super, and I was surprised when it ran and still does run great, for what it is. Just the CPU, GPU, and OS were worth the money paid. The ram, PSU, case, rgb fans, and SSD were basically free. We may be at a point where the junk tech is not so junky like it used to be.

[@netiturtle]

Instead of all the RGB, RGB controller and glass panel, put a second DIMM in there, or NVME SSD instead of SATA. And exhaust fan. And the manufacturers wouldn't be doing this if the consumers didn't go for -dumb- cool lights instead of performance

[@Thurgosh_OG]

Most consumers are not also PC enthusiasts, so the colours take more of their attention.

[@ronguin7062]

RGB increases the FPS so you're getting more performance at the same price point....DUH! 🙂

[@CraftyVegan1988]

just did the conversion cause I'm canadian. 550 usd is 740 cad. Ryzen 5 5500, gtx 1650, 512 gb nvme, 2x16 gb ddr4, asus prime b550 wifi mobo, deepcool argb cpu cooler, AZZA 650w power supply, montech air argb mid tower was about 700 cad. I just built this last week and its fantastic

[@just-passin-thru]

Remember Jay... it's 2024, Inflation, high unemployment rate, government threating to shut down again. Most people can't even afford a PC let alone put food on the table. This is a great starter PC. I started with i5 3550 and a gt1030 3 yrs ago

[@bend8353]

Most? Really?

[@OperatorPuski]

Society continues as normal in a government shutdown. No one would notice any difference. Every program gets paid. All essential services continue as normal. Fed parks, landmarks, and certain buildings are closed and that’s it.

[@ThingNumberTwo2]

Unemployment in the US is at 4.2%, which is nearly a historic low. Sure, people are looking for bargains, but they always have been.

[@cc3]

Most of your stats are well off but the sentiment is there. Lower income households are really struggling right now (as the cost of everything else increases), and a $2000 gaming PC is not a realistic option for most families.

[@jeffreygrindle6396]

Iv upgraded quite a few of these decent starter rig last one I upgraded got a i7 11700kf Rtx 3070 and 850 watt psu MSI branded and a 1t m.2 WD black it also got a full fan kit and a hype 212 black tower cooler really turned out very nice

[@LapNgo-h9u]

This guy don't watch the Toasty Bros.

[@pahnazd]

I noticed the OOBE language thing as well a few times when I was doing an audit mode setup. Only the languages I had installed through that mode showed up in OOBE It's pretty neat because if you set it up via audit mode, you generally know at least one thing about your customer so don't need to force them to scroll down if they're a non-US resident

[@thewickedtim]

You can build a $500 gaming PC with a Ryzen 5 5500, RX6600, 16 GB of RAM, and 1 TB nvme drive pretty easily. All new parts.

[@randysalsman6992]

No you can't. lol Maybe if after every part bought you blow the seller, that way you get a discount, otherwise you're looking at $800 or so.

[@thewickedtim]

@@randysalsman6992 brother you can piece it together on PC part picker yourself. I'm not lying lmao

[@thewickedtim]

@@randysalsman6992 I have parts list on PCPartPicker right now that is $527 US. Includes everything I said in my original post.

[@rphntw1n]

Duh! You can also go to the grocery store instead of a restaurant.

[@thewickedtim]

@@rphntw1n idk what you're on about. Jay asked if we could build a better machine for $550 at the end of this video and I commented answering his question. This isn't the gotcha you think it is.

[@908967]

Was able to put together a Pc with a Ryzen 5 5500, Soyo B450M mobo, 16gb Dual channel 3200mhz ram, RX 6600, Raidmax MESHIAN X902 case, MSI MAG 550w psu, Patriot P300 1tb M.2.... All for $516 on Newegg....

[@theghostofthomasjenkins9643]

this is a great computer for 550 bucks. it kinda shows how out of touch you've become with your builds.

[@NOLAgenX]

Agree. Jay thinks that it’s just ok, but forgets that a large percentage of gamers are on 1080p and they can afford only about what this system is, the economy being what it is.

[@slevin444]

so true !!!

[@mycosys]

Its really not, a few dollars more from the SI would have made a much better system, but sure if you go on bare chip numbers and ignore the quality and wty it looks ok

[@CoronelOcioso]

JAy and other thech channels are there to showcase the latest and more powerful... Actually Jay makes an effort to get in touch with the real users testing this stuff so you dont have to or showing the difference of top of the line VS middle line same specs components.

[@llcooljay66]

Should not be so condescending to a product that is $500 not everybody's rich like you are.

[@arnox4554]

Not what he was doing.

[@bront_catherder]

ToastyBros do a lot of STGAubron as a mainstay in the value space. Doesn't mean all their PCs are good, but that looks to be one of the more sensible configs. There's a good chance most of the parts in there are refurbs, clearanced, or otherwise scratched together, but for a value PC for like a casual gamer or a kid instead of a console, it seems pretty solid.

[@MrSquatch93]

I bought a prebuilt for my parents like this off Amazon it was built by a diff company but it is still going strong a year later. They had been spending 500 plus on normal desktops that were slow as hell and breaking months into use so I convinced them to let me find them one. Idr remember what all the specs were but ngl it was pretty decent for only paying around 600ish

[@MrSquatch93]

I will say the rgb lights go haywire though lol

[@shaynecarter-murray3127]

That Falcon NW sponsorship takes me back...the Fragbox was the first loaded SFFPC I ever saw

[@dineentimothy]

Picked up a new computer over the summer. i5 11400f, 1650...for just over $400 Canadian. I'm upgrading the RAM and the cooler this week, so it will be close to $500. Graphics card update to come...but it sure beats what I used to be running (i5 750 with an R7 240) for years. I think this one you showed is a decent little machine.

[@EXMachina.]

I love these kinda videos when you compare pre built vs assembling on your own with the same budget invested.

[@valentinosgsxr]

I appreciate the case they offer. Rearranging and adding a couple of extra fans and you can create a very good air flow in there, Good job!

[@andrewwinter7843]

This is exactly what I was hoping you'd do. I asked it in a video I saw yesterday. How to make do with "not enough". Really in my experience this is an ideal entry level gamer. Entry Level. On video it looks fantastic! This really exemplifies the whole mess with NVIDIA asking thousands just for a GPU card, and AMD saying, whoooaaaaa, lets go back to selling something a little more affordable, yet still way beyond what you just bought. Bang for the BUCK! I'd play all day on that critter.

[@robertthompson7242]

I got an HP Slimline several years ago; same sort of set up, really, except it had a 4700G without a separate card. Biggest performance upgrade initially was just adding a second ram stick; later added a RX 6600. But adding another stick of ram ought to double the bandwidth for the cpu.

[@KitsuneVoss]

My old gaming laptop - 4th gen i7 with a GTX 980m has similar performance. It kind of gives a look at how the system compares with older hardware.

[@bluephreakr]

The spent USB ports in the back could be reclaimed by plugging in an internal USB hub and figuring out how to fasten that in your system. The WiFI and Bluetooth dongles are then just-as accessible thanks to the glass panel being used, rather than the full-metal cover that could stop any signal from getting through.

[@12347Shadow]

I built a very similar PC to that with the same exact processor for an OPNSense firewall. I ended up spending roughtly $400 when I built it, but that was without a GPU, and PCIe NIC instead. I also used a cheap 256gb nvme, but that hardly factors into the price. I'd say that's right on the money, and is actually a pretty damn good deal given it has a 1660 Super as well. For 1080p gaming, something like this is actually a great option for a low budget build, although, if you were to build one yourself, you might get higher quality parts for around the same price.

[@tonycollazorappo]

I'm impressed, that brand didn't do well for others. I paid about $150 more than the one you got from CyberpowerPC and I runs well and I'm super happy. My first gaming pc ever, and I was a console "only" player since the consoles first came out way back when. I'm a MUCH older player, 63, I'll never go back to console. PC gaming is a whole new wonderful world to me. 👍🏻

[@joeewbank1070]

I'd love to see an update, if those two front fans were flipped to Intake instead of exhaust - does it make any difference in temps? I think it'd also be fun to see the smoke test with both configurations.

[@connorschmidt7246]

Pc I built for my friend this year back in march, definitely would recommend a different case and better case fans because of noise but they get the job done. New parts: Coolermaster Q300L pc case Aresgame agv 500w power supply Amd ryzen 5 5500 cpu Asus b450m-a ii mobo T-force Vulcan z (2x8gb) ddr4 16 gb ram Crucial p3 500gb nvme m.2 ssd Ssd heat sink because why not lol Coolermaster hyper 212 spectrum v3 cpu cooler Thermalright 3 pack 120mm case fans Arctic mx-6 thermal paste Used: Msi gaming x gtx 1060 that I repasted Total: $525

[@Lemurion287]

I've been running a very similar system for about two and a half years now, though it actually cost me about 650 all told. I've got the same 10105F, 16GB of RAM, 2 500GB SSDs, and an RX6600. I only have a 1080P monitor and it runs everything I play well enough. When I originally built it I paid $430, but that was with an RX580 I already had and only one SSD.

[@tspbod260]

I just ordered pc parts for my son for 378. Ryzen 5 4500 with a Gigabyte B450, 32 gb of t-force ram and a rx 590 8gb. Reusing case and ssd. Not a power house but will do what he needs it for all within his budget.

[@TurboLoveTrain]

Great Vid I love that you're sponsored by Falcon Northwest. They've been around forever because they're fucking awesome. The generic MOBO is fine for most people--especially with a locked CPU. I'd replace the ram, SSD and heat synch but the rest is fine for most gamers.

[@Icantthinkofanameman]

8:50 That bluetooth speaker sounds like one of those "the bluetooth has connected successfully" meme speakers just from that one voice line

[@Fajaruddinnn]

yeah it's from cheap chinese speaker

[@neofloggin3687]

I wouldn't hate on the system, honestly. It seems to be pretty well balanced for a budget general-purpose family computer. It's something most would use as an introduction to PC. For those persons, I'm not sure if they are ready. School kids would probably make great use of it with a small upgrade. Straight up well valued starter PC.

[@91wagon65]

I built something similar with an i3 12100f for my son a few years ago for about the same price. It runs really good and impressed me for what it is.

[@andrewalexander9508]

Just an FYI, the H510DA1 lead me to Esonic/ITZR as the manufacturer of the board. Guessing the biggest issue is that this is being filled with only asia market components. Not all of them will have a english version of the site to pull up a data sheet. Chances are the video card is an ODM component since STG made the computer and "made" the PSU.

[@Biglukev]

It is cool to see someone making a video about what you get for a PC in the same price bracket as a modern console and you even sorta recommend it for the price. You can order it and go for cheap - cheap in the PC world.

[@maddmaxx5337]

Mine was $600 in 2019. I upgraded the GPU and I've got 2 1t m.2s now. I doubt I could do much better today. However, I would have more confidence considering I've built 4 more since then. My mom's, wifey's, and 2 for friends of mine all under $700, mom's was $580 something.

[@priyampatel]

I had a similar system. It was a second hand custom built. It had a MSI h510, 10100f, Inno3D GTX1660, Sata SSD and CM 550W PSU. It was a decent build and used to run Valorant, NFS Unbound, NFS Heat, CS2, Stray etc. at 1440P high at over 120fps consistently. Gotta say, I went through 3 mobos within a year (warranty claims!) abd I assume it being an issue with H510 and 1660 being too powerful for it. Swaped the 1660 for a 730 before I came to Canada for my mom and it is running without any issue since.

[@JeremyBaker-f8z]

Phil is so hilarious when lowkey roasting Jay. 🤣🤣

[@AndreasA.S.]

build wife a system years ago, she games more than i do, and i game alot. the specs are i guess you can call it 20% better in all aspects (1660ti evga, 10700), with name brand parts. shes still to this day happy with it and has yet to come complaining to me about needing upgrades. aside from your unit being chinesium re-badge of subpar parts, the specs are still very usable.

[@BlueberryJamPie]

Would be nice to see the tests with a fresh install, because these prebuilts tend to come with some funky bloatware or settings.

[@KarolusTemplareV]

@JayzTwoCents, A beautiful non-bloated bios I must say. Also, I think being around high-end hardware all the time does give a bias. The only sin of this PC is the single stick memory, and the faulty USB3, but that can be chance or a lose connector on the USB3 on the motherboard due to the expanding foam. Also that PC is asking for a 1080p monitor.

[@dragonhed123]

The graphics card and the rgb sound bar are the best things about this I can dig it!!!