I'm buying gaming PCs for my two sons, who currently use Dell all-in-one computers from around 2020. There isn't much worth carrying over, so each new system would need to be built from scratch. Costco is offering a CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme for $999.99 with an Intel Core Ultra 5 225F, RTX 5060 8GB, 32GB DDR5 memory, a 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, a 600W 80+ Gold power supply, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, Windows 11, and a two-year warranty. Buying two would put the total at about $2,000 before monitors. I'm comfortable assembling PCs myself, but I'm mainly interested in getting the best gaming performance and upgrade potential for the money. Given current component prices, could two custom-built systems around $1,000 each outperform these prebuilts? If you would build instead, what CPU and GPU combination would you target? I'm in South Carolina, USA.
6 Answers
A prebuilt can use a basic motherboard, case, or power supply, so I’d inspect those parts once the systems arrive. If the PSU turns out to be a particularly low-end model, replacing it with a reliable unit would be worthwhile. Otherwise, the RAM, SSD, and GPU prices make these machines a better value than building two comparable PCs today.
If the boys eventually need more storage, the drives from the old computers might be reusable after checking their interfaces and condition. The old all-in-ones could also be sold or kept as basic backup machines, but I wouldn’t choose the new systems based on that alone.
I’d buy the Costco systems. Matching those specifications for under $1,000 is extremely difficult right now, especially with DDR5 memory, SSD, and graphics card prices being so high. The included Windows license, assembly, and two-year system warranty make the deal even stronger.
The main compromise is the 8GB of VRAM on the graphics card, which could become limiting in some demanding games or at higher resolutions. For the target price and 1080p gaming, it’s still a reasonable tradeoff. A future GPU upgrade may also require replacing the 600W power supply, so check the case, motherboard, and PSU compatibility before upgrading.
They should be solid entry-level gaming PCs, particularly with 1080p monitors. The RTX 5060 should handle Minecraft, Fortnite, Roblox, esports games, and most modern titles at good settings. I wouldn’t pair them with 4K displays, though; 1440p can work in some games with adjusted settings.
I tried pricing out a comparable build and couldn’t get close to the Costco price. You might beat it by using older used DDR4 hardware, shopping secondhand, or traveling to a major computer retailer for bundle deals, but a new, equivalent build would likely cost substantially more.
The two-year warranty is convenient, although individual retail components often have longer warranties. With a custom build, you can usually replace or warranty one failed part instead of shipping the entire computer.