With the current focus on pre-built or custom-built PCs, including here at PremiumBuilds where we’ve written about the reasons to build yourself or to buy a prebuilt rig, many buyers are asking the first question when choosing a pre-built PC: who should I have build it?

Part of the reason you are letting a professional build your new battlestation is because you want to make sure it’s done right! You want a builder that knows exactly what he’s doing, but that still offers competitive pricing and good support in case things go wrong. Like any choice, there are advantages and disadvantages to each of the major producers. Depending on what is most important to you, we want to make sure you have a chance to choose the right builder of your next baby. There are probably hundreds of PC builders selling on places like Amazon/eBay, but we chose four of the most well-known and largest to compare. Most of them sell through their own website, but often also through retailers like Best Buy or Amazon if you prefer buying from one of them (or have a gift card from the holiday season!).

Each offers a slightly different experience, so let’s take a look at the four major pre-builders: CyberpowerPC, iBUYPOWER, ORIGIN PC, and BLD by NZXT:

Related:

• Prebuilt vs Custom Gaming PC: Which is best for you?
• Best Prebuilt Gaming PCs under $500
• Best Prebuilt Gaming PCs under $800
• Best Prebuilt Gaming PCs under $1000
• Best Prebuilt Gaming PCs under $1500
• Best ITX Gaming Prebuilts for 2021

Custom PC Builder Comparison

1. CYBERPOWERPC

We are starting with one of best known and probably largest pre-building company: CyberpowerPC. CyberpowerPC has been around for years, building first on its own and then expanding into retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. The site maintains a somewhat unwieldy configurator, but nothing too bad, that contains more options than any but the most hardcore specialist could need. We absolutely love the large selection of parts, the competitive pricing, and the rotating sales that can help save a little extra cash. Even better, despite the shortage of GPUs and CPUs that seem to have struck the DIY market, CyberpowerPC has managed to keep a decent stock level of all parts and has shipped plenty of recent systems with Ampere series GPUs, no mean feat! 

We would like to see a better tech support and faster shipping, but if you are patient, the PC is well-built when it arrives. The warranty offering is adequate (1-year parts, 3 years labor) but nothing to write home about. Overall, if you enjoy doing some research and finding a great deal, CyberPowerPC offers a great selection of very customizable builds that can get very close to DIY level pricing. For an enthusiast gamer looking for a particular pre-built, that’s just about perfect.

2. IBUYPOWER

Sometimes seen as the little brother to CyberpowerPC, iBUYPOWER is probably the second-largest prebuilder, after its ‘big bro’. Similar in many ways to CyberpowerPC, iBUYPOWER is an established custom builder that sells through its own site as well as retailers like Amazon and Best Buy and has a reputation for solidly built PCs.. The two are in many ways the same, but still have slight differences to set them apart. Where CyberPowerPC really offers the whole range of parts, iBUYPOWER seems to have a slight focus on budget and mid-tier builds, offering some very strong options in those price ranges with still plenty of customizability. Perhaps due to its slightly lower popularity, shipping times are faster than its main competitor, which is great for people looking to get their new PC as quickly as possible. On a somewhat subjective note, we also like the configurator better on the actual website, it feels easier to navigate and understand. However, this could also be in part due to the fact that there are a few less customization options.

Much like the advantages are similar, the disadvantages of iBUYPOWER are similar as well. The warranty is the same mediocre 1-year parts/3 years labor that is not particularly great, and the focus on budget/mid-tier means that the fewer high-end offerings seem to be more expensive than necessary. There are fewer rotating deals (although still some!) which can be nice in that you don’t have to check back every day, but also means there are fewer opportunities for savings for a patient buyer. Overall, iBUYPOWER is really very similar to CyberpowerPC and when choosing between the two, it should come down to who has the build you want at a better price and in stock. Once you have that information, the rest is relatively unimportant.

3. ORIGIN PC

Our next prebuilder starts to move in the opposite direction of iBUYPOWER and CyberpowerPC. Still a well-established company with a strong reputation, Origin PC has chosen to move toward the mid-tier and higher-end offerings and away from budget builds. Origin was started by some former Alienware employees in 2009, so this focus on higher-end shouldn’t be a surprise considering the market segment Alienware focused on. This means that some of their more expensive builds can be very interesting, but if you are looking to spend under $1000, one of the first two is likely a better choice. Origin has also gone for a more curated strategy, offering few configurations and rotating deals in favor of strong archetypes for each build format (SFF, ATX, mATX, laptops, etc.). Within those archetypes are some custom options, but not to the extent of CyberpowerPC or iBUYPOWER. We also appreciate the lifetime tech support, which tends to be a bit better than some of the other competitors.

Origin is an interesting company because of this mix of higher-end focus and more curated builds. For someone that wants a powerful PC and has an idea of what that means, but isn’t interested in doing research on hundreds of parts to find the perfect combination, Origin has a lot going for it. The more directed approach is sometimes nice, especially since one of the main reasons many buyers choose a prebuilt is to save themselves from doing all the legwork. Unlike some of the other builders, Origin also focuses on selling through its own site, so don’t try and find any of their builds on Amazon for example. If you are ok giving up on the rotating deals/sales and don’t need to customize every part of a budget build, Origin PC is a great place to look next.

4. BLD (by NZXT)

At the opposite end of the spectrum from our first two builders and even further along the curated strategy than Origin PC is our fourth building company, BLD. And actually, BLD is actually more than just a building company, they are the prebuilt arm of the components producer NZXT, which is best known for its cases like the H510 or coolers like the Kraken x63 (common choices for custom builders). As you can imagine, this comes with a few advantages and disadvantages. The main advantages to BLD are the backing of a major company like NZXT, which means the customer service and tech support is top notch, and they are backed by a longer 2-year warranty than other builders. We also really like that the first step to a BLD machine is a questionnaire that helps both you and BLD understand exactly what you’re looking for. This is a nice first step, especially for newer PC owners that are looking for some help. The builds themselves are slightly on the pricey side, but they are very high quality and also well-designed with a nice BLD/NZXT aesthetic.

The biggest disadvantage is probably not a surprise to anyone: BLD locks you into certain NZXT parts, like the cases. The customization options are just not there as BLD only sells NZXT components in certain categories. For someone that was already looking at an NZXT case for example, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But for someone that wanted a bit more choice, that can be a dealbreaker. So, if you are already interested in NZXT components or don’t mind using them, and you want a guided prebuild that focuses on quality and customer service, going through BLD by NZXT is definitely a viable option.

Conclusion

As with any decision, an absolute is hard to give (we aren’t Sith after all!). And while these four prebuilders and custom PC sellers are amongst the biggest, there are plenty of other companies that provide a similar service and might have interesting deals from time to time. But if you have decided that going with a custom-built PC or prebuilt is your choice for your next machine, this advantages and disadvantages comparison should help you pick the prebuilder that fits your needs and gets you the next premium build of your dreams. 

Looking to build a PC? View our top PC builds for 2021

If you are looking to do a build, why not check out our fully-vetted, recommended build guides for 2020? We have a range of builds to choose from – depending on budget, form factor, function or specific component-orientated builds!

The post Best Custom PC Builder Websites for 2021 – Compared appeared first on PremiumBuilds.

As mobile technology has continued to progress, laptops have caught up in many areas to their desktop counterparts. SSDs have shrunk in size, CPUs have become more power efficient, and batteries have improved capacity and efficiency. But there remains one major component that simply cannot perform as well within the thermally and space-constraints of a laptop: the graphics card. Due to their size and power needs, discrete graphics cards remain the single most important component in distinguishing the power of a laptop and the power of a desktop. But luckily, that’s changing too.

With improvements in external connection technology like Thunderbolt and USB-C, bandwidth has improved to the point that a GPU can be housed externally to a laptop (or desktop) and connected via cable to provide significant improvement in GPU-heavy tasks like gaming or rendering. Although still uncommon compared to traditional desktops, this solution is growing, and there are several great options available today. Depending on your reason for seeking an eGPU, our recommendations will help you find the housing that works best for you. Let’s take a look at the different options!

Best eGPUs – Our Recommendations

Best eGPU for Macbook Pro

Apple may continue to be a polarizing company, with some very strong supporters as well as strong critics, but Apple laptops continue to grow in market share and popularity. However, one segment where they remain rare is those looking for a strong graphics card, either for gaming or productivity. And especially as Apple introduces its in-house M1 chip that has shown stellar performance so far, buyers will be looking for graphics power to match the processing speed. For a Macbook Pro user that wants to beef up their graphics power to either game or perform productivity tasks, we recommend the Razer Core X.

This is a bit of an easy recommendation because in many ways, the Razer Core X is a great recommendation for any eGPU usage. But specifically, we like it for Macbook Pros because the Razer Core X only supports AMD graphics card when used with a Mac, which makes sense as Apple has historically played nicer with AMD than Nvidia (this is changing slowly for some applications). But generally, the Razer Core X is a just a solid eGPU enclosure that is officially supported by Apple. It contains the typical Thunderbolt 3 connection, as well as a built-in 650W power supply that both charges the laptop and gives power to the GPU. The compatibility list is very long, including recent cards like the 5700 XT, and the performance is as good as it gets for eGPU’s. When combined with the affordable $300 price tag, the Razer Core X is a very strong choice.

Best eGPU for Gaming

While it is pretty much understood, when we talk about gaming, we are basically leaving the world of Apple behind. Although more and more games are available for Mac, Windows remains the premier operating system for gamers. Most portable gamers will look for a gaming laptop that includes the GPU directly within the main enclosure, but there is a small subset of gamers that want a very portable laptop for travelling or schooling and then an add-on at a main station when looking to game. For these users, an eGPU is the perfect solution and our recommendation for best eGPU for gaming is the Aorus Gaming Box.

The two main ‘gaming’ oriented eGPU enclosures that are most often recommended (other than the Razer Core X) are this Aorus Gaming Box and the ASUS ROG XG Station. Between the two, there is not a huge difference, but we prefer the Aorus version for a couple of reasons: the GPU is included (the price reflects this), there is a window to see the internal parts, and the usage tends to be easier based on multiple user reviews. Aorus, a Gigabyte sub-brand, is known for high-quality components and the eGPU is a well-thought out enclosure that works with both Nvidia and AMD cards and focuses on performance to give the best gaming experience possible. If you already have a GPU that you plan on using, the Razer Core X might be a better buy, but if you don’t already have a graphics card, their bundled options make a lot of sense (going all the way up to a water-cooled 2080Ti version!) and should give you the gaming experience you crave.

Best Compact eGPU

One thing you might notice about the above recommendations, and especially the gaming recommendations, is the size of the enclosures. Many buyers end up with a set-up that rivals the size of a desktop. For some, this is no problem at all, but others want a smaller solution that keeps the advantages of the laptop while still drawing the extra graphics power. If you are looking for an external GPU enclosure but want to minimize the footprint, we recommend the Akitio Node Lite.

Akitio was one of the first to introduce the Thunderbolt 2 and Thunderbolt 3 connector eGPUs, and for a long time they were the major name in eGPU technology. As more and more competitors have entered the market, Akitio has become less of a household name, but they maintain their edge in compact and clean design for the space-conscious buyer. The Node Lite is the epitome of this, offering a very compact enclosure that still allows for 2-slot GPUs with a moderate power draw (usually ITX cards only unless you add the external adapter). If you are space conscious but want a larger GPU with more power, the Akitio Node Thunder2 and Akitio Node Thunder3, or even Akitio Node Pro/Akitio Node Titan for really big cards, are also great options to consider, as they provide more power and allow for larger cards. At right around $300 depending on your retailer, the Akitio Node Lite (and co.) is a stellar compact eGPU enclosure.

Best eGPU for RTX 3080 or RX 6800 / XT

As of right now, the number of professional benchmarkers or hardware testers looking into eGPU’s is limited, and the newest generation Ampere Nvidia GPUs and AMD Radeon RDNA2 GPUs continue to have major stock problems. The combination of these things means that pure eGPU comparisons for RTX 3080 (or 3090) or RX 6800/XT cards are limited, so much of the current analysis revolves around specification tracking and individual user opinions. Despite that, to accommodate the size/power draw of the RTX 3080 in particular, one eGPU has begun to rise to the top as the best option available. It shouldn’t come as a surprise considering how much we like its little brother, the Razer Core X. For an eGPU to use with the new RTX 3080 or AMD 6800/XT, we recommend the Razer Core X Chroma.

This beefed-up eGPU enclosure from Razer not only adds a little RGB-goodness, gigabit ethernet support, and additional USB ports, but most importantly, gives that little extra PSU wattage to help even the newest, most powerful cards achieve top performance. While most examples of even the RTX 3080 wouldn’t exceed the power draw of the Razer Core X, the Chroma additional power and features are likely worth it to be sure you don’t risk peaking above the power draw maximum. There exists even one level higher within the Razer lineup, the Razer Core V2, but it isn’t easy to find in stock nowadays. Unless you are thinking of upgrading to a RTX 3090 later down the road, the $430 Razer Core X Chroma is a great product and our recommendation for an eGPU to pair with an RTX 3080 or AMD 6800/XT.

Best eGPU for Video Editing

This category is a bit of a mixture of others as the GPU itself is much more important than the eGPU enclosure when it comes to video editing, and even then, most powerful GPUs will perform well for video editing as they would for gaming. Depending on the type of video editing you are doing, however, you may have a few specifics that are important for your workflow or added useful features. Luckily, one particular eGPU includes add-ons like additional SATA3 connectors, dual-chip LAN, USB ports, and broad compatibility including professional-grade GPUs like Nvidia Quadro or the VRAM beast AMD Radeon VII. For video editing or general productivity tasks, we recommend the Mantiz Saturn Pro.

Just because we are choosing to recommend this eGPU enclosure here does not mean it can’t perform perfectly well for gaming too! But the differences in features, like the added SSD/HDD connectors, can be especially useful for someone that is constantly working with large 4K video files and wants a dedicated external drive for storage. Similarly, the ability to connect a large range of graphics card, including RTX 3080 or RTX 3090 and up through professional grade cards, means that even the most serious video editor should be able to capitalize on eGPU technology to accelerate their workflow. And maybe the best part, despite the major strengths of this eGPU, the price remains eminently reasonable at $299. For all of these reasons, we have no trouble recommending the Mantiz Saturn Pro for your video editing/productivity eGPU.

Conclusion

As eGPU technology matures, more and more companies are entering the fray to offer an enclosure that enhances any laptop (or even desktop) to combine portability for travel and power for stationary use. Importantly, these eGPU’s are normally just the enclosure (with a few exceptions), and the graphics card itself needs to be bough separately. Of course, the exact power and increase in performance you will see from the eGPU is directly related to the GPU itself. More powerful cards tend to see larger performance gaps when compared to direct PCIe connection in laptops, but that gap is shrinking as Thunderbolt3 and other connectors increase their bandwidth.

Only you can decide if you rather have a desktop for your power-hungry needs, but if you do choose to add a performance eGPU solution to your existing laptop, these recommendations should guide you in making the right choice.

The post 5 Best External GPUs (eGPUs) for 2021 appeared first on PremiumBuilds.

While building a PC is by far the most popular ‘DIY’ activity for gaming, there is another crafty adventure that is becoming more and more popular: keyboard building. Mechanical keyboards have been around for decades, in fact mechanical keyboards (or keyboards with a PCB and individual ‘switches’ to create electrical contacts to be read by a controller) were the original keyboards, and were only replaced in the 80’s/90’s with the membrane keyboards that are ubiquitous today.

To build a keyboard, you need to be comfortable with soldering (or interesting in learning the basics), interested in working with small pieces, and ready to spend a few hours performing a repetitive motion. But if those things don’t scare you off, the advantages are immense: a fully customized keyboard that you build yourself and that you can invest your own wants and personality into. This guide, in two parts, is meant to first help you choose your pieces, then put them together the right way.

Final note: there are plenty of places to buy pieces, ranging from eBay to Alibaba to specialty stores like KBDfans or NovelKeys. We are going to stick with Amazon for the availability and customer service and look to known sellers in the keyboard world like YMDK or KPRepublic, but if you want to check out others for more exotic choices or to see pricing, do your research and go with a reputable buyer!

Mechanical Keyboard Components

Like a PC, building a keyboard is essentially combining a variety of (compatible) components to create the entire working item. Much of the selection of these components is personal and we can recommend ‘typical’ likes/dislikes, but it will be up to you to choose the most important aspects for your use and applying them to your choices. But the first choice you will have to make is what size you want your keyboard to be: compact (60%), TKL (arrows but no numpad, 75%) or full size (numpad, 100%). Surprisingly, the size with the most choices and the most common for a piecemeal build is the 60%, so that’s what we’ll focus on for this guide, although much of the information can be used at any size!

So, let’s walk through each piece you will need, and the important things to think of when picking out your choices:

1. The PCB

The PCB is the heart of the keyboard. PCB, or printed circuit board, is the easiest way to create the internal circuits and connections that will be completed by switches and read by the microcontroller to interpret the letters/numbers that are inputted. There are other more advanced options, like soldering resistors/diodes/chips to a blank PCB, or even more advanced options like handwiring, but we will leave those aside for now and focus on fully filled PCBs for this guide.

There are a couple of popular options for a 60% PCB, the most common of which are the DZ60 and GH60. Both are great PCB’s, offering a variety of layouts (key configurations) to match what you are looking for, including split-shift keys, shorter/longer space bars, and even some ways of including arrow keys on a 60% board (MiniLa style). Both use the same so-called ‘Pok3r’ screw layout to fix them to the case/plate, and both are equally reliable in terms of build quality. The GH60 has the advantage of coming in a few variations, such as with Bluetooth and a USB-C connector, so for the PCB, we recommend the YMDK GH60, with your choice of Bluetooth/underglow RGB options depending on budget. We would also suggest getting QMK vs bface as it is the open-source standard for keymapping (covered in part 2 of this guide), but both are fully functional.

2. The Case/Plate

One of the great parts of the 60% DIY market is the case selection. While enthusiasts will tell you about how a different case makes the keyboard sound different, and different plate materials will have different feels due to springiness, the main part of selecting a case/plate combo is to find the material you like and the case shape you want. There are two typical case profiles, high or low, that come in different materials and the plate is usually aluminum or brass. For a first build, we recommend getting an aluminum plate as the difference is small and aluminum is cheaper. In terms of case, we like the look of a wood case, but in terms of durability, plastic is always inexpensive and sturdy while there are plenty of high-quality metal cases as well. The choice comes down to your personal needs, and to make sure your case and plate are compatible with your PCB.

Specifically for this type of 60% build, we really love the quality/price of this aluminum plate from the same YMDK (they also have brass available if you want to pay more for the different metal). Important note! These plates support the traditional 60% ANSI (American-style) layout. If you want a more exotic layout or ISO-layout, check out the other offerings from YMDK/KBDfans and find the right plate as no matter what the PCB allows, the plate has to match it. If you aren’t sure, we recommend just sticking with the typical 61-key layout, it has the added advantage of the most compatibility with keycap sets for customization later on.

For the case, we are very partial to the design of the wooden cases, which are very difficult to find outside of the 60% format and are somewhat unique in that respect. For a light build, a bamboo case such as this one is always classic and the top closure is a nice touch, while the options for a darker wood like these cases are also very attractive (and include a wrist rest!). Of course, if that is a little too pricey or you simply want to show off the underglow/circuitry, a clear plastic case is inexpensive and transparent to show off the insides.

3. Switches & Stabilizers

The PCB may be the heart of your build, and the case will define the aesthetics (along with keycaps), but when it comes to typing experience, nothing is more important than the switches There are three main switch types: clickies (e.g. blue switches), tactiles (e.g. brown switches), and linears (e.g. red switches or black switches). Clickies offer a loud click on actuation, so by nature, they are not silent and should be avoided! Tactiles have a small bump or feedback on actuation, but no click. Linears have no bump or click and offer no physical acknowledgement of actuation. 

For gaming, the linear switch is by far the most popular as the lack of feedback on actuation can be easier for repetitive motions that often accompany gaming. The smooth travel and relative quietness are also well-liked as spamming ‘W’ on a clicky switch can get annoying quick! And within the linear switch family, Cherry MX Reds are by far the favorite and the classic choice due to the medium switch weight (not too hard to press and not too easy) and their quality. There are tens if not hundreds of other choices that can be heavier, lighter, ‘silent’, shorter travel to actuation, longer travel, etc., but Cherry MX Reds are the original and popular for a reason, so if you aren’t sure, these are a great place to start.

For mixed use or more typing heavy usage, some people prefer the tactile switch for the slight feedback that helps them type more accurately. Similar to linear switches, there are a huge diversity of tactile switches to choose from with different style feedback of differing size, shape, sharpness, and weight. But also like linears, Cherry has created the classic tactile equivalent to MX Reds: Cherry MX Browns. Similar to the Reds, these are not too heavy, not too light, and have a relatively light feedback that can be felt but isn’t too strong. If you like noise, you can of course consider Cherry MX Blues that are similarly tactile but with the audible feedback as well.

Finally, and relatively easily, the stabilizer choice is simple: original Cherry screw-in PCB mount stabilizers. You can occasionally find cheaper stabilizers, but they are almost always of lower-quality and rattle constantly when the key is pressed, which gets very annoying. So, keep it simple, and go with your preferred vendor but Cherry original screw-in stabilizers.

4. Keycaps & Cable

With all of the internal components and case selected, you’ve now arrived at the part that will dictate (along with the case) the look of your keyboard. Keycaps come in two main materials (ABS or PBT plastic), in a variety of profiles that are either shaped (sculpted) or flat, and either printed/lasered, dye-sublimated, or doubleshot for coloring/design. The choice between them is personal preference, although we would recommend to avoid printed/lasered as they tend to fade. ABS will eventually have some ‘shine’ that comes from oils on your fingers degrading the plastic, but will be smoother than the textured PBT plastic. There are high-quality choices in almost any profile/material, so once you’ve thought about how you want your keycaps to feel, you can get to the fun part: how they look.

Keycaps are the pinnacle of personal expression, and the best part is, they aren’t permanent! Due to the standardization around the MX stem, most keycaps are compatible with all major mechanical switches. Be sure to double-check that you are using an MX or MX-clone switch and MX compatible keycap, but 95% of the market is standardized around the MX format at this point. All this means you have a ton of choices at a variety of price points for keycaps. You can join a group buy and get a special design from a site like Drop, or go with a classic like the pink Sakura keycaps. There are knock-off options of famous designs like the ‘Carbon’ set, or the even older colorways that follow classics like the Dolch set that come from mechanical keyboards from the 80’s. No matter your choice, you can always swap later and keep things fresh so feel free to be creative and go for the type that best fit your aesthetic!

Similarly, don’t be afraid to go for a colorful cable to connect your new ‘keeb’. Be sure to get the right connector (USB-C, USB-Mini, etc.), but then go wild. We love some of the more exotic keyboard cables, like this USB-C/Aviator blue cable. 

Next Steps: Building & Assembly

Now that you’ve chosen all the individual components, check out the part 2 of this guide to get to the building and assembly to put it all together!

The post How to Build a Mechanical Keyboard (Part 1): Choosing Your Components appeared first on PremiumBuilds.

While $500 might get you into the world of PC gaming, pickings are slim and you are likely not able to find the most recent components. Those PC’s will still provide an experience that rivals or beats most consoles (or at least last-gen consoles), but won’t get you the performance you read about online. But with a bit more funds to spend, we quickly get into the entry-level lineup and start finding some compelling choices. Today, we will be looking at the best pre-built gaming PC’s under $800.

$800 is a nice amount of money, and most of us want to make sure we’re getting something worthwhile for the cost! Luckily, competition is much fiercer at this price point than at the sub-$500 so consumers are able to find true gaming PC’s. And that’s not even considering the possibility of big sales like upcoming Black Friday that often knock even more options into this area.

Given that state of the market, there are some great options out there so let’s take a look at the best pre-built PC’s under $800:

Best Prebuilt Gaming PCs under $800 – Our Recommendations

Award	Design	Model	CPU	GPU	RAM
Best Overall Prebuilt Gaming PC under $800		CyberpowerPC Gaming Xtreme PC	Intel i5-10400F	GTX 1660 Super	8GB DDR4
Best AMD Prebuilt Gaming PC under $800		iBUYPOWER TRACE 4 9310	Ryzen 5 3600	RX 5500 XT	8GB DDR4
Best mATX Prebuilt Gaming PC under $800		Skytech Gaming Chronos Mini	Ryzen 3 3100	GTX 1660	16GB DDR4
Best Prebuilt Gaming Laptop under $500		Dell G3 Gaming Laptop	Intel i5-9300H	GTX 1660 Ti	8GB DDR4

Best Overall Prebuilt Gaming PC under $800

Much like with any price point, the chief components for a gaming PC for $800 are the CPU and GPU, and as always, that’s where we want the majority of the cost of a gaming PC to be spent. Typically, the GPU is even more important, but finding balance is the key to a great gaming PC, but balance with the CPU is important to avoid one component far outpacing the other. So for the pre-built gaming PC that perfectly finds that balance without overly skimping on other components and is our recommendation for best value gaming PC under $800, we choose the CyberpowerPC Gaming Xtreme PC.

In terms of maximizing CPU/GPU power, this PC is about as strong as anyone could ask at the $800 price point. The CPU is the 10400F, a latest-generation value king from Intel that has great single-core clock speed as well as robust multi-core performance (6c/12t) to ensure you are able to run modern applications and futureproof for next-gen development. And to accompany this price-performance marvel of a processor, the GPU is the Nvidia GTX 1660 Super, which is a similarly awesome GPU at the price point. Equivalent to the 1660 Ti in performance, the 1660 Super is the peak of value performance. Together, these two will push 1080p 144hz in nearly all games (with modified settings for newer AAA titles). The 8 GB DDR4 RAM is a bit light, and a 500GB SSD may hold some back, but those are easily expandable later and still serviceable until or if you decide to add-on an upgrade. The RGB fans and nice-looking case are a nice plus and should be more than enough cooling for this non-power-hungry rig. All of those little points aren’t bad, but the GPU/CPU combo are the star of the show and the main reason we recommend the Gaming Xtreme PC from CyberpowerPC as our best overall pre-built gaming PC under $800.

Best Budget AMD Prebuilt Gaming PC under $800

While we try not to take sides and look purely at best performance for price, some people have a distinct preference for AMD products. There’s nothing wrong with Team Red, and their Zen2 release remains one of the best launches for consumers as it forced Intel to respond and lowered prices across the board. But we didn’t want to just recommend something because it’s AMD, so we found the best AMD-based alternative that can also be seen as a best ‘budget’ alternative for someone that really wants to spend a bit less than the pure $800 limit. For someone looking for that kind of pre-built PC, we recommend the iBUYPOWER TRACE 4 9310.

Despite being our ‘budget’ option, this PC packs a serious punch. The beloved Ryzen 5 3600 is the centerpiece, offering one of the absolute best AMD gaming CPU’s available, competing well with the Intel 10400F despite being from one generation earlier. The GPU is not quite as strong as the Nvidia 1660 Super, but the AMD Radeon 5500XT is still a great graphics card that will performance stunningly at 1080p, offering between 60fps and 144fps depending on the game and how much you push the graphics. The case is well-designed and includes a few RGB fans to keep cool, and the same 8GB RAM as above along with a reduced 256GB SSD will get you started and won’t hold you back for most gaming, but can always be expanded later at a relatively low cost. In fact, because this is our ‘budget’ Team Red option, you could add a 500GB SSD and another 8GB of RAM and still stay under the limit. That’s because this 1080p-machine is listed at $700, a great buy for the price and supporting the classic AMD underdog. For all of those reasons, we easily recommend the TRACE 4 9310 as our best AMD budget pre-built gaming PC under $800.

Best mATX Prebuilt Gaming PC under $800

Finding a true ‘mini’ build at this price is difficult, but some are still looking for a slightly reduced footprint on their desktop. For them, we recommend finding a ‘mATX’ pre-built, or micro-ATX. ATX is the standard desktop size for motherboards/cases, and the truly tiny sizes are referred to as ITX, but mATX is the happy medium for space-conscious users. And even by choosing to reduce the dimensions of the PC, that doesn’t necessarily entail cutting performance beyond the additional cost of the slightly rarer parts; most GPUs and almost all CPUs are just as capable of running within an mATX rig as a full-size tower. To find that balance of great performance and size, we recommend the Skytech Gaming Chronos Mini.

Like the two recommendations above, this PC comes from a known and respected custom builder, Skytech (the other two are iBUYPOWER and CyberpowerPC), and balances well the CPU/GPU and other components. Both are one half-step down from the best overall recommendation, with the CPU being the 4c/8t Ryzen 3100 and the GPU the Nvidia GTX 1660. You can expect around 10-15% less performance in-game. On the other hand, this build comes with the modern standard 16GB RAM and 500GB SSD, which are nice upgrades to our overall and budget recommendations, respectively. But in exchange for the slight performance hit, you get the mATX package in a beautiful windowed case with multiple RGB fans. And on top of that, the price is slightly less than our overall recommendation at $750. For anyone looking for a smaller build, the Chronos Mini from Skytech is a very strong choice.

Best Prebuilt Gaming Laptop under $800

Alright, we’re slightly cheating (again) to give you a recommendation that really makes sense if you’re trying to get an entry-level gaming machine! We know that there is still a large market for portable gamers so we are including that age-old alternative to the desktop: a laptop. As we’ve mentioned before, a desktop will always offer better price-to-performance and our first recommendation above is going to give the absolute best experience possible at this price point. But with a desktop comes a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, a desk…etc., so if we say that all that costs around $100 (which is probably a little low!), and put that into a laptop budget which comes with all of those things, we can find a great 1080p portable gaming machine. Following that logic, we recommend for best pre-built gaming laptop PC under $900 the 2019 version Dell G3 Gaming Laptop.

This laptop is a really great buy. Dell is known for building great laptops and the G3 has a great legacy to back it up. This particular laptop sports a graphics card just as powerful as our first recommendation (Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti) and a great low-power Intel laptop processor, the 9300U; these two core components balance well and neither are power-hungry space heaters, which can cause thermal problems in laptops. The same 8 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD that are common at this budget round out the main specs. On the other hand, the display is an FHD (1080p) 15-inch screen that goes up to 144hz (!) that may not be the brightest, but will serve well for indoor gaming and sports a very fast refresh rate that is rare in laptops at this price. While the laptop won’t perform quite as well as our first-choice recommendation from CyberpowerPC due to thermal constraints and the weaker CPU, it will more than power the 1080p 144hz display and offer a great gaming experience. If you are starting from absolute zero and would need to buy all the peripherals that go with a gaming PC anyway, this laptop is absolutely worth considering for your next prebuilt gaming PC under $900. 

Conclusion

The sub-$800 gaming PC realm has many more choices and variety than the $500 budget ballpark. The major manufacturers of custom PC’s like Skytech, CyberpowerPC and iBUYPOWER usually start their entry-level builds at this point, and manage to include a lot of power for a very reasonable price. All of our recommendations will easily play 60FPS at 1080p in nearly all games, and most will be playable at 144 FPS with some modified settings. All three desktops include windowed cases and plenty of RGB, and the laptop is perfect for the gamer on the go. But only you know which qualities you most want in your next pre-built PC, so make sure to consider your needs before considering one of our recommendations for best pre-built gaming PC under $800.

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Today we are going to look at gaming on a budget, and by budget, we mean a budget. Not everyone is in a position or comfortable to go for a flashy gaming build, but still want to get into the world of gaming or at least dip a toe into the gaming world before diving in. Luckily, depending on the games you want to play, there’s still a way to get a worthwhile PC at almost any price point. You might not be able to push 144fps at 1440p, but you should be able to enjoy e-sports or older titles in full HD at between 30 and 60 FPS and play older games without an issue. So, for those people looking to test the gaming waters or get a strong PC for varied use, we will be looking at the best pre-built gaming PC’s under $500.

A couple of things that we should mention before we get started: buying used at this price point is something to consider, there is almost always a sacrifice to be made at this price for new builds, and Black Friday is around the corner so keep an eye out for builds that didn’t fit the sub-500 criteria now but might when on sale. The first point, buying used, will depend on how comfortable you are with second-hand ownership, and the second point we will be sure to highlight in each option below, but the third point is hard to predict the future so keep your eyes open if you are trying to buy in the next couple weeks!

With all that in mind, let’s take a look at the best pre-built PC’s under $500:

Best Prebuilt Gaming PCs under $500 – Our Recommendations

Award	Design	Model	CPU	GPU	RAM
Best Overall Prebuilt Gaming PC under $500		AVGPC MAX III Gaming PC	Ryzen 1200	GTX 1650	8GB DDR4
Best Design-focused Prebuilt Gaming PC under $500		Allied Gaming PC Javelin Mini Desktop	Ryzen 3100	RX 550	8GB DDR4
Best CPU-Focused Prebuilt Gaming PC under $500		Dell Inspiron 3670	Intel i5-9400	Intel UHD 630	12GB DDR4
Best Prebuilt Gaming Laptop under $500		Acer Nitro 5 AN515-54-5812	Intel i5-9300U	GTX 1650	8GB DDR4

Best Overall Prebuilt Gaming PC under $500

The chief components for a gaming PC are the CPU and GPU, and so that’s where we want the majority of the cost of a gaming PC to be spent. Other add-ons are great, like an SSD or higher amounts/faster RAM, but the CPU and GPU are really going to define your ability to game. Typically, the GPU is even more important, but finding balance is the key to a great gaming PC. So, when we were looking for our best overall value gaming PC, we were absolutely thrilled to find an offering that has an SSD, 8 GB DD4 RAM, a modern GPU, and a multi-core Ryzen CPU. Hands-down, as of writing this article, our choice for best value gaming PC under $500 is the AVGPC MAX III Gaming PC.

It’s hard to find a real flaw with this PC for the price. The GPU, an Nvidia GTX 1650, is a superb budget offering that excels at 1080p, producing between 60-144fps depending on settings on which title you are playing. The CPU is the Ryzen 1200, a slightly dated but still modern processor with 4 cores and 4 threads that is also great for a 1080p machine and won’t create any real bottlenecks for the GPU or rest of the machine, allowing all the components to fully stretch their legs. With those two really strong core components, we expected major cuts elsewhere…. but we are happily able to say that’s not the case! The 8GB of DD4 RAM is exactly what you would want for a build like this, and the 500GB SSD is a major plus to help boot and load times. The PC case offers a window to enjoy the insides, including the included LED fans and Cooler Master CPU cooler. The motherboard is an A320 (very basic but totally functional) and while the PSU isn’t specified and likely nothing special, but none of the components draw large amounts of power so it shouldn’t impact the gaming experience. There is even an included Windows 10 Pro license and  WiFi! This specific build doesn’t have any reviews, but other builds from the company (AVGPC) have strong reviews and inspire confidence. The more we look the more we find to like, and at $499, it very easy to recommend this PC as our overall gaming PC pre-built for under $500.

Best Design-focused Prebuilt Gaming PC under $500

If part of the draw to the gaming PC world is the design and flash of a ‘gaming’ computer, the best overall value one might not have enough pizzazz for your taste. While the core components are hard to beat, and the window to the LED fans is a nice touch, the build doesn’t exactly scream “expensive”. Some people don’t mind the ‘sleeper’ style build, but others are looking for a statement piece! And while RGB isn’t everything, a nice quality case with some RGB fans and a side window go a long way in sprucing up a PC. Based on that combination of pleasing aesthetic and still high performance, we recommend the Allied Gaming PC Javelin Mini Desktop.

Allied Gaming is a new producer as far as we can tell, which means it has some risk but also some possibility for success. To be honest, if it weren’t for Amazon’s strong A to Z protection, we would likely be more careful in suggesting this PC. But based on that guarantee and Amazon’s customer service, it’s hard not to really like this PC. The two massive ARGB fans in the front combined with the sleek case and window offer an aesthetic that is very similar to PC’s that cost several hundred dollars more. And to go with that look, the PC offers some pretty strong internal components. The 8GB 3000 MHz RAM, 550W PSU, and A520 motherboard are all serviceable, and a 240 GB SSD will serve nicely as a boot drive and for main applications, but the star of the show is the CPU. The Ryzen 3100 is one of the strongest budget offerings available today, with the same terrific value as other Zen2 AMD offerings in a 4c/8t package that is well suited to modern gaming. The graphics card is slightly underwhelming with the RX550 when compared to the 1650 offered in our overall choice above, but it will still push plenty of frames at 1080p for a budget build. For the same $499, this PC offers a great alternative to someone looking for a little less GPU in exchange for a bit more style in their gaming PC.

Best CPU-Focused Prebuilt Gaming PC under $500

While gaming may be the main focus of the article, some buyers are really using the PC for a lot of things and gaming on the side. For them, the CPU will have a much larger impact on their daily usage than the GPU for basically any regular task other than the actual gaming. While the Ryzen 3100 above is a great CPU and even the Ryzen 1200 in the first recommendation is strong, Intel is still the leader in single-core performance that is most applicable to typical computer usage. For the user that wants the absolute strongest CPU they can find and the ability to game occasionally, we recommend the Dell Inspiron 3670.

This is a bit of a qualified recommendation to be fair, a gaming PC without a dedicated graphics card is really more of a basic desktop. But being able to get an Intel i5-9400, 12 GB of RAM, a 256GB PCIe SSD, Bluetooth + WiFi and Windows already installed for $500 is a great start to a build that needs only the GPU to become a gaming powerhouse. The reason we chose this specific desktop for a CPU-focused gamer is two-fold: finding a 9^th generation CPU at this price is pretty impressive, and Dell is known for PCs that are expandable without too much work. If you’re comfortable opening up the case and slotting in a GPU (something like a 1050Ti or 1030 that pull power directly from the motherboard), you’ve got yourself a gaming PC that is absolutely killer at 1080p. Not everyone would be comfortable with this as it requires a little bit of DIY knowledge and an additional upgrade for the GPU down the road, but if you want a strong CPU for now and the possibility to add a GPU later, this Inspiron 3670 is our choice for you.

Best Prebuilt Gaming Laptop PC (Not-quite) under $500

OK, after the best value above, the RGB alternative, and the CPU beast, there are not a lot of other desktops we would recommend for a potential gamer. So, we are going to cheat our own criteria a bit and provide a different style recommendation for someone looking to get into gaming: a laptop! Typically, a desktop will always offer better price-to-performance and our first recommendation above is going to give the absolute best experience possible at this price point. But with a desktop comes a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, a desk…etc., so if we say that all that costs around $100 (which is probably a little low!), and put that into a laptop budget which comes with all of those things, we can find a nice little gaming machine. With that logic, we can recommend happily for best pre-built gaming laptop PC under $600 the Acer Nitro 5 AN515-54-5812.

This laptop is a steal at $599.With a ninth-gen Intel i5-9300U, a dedicated Nvidia GTX 1650, a full HD IPS display, WiFi 6, 8 GB DDR4 RAM, and a 256 NVMe SSD, this is a really strong offering. Acer is a major manufacturer with a great reputation, so you know the build quality will be professional and any issues have good customer service to find solutions. While the laptop won’t perform quite as well as our first-choice recommendation AVGPC MAX III due to thermal constraints, it will more than power the 1080p 60hz display and offer a great gaming experience. If you are starting from absolute zero and would need to buy all the peripherals that go with a gaming PC anyway, this laptop is absolutely worth considering for your next prebuilt gaming PC. 

Conclusion

The sub-$500 gaming PC realm is filled with bad buys that focus on poorly balanced parts or cutting extreme corners to keep costs down, so be wary of scooping up any old PC. The relative lack of options is why so many people in this budget ballpark look to buy used, which is a can be a great choice depending on your local market. But if you know you are only comfortable buying new, the AVGPC MAX III really is a strongly spec’d machine and by far our favorite product, though the alternative Allied Gaming Javelin and Dell Inspiron 3670 each offer something that is worth the $500 price tag for the right user. And if you are starting new, the Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop may be more than $500, but once you factor in the costs that go along with a desktop vs. laptop, it is also a very attractive option.

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Choosing a 240mm AIO is becoming harder and harder, but that’s because of how many great options have been produced in recent years. As liquid cooling has become popular due to the aesthetics of a small block on the CPU vs the big air coolers, more and more companies are putting strong options into the market. They span the budget, with some crazy expensive options (that usually include some RGB bling and high-performance fans) to the pretty wallet-friendly (which can still be very good bang-for-your-buck buys).

240mm AIO loquid coolers are still primarily an aesthetic (or sizing choice for ITX builders!) option as the best air coolers like the Dark Rock Pro 4 and Noctua DH-15 perform equivalent or slightly better in benchmarks while costing typically the same or less. But the looks are really different, and there’s something beautiful about a nice AIO gaming setup that still have an advantage in minimizing “burst” temps that air coolers just can’t match.

So, if you’re ready to dive into liquid cooling with a 240mm AIO, these are our choices for best options for a 240mm AIO depending on which quality you value the most for your next build:

• Related: Best 280mm AIOs
• Related: Best PC Cases for Watercooling

Best 240mm AIO Liquid Coolers – Our Recommendations

Award	Design	Model
Best Budget Performance 240mm AIO		Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240
Best High-end Performance 240mm AIO		EK 240mm AIO
Best Budget 240mm AIO		Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240R
Best High-end RGB 240mm AIO		Gigabyte AORUS RGB 240mm AIO
Best Budget White 240mm AIO		ID-COOLING AURAFLOX x 240 SNOW
Best High-end White 240mm AIO		Corsair H100i RGB Platinum SE

Best Budget Performance 240mm AIO

If you’re looking for the best bang for your buck on a budget and don’t necessarily need all the bling of an RGB cooler, one of the most reputable names in value cooling has the perfect 240mm AIO. The no-frills design helps keep costs reasonable, while offering performance that outshines way more expensive offerings from other big-name manufacturers. Benchmarks from independent reviewers like GamersNexus and KitGuru repeatedly show this cooler as a top competitor while costing significantly less, so for best budget performance 240mm AIO, we recommend the Arctic Liquid Freezer II 240.

While choosing an AIO is almost always an aesthetic choice at the 240mm size, that doesn’t mean that you aren’t looking for high performance. ARCTIC is known for its fans, especially the much-loved value options like the P12 120mm fans, and this cooler brings that same high-value low-cost to the liquid cooling world. If you aren’t fussed about RGB on the CPU block or the fans (which can always be replaced later if you change your mind), and really just want high-performance at a reasonable $100 price point, there really isn’t another option that can compete with the ARCTIC Liquid Freezer II 240.

Best High-end Performance 240mm AIO

Sometimes even those that do have a bit more budget aren’t overly concerned with RGB, but just want the absolute best performance they can get out of a 240mm AIO cooler. While this high-end cooler doesn’t completely avoid the RGB, it clearly focuses on maximized cooling potential. And that is reflected in all major benchmarkers, that consistently find this AIO to perform at the top of the heap. From water-cooling experts and overclocking suppliers EK, we recommend for best high-end performance 240mm AIO the EK 240mm AIO (finally, a simple name!).

EK is perhaps best known for its vast array of custom liquid loop cooling options, but they also make the highest performing AIOs and some of the best performing fans, the EK-VARDAR line of 120mm fans. In fact, part of the success of this AIO is likely the inclusion of two of those high-quality EK VARDAR fans that emphasize static pressure, perfect for pushing air through that radiator. While the CPU block and fans still offer some RGB, a nice touch for this high-end product, the emphasis is clearly on performance and it shows, with the AIO offering extreme cooling that some benchmarks put upwards of 15-20 degrees Celsius less than other coolers. At $120, this 240mm is an absolute steal that is perfect for any performance oriented (with still a bit of personality!) rig.

Best Budget 240mm AIO

Even if you want high performance, you might also want a nice amount of bling to help spice up your battlestation. Unlike some of the biggest CPU coolers, 240mm AIOs can achieve great temps while also offering some nice aesthetics, and part of that is the RGB on the CPU block and the fans. And while the terms budget and RGB don’t often go together, one of the biggest names in gaming has an absolutely killer bang-for-your-buck performer. For best budget RGB 240mm AIO, we recommend the Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240R.

CoolerMaster has a whole host of options for cooling, from air coolers to AIOs, at almost any budget point. Their products are always well-made and backed by solid customer service. This particular AIO is basically an RGB machine. From the Master Fan Air Balance fans to the dual-chamber RGB covered pump, there is lighting for you to customize all over the place. In fact, the difference between this AIO and the ‘High-End’ one below is not as much as you might think, especially considering this lighting extravaganza from Cooler Master comes in at a very compelling $100. It won’t keep things quite as cool as the $100 Arctic 240mm AIO, but it will still do a great job and offer that extra customization to keep your PC special.

Best High-end RGB 240mm AIO

At the highest-end of 240mm AIOs in terms of price, we find very strong performers with plenty of RGB. To be the best however, you need a little something extra. Some AIOs offer specially designed CPU blocks, like the additional small fan in the Arctic Liquid Freezer, while others look to ‘avant-garde’ designs like the EK that help stand out. But for our high-end RGB 240mm AIO, we wanted an AIO that performs great, offers every bit as much RGB as the competition, and comes with a useful add-on feature. For that, we turn to the GIGABYTE AORUS RGB 240mm AIO.

Gigabyte is a big name in gaming, and not just for peripherals but also main components. The AORUS line is typically the highest end Gigabyte line, offering the most features and customizability through RGB. This 240mm AIO is no different. Like the Cooler Master we recommended on a budget, there are RGB fans on the radiator and the CPU block offers more RGB. But this time, the CPU block has an LED screen that not only offers RGB customization, but also has six options for display (including things like CPU temperature or custom image rotator). This added screen combined with RGB and performance isn’t cheap, and with a price tag of around $190 you have to really want the LED screen in comparison to our budget AIO. But that added bonus (on top of the other great features) are what makes the AORUS our pick for best high-end RGB 240mm AIO.

Best Budget White 240mm AIO

Since we’re talking about aesthetics, and as we’ve mentioned in our past recommendations, some builders are looking to complete a certain theme and really tie the whole rig together via color matching. The most common of those themed builds is the ‘all-white’ build, and for a long time, this meant a very limited number of choices for cooling/fans that carried a heavy price premium. But recently, more and more options are appearing that are pure white (with some RGB) and promise not to put too big a hole in your wallet. Amongst those, the best value white 240mm AIO that promises great performance while fulfilling that specific color theme build is the ID-COOLING AURAFLOX x 240 SNOW. 

ID-Cooling is a relatively new name in cooling to enter the mainstream builder zeitgeist, but it has quickly become a favorite due to the very competitive pricing, the relatively strong performance, the overall good build quality, and the slew of options in black and white at all sizes. It might not have the same reputation as some of the other very established manufacturers, nor does it have the same history to back it up, but for the price, the ID-Cooling AURAFLOW x 240 SNOW is extremely attractive. The design is beautiful (and of course, all white), the RGB is tasteful and compatible with almost all motherboards, and the cooling promises to be perfect for your mid-power CPU. For right around $80, it’s hard to find a better buy for an all-white build that doesn’t cost nearly double the price.

Best High-end White 240mm AIO

But if you do have nearly twice as much to spend, there is one white 240mm AIO that occupies the high-end of the pricing line-up and offers that extra oomph in terms of performance, looks, and history. If you are familiar with the building scene, you are probably reading this article and thinking, they are missing one of the most prolific companies with some of the best AIOs out there! And you’d be right, but that’s because we saved one of the best for last due to the pure beauty of their white version AIO. For best high-end white 240mm AIO, we have to recommend the Corsair H100i RGB Platinum SE.

We could have found a Corsair AIO to compete in almost all of these categories, they just make great cooling products and have been a major player in the AIO (and generally gaming) world for decades. But this SE (special edition) version is really something special. The double loop CPU block lighting, the LL120 double light loop fans, and the pure white radiator combine to make one pretty package. The cooling performance is strong, getting close to some of the picks in the performance category, and Corsair boasts one of the best integration software with iCUE to help get the RGB and fan curve just right. If you have the budget to pay for this $170 cooler want the absolute best all-white 240mm AIO, this Corsair H100i RGB Platinum SE is truly breathtaking.

Conclusion

CPU cooling is a vital part of any build, and the best air coolers are nearly equal in many ways to 240mm AIOs. But their size and bulkiness doesn’t always look nice, and now that quality AIOs are available at almost any budget, more and more builders are looking to get their feet wet with liquid cooling. Whether you are a performance-focused buyer, are looking for a little extra RGB flash, or want to keep your snow-white build looking pure, our recommendations will make sure to help you keep your CPU cool, and to help your rig look good doing it.

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For many PC builders, a large part of the conversation on components centers around cooling solutions. Whether it is CPU Coolers, GPU Coolers, custom water loops, thermal paste or airflow-focused PC cases, enthusiasts want to get the most out of their components. And to get the most out of your components, you need to keep them cool.

Aside from the CPU cooler and the GPU cooler, the most important part of your cooling will be your case fans. While having 10 case fans may not be necessary, most cases really benefit from having somewhere between 3-5 case fans with a combination of intake and exhaust. The exact configuration will depend on your case mainly, so make sure to look up reviews on how to set up your fans once you pick your chassis. Within the case fan area, there are really two main sizes: 120mm and 140mm case fans. 120mm will fit in almost all cases, but 140mm fans offer better airflow (usually measured in CFM) at lower RPMs, meaning quieter. We have previously given our advice for best 140mm fans, but not everyone has the space, so today we are looking at the best 120mmm case fan options on the market.

When we evaluate case fans, we are essentially talking about two things: performance & noise, and aesthetics (RGB). And we always recommend to not skimp on the cooling budget, but we know that some of these options are expensive and there are some cheaper alternatives, so each category will have our overall recommendation for those fortunate to have a large budget, and our low-budget choice that still offers great value.

With all that in mind, our recommendations for best 120mm case fans are:

Best Performance & Quietest 120mm Case Fans

If you are simply looking for the best 120mm case fan possible, and can’t be bothered with any of that RGB nonsense, there is one producer whose name immediately comes to mind: Noctua. The Austrian-based maker is legendary in the PC Building community for making the absolute best fans possible, in almost any size. They are even used in industrial solutions for data centers/servers, and are just as well respected there. They move more air with less noise, than just about any other maker on the market. The build quality is stellar, the warranty/customer service is top-notch, and the performance you get from any of their fans is as good as it gets. And because they avoid things like RGB or flashy colors (mostly), they are able to offer their fans at reasonable prices.

In terms of 120mm case fans, we have plenty of great choices from Noctua. The basic recommendation is the Noctua NF-F12 PWM. It’s their standard 120mm case fan and is reliable and performant, offering great CFM and low noise levels.

But, as you’ll notice if you click on the link or have heard about Noctua already, the color scheme of the classic Noctua fan is not for everybody. The brown and beige is an acquired taste to say the least. Luckily, there are some other options available, including the slightly less performant (but much cheaper!) Noctua NF-P12 PWM that comes in a much more subtle grey/black design. And if you have a bit more cash and want to keep the performance of the original, the Noctua NF-F12 CHROMAX version is a great option that offers some very cool color choices.

These fans aren’t cheap, but they are also much less expensive than some of the options with a ton of RGB, and offer better performance overall. The classic hovers around $20, the Redux comes in around $13, and the Chromax option is around $22. All-in-all, for the performance you are getting, the Noctua fans are a very fair price that are hard to beat.

Best Budget 120mm Case Fan

The Noctua fans are reasonable for the performance they give, but if you find yourself short on budget and still want to get a no-frills high-performing fan, the Arctic F12 PWM is a good choice. Arctic is known for making good budget fans, and while it won’t move as much air as quietly as the Noctua fans, the F12 will still provide some nice airflow to help keep your case cool. It may not be a major difference in cost when compared to something like the GPU, as the Arctic F12 costs around $9 or ~$10 less than the Noctua classic, but if you are looking at buying five or six fans, that difference can quickly add up.

Best Looking RGB 120mm Case Fan

If the Noctua fans are a bit too plain for you and you see the fans as not only cooling, but as the best way to add some flash to your rig, there are plenty of great options with built-in lighting. In fact, there are some many options, that searching “rgb 120mm case fan” will give you more choices than you could ever read, but pay attention because not all RGB is created equal! Some case fans might look nice, but be difficult to control, or might have pretty poor performance. Luckily, at least one manufacturer has decided to develop not only the most reliable (although still not perfect) software, but also created some brilliant looking 120mm case fans, in both white and black as well. For all of those reasons, our choice for best aesthetic RGB case fan is the Corsair LL120.

The LL120 is not only an RGB fan, it is a bright 120mm RGB fan. It has a beautiful double ring design that shines like the sun inside of even tinted glass cases. And in terms of performance, the LL120 might not be of the same quality as a Noctua fan, but it generates plenty of airflow even with all of its brightness. On top of that, while not perfect, the software used to control the fan speed and lighting of the LL120 is the unified Corsair software, iCue. It may not be 100% reliable, but compared to the hot garbage we see from other manufacturers, it works and offers plenty of options.

But as we mentioned above, adding in RGB comes at a price. A three pack of the fans along with the RGB Lightning hub (but not including the Commander Pro if you want even more control through iCue) runs around $115. At 35-ish dollars a fan, that isn’t cheap. But the quality is great, the lightning is the best, and the fans still move enough air to keep your components working at their best. So if you really want something that will make your case positively glow, but aren’t ready to sacrifice too much performance, the LL120 is the fan for you.

Best Budget RGB 120mm Case Fans

As we said, the LL120’s aren’t cheap, so if you are looking for a less expensive option, the CoolerMaster MF120R are another strong choice and are compatible with most motherboard lighting systems. At around $18 per fan, you’re talking about a fan almost 50% as expensive as the LL140. And in case of concerns about reliability, CoolerMaster is among the best in the business, so rest easy knowing you have well-built fans with good customer service behind them. The LED’s might not be quite as pretty, but if you are on a budget, they will get the job done for cooling while still keeping your rig looking fly.

Best Bi-Directional RGB 120mm Case Fan

One of the only issues with the RGB on the LL120 is that they are directional, making it difficult to mount them in both directions and still get the same amount of light. The back is still plenty bright, but you lose the dual ring definition that makes the front look so nice. Corsair is yet to release a ‘two-way’ fan that looks equally good front the front (when used as exhaust) and from the back (when used as intake). So if you are looking for a fan that is flexibile because you aren’t sure of your fan set-up, or know that you will need to use them as intake, we recommend the Thermaltake RIING 120mm Premium Edition.

Not only does Thermaltake produce really good fans that move plenty of air without being overly noisy, but the Riing Premium Edition fans are the answer to complaints about uni-directional lighting. With both sides of the fan containing a bright LED ring, you get all that flashy goodness no matter which direction your fans are facing. And if you decide to recycle your fans for a future build, you can rest easy knowing that no matter your fan configuration, you’ll have plenty of beautiful lighting.

The only downside: two-way RGB comes at a price. We said the LL120’s weren’t cheap at around $35 each, including the RGB Node but not Commander Pro. Well the three pack of Riing 120mm fans is even more expensive. At $130 for the pack (including the hub), these fans come in at $40+ a piece. They perform well, but not as well as Noctua fans or even as the LL120’s, so you are choosing to sacrifice some performance to get lighting on BOTH sides of the fan. For someone that has hyper efficient components or doesn’t mind setting an aggressive fan curves, and that has the budget, these fans are definitely something special and should keep you happy for many builds to come.

Best Budget Bi-directional RGB 120mm Case Fans

While the Thermaltake Riing might be the best implementation of the two-way fan design, a few of the more ‘budget’ implementers have begun experimenting with similar designs. Of these, UpHere has come up with the UpHere RGB123-5 120mm RGB Wireless fan that is similar in that it offers two-way lighting. Unfortunately, customization is much reduced since lighting is set with the included remote, but UpHere is a relatively reliable brand and at $35 for a five-pack (or $7 a fan), it is hard to complain.

Conclusion

Like all different parts of cooling, case fans are important to get the most out of your PC. They keep your components working at peak performance, and add important flair to your PC if you opt for some RGB options. Depending on the fan you choose, you can customize to fit your favorite color scheme (such as a white-themed PC build) have perfect silent performance, flexibility in direction, or a mixture of all of the above.

140mm case fans are often more efficient, as on average they move more air and are quieter than the smaller 120mm variants (due to lower RPMs), but that often comes at an increased price and require a larger case with bigger mounting points. If you can fit them, check out our guide to 140mm case fans, but if not, these 120mm options will be sure to keep your battlestation cool, in both senses of the word!

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Despite the inclusion of features like PCIe 4.0 with the latest X570 chipsets for the AM4 socket, many builders are still choosing astonishingly strong value motherboards based on the B450 chipset. X570 is great for those looking for the newest tech, but even the least expensive X570 is difficult to call a ‘budget’ board as they almost never go below $115. So for builders that want to maximize their price-performance, and are not using a 3900/3950X which need much more robust VRMs than a 3600/3700x/2700x, the B450 is still a great choice.

For this article, we are looking at the price point that makes the most sense for B450: $100 or less. Once you get into the $120-$150 price, you are probably better served by an X570 board in that price range. Luckily, the B450 has a large variety of options that are well-established and a large number of reviews that have broken down every last detail to ensure builders are making smart choices. As usual, even with budget boards, we are looking for strong VRMs for clean power and nice features to fill our needs. A pure gamer might have different needs than a productivity user or a mixed user, so be sure to think about what your use-case is in order to get the right board!

With that in mind, let’s take a look at our recommendations for the best budget ($100 or less) B450 motherboards for 2020:

Best Overall Budget B450 Motherboard

The best overall B450 budget motherboard is really about finding the best combination of performance, features, and also design. While we really focus on the performance of components, we also want to enjoy the aesthetic of our build, considering the time and money we put into it! And while we normally privilege performance over everything, our best overall B450 budget motherboard sacrifices a tiny bit of performance for a better-looking, less basic designed motherboard. Don’t fear, we will also give our best performance pick right below! But for best overall b450 budget motherboard, we recommend the Gigabyte B450 Aorus Elite.

The Aorus Elite is a board that looks great, has strong enough VRMs for even a decent overclock on the 2600/2700X/3600, while offering strong features like dual M.2, built-in I/O back panel, and heatsinks on the M.2 slots and VRM’s. It is missing some features we would have liked to see, like USB-C and higher RAM speeds, but the overall design and generally strong features/performance give the impression of a much more expensive board. At $100 exactly, this isn’t the cheapest board, but it definitely is a great value board that will run six core or eight core CPUs without any problems. So if you want a combo board that does a bit of everything and does it all well, the B450 Aorus Elite is a great choice.

Runner up: Best Overall Budget B450 Motherboard

For anyone familiar with the B450 chipset, there is one motherboard that is recommended more than any other, making it almost a meme on building communities with how popular it is. Its mega-strong VRMs, feature-set, and MAX designation (indicating Ryzen 3000 ready) have made it the go-to option for builders using CPUs ranging from the Ryzen 1600 to the Ryzen 3700X, thanks to its upgradeability and overall value. The only reason we aren’t recommending it as the single best budget board is that it is slightly more expensive than our $100 limit. We are of course talking about the MSI B450 Tomahawk MAX. 

It is difficult to describe just how strong this board is and almost impossible to overestimate it. For 90% of builders, so basically anyone outside of those looking for overclocking records or 3950X users, the B450 Tomahawk MAX will satisfy your power needs. For most gamers, using two sticks of RAM and one M.2, an Ethernet connection and one GPU, the Tomahawk MAX will not hold you back in the slightest while gaming. And while our budget motherboards are very good for the price, the Tomahawk MAX is truly a step above. So if you are able to save an extra ~$15 or wait for a sale, the Tomahawk MAX is easily the best overall B450 stretch-budget motherboard and worth the wait if you can swing an extra $15.

Best Performance Budget B450 Motherboard

Now, we mentioned above that our first recommendation is really a ‘jack-of-all-trades’ motherboard, that doesn’t everything well but isn’t necessarily the single best performer, or best features. But some builders are not at all bothered by the design of the motherboard, or already know that they are looking to overclock as much as possible (even with a budget PC), so they want the most performance available. For those gamers, we recommend the MSI B450 A-PRO MAX.

Similar to the Tomahawk MAX, the A-PRO MAX has strong VRMs and the same MAX designation, and is just slightly less feature complete which explains its lower price. But in terms of performance, the A-PRO MAX is tough to beat under $100. MSI made arguably the best B450 lineup, and the A-PRO MAX fits right into that line. The features are not necessarily insanely good, but there is still an M.2 slot, light heatsinks, and no USB-C, but if you are looking for pure performance at $100, the MSI B450 A-PRO MAX is the motherboard for you.

Best Budget mATX B450 Motherboard

One of the best parts of the B450 chipsets, when compared to the X570, is the greater number of choices for mATX builders. As the happy medium in terms of sizing, mATX would seem to be a popular choice. But recently, the mATX market has shrunk, and motherboard manufacturers reduced the availability of choices accordingly. But with the B450, we have strong choices. And while the B450M Gigabyte AORUS and B450M ASUS TUF PLUS GAMING are both solid boards if you have a preference for ASUS/Gigabyte, our recommendation for best B450 budget mATX motherboard is the ASRock B450M Pro4. Attention! The board also comes in a regular ATX format, so when buying be sure to look for the ‘M’ after the B450 to get the right size!

The B450M Pro4 is a well-know, well-reviewed budget board that offers a strong 9-phase VRM set-up, some great features like USB-C on the back panel, support up to 3200MHz DDR4 RAM, and two M.2 slots (although one uses SATA channels). All of that plus good BIOS support from ASRock (with Ryzen 3000 support) means that this a pretty nice board, budget or otherwise. But the cherry on top is the stellar value. While comparable boards from other manufacturers are sold for between $85-$90, the Pro4 retails for $75, and is often on sale for less. So while it has a no-frills design, it invests in the core pieces that are most important while avoiding gimmicks that end up costing more for limited return. If you are building an mATX rig and are looking for a budget B450, look no further than the ASRock B450M Pro4.

Best Budget ITX B450 Motherboard

While SFF, or small form factor, building is becoming more and more popular, ITX board still remain rather limited, especially when compared to the ATX standard size. On the other hand, ITX boards tend to be very strong, offering great performance and good features (for the size) while keeping reasonable prices. Unfortunately, none fit within the strict budget of $100 without being on sale, but SFF builders are used to paying a bit more for their components, so we hope they understand when we recommend the Gigabyte B450I AORUS PRO WIFI.

This motherboard truly does everything well, from space saving to performance to features. The VRMs are strong enough to support an overclocked 2700X easily, while the M.2 slot and AC Wifi/Bluetooth 5.0, and Intel LAN provide features that many similar boards do not offer. The design is nice, with attractive heatsinks and some nice RGB touches, and a subtle orange trim that is elegant in its implementation. At $120, we are slightly above our budget $100 price, but the strength of the board and the typical price premium for SFF building mean that this motherboard is still a great budget value option that is perfect for any ITX B450 builder.

Conclusion

Even though the B450 is not the latest generation chipset, the glory of the AM4 socket is that many B450 boards are still more than capable of powering even the latest generation Zen2 processors. And for those looking to build on a tight budget, the savings compared to X570 are more than attractive, especially given the wealth of strong options available right around the $100 price point.

Remember to think about what is most important to you (performance, features, design, etc.) to ensure you pick the board best for you. But once you’ve chosen if you’re looking for the absolute best value, or if you are planning on building an mATX or ITX sized rig, these recommendations will help you ensure you get the best budget B450 motherboard available.

The post 5 Best Budget B450 Motherboards for Ryzen Zen 2 appeared first on PremiumBuilds.

One of the most common questions when buying a CPU is whether or not stepping up one level in the stack will give appreciable returns. Especially for Intel, where the emphasis is on single-core speed rather than high core/thread counts, buyers are often unsure if upgrading from an i5 to an i7 for the extra cores will be worth it. This guide will help you decide if an i7 is worth it over an i5 for your gaming needs.

To be clear, this is only targeting gamers. Productivity workloads often benefit quite a bit from additional cores, so moving from an i5 to an i7 may have a significant impact, depending on the exact work you do and applications you use. Similarly, while i5 and i7 has been around as naming schemes for years, we are really thinking of the most recent mainstream CPU’s (i5-9600(KF) and i7-9700(KF)/i7-9900(KF). The principles may apply to early generations or later generations, but as core counts and clock speeds have evolved each generation, make sure to look at the specifics before making a decision!

Having said all of that, let’s dive into the case for each of our contenders:

Core i5 vs i7 for Gaming: Why pick the i5?

As indicated above, when we say i5, we are really referring to the 9600(KF) for now. With six cores and six threads, the 9600(KF) falls right within the high-middle range of mainstream CPUs from Intel. Six cores has become the modern favorite for gaming, with Ryzen 5 processors adding in hyperthreading on top of their six core designs, but with lower single-core speeds. And generally, for gaming, this is more than enough. Current games rarely take advantage or scale well with additional cores/threads beyond six, and the stock boost speed of the 9600K (for example) at 4.6GHz is still more than enough when coupled with the hexa-core design.

Essentially, any additional spending beyond this point on the CPU is going to return very little for gaming. Unless you are playing specific games that are optimized for parallel computing, you’re far better off buying the 9600KF at $210 and investing the difference between the 9700KF at $350 into a higher-end graphics card. The 9600KF + a 2070 Super will almost always outperform at 9700KF + 2060 Super (for example), while costing you near the same amount or less depending on your choice of AIB board.

Essentially, the case for the i5 in gaming comes down to the much better price-performance value in almost all games. Taking the difference between the i5 and i7 processor and either saving it or reinvesting it elsewhere within the PC (like the GPU) will almost always result in more FPS at the end of the day.

Core i5 vs i7 for Gaming: Why pick the i7?

So for the i7, if we use the 9700(KF) as our reference example, we see an increase to the eight core/eight thread design for an additional ~$140. The 9700(KF) is without a doubt one of the best gaming CPU’s on the market, and that’s due to its increased stock boost speed of 4.9GHz as much as the two additional cores. This does lead to some small increases in FPS, notably in terms of 1% lows for titles that can use the parallel computing, but it is not too appreciable in most games. Streamers also have an interest in the additional cores as they can help ensure smooth video uploading for streaming.

Instead, the major reason for most users for going for an i7 (whether the 9700(KF) for eight cores, 8700(KF) for hyperthreading, or 9900(KF) for both), is for ‘future-proofing’. The additional costs do not give comparable returns today, but as many tech observers predict games to get better and better at using additional cores/threads (especially as consoles move to a likely 8c/16t configuration), the investment now could lead to longer years of use later. Now, this isn’t guaranteed and the considerable price increase should be remembered, but the peace of mind may be worth it to many.

Summary – the case for the i7 is one of preparing for the future, and getting every possible frame (with a comparable GPU) possible today, especially if you plan on streaming and want some additional cores to handle the load.

Conclusion

So when it comes to choosing the i5 or i7, while your individual situation will matter, if you are going for pure gaming, we would tend to recommend the i5 and putting the difference into the GPU. But if you are trying to future-proof, or are playing especially CPU-heavy games or games optimized for additional cores, the i7 is a powerful CPU. Similarly, if you are a mixed productivity/gaming workload user or plan on streaming regularly, then the i7 additional cores may be more meaningful and worth the increase in budget.

The post Intel Core i5 vs i7: Which is better for gaming in 2021? appeared first on PremiumBuilds.

In this guide, we’re going to continue with our high-level reviews like we did with five major GPU manufacturers and talk generally about the major motherboard manufacturers putting products into the market today. We won’t cover every single one, such as BIOSTAR that still produces a few motherboards, but the market is overwhelmingly controlled by four producers: ASRock, MSI, ASUS, and Gigabyte. We will look at some of the pros and cons of the four major manufacturers, as well as some specific examples of motherboards that are representative of their reputations.

Choosing a motherboard is always an exercise in budget vs. performance, and is overwhelmingly dependent on the processor you decide on for your rig. Very few people choose the motherboard first, and then pick the processor, and that makes sense as the CPU will have a much larger impact on the performance of your machine and how you will use it. So while over generalizing is never a good idea, this guide will help you understand better the reputation of some of the big players in the motherboard market today:

ASRock

We are starting with one of the more interesting motherboard producers, and one that really focuses on motherboards despite jumping back into the GPU market recently with the Challenger and Taichi lines of RX 5700/XT cards. ASRock has an odd reputation, mainly as a leftover to its past as a filial, and low cost filial, of ASUS. But since it spun off to become a more independent company in 2002, ASRock has produced some very fine motherboards that seems to cost less for the same amount of performance. The price differences have seen to more or less evaporate with the most recent lineups, but ASRock continues to provide great value while still offering strong performance and innovation throughout their motherboard lineups. The biggest gripe we hear about the ASRock motherboards is the very unfriendly RGBPolychromeSync software, their proprietary downloadable software for controlling RGB on the motherboard and with accessories. Almost all RGB software is awful, but PolychromeSync really does stand out as extraordinarily bad. Luckily, once you’ve set up the RGB of your accessories to your liking, you can pretty much never look at it again.

A great example of the value offered by ASRock is one of their most popular motherboards, the ASRock X570 Taichi. Much like the X470 Taichi, ASRock has given this motherboard a ‘mechanical’ design that features some nice RGB, strong heatsinks, and an overall subtle elegance. On top of that, the VRM’s on this motherboard are superb, especially within its price range. Currently on sale for $300, it is not the least expensive X570 board, but just like the X470 Taichi, if you are looking for a great value mid-range motherboard, the Taichi is top-notch, highlighting the strong value and reliability of ASRock. 

Pros

• Good value for money
• Reliable
• Quick BIOS updates

Cons

• Very weak RGB software

MSI

MSI is one of the best-known names in component production and is ubiquitous in the market. From motherboards to GPUs to cases to pre-builts, MSI is everywhere. And while sometimes this leads to cutting corners or weaker products, MSI has done a good job of keeping its lineup pretty strong from top-to-bottom. Because of their size, MSI is typically great in covering all budget levels, offering some high end options for those users with specific needs or looking to overclock to the max, but also including some of the best value for money lines (for certain chipsets at least). The most recent MSI release, the X570 chipset motherboards, were not well-received due to their relatively poor performance, especially in the budget segment. But aside from those specific motherboards, MSI produces quality good.

A great example of the typical MSI value proposition is the MSI B450 Tomahawk (MAX). The B450 Tomahawk was widely recognized as the single best value motherboard in the entire B450 range thanks to its absolutely stellar VRM set-up, nice feature set, and very reasonable price point of around $110. Accordingly, it was recommended everywhere for any Ryzen 2000 series processor, becoming a legend on building communities like r/buildapc on Reddit. Many people continued to recommend the B450 Tomahawk for Ryzen 3000 series CPUs, until users started reporting difficulties updating BIOS. MSI responded with a nice refresh, the Ryzen 3000 ready B450 MAX lineup. The B450 Tomahawk MAX maintained the same great VRM set-up and the $110-$115 price point, but updated the BIOS chip to better hold the newer BIOS necessary for Ryzen Zen2 chips. This type of quick response is the advantage of a big producer like MSI, and the cost-savings vs. X570 motherboards are just an example of how MSI can provide great value.

Pros

• Great line-up covering all prices
• Some great lines in recent years (B450)
• Good RGB software

Cons

• Some poor lines in recent years (cheaper X570)
• Slow BIOS updates

ASUS

ASUS is similar to MSI in that they produce a large variety of components. But where MSI has found a subtle-yet-distinctive aesthetic of black/silver/red with slight RGB on their motherboards, ASUS has maintained a subtler overall design – not including some motherboard that completely follow the RGB craze. Luckily, almost all of the motherboards implement their RGB well, offering good customization and nice motherboards. And to go along with the money ASUS has put into design, there seems to be an equal investment into producing high-performing motherboards with strong VRM modules and plenty of features, even at the lower end. But to get the boards with the most RGB and performance, ASUS motherboards can be among the more expensive on the market. 

For the epitome of ASUS value and aesthetic design, we think the X570 TUF Gaming Plus highlights the most important aspects of ASUS motherboards. Other lines like the ASUS ROG STRIX are also very impressive and demonstrate the flash of ASUS, but the TUF lineup has been around for ages and is in our opinion, an even better example of the power of ASUS. For a long time, the TUF line was a well-loved lineup that really was a great price-performance contender, but in the early 2010’s, that seemed to fade a bit.

Fortunately, ASUS seems to have found their mojo with the X570 TUF line. Amongst all ‘entry-level’ X570 boards, the TUF Gaming performs the best in terms of VRMs, and includes a great feature set to match. The design is appealing and elegant, while still giving hints of robust reliability. Even better, the TUF lineup brought back the true value proposition, offering the X570 TUF Gaming Plus at $165, or $195 with the WiFi bundle included.

This type of high-performance and strong reliability shows the power of ASUS when they avoid going full RGB and focus on great motherboards, something we hope they continue with in the future.

Pros

• Good high-end and budget motherboards
• Some great lines in recent years (X570)
• Good RGB software

Gigabyte

Gigabyte is nearly as widespread as MSI and ASUS with their lineup, but seem to focus more on GPUs and motherboards. And while this has led to mixed success in the GPU market, with some storng options like the Gaming OC lineup and some less strong lineups like the entire VEGA offering, their motherboards seem to have really taken off lately. While we have talked a lot about AMD chipsets in our examples above, Gigabyte should be noted as producing equally strong Intel and AMD motherboards with the most recent Z390 and X570 lines. While this might seem easy (just change the socket!), it shows the versatility of Gigabyte and reflects their more focused approach to component creation. Customer service is not always praised as strongly as someone like EVGA, and the catastrophic failure of the VEGA GPU release has dogged Gigabyte for years, but overall, their motherboards look good and offer great value at both the budget level and high-end of the spectrum.

To truly capture Gigabyte’s motherboard spirit, we chose to look at the Intel side and highlight the Z390 AORUS PRO. AORUS has been the major lineup of almost all Gigabyte-produced components for a few years, using an orange-and-black eagle logo to demark their products. This particular motherboard is a great example of the AORUS value, with a 12+1 VRM set-up that can power even an overclocked 9900K and some nice design touches to keep the board looking fresh. The reviews of the card back-up the strength of the performance, and at $185, the AORUS PRO is one of the go-to recommendations for 9700K or 9900K users. For some reason, Gigabyte does not always get the attention of MSI or ASUS, but with motherboards like this one, we can’t really understand why as their products are just as strong and often even more attractive depending on the exact chipset you are looking for.

Conclusion

This article is a bit of a different approach for us at PremiumBuilds and continues our broader look at some of the major manufacturers out there. Once you’ve decided on your processor, you should always continue on by looking at some in-depth research on the motherboard offerings for that chipset, but this article can help you orient your search when trying to navigate amongst all of the different producers and partners that advertise their lineup. We’ve given a few examples of motherboards we think represent these brands, but be sure to research the specific model you are looking at getting no matter which manufacturer you choose to have some in-depth reviews.

We had some good feedback on the last GPU article along these lines, but we are always ready for more feedback, so let us know what you think about this type of article and if you would like to see more of it! 

The post Best Motherboard Brands Compared – ASRock vs Asus, MSI, Gigabyte appeared first on PremiumBuilds.