Buying new PC, advices and opinions

[dirtyferret]

Your thread could turn into a build thread if you don't make that clear and then it wouldn't be of help to you if you are certain you want a pre-built.

You mean will turn into a build thread, it always does and step 1 for anyone outside of the USA is always move to the USA so you can buy off Amazon for US prices followed by step 2 increase your budget

 

[JrRacinFan]

As @64K mentioned this could easily turn into a build-this-thing type thread. I say all the part picker posts should give you a rough idea of what to look for if youre wanting prebuilt. Just keep in mind as another person mentioned, prebuilts do tend to come with single channel single stick of ram and a not up to spec PSU. As far as AM4, I wouldn't invest into it even if it was a 5700x3d nor Intel 11th gen or older, just not going to get your moneys worth out of it.

 

[dgianstefani]

As @64K mentioned this could easily turn into a build-this-thing type thread. I say all the part picker posts should give you a rough idea of what to look for if youre wanting prebuilt. Just keep in mind as another person mentioned, prebuilts do tend to come with single channel single stick of ram and a not up to spec PSU. As far as AM4, I wouldn't invest into it even if it was a 5700x3d nor Intel 11th gen or older, just not going to get your moneys worth out of it.

The only prebuilts worth buying are simple office/media centre PCs, certain types of workstation from professional services, laptops, or from system integrators that simply assemble parts of your own choice.

The premium for what is in essence a one hour put the lego pieces together job, is quite severe, especially for those on a limited budget.

Of course, there are higher level optimizations and component choice/assembly tweaks that can improve the end result, but ultimately assembling a PC is incredibly simple. Parts have their own warranties which are often longer than those given grudgingly and often for a premium from system integrators too.

SFF PCs, or custom watercooling is another matter, but those are challenges for the initiated.

 

[JrRacinFan]

The premium for what is in essence a one hour put the lego pieces together job, is quite severe, especially for those on a limited budget

Some people just are not inclined to take the time out of the day to build a tower. That's why there are PC boutiques. There are also some system integrators who use off-the-shelf components as well. Newegg's in-house brand, ABS, is one example of it.

 

[dgianstefani]

Missing the point of my post completely, some people just are not inclined to take the time out of the day to build a tower. That's why there are PC boutiques. There are also some system integrators who use off-the-shelf components as well. Newegg's in-house brand, ABS as one example of it.

I'm not missing the point.

If you want convenience, be prepared to pay for it. If you don't have the budget to do that, then be prepared to get ripped off with a crappy build, or learn to shop the second hand market.

Coming to an enthusiast forum and asking about a cheap and poor quality prebuilt with 4+ year old parts will give you predictable responses.

This is the correct response, as it's bad advice to tell someone to simply support mediocrity from upselling companies to purchase junk, that in many cases is literally unsafe (high end components paired with crap PSUs and cooling).

 

[JrRacinFan]

I'm not missing the point.

Edited my post as i misread yours slightly, sorry.

 

[#22]

The biggest strength of prebuilts is their potential aftersale service and here companies obviously differ. Kinda whatever problem happens, you don't care, because you tell them and they solve it fast with e.g. remote desktop or sending you technican. It's premium convenience which especially non-tech savvy people value, maybe even more than bang for buck or anything other.

 

[dragontamer5788]

My budget is max 1100 euros. I could go with ryzen 7

Its not the Ryzen 5 vs Ryzen 7 that matters. What people are talking about is the generation.

A Ryzen 7 from 5 years ago is worse than a Ryzen5 (or probably even a Ryzen3) from today. Its more important to track generations than the overall marketing name.

 

[dgianstefani]

The biggest strength of prebuilts is their potential aftersale service and here companies obviously differ. Kinda whatever problem happens, you don't care, because you tell them and they solve it fast with e.g. remote desktop or sending you technican. It's premium convenience which especially non-tech savvy people value, maybe even more than bang for buck or anything other.

This can be true, but typically you have to pay extra for this.

Its not the Ryzen 5 vs Ryzen 7 that matters. What people are talking about is the generation.

A Ryzen 7 from 5 years ago is worse than a Ryzen5 (or probably even a Ryzen3) from today. Its more important to track generations than the overall marketing name.

Also why anything lower than a 13600/14600 actually has Alder Lake Golden Cove P cores, an architecture from 2021, which is notably slower in most tasks than Raptor Lake Raptor Cove P cores. Despite many CPUs such as the "Raptor Lake/Raptor Lake Refresh 14500, 14400F etc., having the name of a newer architecture, they are in fact Alder Lake.

 

[Why_Me]

This can be true, but typically you have to pay extra for this.


Also why anything lower than a 13600/14600 actually has Alder Lake Golden Cove P cores, an architecture from 2021, which is notably slower in most tasks than Raptor Lake Raptor Cove P cores. Despite many CPUs such as the "Raptor Lake/Raptor Lake Refresh 14500, 14400F etc., having the name of a newer architecture, they are in fact Alder Lake.

Germany is the only western country tmk that has this cpu ready and available (it fits the budget if buying a Windows key).

AMD Ryzen 5 7500F, 6C/12T, 3.70-5.00GHz, tray ab € 133,81 (2025) | Preisvergleich Geizhals EU

✔ Preisvergleich für AMD Ryzen 5 7500F, 6C/12T, 3.70-5.00GHz, tray ✔ Bewertungen ✔ Produktinfo ⇒ Kerne: 6 (6C) • Threads: 12 • Turbotakt: 5.00GHz • Basistakt: 3.70GHz… ✔ AMD ✔ Testberichte ✔ Günstig kaufen

geizhals.eu

AMD Ryzen 5 7500F €152,00

 

[#22]

This can be true, but typically you have to pay extra for this.

It's premium convenience. To be clear, I didn't even look at OP's prebuilt or company it comes from. Just thrown imo the biggest strength of prebuilts into your discussion

 

[64K]

For the advocates of building your own PC because it's simple and you get better parts for your money I agree 100% but bear in mind that most gamers don't build their own. They buy pre-builts or pay more for a boutique to build one so they can have some choice in the parts but I think back to my first gaming rig build in 2007 and it did not look like a simple matter to me at that time because of all the things that could go wrong. All of my concerns were for nothing because it all went together without a problem and all of my builds since then haven't been a serious problem that I couldn't deal with on my own.

I'm not sure if the OP will come back but if he does then he probably won't see building a PC as an easy task until he does build one with advice from here and then he will see it really is the best way to go but maybe he's not ready to take that step.

 

[JrRacinFan]

Germany is the only western country tmk that has this cpu ready and available (it fits the budget if buying a Windows key).

AMD Ryzen 5 7500F, 6C/12T, 3.70-5.00GHz, tray ab € 133,81 (2025) | Preisvergleich Geizhals EU

✔ Preisvergleich für AMD Ryzen 5 7500F, 6C/12T, 3.70-5.00GHz, tray ✔ Bewertungen ✔ Produktinfo ⇒ Kerne: 6 (6C) • Threads: 12 • Turbotakt: 5.00GHz • Basistakt: 3.70GHz… ✔ AMD ✔ Testberichte ✔ Günstig kaufen

geizhals.eu

AMD Ryzen 5 7500F €152,00

I like that CPU. Gets you into an up to date platform while not really hurting the wallet alot.

 

[lexluthermiester]

I don't know any store (atleast in my country), where they assamble pc parts to PC for free. All of them charges any fee for their work.

That kinda sucks. Here in the states, many shops will assemble the parts you buy if you buy from them.