this post was submitted on 18 Nov 2025
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I'm always amazed how much you get taxed for prebuilts. This thing is at least $1k more than what I spent (with a similar config), and the CPU is still worse than the one I got lol.
Your own time to research, build, debug, service, and troubleshoot your own build is a tax as well.
Sure, doesn't really take that long to research and build it though, and in my experience if you get a prebuilt, most people aren't gonna like get it serviced or troubleshoot it with CS unless there's something seriously wrong with it. They'll likely just live with minor annoyances.
The only significant benefit IMO is if you really end up needing to RMA something (like if the motherboard is shot), you can just RMA the entire thing instead of figuring out which part is messed up. However, I've had mixed experiences RMAing laptops before, so I wouldn't be surprised if it's just as bad for desktops.
It's definitely not worth $1k+ IMO. If I spent $1k more, I could've gotten a 5090.
I agree with you, but, I also realize that I've been building my own PCs and keeping up with the ins and outs of hardware/software design/developments since roughly the age of 14.
Most people don't do that.
Most people (in the US) read write and think at a 5th or 6th grade level.
They just want box that make play video game go whee!
IMO if you "just want box that make play video game go whee," you should just buy a console (the Steam Machine, for example). That's literally their purpose.
Anyway, if you, for instance, just buy parts using recommended parts lists (some of the review sites have good enough builds, or you can just use the brain dead "build with AI" option on Newegg), you could probably just pay a computer store to build it for you for a lot cheaper than $1k.
Or you could just read the manuals and build it yourself since the manuals are usually pretty straightforward with pictures showing you what to do. It's basically just an expensive LEGO set lol. Really, as long as you can read a manual with pictures and use a screwdriver you're pretty much good.
Are we looking at the same link? The one I see is listed for $1099, so I'm not sure how you managed to spend $1k less.
Though anything with an Intel Ultra CPU should go right in the garbage, but that's a different issue.
It's configurable. The base model is $1k. Upgrading it goes upwards of $3k (dunno what the max is).