iBuyPower's pre-built gaming PCs are so cheap that I wonder why I build my own

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Intel and AMD systems are enjoying deep discounts at Amazon.

iBuyPower Trace 7 Mesh
AMD and Intel versions of the Trace 7 Mesh are discounted for Prime Day (Image credit: Future | iBuyPower)

Building a custom PC isn't for everyone, and sales events like Prime Day are the perfect time to find pre-built gaming PCs for less. It can, however, sometimes be tough to find exactly what you need, but these two iBuyPower gaming PCs on sale at Amazon give you options.

iBuyPower generally has a solid reputation in the pre-built PC world, coming at you with standardized builds that are easier to upgrade yourself in the future. AMD and Intel models are both on sale right now, with the Ryzen 7 and RTX 3050 model coming in at a much cheaper $680. The Intel Core i7 with RTX 4060 Ti model is understandably more, but it's still 19% off at the $1,100 discount price.

iBuyPower Trace 7 Mesh (Intel) | $1,349.99now $1,099.99 at Amazon

iBuyPower Trace 7 Mesh (Intel) | was $1,349.99 now $1,099.99 at Amazon

The Intel-based Trace 7 Mesh includes the latest Core i7-14700F CPU, an NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti GPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD. It has Wi-Fi and comes with Windows 11 Home.

👀See at: Amazon

✅Perfect for: Anyone who prefers Team Blue and wants to game at 1440p.

❌Avoid it if: You'd rather go with an AMD system or want a PC capable of 4K gaming.

💰Price check: $1,350 at Best Buy

iBuyPower Trace 7 Mesh (AMD) | $799.99now $679.99 at Amazon

iBuyPower Trace 7 Mesh (AMD) | was $799.99 now $679.99 at Amazon

The AMD-based Trace 7 Mesh has a Ryzen 7 5700 CPU, NVIDIA RTX 3050 GPU, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD. It too has Wi-Fi and comes with Windows 11 Home.

👀See at: Amazon

✅Perfect for: Mid-range 1080p gaming on the cheap.

❌Avoid it if: You'd rather game at 1440p or prefer Intel hardware.

💰Price check: $1,000 at Best Buy

🎃The best early Black Friday deals🦃

Pre-built PCs are worth it when they're on sale

I usually urge gamers to build their own PC. It saves money, it teaches you how your PC's hardware works together, and you know exactly how to upgrade it when the time comes. However, deep sales available during events like Amazon Prime Day (and competition like Walmart anti-Prime Day) narrow the price gap enough that you can usually pick up a pre-built gaming PC for as much as you'd pay if you built it yourself.

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iBuyPower is one of the more recognizable custom PC builders out there, offering up systems that are a step above the mass-produced stuff you normally find from big builders like HP, Lenovo, and Dell. 

There's a lot more of an emphasis on ease of upgradeability, and you can usually expect standardized parts without proprietary designs. The specific hardware you get in your build might differ a bit, but the builds I've seen have T-Force RAM, PNY graphics, and Kingston SSDs. Not bad at all.

The cases are large and have plenty of space for extra hardware down the line, and they're designed to show off the included RGB fans. You get Wi-Fi connectivity in both models, as well as plenty of ports for connecting your favorite gaming accessories. The keyboard and mouse included with these PCs aren't really anything special, and you'll no doubt want to pick up something better before long.

Delving deeper, the Intel model comes with a Core i7-14700F CPU, an NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti GPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD. Taking some average costs for these parts alone, you're looking at somewhere around $900, and that's before a Windows 11 license ($139). You'd still need to add a case, PSU, and system fans, so it's not a stretch to see that the discounted $1,100 price is on par or better than building it yourself.

As for the AMD system, its hardware isn't quite as impressive. It's not made for 1440p gaming like the Intel sibling; instead, it'll deliver a quality 1080p experience. It has a Ryzen 7 5700 CPU, NVIDIA RTX 3050 GPU, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD. Again taking some rough averages, you're looking at about $400 for the performance hardware. Add a Windows license, case, cooling, PSU, and more, and you can easily reach the discounted $680 price tag.

If you're instead looking for a gaming PC that's on sale and that you can take with you everywhere, be sure to head on over to our collection of Prime Day laptop deals as well as Prime Day AI PC deals for more savings.

More Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals

We at Windows Central are scouring the internet for the best Prime Day deals and anti-Prime Day deals, but there are plenty more discounts going on now. Here's where to find more savings:

Cale Hunt
Cale Hunt
Contributor

Cale Hunt brings to Windows Central more than eight years of experience writing about laptops, PCs, accessories, games, and beyond. If it runs Windows or in some way complements the hardware, there’s a good chance he knows about it, has written about it, or is already busy testing it.