When it comes to gaming PCs, storage is often overlooked, especially during Black Friday sales. You may be enticed by impressive specifications and discounted prices, only to be disappointed by the paltry size of the SSD. Take, for example, the CyberPowerPC rig on sale at Best Buy for $899.99. While it offers ample space for game installations, thanks to its large SSD, a single 1TB SSD might not be sufficient for modern games like Baldur’s Gate 3, which can occupy over 100GB of storage space alone.
One of the highlights of the CyberPowerPC rig is its inclusion of an RTX 4060 Ti graphics card. However, it is essential to note that the 4060 Ti is not the best graphics card currently available. In fact, it is often considered expensive compared to AMD’s more affordable alternative, the RX 6700 XT. While the 4060 Ti performs adequately, achieving around 60 fps at high settings for games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Far Cry 6 at 1080p resolution, it struggles when ray tracing is enabled in demanding titles like Cyberpunk 2077 and Metro Exodus, dipping into the 30s and 40s fps range.
If you plan on gaming at resolutions higher than 1080p, the 4060 Ti may not meet your expectations. Without enabling Nvidia’s DLSS 3 and Frame Generation technologies, which leverage AI-powered upscaling, the graphics card will struggle to deliver smooth gameplay experiences at 1440p and 4K resolutions. While the performance improves with DLSS 3 and Frame Generation enabled, reaching 30 to 40 fps at 4K, it falls short of the ideal gaming experience.
On the processor front, the CyberPowerPC rig comes equipped with a Ryzen 7 5700. It is essentially a slightly lower clocked version of the 5700G APU, boasting eight cores and comparable performance. However, it’s worth noting that opting for this processor means sacrificing PCIe 4.0 support if you ever plan on adding one of the best SSDs available.
Another aspect to consider is the amount of RAM the CyberPowerPC rig offers. While 16GB of DDR4 memory is sufficient for gaming purposes, it might fall short if you plan on using your PC for more resource-intensive tasks. If you’re a multitasker or engage in activities like content creation or streaming, it is recommended to opt for at least 32GB of RAM. Fortunately, RAM prices have become more reasonable in recent times, and you can always upgrade later on.
Despite its shortcomings, it is hard to ignore the value offered by the CyberPowerPC rig, especially considering its price tag of under $1,000. The generous storage capacity alleviates the need for constant library management, allowing you to install new games without worry. Additionally, the other components, such as the processor and graphics card, perform reasonably well for the price point. While the inclusion of a keyboard and mouse is appreciated, it may be worth investing in replacements for a better gaming experience overall.
The CyberPowerPC rig presents an enticing package for gamers on a budget. However, it is important to weigh the pros and cons carefully based on your specific gaming and computing needs. Whether it’s the storage limitations, the graphics card performance, or the processor considerations, be sure to evaluate the trade-offs before making a final decision. Happy gaming!
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