Advice for buying a gaming PC!

Timothy Kim60 said:I don't think it's worth it. Especially if it's used. You could probably build a rig around a Ryzen 3 1200 and a GTX 1060 3 GB for that price instead.

Brand new with a 24-month warranty, pre-built from the store
maybe something like this
CPU: AMD Ryzen 3 1200 3.1GHz (Quad-core / 4threads) Soc.AM4
Motherboard: A320 SoC
Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 3GB GDDR5
Memory: 8GB DDR4
Hard Drive: 1TB HDD
Case: MSI Phantera
Power Supply: Thermaltake 550W
Audio: 7.1 channel audio
Other: PCI-express, SATAIII LAN 10/100/1000MB, USB3.0
Operating System: FREE DOS
Same shop, same deal $1667

That’s looking much better. Are you planning to pay upfront or put it on a credit card? If you're paying cash, let us build the rig for you. You get free assembly and shipping anyway, so there’s really no point in buying a pre-built system—it's actually smarter for you when it comes to handling warranties later on.

I find myself in agreement with Timothy Kim60🙂. There is simply no logic in purchasing those pre-built configurations. You can secure a far superior machine for less money, or if you insist on spending the same amount, you end up with a significantly better build overall.

Timothy Kim60 said:That’s a bit better. I guess it depends if you're paying cash or using financing? If it's cash, let me help you put something together. You get free assembly and shipping anyway, so there's really no point in buying a pre-built. It’s probably better for warranty stuff too.

and I'm looking at financing
So, wouldn't it be possible to just pick up a build from a more well-stocked shop on a payment plan, maybe something you put together for me?
Are you saying I could just send you a parts list and pay via installments? Is that actually an option?

Thanks for the info

wearypanther15 said:I want to pay in installments
So, could I just pick out a build you put together at a better-stocked store and still pay in installments?
Are you saying I should send you my parts list and then pay via an installment plan? Is that actually doable?

Thanks for the help

Just let me know which card you're using and how many monthly payments you need. The crew will try to find a shop that fits your needs, since not everyone takes the same cards or offers the same payment plans.

If the shop is based in Chicago and they don't offer online installment plans, then you're out of luck.
Lynx is pretty decent if you need to pay in installments, though their selection can be a bit hit-or-miss. Just let me know which card you're using and how many monthly payments you're looking at, and we'll figure it out.

BTW, I'm going to move this into its own dedicated thread under the desktop PCs section.

Greetings, everyone.
I am planning to purchase a new computer at Lynx in Miami using an American Express installment plan for up to $4,000. I would appreciate it if someone could assist me in putting together a build that is both high-quality and reasonably priced. Thanks in advance.

Do I need to pick up a monitor too?

That isn't necessary.

Timothy Kim60 said:If the shop is based in Miami and they don't offer online installment plans, then you're out of luck.
Lynx is fine for installments, though their selection can be pretty weak sometimes. Just let me know which card you have and how many payments you need, and we'll see.

BTW, I'm moving this to its own dedicated thread under desktop PCs.

Thanks
Can I get 4-6 monthly installments through Lynx? I have one here in town, or does anyone have experience with this place downtown?
looks like they allow American Express installments online too, I think.
Thanks for the help everyone.

wearypanther15 said:Thanks
I could use American Express for 4-6 monthly installments at Lynx here in my city, or does anyone have experience with this specific local shop?
I see they offer American Express installments, possibly even online
Thanks everyone for the help

In my opinion, Lynx is the best option for installments because their prices stay consistent regardless of how you pay. Pro tip: just order online first, then it's easy to settle up at the physical store. Their online prices are significantly lower than what you'll find on the shelf in the actual shop!

Meanwhile, at most other retailers, using an American Express card can end up costing you 10-15% more compared to paying cash.

https://www.amazon.com/Seagate-ST2000DM008-Barracuda-Internal-Hard/dp/B07P9S6S5Y

What are your thoughts on this particular model?

Weak and overrated, I guess.

Thanks, Amex 4. I wouldn't call myself a computer expert, but looking over these components, they seem decent enough. Ultimately, the biggest selling point for me is being able to spread the cost over 24 monthly installments.

https://www.lynx.com/en/pc-desktop-gaming-computer-intel-kaby-lake-nvidia-geforce-gtx-1050-ryzen-3-1200-a320-soc-034300026

Is this a better option?

fadedcobra17 said:https://www.lynx.com/pc-build-example

Is this one any better?

No, it doesn't have a graphics card.

fadedcobra17 said:https://www.bestbuy.com/pc-build-example-link

Is this an improvement?

Massively overpriced. Of course it isn't better. Stop looking at those pre-built configurations!

I would certainly welcome the opportunity to become more proficient with computers.

fadedcobra17 said:I’d certainly love to be an expert on computer hardware myself.

For God's sake, just tell us what kind of budget we're looking at here. At this rate, I'd be paying it off on an Amex 24 for years.

It’s easy to sit here and talk about building a rig at IBM, downtown, Links, or wherever else—they’ll put it together and have it delivered in about five business days, and then you're done.

Also, what do you actually plan on doing with the machine?

Look, this isn't some holy scripture.

I already laid out my estimated budget, though you might have missed it. I'm looking at roughly $1333. My initial thought was to pick everything up at Best Buy. I wouldn't call myself a hardcore gamer, per se; I just play when I can find some downtime. Because of that, I’d put the emphasis on gaming performance, since I could easily get by using my old setup for everything else.