NZXT revamps its 'Starter PC' line for gamers and lowers the entry price to $699

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For better or worse, NZXT has gutted"Starter PC" line, swapping out the AMD foundation for Intel hardware. The result is a lower starting price—$699 instead of $899—while still maintaining a relatively attractive value proposition compared to building your own.

These starter systems first debuted in July 2019. NZXT configured them around AMD's second-generation Ryzen processors based on Zen+, paired with a Turing-based Nvidia graphics card. There were two models: Starter ($899) and Starter Plus ($999). NZXT also offered a separate, higher-powered "Streaming" build for $1,499.

This time around Starter ($699), Starter Plus ($899), and Starter Pro ($999). The goal is the same; offering gamers a relatively affordable system, capable of pushing 60fps or higher at 1080p in games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Fortnite, and Rainbow Six Siege, at high settings.

  • Case—NZXT H510
  • CPU—Intel Core i3 9100F
  • CPU cooler—Deepcool Gammaxx GTE V2
  • GPU—MSI GeForce GTX 1650 D6 Ventus XS OC
  • PSU—EVGA 450W Bronze
  • Motherboard—MSI B365 Mortar (mATX)
  • RAM—8GB XPG Gammix D10 DDR4-3000
  • SSD: 512GB Intel 660p SSD
  • OS—Windows 10 Home

The system also comes with an MSI MS-B905C dual-band Wi-Fi adapter that plugs into one of the PCIe slots. According to NZXT, this configuration can yield 161fps in League of Legends, 181fps in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and 67fps in Fortnite.

I configured a similar system on Newegg, using the exact same parts where possible (in some instances I had to substitute a different brand, either because the part was not available, or overpriced by a marketplace seller). Here's what I came up with:

  • NZXT H510—$69.99
  • Intel Core i3 9100F—$71.87
  • Deepcool Gammaxx GTE V2—$29.99 (B&H Photo)
  • Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650—$149.99
  • EVGA 450W Bronze—$55.99
  • Gigabyte B365M DS3H—$59.99
  • 8GB G.Skill Aegis DDR4-3000—$27.99
  • 512GB Intel 660p SSD—$69.99
  • Windows 10 Home—$109.99

I couldn't configure the same motherboard because it was only offered by a marketplace seller, with the price jacked up to $200—no thanks. That's okay, because the motherboard I replaced it with has onboard Wi-Fi, negating the need for a separate adapter.

The total above comes to $645.79. You could get that price down by swapping out more of the components and/or hunting for sales and rebates. Still, you're looking at about a $55 premium for NZXT's baseline Starter PC. Not too shabby, when you consider it's going toward labor and having a single point of contact for warranty issues (NZXT offers a 2-year warranty on all parts and labor).

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