Best custom PC builder websites in 2023

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We love building PCs. There’s something magical in scouring the web for the best components and then patiently waiting for parts to arrive so you can start the best part of building a PC, actually making it. But some of us don’t have enough free time to bother with creating the best possible combo for the budget. Further, being a gamer doesn’t automatically mean being a hardware nerd. And that’s, you know, normal. Finally, maybe someone wants to get a decent gaming or office PC without all the hassle, even if they are interested in PC hardware. This is where Custom PC builder websites come into play. 

They offer pre-built configurations, so you don’t have to worry about your memory being too fast for your CPU or compatible with your motherboard. Or your graphics card is the absolute best bang for the buck, or your CPU heatsink being potent enough for your processor. Sure, they usually carry a certain price premium compared to what you’d pay for a DIY build. In this case, you receive a package with a completed PC and don’t have to spend days and weeks scouring for stock resupply. Now, let’s check out the best custom PC builder websites you can buy a pre-built PC from. We’ve listed the sites in alphabetical order and, almost exclusively, vendors featured below only support shipping to the US and Canada. 

1. ABS (Newegg): Best choice for fans of Newegg

ABS (Advanced Battle Stations) is a Newegg subsidiary that focuses on selling custom gaming PCs. Their site is pretty minimalistic, without configurators, without detailed product listings, and without the option to buy PCs directly from the site. Clicking on any model takes you to Newegg, where you can pick different configurations but cannot customize them again.

Pricewise, these pre-builts have solid prices considering the quality of components and general performance. Cases and AIO coolers used for cooling the CPU are brand-made, and it looks like PSUs are brand-made as well. That said, the most expensive models feature 100 percent off-the-shelf components, which is perfect for users planning to upgrade later. Overall, it is a solid choice for those who don’t want to customize their rig and who also prefer buying their PCs on Newegg. 

2. Alienware (Dell): Best prebuilt PC website for international buyers

Alienware is Dell’s gaming division and one of the most popular gaming brands in the world. Buying from Alienware includes International shipping, so this is the best choice for buyers outside of the US and Canada. 

When it comes to choices, it’s not the best, but it’s not terrible. Prices could be lower, especially when we consider that Alienware usually includes proprietary PSUs, cases, and motherboards. This is bad for future upgrades, so avoid the company if you plan on upgrading later.

Customization is limited. You can’t pick every component. Instead, in most cases, you can select the hard drive capacity, memory size, and CPU (not an exact model, just specific series such as Ryzen 5 or Core i7). If you want gaming laptops, you can get one from Alienware. There are plenty of different models, and prices aren’t too steep, for Alienware at least. 

What we don’t like is just a 1-year warranty period. Yes, you can extend it for a price, but we expect more from a brand like Alienware and Dell. A two-year warranty by default would be much, much better. 

3.AVADirect: Best PC builder website for users who like ton of choices

If you like picking components but hate assembling them, visit AVADirect. The sheer choice here is fantastic. For instance, you can pick between 261 different cases! We like this because this is a perfect vendor for people who like choosing their components but don’t like (or don’t have the time) assembling them.

On top of many different components to choose from, you can also pick your monitor. Monitor offering could’ve been better, but we’re not complaining here. We can say the same thing about mice and keyboard selection. Not the best but a solid choice between brands and models.

Prices are very similar to what you’d find on Amazon and Newegg, which is another plus. Another plus is that you don’t have to limit yourself to gaming PCs. AVADirect has a considerable selection of workstations, servers, HTPCs, tablets, and you can even get individual components. Overall, tons of options, but you might get overwhelmed if you’re inexperienced with PC hardware and building PCs in general. When it comes to warranty, it ranges from 1-year to 3-year depending on the system. 

4. BLD (NZXT): Best choice for fans of NZXT design philosophy

If you like NZXT’s minimalistic design, BLD is the custom PC builder site for you. BLD is an NZXT subsidiary, and they offer a selection of gaming PCs, workstations, and PCs for those who want to game and stream. They also provide Mini-ITX PCs based on the H1 case, but these mini PCs shouldn’t be available now, considering how that story ended.

When it comes to customization, it’s relatively limited for standard pre-builds. You can’t customize specs at all. There’s also a custom PC builder that’s great in some aspects and not so great in others. For instance, the first step when picking a custom PC is selecting three games from the list you want to play and the preferred resolution. We like this, but BLD should update the list (for instance, Cyberpunk 2077 and AC: Valhalla aren’t on the list).

Next, CPU and GPU choices are minimal. When it comes to Ryzen CPUs, the only Zen 3 CPU offered is the Ryzen 7 5800X. The same goes for graphics cards. At the moment, you can only pick between the GTX 1660 Super, GTX 1660 Ti, and the RTX 3090. The prices aren’t too steep. There’s also the fact that NZXT brand-name components are of much better (well, unless it’s the H1) quality compared to other vendors. Finally, BLD offers a two-year warranty that you can extend.

5. CyberPowerPC: Best PC builder website for users looking for a mini-ITX PC

CyberPowerPC has an excellent offering for gaming PCs, and the best part of that offering is Mini-ITX pre-built systems. You can pick between three Mini-ITX lineups (somehow, there are also a couple of Steam machines here, but we’ll ignore those), and we like the design of every PC here.

Our favorite is the Syber C XTREME lineup featuring Core i7-10700K and the RTX 3060 Ti. Not bad for something you can put below the TV and use as a gaming console. If you want to go wild, pick a model from the Syber Cube series featuring up to Core i9-10850K and the RTX 3070. 

Aside from the Mini-ITX models, Cybepropwer has a ton of pre-built mid and full tower gaming PCs. Regarding brand-name components, they mainly offer rebranded parts from known third-party manufacturers (such as Cooler Master). Cyberpower makes only the cases. A three-year warranty and lifetime technical support are fantastic, but prices are pretty high. Finally, the company also offers a solid range of gaming laptops, with prices that are much easier to swallow. 

6. Digital Storm: Best prebuilt PC vendor for custom water loop fans

Digital Storm offers only a handful of pre-built PCs, but the main reason you should opt for a Digital Storm PC is custom water cooling. The company offers a large selection of custom loops, offered even for their basic machines. And some of them, like the Mini-ITX Bolt, look impressive.

On the flip side, prices are pretty high. Even the budget system (if you want to customize it) is out of reach for many people. But, on the other hand, at least you get gaming PCs that look slick as hell. Another thing we don’t like is that many starter configurations feature a lot of brand-name parts (PSUs, cases with lots of RGB, HDDs and SSDs, even RAM). Now, this doesn’t have to be a bad thing, but considering the starting prices of these configurations, we would expect fewer brand-name components. 

Luckily, brand-name doesn’t have to mean proprietary (like with Alienware), so you can freely upgrade each PC however you want after the warranty expires. And when it comes to the warranty, you get 3-year labor and one-year parts warranty (which is great) along with the extended warranty option. Finally, Digital Storm offers a solid selection of pre-built workstations, specifically built for different use cases (CAD, Video Rendering, Machine Learning, AI, etc.)

7. Falcon Northwest: Best choice for users who don’t care about the price

If Digital Storm is too pricey for you, you better skip this one. When going with Falcon Northwest, the cheapest option is above $2,500, so yeah, this isn’t a vendor for gamers on a budget. On the flip side, each of the Falcon models looks stunning and comes with high-quality parts. The level of customization is solid but not great.

GPU selection is excellent, as is the case with CPUs. You only have one motherboard to choose from per model. Also, there are no B550 boards to pick for AMD-based systems, only X570. At least there are three models to choose from, all quality boards, making the buying process simple. 

You get three years on parts and labor when it comes to the warranty, which we like to see. Overall, Falcon Northwest is a premium custom PC builder, but you get excellent components, three years of warranty, and a solid amount of customization for the price.

8. iBUYPOWER: Best custom PC builder website for users on a budget

iBuyPower is the latest LTT Secret Shopper competition winner, so if you want the best overall choice, there you have it. The company won in most categories, but the most important one is bang for the buck. If you’re on a budget, check them out.

For instance, you can upgrade the base desktop model, based on the Ryzen 5 3600, to 16 gigs of memory and the RTX 3060 Ti, and the total price is below $1,500, which is a very nice deal for a pre-built. You can also create a custom PC from scratch by selecting a couple of games and then going from there. We don’t like that there are only eight games to choose from, with Cyberpunk 2077 being the sole single-player title. In other words, the list is in dire need of a single-player update. 

The level of customization is excellent. There aren’t too many components to choose from, but you can find most of them on many best-of lists. We also like the design of the custom build tool, which is very easy to use. Warranty-wise, iBuyPower offers 3-year labor and 1-year parts warranty, with the option to get an extended warranty. Nice. 

See also

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9. MAINGEAR: Best vendor for custom water loop fans (again)

Maingear has a wide selection of pre-built PCs starting at budget-friendly prices. But the real reason for getting a Maingear PC is custom loops. Like Digital Storm, Maingear is all about custom loops, and some of those look stunning. Our favorite is the Turbo, an ITX-based system with impressive design, sweet custom water cooling, and the latest Ryzen CPUs. 

Base specs of each pre-built model are solid considering their starting prices. Just don’t forget, by default, PCs do not come with custom water cooling. Selecting the custom loop option carries a considerable price premium. The level of customization is pretty good, notwithstanding motherboards and cooling. You’re usually limited to one or two motherboard models. For instance, the AMD version of the second-best pre-built desktop, the F131, comes with the ASRock X570M Pro4 board, even if you pick the Ryzen 5900X or, God forbid, the Ryzen 9 5950X. This board isn’t made for the 5950X so we don’t like this.

When it comes to warranty, you get 1-year from the get-go and can extend it to three years. Overall, while we like Maingear’s custom-loop water cooling systems, they are expensive and, in some cases, the limited motherboard selection can hurt your thermals and performance.

9. Origin PC (Corsair): Best PC builder website for business users

Origin PC (acquired by Corsair in 2019) offers a wide range of gaming desktops, workstations, and laptops, but their pre-builts are pretty expensive. If you’re on a budget, definitely check other custom PC vendors. That said, the selection is satisfying and includes most current CPUs from Intel and AMD and current AMD and Nvidia GPUs. 

The selection is limited when it comes to other components, but we have to say that we’re satisfied with the quality. We would like to see a couple of different B550 boards, but other than that, it’s okay. It’s worth noting that each model is fully customizable and that workstation offering, while limited, has solid specs and prices. 

Now, if you’re a business owner or work for a government agency, Origin PC is the vendor for you. The company offers a unique business and government PC sales program. It includes lifetime support, dedicated sales and support teams, and proof of quality by Origin PC. Regular users get just a one-year warranty when it comes to warranty, but you can extend it to three years.

10. Puget Systems: Best PC vendor for pre built workstations

If you need a pre-built workstation, check out Puget Systems. This custom PC vendor (that also has a benchmark you might have heard of) specializes in workstations, and the selection is impressive. You can pick between eight workstation models and customize each. There’s also a single server line, also customizable. 

Limited customization options aren’t a bad thing, as with Origin PC; available components are all high quality. The cases used are primarily from Fractal Design, and we like there’s a healthy amount of B550 boards to choose from (as well as X570) if you’re going for an AMD CPU.

Another plus for Puget Systems is the option to pick a workstation based on a ton of different workflows. You can get a workstation specialized for Adobe Lightroom or maybe for Redshift. There are four different workflow categories, each featuring multiple popular programs. We like this very much. Finally, a word or two about the warranty: you get a one-year warranty by default, with the option to prolong it. On the flip side, the company offers lifetime labor and hardware technical support. 

11. Xidax: Best PC builder for users looking for extended warranty

Xidax is a custom PC builder that offers a lifetime warranty on desktop parts. So, if you’re looking for an extended warranty, we think that a lifetime warranty will work for you. Of course, this means that you won’t be able to upgrade your PC without voiding the warranty, but Xidax will take care of it until you open the case.

When it comes to selection, it’s pretty good. There are five desktop PC models to choose from. Each is fully customizable, and base prices aren’t too high. That is until you see base specs. If you’re a gamer, a decent PC will cost you more than getting it from most other vendors featured here. But a lifetime warranty comes with some caveats.

At least the component selection is quite good. Again, there aren’t too many of them, but all are quality parts from tried and true manufacturers. There are some brand-name parts, such as RAM sticks, but overall, we are pretty satisfied with the selection. The company also offers a range of workstations as well as two server models. And both workstations and servers are customizable.

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