How BAD is a BestBuy Gaming PC?

[jakkuh_t]

Back in 2016 we purchased a prebuilt "gaming" PC from BestBuy and it was actually relatively decent, but today we find out if the same rings true in 2020.

 

 

[minibois]

Special message to Janice's imaginary little brother: Dude, you're getting a Dell!

[nick name]

4 minutes ago, NZgamer said:

Wow this is the first time I've seen a video before release

Oscars Season!

[PhantomJaguarr]

I got my iBuyPower PC through them for peace of mind.

[emosun]

i buy tv's at best buy and usually pick the crappiest brand , but the kicker is i get the 5 year warranty which means i get 5 years of service or a direct replacement..... which can also qualify for the warranty.

it's worth the extra 50$ to watch them try and figure out how to fix a 4 years old 4k insignia lol

[Airbornchaos]

Anyone happen to have a link to the previous video he mentioned?  Where Janice was almost sold a computer w/o a graphics card?

[SkyHound0202]

 

The power supply unit inside the PC is a actually a 12-volt only PSU following the new ATX12VO standard, which explains why it needs a breakout board for SATA power (no 3.3/5 volt output) and the seemingly low 360-watt rated output. It also means that the power supply is more efficient and offer super low standby power.

 

Consider this: they use a mere 460-watt version of the same 12VO PSU, even if you manually configure the machine to the highest possible config (9900K+2080).

 

Calling it "basement tier" clearly shows that you don't even follow the latest development in tech or understand the legal basis for Dell to make such decision.

 

Maybe it's a good time for you to make a Techquickie for the new PSU standard.

 

Edit note: Insert screenshot with highlight

[RejZoR]

Didn't know there is 12V only standard being already in use. So, this means for anything less you need external converters for SATA and potentially other types of devices (like fans) if you want them operating at lower voltages. So, the motherboard has its own downvolting circuitry for the needs of 3.3V and 5V? Or is it designed to just run at 12V for all that? Which would be odd given it's running yesteryear CPU...

 

Other than that, it's not really that bad. I remember times when "gaming" PC's meant somewhat OK CPU paired with bottom of the barrel stand alone GPU (like GTX 1050 would be today). GTX 1660 is pretty decent and would run something like brand new Doom Eternal super smoothly on max. And most games at 60fps anyway.

[LoneKrafayis]

15 minutes ago, SkyHound0202 said:

The power supply unit inside the PC is a actually a 12-volt only PSU following the new ATX12VO standard,

Yes, but also no

 

The Intel standard uses a 10-pin connection and this Dell uses a 6-pin connection that could be confused with a PCIe power connector 

 

https://www.pcworld.com/article/3518831/how-intels-changing-the-future-of-power-supplies-with-its-atx12vo-spec.html

 

Image is by Gordan Ma Ung of PCWorld

 

[SkyHound0202]

17 minutes ago, LoneKrafayis said:

The Intel standard uses a 10-pin connection and this Dell uses a 6-pin connection that could be confused with a PCIe power connector

Sorry, but some of your claims just aren't correct.

In the "Single Rail Power Supply ATX12VO Design Guide" by Intel, the connector is indeed defined as a 10-pin Molex connector which consists 10 pins.

However, only pin 1,2,3,6,7,8 are necessary for the functioning of a 12-volt only system, pin 4,9 are optional for high power devices, pin 10 is only necessary when using remote load sensing. Hence it's possible for Dell to power a system with a single 6-pin connector.

(Image take from here. Rotated for better viewing)

The 6-pin connector Dell used is a proprietary Molex connector which is both mechanically (due to a different keying) and electrically (due to a different pinout) incompatible with the Intel-defined standardized connector or PCIe power connector. It's impossible to accidentally connect a PCIe power connector to this socket, nor can a standardized connector fit. (This also means this motherboard is only compatible with a Dell-branded 12VO PSU, making the upgrade possible somewhat limited.)

What is the same as the current PCIe power connector, however, is actually the Extra Board Connector in the new ATX12VO standard (as detailed in the section 4.2.2.2 of the guide), which itself is the same as the current implementation of the older ATX12V standard.

[Firewrath9]

https://deals.dell.com/en-us/productdetail/48sf

for 730$ on dell website, you can get a 1660 ti, same proc, same ram, and a 128gb ssd + 1tb hdd... Best buy is literally a scam.

 

[SkyHound0202]

1 hour ago, RejZoR said:

Didn't know there is 12V only standard being already in use. So, this means for anything less you need external converters for SATA and potentially other types of devices (like fans) if you want them operating at lower voltages. So, the motherboard has its own downvolting circuitry for the needs of 3.3V and 5V? Or is it designed to just run at 12V for all that? Which would be odd given it's running yesteryear CPU...

12VO PSU has been out there for a while now, but only for OEM and SI computers. These PSU are simpler and thus cheaper to manufacture/procure, also confront to the "low standby power" legal requirement for the machines they sell. 

 

Motherboard already has its own voltage regulator module (VRM) for many things, that's why CPU and RAM can operate a much lower voltage. It don't hurt much to add more. All they have to do is to modify the circuit tracing to facilitate the added components.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, LoneKrafayis said:

Yes, but also no

 

The Intel standard uses a 10-pin connection and this Dell uses a 6-pin connection that could be confused with a PCIe power connector 

 

https://www.pcworld.com/article/3518831/how-intels-changing-the-future-of-power-supplies-with-its-atx12vo-spec.html

 

Image is by Gordan Ma Ung of PCWorld

 

I don’t see how it could be confused if the plugs are different

[Eschew]

3 hours ago, Airbornchaos said:

Anyone happen to have a link to the previous video he mentioned?  Where Janice was almost sold a computer w/o a graphics card?

Mm, Riley seems to be talking about this video, in which Linus recalls a Best Buy staffer almost sold Yvonne a "gaming PC" without a graphics card:

 

Timestamp: 0:49 - 1:18.

Quote

Linus: I actually sent my wife (Yvonne) in my stead in an effort to see just how frustrating it would be for a more "normal" person to find a gaming PC at the local big box store. So, at the first store, the initial sales person explained that the difference between the $900 gaming PC and the $1,500 one was aesthetics, and that gaming computers just cost more. The actual difference was that the gaming one had a video card. Fortunately my wife realized that, and... found someone else to talk to.

Clarification: When Riley says "last time around," he's referring to the last Best Buy PC purchase, which enlisted Yvonne's help, not the Secret Shopper series featuring (Agent) Janice.

[Airbornchaos]

41 minutes ago, Eschew said:

Mm, Riley seems to be talking about this video, in which Linus recalls a Best Buy staffer almost sold Yvonne a "gaming PC" without a graphics card:

 

Timestamp: 0:49 - 1:18.

Clarification: When Riley says "last time around," he's referring to the last Best Buy PC purchase, which enlisted Yvonne's help, not the Secret Shopper series featuring (Agent) Janice.

Thanks.  I remember the Secret (Shopper) Agent Janice series, but I didn't remember the earlier Best Buy. 

[GDRRiley]

2 hours ago, Firewrath9 said:

https://deals.dell.com/en-us/productdetail/48sf

for 730$ on dell website, you can get a 1660 ti, same proc, same ram, and a 128gb ssd + 1tb hdd... Best buy is literally a scam.

 

yeah. the best buy build can easily be built for cheaper but the dell special right now is a decent deal.

cases and PSU have climbed in price.

intel doesn't make a ton of sense but I get dell got that intel money.

 

that 150$ assembly fee is way to much. I think most custom PC shops charge less than microcenter does.

[Letgomyleghoe]

6 hours ago, emosun said:

i buy tv's at best buy and usually pick the crappiest brand , but the kicker is i get the 5 year warranty which means i get 5 years of service or a direct replacement..... which can also qualify for the warranty.

Honestly, tcl has worked out great for TVs imo, not as solidly built as Samsung, but I’m not throwing my tv at the wall so it doesn’t matter

 

I paid 216 for a 50inch 4K @60hz and 1080p @120hz and have been suprised 

[funkmon]

6 hours ago, SkyHound0202 said:

Maybe it's a good time for you to make a Techquickie for the new PSU standard.

I would really find this useful. That's a good idea. I wasn't familiar with it. Let me ask a slightly unrelated question then. Is it likely that this standard will start to be used with the PC components we normally buy, therefore necessitating a major compatibility check between motherboard and PSU? Or will this continue to be a system integrator thing?

[Spotty]

6 hours ago, SkyHound0202 said:

The power supply unit inside the PC is a actually a 12-volt only PSU following the new ATX12VO standard

No, it's not. 12V only power supplies have been around for yonks. Dell has used them for ages. Just because a power supply only outputs 12V does not mean it's compatible with the new Intel 12VO standards.

 

4 hours ago, SkyHound0202 said:

The 6-pin connector Dell used is a proprietary Molex connector which is both mechanically (due to a different keying) and electrically (due to a different pinout) incompatible with the Intel-defined standardized connector or PCIe power connector. It's impossible to accidentally connect a PCIe power connector to this socket, nor can a standardized connector fit. (This also means this motherboard is only compatible with a Dell-branded 12VO PSU, making the upgrade possible somewhat limited.)

[Results45]

You can build a system that includes a Ryzen 5 3600, 16GB DDR4 2800Mhz RAM, 1TB + 8GB MLC FireCuda SSHD, B450 motherboard, 550W TXM Gold modular PSU, and RTX 2060 KO with AVADIRECT right now for under $1020: https://www.avadirect.com/custom-pc-tower

 

Spoiler

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Relative to the configuration above, you can upgrade the case to a Meshify C w/ Tempered Glass for ~$30, the stock CPU cooler to a Noctua U12S for ~$50, and the standard warranty to the Lifetime Labor Warrenty for $150.

AFAIK Ava has one of the widest range of options for PC parts as a system integrator when compared to competitors.

[Firewrath9]

12 hours ago, Results45 said:

You can build a system that includes a Ryzen 5 3600, 16GB DDR4 2800Mhz RAM, 1TB + 8GB MLC FireCuda SSHD, B450 motherboard, 550W TXM Gold modular PSU, and RTX 2060 KO with AVADIRECT right now for under $1020: https://www.avadirect.com/custom-pc-tower

 

  Reveal hidden contents

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.

Relative to the configuration above, you can upgrade the case to a Meshify C w/ Tempered Glass for ~$30, the stock CPU cooler to a Noctua U12S for ~$50, and the standard warranty to the Lifetime Labor Warrenty for $150.

AFAIK Ava has one of the widest range of options for PC parts as a system integrator when compared to competitors.

firecuda

 

also, how is that 1020$ o_O

this is as close to the specs as the dell one I linked before, with the cheapest non-dogshit part in each catagory (WD green ssds are absolute shit)

[Results45]

3 hours ago, Firewrath9 said:

firecuda

 

also, how is that 1020$ o_O

 

Spoiler

 

this is as close to the specs as the dell one I linked before, with the cheapest non-dogshit part in each catagory (WD green ssds are absolute shit)

 

Well there is a 5% discount going on..........

 

Regarding your build, there are differences compared to mine:

• Corsair 275R Airflow tempered glass case (IMO looks cleaner than your pick)
• EVGA RTX 2060 KO 6GB (as Riley said -- it's worth it)
• Swapped SSD & HDD for Firecuda 1TB + 64MB DRAM cache + 8GB MLC solid-state cache ~ definitely better than most HDDs or cache-less SSDs (1TB MX500 is an extra $132).
• no additional case fans (figured one could get a good deal elsewhere and install it themselves).
• Patriot Viper Elite 2 x 8GB 2800Mhz RAM -- also a Riley wish list item (instead of stock 8GB 2666Mhz)
• Corsair TXM 550 80+ GOLD Semi-modular PSU (50 more watts, Gold vs. Bronze efficiency, and some modularity rather than none; WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE?)

Just replicated my build but with a MasterBox Q900L & 2TB Firecuda SSHD:

• Total (would-be regular price): $1089
• Current price (with discount): $1034.55
• Riley's Amazon + Micro Center build (without Win10 license): $873
• PcPartPicker DIY build for comparison #1: $1032.89
• PcPartPicker DIY build for comparison #2: $1063.90

Spoiler

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Paying that extra $150-$200 for a Ryzen 5 3600, 16GB of faster RAM, a RTX 2060 or RX 5700, and a 1TB-2TB SSD or SSHD is worth it all the way regardless of whether you buy the parts and build it yourself or let the guys at Micro Center or AVADIRECT build it for you.