Top 10 Custom PC Builders of 2021
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If you’re looking for a new gaming computer and do not wish to build your own computer, these seven custom PC builders should be able to meet your needs.
I have been building my own computers for some time now. And, I have been trying to convince others to do so for almost as long. There are many reasons why you ought to build a computer. In addition, there are many reasons why you ought to change the oil in your car yourself.
While we, at Build Premium PC, love to build our own custom PCs, we recommend that you do the same as well, sometimes it’s best just to leave the PC building to the professionals. There’s a ton of reasons to work with a custom PC builder, whether you don’t have the time or your friend cannot even put together an Ikea desk and asks you if it’s worth it to build a water-cooled gaming computer.
Many people also feel the same way about building a computer. They would rather spend less money with a custom PC built for them, rather than having to learn how to build one. If you fall into that category, there are many custom PC builders out there.
Let’s take a look at the top seven custom PC builder websites and tell you what makes them a worthwhile option you may want to consider if you want a custom PC built for you.
The Best Custom PC Builders
We’ve had great experiences with the custom PC builders listed below, but there are probably hundreds more that we haven’t had a chance to work with.
Today we’re going to share a few of our favorite custom PC builders out there.
1. Origin PC
The ex-employees from Alienware who worked in Dell’s PC division began their own custom PC company, Origin PC, a few years after the latter acquired Alienware.
Computers and laptops from Origin PC are customs built for gamers and professionals, and they come in a variety of different classes and models, and the ones you want can be ‘configured’ to be built to your exact specifications. It has notebook options that come in a lightweight case, as well as laptops that come with a single GPU or even dual GPUs. Moreover, they have PCs in small form-factor cases, mid-tower cases, full tower cases, and high-end tower cases.
Origin PC has no entry-level gaming computers available, and its least expensive system starts at $1,343. Although they don’t offer financing options yet, you can choose monthly payments if that works for you instead. In addition, they offer a limited number of their systems for purchase on Amazon for those seeking faster shipping options. They provide 1-year warranties on their systems (you can choose to extend it to 3-years) and offer free technical support on their equipment for life.
Take a Look at Origin PC’s Systems
2. AVADirect
All of the stores on this list are different, but AVADirect may have the most comprehensive range of gaming desktops, gaming notebooks, workstations, and even mini-PC builds.
Also available from AVADirect are both desktop hard drives, keyboards, and mice, as well as other individual components.
Founded in 2000, AVADirect is an Ohio-based custom PC builder. It is capable of building any custom PC for you with options such as custom water-cooling loops, premium cable sets, overclocking as well as adding automotive paint jobs to your PC.
There is a giant array of components on the AVADirect website to choose from, but the site minimizes selection overload by highlighting only the five most common options and hiding everything else. The extent of this availability varies by component, including memory, in some cases having over 180 choices.
CyberPowerPC is slightly less expensive than AVADirect, but AVADirect is actually cheaper than AVADirect on a comparable system. It is correct to assume that custom paint jobs are a “contact for quote” kind of deal, so pricing will vary significantly depending on the buyer’s needs.
With AVADirect Systems, you get a warranty ranging from 1-3 years depending on the system you purchase. If your system includes a 1-year warranty out of the box, you can upgrade to a 3-year warranty for a fee. A lifetime warranty is included with all systems.
For $919, they offer custom-built gaming desktops, while $1,099 sports the custom-built laptops. They also have financing available so you can break your investment into smaller amounts.
Take a look at AVADirect’s Systems
3. Xidax
Although Xidax is usually not as famous as companies such as Origin PC, MainGear, CyberPowerPC, and iBuyPower, the company might be the best choice among custom PC builders. For starters, they offer customized PCs that start at $565, the lowest price on our list. If you need more power, they offer high-end desktops, workstations, and laptops.
By using the customization options they offer, and Xidax desktops can be upgraded to have improved hardware as well as customized options like RGB lighting, CPU & GPU OC’s, CPU delaminating, engraving, faster shipping, etc. You can also purchase Xidax systems by making monthly payments through Affirm, as well.
The lifetime warranty offered by Xidax for desktops and 2-year warranty on laptops is an industry-standard.
Take a look at Xidax
4. MainGear
Since 2002, MainGear has been creating custom computers for consumers and businesses alike. Headquartered in Detroit, MainGear has a decent selection of high-performance desktops, laptops, and workstations geared for both gaming and professional use.
Moreover, like the other systems on this list, MainGear’s systems are fully customizable, with choices ranging from CPUs and graphics cards to custom paint jobs, multi-storage in RAID configurations, and better warranties (among others). The MainGear system can also be found on Amazon if you are looking for a fast-shipping PC that is eligible for Prime.
Its base gaming PC starts at $825, which is usually fairly low for a website that sells computers pre-built. The company offers three additional configurations that can increase the warranty to three years.
Take a look at MainGear’s systems.
5. CyberPowerPC
CyberPowerPC offers a variety of base models and configuration options that might not be found on any other custom PC builder website. CyberPowerPC was launched in 1998 and sells custom laptops and custom PCs.
Their starting prices are also the lowest amongst the other options on this list, starting at $769 for gaming desktops and $799 for gaming laptops. Generally, a good gaming computer for $779 can even rival the performance you’ll get from a homebuilt PC for $700 to $850. CyberPowerPC’s gaming computers are listed directly on Amazon, with options as low as $499.
The company also offers monthly payment plans through Affirm, so like MainGear and Origin PC, CyberPowerPC is able to offer financial services to its customers.
Each CyberPowerPC system comes with a standard 1-year warranty that is accompanied by a 3-year service agreement. However, their products on Amazon are Prime eligible, meaning you can have them shipped to you in as little as 2 days for free. They do have slower shipping times, with custom systems taking up to 2 weeks. However, you can pay for rushed delivery in as little as 3-days.
Take a look at CyberPowerPC’s systems
6. iBuyPower
iBuyPower is CyberPowerPC’s main competitor on the affordable custom PC front. Their gaming desktops start at $899, and they have financing options with Affirm, so monthly payments may be a possibility.
The iBuyPower company was founded in 1999 and it can be configured to meet your own specific requirements. Just like CyberPowerPC, iBuyPower also sells pre-built computers on Amazon for as little as $549. So, if you don’t want to wait for iBuyPower to build you a custom computer, you can choose to buy one through Amazon.
The range of customization options available through iBuyPower’s configuration system includes RGB Lighting, Upgraded Cases, CPU, GPU, CPU Coolers, and Advanced Warranty Protection. The Easy Builder feature is one of the most powerful ones since it lets you find a PC that suits your specific gaming style, saving you both time and money.
All iBuyPower custom systems include a standard warranty of 3 years and can be placed on order in as little as 5-10 business days (although expedited shipping and production are also available).
Take a look at iBuyPower’s Systems
7. Digital Storm
A premier manufacturer of desktop PCs, workstations, and laptops for professional, gaming, and home users, Digital Storm has been around since 2002. All the other options on this list have less expensive options available through Amazon, including CyberPowerPC and iBuyPower, but Digital Storm’s base model system has the lowest price. Vanquish’s starting price is $699 and there are many options to be upgraded.
Each Digital Storm model comes with a three-year warranty. Users can also upgrade to a four-year or five-year warranty. In addition, their systems also offer financing options in case you are interested in making monthly payments rather than paying the entire price upfront.
Take a look at Digital Storm’s Systems
8. Falcon Northwest
With its history dating back to 1992, Falcon Northwest is the oldest custom PC maker listed here. Falcon Northwest is not primarily geared towards building budget-friendly PCs, so if you need a high-performing laptop or desktop computer and have a large budget, this is the custom PC builder to consider.
A Falcon Northwest desktop system begins at $2,200 and a laptop system costs upwards of $2,000. All of Falcon Northwest’s systems come with a standard 3-year warranty and include options for hardware customization and aesthetics (custom painted cases).
Falcon Northwest, on the other hand, is unique in that they do not offer financing options for their systems, and they also do not offer monthly payment options (unless of course, you apply for your credit card).
Look at Falcon Northwest’s Systems
9. BLD (by NZXT)
The NZXT brand is very popular in the PC hardware industry, so they deserve more recognition for their latest venture into custom PCs. Thus, you can expect a good standard of quality in custom PCs as well because of their success in the PC hardware industry.
BLD asks you to complete a questionnaire for the best system based on your needs and budget, unlike some custom PC builders (that can be reconfigured to your liking) that offer pre-configured builds. Choosing an AMD or Intel-based system depends on whether you want to play the main game.
With BLD, you get a recommended build and can configure it further to your requirements. You can choose your CPU, GPU, RAM and storage amount, the amount of power to supply, case, cooling, color schemes, RGB lighting, etc.
The warranty of two years they offer isn’t the longest, but neither is it the shortest (at least, so long as you don’t pay extra). Additionally, they guarantee their systems will reach customers within 48-hours and, if you wish to expedite your order, you may pay a fee of $200 extra so they are shipped that same day (if you place your order by 11 AM EST).
Take a look at BLD’s Systems
10. Ant-PC
A lot of time and effort goes into building computing systems, and we are dedicated to producing the highest quality and a great product. With our skilled team, we are sure to meet your demands. In order to provide the best solution to our customers, we need to consider their budget and find out about what they do. We listen to the needs of our customers and let them know if there is anything they do not need.
At Ant-PC we recognize that not everyone lives the same way. And we work hard to encourage diversity. In order to meet the demands of our customers, we offer custom solutions. With billions of hardware configurations at our disposal, we can customize PCs for your specific needs. It is our goal to deliver you a unique solution. We can ensure that what we build is a true work of art.
Take a look at Ant-PC’s Systems
Want a custom PC but don’t want to build it yourself? Try these custom PC builders instead
As much as I recommend building your own computer to save money, I really understand that you may not want to do that. That’s totally fine with me! A custom PC built by one of the companies above is a good alternative to building your own system.
To help you choose the best parts for your computer, we have provided the following guides:
Over $1,000 gaming PC builds
A Budget-Friendly Gaming PC Build (Under $1000)
