NZXT’s rent-a-PC scheme gets revamped but still costs $2K a year

NZXT has refreshed its NZXT Flex line. It allows you to rent out a full gaming PC from $59. The subscription model has been available for a few months, but now NZXT is breathing new life into it. 

Bryan de Zayas, the Head of Marketing for NZXT said in a press release, “At NZXT, we believe everyone should be able to play the games they love.” 

“In the past, that meant buying a pre-built PC or building your own. Our new Flex subscription service offers gamers more flexibility and choice, so they can focus on what really matters – playing the games they love.”

The service also offers 24/7 support and “Guaranteed PC upgrades every two years.”

NZXT has three options, priced at $59, $119 and $169 per month. Each tier of the system gets progressively more powerful, with the low end using an Intel i5-14400F and an RTX 4060. The top-end model will net you a 4070 Ti SUPER and an i7-13700KF.

While a low barrier to entry for some, the costs of the PC over two years outweigh buying your own. At the lowest level, you’ll be paying around $700 a year. As things ratchet up to the “Player Three” model, that $169 a month turns into $2000. 

After the two-year contract, you’ll have paid $4000 for a machine NZXT is currently selling for $2299. 

Buying the parts yourself for a spot of DIY will still cost upwards of $1600, but it’s significantly cheaper than the prebuild. 

The service doesn’t support component upgrades, but will offer them “soon”. You also won’t “own” the system until it is “fully paid off”. If you cancel during the contract, you’re not obligated to pay the remainder but do have to send the PC back.

With PC gaming thriving in many different, cheaper ways, NZXT’s Flex hasn’t received the best reception. On Reddit, users argue that the trade-off between paying off a regular build or buying outright is still the better option.