The Starforge Systems $899 PC is still overpriced: Our top alternatives
Dexerto/StarforgeOTK’s new venture, Starforge Systems, has already come under fire for how the faces of the company have responded to the criticism. But it’s true: Starforge prebuilt PCs are overpriced.
Yesterday, Starforge Systems was unveiled, a brand-new system integrator that was created in a joint effort by OTK and Moistcr1TiKaL. However, the launch has not been going steady, with multiple issues regarding pricing for their systems, and a community backlash that followed it.
Needless to say, Starforge Systems, which is spearheaded by the EX-COO of Artesian Builds, has had a rocky launch thus far, especially when it comes to just how much the Starforge Systems prebuilt PCs cost.
Looking at NZXT’s prebuilt systems at $999, it is clear that they have priced out a ‘starter system’ which will get you up and running with everything you need. However, they are now aging, as we rapidly approach a new generation of PC hardware.
This is also the case for the Starforge Systems Horizon PC, which costs the same amount as NZXT’s PC while featuring significantly worse specs.
The Starforge Systems Horizon PC features an i3-10100F and GTX 1660 Ti, both of which are older-generation parts, and are not really suitable to purchase this late into 2022, and feature-rich GPUs such as the RTX 3050 can be had at a similar price.
NZXT includes the RTX 3050, a better-supported card, and one that can use DLSS to eke out more performance. The NZXT system will last far longer at $999 than the $899 Starforge Systems Horizon PC, and it only costs $100 more.
You’ll also find that the i5-10400F included in the NZXT is superior to the i3-10100F in just about every conceivable way, even though they are both a few generations old.
Starforge Systems has been quick to address the issue of pricing by dropping the price of numerous systems by $100, as promised by Moistcr1TiKaL. But, it still does not address the issue of the lower-end Horizon PC.
StarForge vs NZXT vs iBuyPower vs DIY $899 entry system comparison
| Part | Starforge Systems | NZXT | iBuyPower (via Best Buy) | DIY build |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel I3-10100F | i5-10400F | Intel i5-12400F | AMD Ryzen 5 5600X 3.7 GHz 6-Core Processor |
| Cooler | Deepcool AK400 Performance Air Cooler | Deepcool Gammax GTE V2 | Certified CPU Fan and Heatsink’ | ARCTIC Freezer 34 eSports DUO CPU Cooler |
| GPU | NVIDIA GTX 1660Ti | GeForce RTX 3050 | GeForce RTX 3050 | PowerColor Radeon RX 6600 XT 8 GB Fighter Video Card |
| RAM | Teamgroup T-Force Delta RGB 16GB DDR4-3200 | Team Force Vulcan 16GB DDR4 RAM | 8GB of RAM | Corsair Vengeance LPX 16 GB |
| Storage | Teamgroup MP33 Pro 512GB NVMe | 500 GB NVMe | 500GB NVMe | Samsung 970 Evo Plus 500 GB |
| Motherboard | ASUS Prime B560m-a AC | ASUS B560 | B660 | ASRock B550M-HDV Micro ATX AM4 Motherboard |
| PSU | EVGA 600W GD | High Power SFX 650W Gold | 600W PSU | EVGA B5 550 W 80+ |
| Case | Deepcool CG560 Mid-Tower (Black) | NZXT H510 | iBUYPOWER Slate HAKO MR Tempered Glass ARGB | Antec DF700 Flux ATX Mid Tower Case |
| OS | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 10 Home | Windows 11 | None/Windows Unlicensed |
Starforge Systems’ machine is now $899, and NZXT’s machines cost $999. Going for the SlateMR from iBuyPower via Best Buy can save you around $70 when on sale. Building yourself a machine under $999 can be done with some caveats for around $970.96 (via PCPartPicker).
If you can replace the RAM, we do recommend buying the Best Buy iBuyPower device, due to the excellent 12400F inside, which will actually do you incredibly well for all your 1080p gaming or esports needs.
Get the iBuyPower SlateMR gaming desktop for $929 (which was $999).
It has been speculated that much of Starforge Systems’ stock of parts could have potentially been purchased from the Artesian Builds’ auction during its liquidation. We’ve reached out to Starforge Systems and OTK for comment regarding this.
Looking at the other tiers of PCs, we’re confident in saying that there are better options out there for similar prices. While these other models aren’t especially egregious like the $999 one, you are still best off shopping around or considering building your own.
StarForge vs NZXT vs iBuyPower vs DIY $1500 system comparison
| Part | Starforge | NZXT | iBuyPower | DIY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel I5-11400F | AMD Ryzen 5 5600X | AMD Ryzen 5 5600 Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800X 3.8 GHz 8-Core Processor |
| CPU Cooler | Deepcool AK400 Performance Air Cooler | NZXT Kraken 120 | iBUYPOWER 120mm RGB Liquid Cooling System | be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 50.5 CFM CPU Cooler |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA RTX 3070 | NVIDIA RTX 3070 | GeForce RTX 3060 | MSI GeForce RTX 3070 Ti |
| RAM | Teamgroup T-Force Delta RGB 16GB DDR4-3200 | Team T-FORCE 16GB DDR4 | 16GB DDR4-3200 RGB RAM | Silicon Power GAMING 32 GB |
| SSD | Teamgroup MP33 Pro 1TB NVMe | 1TB NVMe SSD | 500GB M.2 NVMe + 1TB HDD | Silicon Power A60 1 TB |
| Motherboard | ASUS Prime B560m-a AC | B550 ATX Motherboard | B550 AC | Gigabyte X570 AORUS ELITE ATX AM4 Motherboard |
| Power Supply | ASUS ROG Strix 650G | 650W Bronze | 600 Watt – 80 PLUS Gold Certified | Thermaltake Toughpower GF1 PE 750 W 80+ Gold |
| Case | Deepcool CG560 Mid-Tower (Black) | NZXT Kraken 120 | iBUYPOWER Slate MONO MR Tempered Glass ARGB | Corsair 4000D Airflow ATX Mid Tower Case |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 10 Home | Windows 11 Home | None/Unlicensed |
StarForge vs NZXT vs iBuyPower vs DIY $2399 system comparison
| Part | Starforge | NZXT | iBuyPower | DIY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel I7-12700KF | AMD Ryzen 7 5800X | AMD Ryzen 9 5900X CPU | Intel Core i9-12900K 3.2 GHz 16-Core Processor |
| CPU Cooler | Deepcool Castle 240EX-RGB Liquid Cooler | NZXT Kraken 120 | iBUYPOWER 240mm Addressable RGB Liquid Cooling System | Corsair iCUE H150i ELITE CAPELLIX 75 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler |
| Graphics Card | NVIDIA RTX 3080 | GeForce RTX™ 3080 TI | GeForce RTX 3080 10GB | Asus GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 8 GB TUF GAMING OC Video Card |
| RAM | Teamgroup T-Force Delta RGB 32GB DDR4-3600 | 32 GB DDR4-3000 | 16GB DDR4-3200 RGB RAM | Corsair Vengeance 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-5200 CL40 Memory |
| SSD | Teamgroup MP34 1TB NVMe | 1TB NVMe | 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD | Samsung 980 Pro 1 TB M.2-2280 NVME Solid State Drive |
| Motherboard | ASUS Prime Z690-P D4 Wifi | B550 ATX Motherboard | X570 w/ WiFi MB | Asus ROG STRIX Z690-E GAMING WIFI ATX LGA1700 Motherboard |
| Power Supply | EVGA 750W GA | 750W Gold | 750 Watt – 80 PLUS Gold Certified | Corsair RMx (2021) 850 W 80+ Gold Certified Fully Modular ATX Power Supply |
| Case | Deepcool CK560 Mid-Tower ATX (Black) | NZXT H510 | iBUYPOWER LIAN LI LANCOOL ONE RGB | Corsair 4000D Airflow ATX Mid Tower Case |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 10 Home | Windows 11 Home | None/Unlicensed |
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