NZXT will now build you a PC just for the games you like

NZXT is famous for its PC cases and related accessories (such as cooling solutions), but the US-based manufacturer has just kicked off a new project offering custom-built gaming PCs with a newbie-friendly approach to picking components.

Normally, deciding on core components can be something of a maze to navigate for the less tech-savvy, who might not want to worry about what’s compatible with certain motherboards, or pore over endless benchmark charts that show how certain graphics cards perform in specific games and resolutions.

So, with NZXT BLD (yes, its phobia of vowels continues), the company is introducing an entirely new approach to a PC build. You simply pick out your favorite games (presumably the ones you want to play on the new rig) from a list, stipulate your budget, and NZXT will recommend one of its machines.

The system picks out the right PC using a recommendation engine powered by machine learning, according to the firm.

Fuss-free fluid frame rates

The recommended rig will run the specified games at a minimum of 60 frames per second (and the company will tell you the exact frame-rate to expect from your new machine for each game picked). You can then simply click the buy button, or hit a configure button if you want to tweak the PC and perhaps upgrade the GPU, or add more memory, storage and so forth.

There are limitations in the system. For example, you can only pick three games for NZXT to take into account when choosing the machine, and the minimum budget appears to be $1,500 (around £1,160, AU$2,000) right now. Although there is a ‘lower price’ button which can allow you to cycle down to cheaper PCs – although, these may not meet the 60 fps promise made by the untouched builds.

Still, this is certainly a very neat idea, and the company is putting its money where its mouth is regarding the frame-rate estimations. If the PC doesn’t come within 10% of NZXT’s specified frame-rates, the buyer can return the machine free of charge.

Shipping is free in the US, and happens within 48 hours of placing an order, plus NZXT offers a two-year warranty with its PCs.

Is this really the ‘simplest way to get a gaming PC,’ as the company claims? While it’s difficult to imagine a less complicated way to spec out a rig, everything lies in NZXT's execution.

• These are the best gaming PCs you can buy in 2017

June 07, 2017 at 12:30AM
Darren Allan