I kept going back and forth on whether to build or buy, so I made https://tobuildorbuy.com. For Under $1,500, $2k, $3k, $4k and $5k it puts the best custom build from the big AU stores (Scorptec, PCCG, Umart, Mwave, PLE) next to the best prebuilt (Nebula, Radium, Aftershock etc.) and a parts-only build-it-yourself list. Every price includes Windows and gets rechecked each morning.

It'll run ads and some affiliate links down the track to cover costs; they don't change the prices or the picks.

I'd really like to know where the picks look wrong, what budgets or stores are missing, and whether the comparison and website makes sense. Again, updated daily, builds custom PC's on each website, no guessing.

Link: https://tobuildorbuy.com

Hi all. I've decided I'm in the market for a PC after years of consoles. I have very little knowledge about what components are better than others, especially with the amount of options out there. I have a budget of around $1500, happy to increase a few hundred to get bang for buck. I'm thinking pre built seems to be the way to go currently. Ill be playing a mixture of games, 1080p is fine with me. I'd really appreciate anyone's suggestions or tips. Thanks in advance

Edit- I'm also keen to hear opinions on buying 2nd hand, wether or not the lower cost is worth missing warranty and running the risk of faulty parts.

hey guys,
just scored a solid deal on a pre-owned ps5 (considering current prices) and i'm trying to find a decent monitor to pair with it.
i'm strictly looking for a 27-inch 1440p IPS panel. my budget is right around $200 to $300ish max.
it's mainly gonna be for gaming, mostly getting ready for gta 6 and other story games single player I don’t play online competitive games, but i'm also a student so i'll be using it for uni work, writing papers, and just everyday stuff.
i’ve seen a few models tossed around like the asus xg27acs or some gigabyte specs, but figured i'd ask here first. anyone have a setup like this that they actually like for both console gaming and schoolwork?
If anyone has any other suggestions about monitors that would be good too.
thanks!

Has some faulty sounding fans. Started happening after about 2 weeks after purchase, and got worse over time. I’m considering sending it back to scroptec. However I’m most worried about a refund since I bought this card for 900 dollars about 2 months ago and now the same model goes for 1250. Is faulty fan enough for them replace or repair?

Strongly considering the Nimbus 9 Pro from Aftershock at the moment as I'm looking to upgrade my ~12yo PC.

Want an all-white build which know tends to be pricier.

https://aftershockpc.com.au/products/nimbus-vl-9-pro-r7-9800x3d-rtx-5080-64gb-ram-wh-rts-sr-09W-nimbus-p4

Would you buy this? Are there any other pre-built alternatives at the moment that look as good?

Please de-influence me.

Purchased this Ubiquiti switch from CentreCom, taking advantage of 'free' shipping. I am in Melbourne, so the package literally just had to just travel across Melbourne.

I am at a loss to understand how the packaging was so badly damaged. I even attempted to squeeze the good end of the box, and found the packaging to be quite strong. So the force to damage the package must have been significant. Which concerns me that the item inside will be stuffed.

Have attempted to get a response from CentreCom, but nothing so far. I suspect I may have no choice but to drive over to the Sunshine store and ask for a please explain. This could likely be my last purchase from CentreCom.

Hey guys,
Sorry if this is the wrong sub to post this.

I ordered 2 YubiKeys from Mwave 5 days ago with express delivery, but the order status is still stuck on "Confirmed" and hasn't changed at all. I can't seem to reach them over the phone or via live chat.

Is this normal for Mwave (M-late, apparently)? How long do they usually take to process orders?

Hi,
I am just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on getting this prebuilt:

9070xt prebuilt with the ryzen 7 9800x3d option? It would mainly be used for simulation games (msfs and simracing), fortnite and valorant. I would be aiming for approx 80 fps for sim games and then as much as possible for competitive games. I will be playing on a 1440p ultrawide (1440x3440). I would be more than willing to turn on all the ai features for as much performance as possible.
Thank you

Hi Brains Trust - I'm keen to come back to gaming after a number of years away... and I can't quite get my head around all the spec trade-offs (especially with costs being what they are etc).

I'm looking to get back into a combination of WoW Forever (so need a decent CPU) and some 1440p FPS gaming (Arc legends / Metro / CoD etc - basic, I know) and am probably going to start off with a $300-500 1440p screen.

My initial looks (and googling) have assembled a cast of thousands... from the more affordable:

https://aftershockpc.com.au/products/rapid-lvl-4-r5-7500f-rtx-5060-rts-sr-04-rapid-v6 or
https://www.centrecom.com.au/centre-com-venom-ryzen-7-8700f-rx-9060-gaming-pc-with-windows-11?srsltid=AU7gw4Uw9SAtUmQbuyCUxj9eJ9ygjbxfXef0hCvJF1kxnBbkkgn8-sf9qmE

To the more mid: https://www.nebulapc.com.au/products/void-nexus or REGENT A3 PRO

RYZEN 7 8700F | RTX 5060 or NOVA RYZEN 5 7500F | RTX 5070

And then I know that the current OzBargain deal is considered about the best of what's going...

I'm trying to stick with DDR5 (for modernity) and a decent processor (for WoW) but I don't really know whether I'd be getting a noticeable bump in performance or longevity at any point between 1800 and 3k.

Seeing advice and suggestions on a good sweet spot of price to performance - and any current prebuild specs or deals you would recommend (even pointers on what parts of particular rebuilds are worth upgrading pre-delivery).

Thanks in advance -

Hi all, I'm currently putting together a new PC build and came across a pre-owned Sapphire PURE RX 9070 XT 16GB at CeX for $1,150.

For context, the cheapest brand-new RX 9070 I can find is around $1,200, so getting a better GPU for $50 less seems like a pretty good deal.

I'm mainly considering it because of CeX's 5-year warranty, but I've never bought a used GPU before, so I'm a bit hesitant.

For anyone who's bought a used GPU from CeX, how was your experience? Did it arrive in good condition, and has it held up well?

Also, would you take the risk at this price, or pay more for a brand-new card? Are there any major risks I should be aware of?

Would appreciate any advice or experiences before/if I pull the trigger. Cheers!

Hey all, 4090 died after 48 months of strong service. Tests indicate GPU Hotspot is a heat bomb under OCCT's 3D stress test thingy. Anyone have recommendations for a GPU repairer based in Sydney who can deal with replacing thermal pads or whatever is needed to fix this?

Excel file of stats during test attached, see cell PC:70 for the absolute nuke.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i41W4uzSlMjdEtwJ0jCfno5OTgvMvpp6/view?usp=share_link

thanks in advance

I know it's a bad time to buy PC's at the moment, but honestly with the price expected to increase I'm afraid I might be paying more later due to my current PC getting a bit old.

My current PC which I bought in 2018, is a RTX2060, i5-9400, and 16gb ram. I'm noticing it struggle in some modern games and also it's running pretty hot (on minecraft CPU is running 100 degrees as I'm typing this).

I'm not too sure if it's just a thermal paste issue, or cooling system issue. I'm unsure how to take everything apart. Recently I cleaned out everything and it struggled to turn back on, consistently resetting itself. Eventually it worked.

I'm thinking instead of diagnosing it - since it's showing it's age, I'd get the ozbargain nebula PC deal:
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/978396
Solstice - AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT - 16GB - Ryzen 7 7800X3D

I'm just trying to get something that is good value. I'm also considering changing the case (ASUS A21 PLUS mATX) to a Lian Li DAN-A3 Wood mATX case - I heard they make good cases and I like the look. What do you guys think?

The total including the case change would bring me to $3,110.50

I want a good PC that will last me another 8 years. Plus I'm thinking I could sell my previous PC to get some money back.

Is there any advice anyone has on my situation? Any opinions on Nebula's solstice pc deal? Is it actually good?

EDIT: just to cloaeify, i don't need a keyboard or monitor. Just looking for a tower.

Hi all. Just hoping I could get a recommendation on a good deal for a gaming PC. I can't build one myself, need it prebuilt. Looking to spend between AU$2,000 and AU$2,500. Just want to get the best gaming PC i can. Also interested in people's opinion if this is enough to play the latest AAA games in high settings.

Thanks all!

Hi all, I’m currently looking at the Minisforum AtomMan G1 Pro-89A6 which includes:
- AMD Ryzen 9 8945HX
- AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
- 32GB DDR5 5200MHz RAM
- 1TB SSD
All for just under $2700 as it’s currently on sale.

My biggest driver is that I’m looking for a small form factor PC due to limited desk space and love the aesthetic of the console-looking slim/small cases over the traditional rectangular boxier cases, and happy to compromise some performance to achieve this.

I’m not an expert with PCs by any means so am looking for advice on whether:
1. Minisforum is reliable
2. The spec is ok for the price
3. I can get/build something better for a similar price.

For additional context on the type of aesthetic I like, I very much like the Fractal Mood case that I see Aftershock has a custom build on their website but have heard they suffer from issues with cooling.

Spec-wise I don’t need anything too fancy as don’t play AAA games too much, so think something along the lines of the G1 Pro specs will be good.

Many thanks in advance for any help!

Hi all, my gaming laptop died so I decided to go back to a gaming pc. I have been looking at a lot of options online and trying to get gemini to help with the build but I lost touch with the tech so unsure what is a good deal these days.
My budget is around $2.5k (don't need a monitor-have a 1440p- or any other peripherals) .
Ideally it lasts 3-5 years before needing to upgrade (which will hopefully be just the gpu and maybe more RAM?).

I saw posts mentioning this nebula build https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/978396 but I was hoping for something slightly cheaper that will future potential.

I live in Melbourne.

TIA!

Hey all,

I’m after a 5080 for my new build, what are the best deals currently? (Yes I know prices went up and it’s a shocking, but taking into account prices rises, what is the cheapest around?) or is it more worth while waiting until Black Friday. I just have a feeling PC part retailers won’t be discounting GPU’s much lol, same with RAM/SSD’s.

Also what version of 5080 would you recommend, yes they’re all pretty similar and will do the job, but I’m sure people here have opinions on which ones they’d suggest. I was leaning towards the Gigabyte Gaming OC version but will definitely consider any version, especially with a good price. Thanks :)

EDIT: Ordered PNY RTX 5080 ARGB EPIC-X OC for $2199, I’m happy :)

Hi all, was contemplating picking between the Pearl and Iron Fall build.

If anyones purchased either of these, opinions are welcome.

Haven't made up my mind yet, I do like the white look a lot but I think the Iron Fall is slightly better specs, please feel free to dm me any tips or help if you're familiar with Nebula.

My budget is 3.5k and I already have a 1440p ultrawide monitor although I might be looking to downsize to a 27 inch 1440p monitor soon.

Howdy all,

Doing some research online since I noticed that MWAVE site had changed and holy moley what a mess.

My reason for posting is to see if anyone from Reddit has had any luck getting in contact with *anyone* from MWAVE? Their online Bot does not put you through to anyone and there is now no phone number listed.

I purchased a full build in March last year, over $5K worth but, silly me, didnt download a copy of the invoice and the link that was provided on the email now just goes to a blank page...

I raised a service request with their online portal and.. .nothing, not even a confirmation email to say it was even raised... zip.

I need that invoice for any RMA that may occur, and Australian law states that any business must retain invoices for at least 5 years so, I am legally eligible to get it, but they are completely uncontactable.

Does anyone have any insights on next course of action? I was going to hit up the ACCC but thought id try here to see if anyone had a contact number I could try etc?

Cheers!

Hello, I bought a XFX Mercury 9070xt OC Magnetic from Mwave over a month ago, and immediately after receiving it I realised that the hotspot delta was reach 40 degrees plus compared to the global temp. I reached out to Mwave four days after receiving my card, and then returned it by the 9th day of receiving my card.
It has been three weeks now and I haven't heard anything about my claim on whether it has been assessed or needs to be shipped to the manufacturer or anything. I tried emailing them twice to follow up, and they didn't respond to either. I also tried calling but they are genuinely unreachable.
Is the three weeks not enough time to get a follow up for a DOA claim or should I submit like a complaint with fair trade?
Thanks

Morning all,

Was planning on picking up a RX 9070 this morning, Umart had the Sapphire version in stock for $969 as of last night.

Check this morning and it’s jumped to $1,199. All other retailers are similar priced as well.

Worth waiting for Click Frenzy / Black Friday deals? Or do we not expect prices to drop that much regardless?

Hey all,

I used chatGPT to analyse my parts selection. Can you tell me if this is good selection for price to performance and build compatibility or propose substitute parts but explain why?

My view is to do one solid built and not touch till till AM6 comes out. Once that happens i will put 5080 inside as i hope it will drop in price by then to be affordable and extend the system for another 2-3 years.

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 9600X — 100-100000662WOF · AM5 · 6 cores / 12 threads — $347 AUD

Motherboard: Gigabyte B650E EAGLE WIFI6E — ATX · AM5 · DDR5 · PCIe 5.0 — $229 AUD

Graphics card ASRock Radeon RX 9070 XT Challenger 16GB — RX9070XT CL 16G · GDDR6 — $1169 AUD

Memory Crucial Pro Overclocking 32GB DDR5-6000 CL36 — CP2K16G60C36U5B · 2×16GB · AMD EXPO — $699 AUD

Storage Biwin Black Opal NV7400 1TB — M.2 2280 · PCIe 4.0 NVMe — $243 AUD

Power supply Gigabyte UD850GM PG5 V2 850W Gold — ATX 3.1 · fully modular · native 16-pin GPU cable — $129 AUD

Case Montech XR Black — ATX mid-tower · 3 included ARGB fans — $69 AUD

CPU cooler Thermalright Phantom Spirit 120 SE — Dual-tower air cooler · AM5 compatible — $60 AUD

Parts total: $2945 AUD

I will play all these and more like them at 1440p max settings with FSR/upscaling AI features as needed on a 4k 65 inch HisenseUR8.

\- Grand Theft Auto Series (including GTA VI)
\- Red Dead Redemption Series
\- God of War Series
\- Marvel’s Spider-Man Series
\- Ghost of Tsushima
\- Horizon Series
\- Black Myth: Wukong
\- Cyberpunk 2077
\- Star Wars Series (including Star Wars Outlaws)
\- Hogwarts Legacy
\- Call of Duty Series
\- Sid Meier’s Civilization Series