As a system builder, iBuyPower is skilled at assembling gaming PCs. iBuyPower knows that not all gamers are the same, and some want a gaming machine that can also handle more serious tasks. We know that not all gamers are the same, and some want a gaming machine that can handle more serious tasks. That's why the Gaming RDY SLMBG218 (opens in new tab)(opens in new tab) bucked the trend of focusing on graphics cards and put the emphasis on processing power, with an Intel Core i7 12700F.

If you are not up-to-date on Intel processor generations, it is worth explaining what kind of processor the Core i7 12700F actually is. As its naming suggests, this is a 12th generation Intel processor, based on Intel's Alder Lake hybrid architecture (open in new tab), with eight performance cores running simultaneously with four efficient cores, for a total of 20 threads.

The Core i7 12700F is basically a bit of a beast when it comes to serious work. With a max turbo of 4.9 GHz, it's a great chip for gaming as well.

As mentioned in the introduction, if you're looking for a gaming machine that's a notch above the norm in terms of raw processing power, this is definitely a system that will pique your interest. iBuyPower has included this with 16GB of DDR4-3200 and a 1TB NVMe SSD to give you a lot applications, it provides a strong foundation for many uses. Sure, the WD_Blue SN570 is just a PCIe 3.0 drive, but with so many games these days being high-capacity, I'd rather have a slightly slower 1TB SSD than a faster 500GB model.

While not as good as systems in the same price range, this machine is definitely high-performance when it comes to gaming. The higher-performance RTX 3060 Ti (open in new tab) is generally available for around this price, and if you are prepared to spend a little time and effort, you can get an NZXT BLD kit (open in new tab) with an RTX 3070 (open in new tab) for around this

You can get an NZXT BLD kit with RTX 3070 (opens in new tab) for about this price.

On such a machine, you will not get a very powerful CPU for the money.

iBuyPower has agreed to ship the machine to the UK for testing, but it is clear that the PC could be damaged in transit. To mitigate this, iBuyPower chose not to install the graphics card upon delivery. This is reasonable given the weight of the graphics card and the shipping concerns. We do not want the graphics card to come off and bounce around inside the case during shipping.

Actually installing the RTX 3060 (open in new tab) is not difficult. The graphics card's securing screws are in place and must be removed before the card can be snapped into place. In other words, this is not a tool-free operation and may not be the kind of operation you would expect when buying a new machine, but honestly, if iBuyPower decides to do this across the US, it really is a lot of work if you get this wrong.

Even though the machine itself had internal packaging, one of the RAM sticks was displaced in transit, and only 8GB was shown on first boot. However, a quick re-setup solved the problem and 16GB is now visible from Windows. There is an option to upgrade to 32GB if you are serious about doing serious numbers, but 16GB should be enough for normal work and for gaming.

Gaming Benchmarks

As mentioned earlier, the RTX 3060 is fine for 1080p gaming, but 1440p is expected to be a realistic focus at this price point. Unfortunately, many games will struggle at this resolution. Especially if you want to crank everything up to the highest settings. Don't get me wrong, you can play games on this machine, but if that is your main goal, there are better options.

For example, "Metro Exodus Enhanced" averages 40 fps, which is not smooth enough for my tastes, nor does it take full advantage of high refresh rate monitors; "ABS Master" (open in new tab) and "Build Redux 'Good'" are about the same price, but have RTX 3060 Ti graphics cards that provide much smoother frame rates into the mid-50% range.

The F1 22 is only 34 fps even on ultra settings; it will hit smoother frame rates in games like "Hitman 3" and "Far Cry 6," but overall, at this price point, a faster GPU is much better than an ultra-thick CPU. 3DMark Time Spy Extreme benchmark shows that there is plenty of power there for CPU-bound games, but most titles will abuse the graphics card more than the processor.

System Performance

The true standout performance of this machine compared to systems in the same price range is its Cinebench R23 multi-threaded score: 20,740 points, almost double the score usually seen in this price range. ABS Master, for example, both use 12th generation Core i5s and score just over 12,000 points in comparison. [AIDA 64 scores nearly 47 GB/sec. This is noticeably better than the two Core i5 machines, despite ostensibly using the same DDR4-3200 RAM. Drive performance is also better, with the 3DMark Storage Benchmark showing better results than the NZXT Streaming Plus BLD Kit with the exact same SN570 SSD. Ah, the power of a superior CPU.

Still, iBuyPower has put together a solid machine here and clearly knows what it is doing. The component selection is good and the build quality is reliable. A keyboard and mouse are included, but honestly, neither are particularly good. [This case will not be for everyone, either. With the industry moving to mesh-front systems for better airflow, the glass front panel seems a bit outdated. The machine has three front fans and rear exhaust vents that promote airflow through the system, resulting in a maximum temperature of only 73°C for the Core i7, which is impressive considering its power.

If you are interested in gaming and need serious processing power, the iBuyPower Gaming RDY is worth considering. Most gamers, however, would be better off with a change of focus or at least a machine with an RTX 3060 Ti. The good news is that iBuyPower lets you build the perfect machine from scratch.