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AR15.COM
3/24/2026 1:17:14 PM EDT
Trying to decide whether or not to buy a prebuilt or attempt to assemble my own.  I've put parts in computers before, what scares me is setting up windows, drivers, BIOS etc.  I want to be in it for less than $3500, as I also want to upgrade my quest 3 to a Pimax.  I'm currently looking at this  system, thoughts?


3/24/2026 4:47:56 PM EDT
[#1]
Windows pretty well does itself now. Make a bootable rom with Rufus.


Unless you have specific requirements you probably don't need to touch anything but boot order in the BIOS.
3/31/2026 5:00:07 PM EDT
[#2]
I haven't looked at PC prices in close to two years
I have read about the RAM and SSD shortage for AI shit but damn dude similiar spec PCs were $2k in 2024
don't know enough to tell you what to do but installing Windows is easy just need a memory stick with windows on it and upload through the bios
4/1/2026 11:38:21 AM EDT
[#3]
Here is my warning about pimax:

They are not a good company.  I have a crystal lite and super ultra wide.    They missed the shipping window for my ultawide by like 6 months.  They also changed some of the specs after everyone preordered.

To try to make amends they shipped free comfort head strap and dmos speakers.  The head strap is not comfortable,  and one of the speakers didn't work.

My crystal lite stopped working after about a year and a half.  Tech support sucks and only answers you during the daytime in China every 3rd day.  So progressive is slow.  I essentially had to test individual wires with a multimeter and send them the voltages.  Eventually they replaced it for $200.  Then when I get the new one it was locked and said I had to buy the headset like new.  Took another week to convince them it was a replacement.

All that being said,  I have never gotten better visuals and performance than with my super.  The eye tracking and super sampling add like 100fps,  so with a 5080 I have things all pretty much as high as they go and it's buttery smooth.  The software is pretty easy,  you just have to configure nvdia and dcs settings correctly.

They suck as a company but I love my headset.
4/7/2026 5:11:29 PM EDT
[#4]
IMO, you want 64GB of RAM if you want to play DCS multiplayer.
"You can't tourniquet a taint, folks." - Andrew Branca
4/11/2026 12:56:51 AM EDT
[#5]
Build your own. W11 and the drivers are not difficult.

I know you'll get a ton of different answers and you should research some on your own but Gigabyte and Zotac are bottom of the barrel for things like CS/warranty support. I just got a 5070ti and went with MSI since EVGA hasn't made GPU's in years.

As others have said now is not really a great time to be building a PC. Parts are supposed to come down in price soon but no one really knows when and by how much. Things like RAM and SSD's are stupid expensive. Motherboards and GPU's haven't been impacted to nearly the same degree.
4/16/2026 12:31:04 PM EDT
[#6]
Well I ended up changing my mind, and went with upgrading my GPU and Ram, went from a 3080ti to a 4080 Super and 32 gbs to 64 of Ram.  Eventually i'll build an AM5 system and probably keep the GPU.  But DCS is looking fantastic in VR now, still tweaking setting to try to get the dials and displays clearer but its getting there.  Pimax crystal light might be my next purchase
4/17/2026 12:11:27 AM EDT
[#7]
Quote History
Originally Posted By JackRebney:
IMO, you want 64GB of RAM if you want to play DCS multiplayer.
View Quote

This! A lot of programs will use up 32 GB pretty fast.
4/17/2026 12:43:10 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Alaskanforfreedom][Edited] [#8]
Quote History
Originally Posted By JackRebney:
IMO, you want 64GB of RAM if you want to play DCS multiplayer.
View Quote
Thats EDs take on it too. They more or less said its required at this point. I get by just fine on 32gb DDR5 4200mhz but I do mostly play SP. And honestly havent touched DCS in quite some time.


ETA: by some time I mean like 2 months.
What it boils down to is that they fear an effective resistance to their power: So, Left in power=Guns bad, mmmmkay...?, Right in power=Guns good!-thskirk

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