CyberpowerPC delivers amazing hardware per dollar spent in their GXiVR8020 A5 VR ready gaming build.

Name: GXIVR8020A5 Desktop Gaming PC (Intel i5-8400 6 Core Processor, AMD RX 580 4GB, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB 7200RPM HDD, WiFi, Win 10 Home 64-bit)
Date First Available: April 2018 (From Amazon)
Category: Gaming/General Purpose
Price: 

CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme VR GXIVR8020A5 Desktop Computer Overview

CyberpowerPC have again released another update in their very popular Gamer Xtreme VR series GXiVR8020, with the A5 being the latest version at the time of writing (June 2018). In this review we’ll take a closer look at the hardware and target user.

Note: There are several versions of this PC which have been released by CyberpowerPC. This review is for the GXiVR8020A5 model, which is the latest version at the time of writing (June 2018). For previous versions, see our reviews below:

• CyberpowerPC GXiVR8020A4 Review
• CyberpowerPC GXiVR8020A3 Review
• CyberpowerPC GXiVR8020A2 Review
• CyberpowerPC GXiVR8020A Review

CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme GXIVR8020A5 At A Glance

9/10

PCBA's Rating

For the money (

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from Amazon), the latest Gamer Xtreme VR gaming computer from CyberpowerPC still delivers amazing hardware at an almost unbelievably low price.

 
 
 
⊕ AMD RX580 graphics card
⊕ Recent and powerful Intel processor
⊕ VR Ready
⊖ No solid state drive or optical drive
⊖ Possible low-quality PSU
⊖ May run hot in heavy gaming sessions

The GXiVR8020A5 will suit nearly all gamers from beginners through to the more serious, since it’s powerful hardware handles all current game titles at max settings in 1080p with ease. It can run a little warm and the power supply may be on the cheaper side, but overall, this prebuilt offers unbeatable value for money.

 

GFX

AMD Radeon RX 580 4GB

CPU

Intel i5-8400

RAM

8GB DDR4

STORAGE

1TB HDD

Windows 10 Home

USB Wi-Fi Adapter inlcuded

Comes with keyboard & mouse

1 year warranty

Free lifetime tech support

Upgradeable

VR Ready

Accent lighting/transparent case

Read more >>

Read Less ^^

Introduction

The GXiVR8020A5 is a pre-built gaming computer tower which comes complete with a mouse/keyboard, wireless USB dongle and Windows 10 operating system. This latest version in the GXiVR8020 series from CyberpowerPC has got an updated processor, but still offers the powerful RX 580 graphics card that was also in the previous version PC in this series.

We’ll review the individual hardware components, who this computer will or won’t suit, as well as your upgrade options down the road.

Pros

• Powerful graphics card – AMD Raedon RX 580
• Complete package with keyboard/mouse, wireless connectivity, and Windows 10 install included
• Great looking case with viewing window and plenty of red LED case fans for cooling
• Upgradeable
• 1 year warranty and free lifetime technical support

Cons

• No solid state drive
• Lower quality mouse and keyboard
• Unknown brand of power supply (may be low quality)
• Case may run a little hot
• Component brands may vary depending on availability

Who Is It For?

CyberpowerPC’s GXiVR8020A5 is a great choice for those who want a ready-to-go gaming PC that is powerful enough to handle recent titles as well as more demanding games. If you’re thinking of upgrading components further down the track this is a good candidate, and its also VR ready for those who are interested in VR gaming/applications.

Of course, it also handles everyday tasks like a breeze so it’s a perfect all-rounder (e.g. web browsing, Microsoft Office use (Word and Excel etc) and general photo and video use including online streaming such as YouTube, Netflix, Hulu etc.)

Essentially, this is a good entry-mid level gaming machine that will suit most gamers, as long as you play games often enough to justify the spend on graphics processing power.

Who Isn’t It For?

If you aren’t a gamer, or alternatively are more interested in specific computing-intensive tasks (like heavy video editing or large file conversions) then other computer builds may be a better fit for your spend.

If you’re not planning to do any gaming at all and just want an everyday use computer for browsing the web, doing office tasks and viewing photos/video, then something like the  TC-780-ACKi5 or even cheaper TC-780-ACKi3 may suit without overspending for performance that you won’t really need.

Alternatively, if you are completing specialist tasks that require a lot of computer processing power, then you may be better off with a build that optimizes RAM and processing power over graphics power.

Gamers who want to play games at 4K resolutions and still run on maximum settings, could possibly start to see the upper limits of this build.  It’s probably not really the best choice for those who plan on doing this as you might experience some performance loss due to the lower memory graphics card (4GB version instead of 8GB version). You might need to either turn the settings down or lower your screen resolution for smoother gameplay/higher framerates.

What You Get

Hardware

CyberpowerPC have chosen specific hardware to optimize gaming performance in this price range.

Let’s look at the details.

Hardware Summary

Processor (CPU)

CyberpowerPC have opted for an Intel i5-8400 in this build, a processor released in Quarter 4 of 2017 – meaning it’s relatively recent. This is a great CPU for gaming because its one of the most recent releases that offers excellent performance power for the price. The 2.8 GHZ 6-core CPU can boost up to 4.00 GHz in Turbo mode and in our opinion is one of the best options for a gaming computer of this scale, as anything faster (unless you’re going into really high resolution gaming) would probably be considered overkill with a single graphics card setup.

Graphics

The most important part of any gaming build is the graphics card – and CyberpowerPC do not dissapoint for the GXIVR8020A5 as they’ve included the April 2017-release AMD Radeon RX 580 graphics card – a higher-end pick that will deliver excellent gaming performance with very decent frame rates across nearly all gaming titles.

The video below shows some benchmarks of 17 games on a rig with the same CPU (i5-8400) and an RX 580. One thing to note is that the RX 580 used in these tests is an 8GB version, not the 4GB variant that’s in theGXIVR8020A5, but it should produce somewhat similar results unless you are playing at very high resolutions over 1080p or playing games that are very memory intensive (in which case you may experience slightly lower frame rates). As a very rough guide, some tests we’ve seen suggest the 8GB version gives around 5% higher framerates even at 1080p when played on high settings.

Motherboard (MBU)

Like most CyberpowerPC builds, details on the specific motherboard used is unspecified (note that CyberpowerPC themselves advise that the specific manufacturer may vary between different systems as it depends on the availability of parts).

Since there is not too much information about the specific motherboard that you will get with this PC, we recommend that if you are particular about the details of what you’ll be getting that you get in touch with CyberpowerPC’s tech team prior to purchasing to confirm the specific details. This should only really affect those who are interested in really knowing what you’re getting for your dollar. If you’re thinking of doing future upgrades as well, it may be wise to confirm the number of slots/ports etc. available on the motherboard and ensure it fits in with your plans.

Memory (RAM)

The GXiVR8020A5 has a total of 8GB of DDR4 RAM. Since the specific build is dependent on the availability of parts, it’s unknown if you will get a 1 x 8GB setup or a 2 x 4GB.

The memory brand, speed and latency is also unspecified and we recommend confirming specific details with the manufacturer prior to purchase if these kind of details are important to you.

Storage

CyberpowerPC have included a 7,200RPM, 1 Terabyte hard disk drive. Although it’s a shame there is no SSD included, it’s still nice to see a 7,200RPM drive being offered, as some sellers are still offering 5,400RPM drives which feel a little slower.

The brand of HDD is unspecified as this also depends on parts availability.

Power Supply (PSU)

The power supply unit brand and model is not specified, however buyers have reported it is rated at 500W.

CyberpowerPC do have a reputation of cheaping-out on power supply units which can then lead to failure, so if you are planning on purchasing this PC, we would recommend doing some research into the PSU that it comes with and possibly replacing it if it doesn’t look too reputable.

Other Inclusions

WIFI and Connectivity
A separated 802.11AC Wi-Fi USB Adapter is included with this computer package. Gigabit Ethernet (LAN) ports are typically via the motherboard.

Optical Drive
No optical drive is included with this PC, so you’ll have to rely on streaming or USB ports instead for things like program installs.

Operating System 
The GXiVR8020A5 comes with Windows 10 Home edition preinstalled.

Other
The PC is advertised to be Virtual Reality (VR) ready. This basically means it should have a bunch of USB ports (for you to plug in all the VR hardware), and that the graphics card has enough grunt to be able to support VR applications.

Case
The case includes red lighting and a transparent viewing side panel to allow inner hardware components to be seen. Case dimensions are 18.5″ x 17.43″ x 17.9″ (W x D x H).

Peripherals/Accessories
A USB wired mouse and keyboard is included with the computer tower, along with a separate wifi USB adapter.

Support/Warranties
CyberpowerPC offer a 1 year warranty on parts and labor, complete with lifetime technical support.

Performance

Let’s take a look at the performance of the CyberpowerPC GXiVR8020A5.

Usage

Like it’s predecessors, this computer offers a fantastic amount of value in terms of hardware performance for its price point, and making it exceptionally well suited for any gamer. Thanks to the six cores of the Intel i5-8400, even the more demanding games run excellently. Most importantly, the graphics card is at the height of performance – the RX 580 is a well respected, recent-release card with plenty of graphics processing power to allow you to play pretty much any game you want and still crank the settings to high or ultra high. The 8GB of RAM is pretty standard for a gaming computer and shouldn’t cause any issues, although some may wish to upgrade this in the unlikely event it happens to be a bottleneck for the particular gaming titles that you frequent.

Of course, with specs like these, everyday computing tasks are also able to be handled with ease.

Where it excels:

• Gaming – all recent or older gaming titles even at high resolutions on high settings
• Web browsing
• Home & Office applications (Microsoft Office, PDF readers, Accounting tools etc)
• Watching videos, organizing/editing photos
• Netflix streaming
• General multitasking

It’s also capable of:

• Video editing / touch ups
• Graphics-intensive applications (3D modelling, video conversions etc)
• Virtual Reality applications and gaming

May struggle with:

• Very high quality/texture gaming at very high resolutions such as 4K (While this computer can handle it, the 8GB RX 580 would provide a slightly better experience due to more on-board memory)

<Click here to view the GXiVR8020A5 Reviews on Amazon>

*Note that the Amazon listing for the GXiVR8020A5 appears to be an updated version of the previous GXiVR8020A4 offering; so if you are reading reviews that indicate the ‘style’ is a ‘Processor: i5-7400’; then these reviews refer to the older GXiVR8020A4 model. This should also be kept in mind when review the Amazon listed Q&A as some answers refer to the older model which was slightly different.

What Games Can It Play?

Thanks to the RX 580 being a high performing graphics card, you can pretty much play any title you want on high or max settings and expect great performance with this card. However, do bear in mind that the GXiVR8020A5 uses the 4GB version of the RX 580 as opposed to the 8GB version, meaning it has half the on-board memory and also a slightly lower clock speed.

This means that you may not get as great performance as those running a RX 580 8GB card, and you may again take a slight performance hit if trying to run very high resolutions like 4K on games which have a lot of textures/details that require more GPU memory and processing power. Honestly though, for most people this won’t be an issue at all as like we’ve said before, the RX 580 will run pretty much any game well since it’s such a recent release.

It can also play virtual reality games with any VR headset like occulus rift or vive, and should come with ample USB ports to facilitate plugging in of controllers.

Upgradeability

Like most pre-built systems, the GXiVR8020A5 is designed to be a complete out-of-the-box solution for those who just want a gaming rig which is ready to go. The price of the system already delivers excellent performance value for money, but if you’re still wanting to squeeze a bit more performance out of this PC either now or in the future, here are a few ideas.

Recommended Upgrades (Short Term/Immediate)

We briefly mentioned previously that CyberpowerPC have been known in the past to opt for lower-quality power supplies, so one of the first things we’d recommend if you are thinking of buying or have bought the GXiVR8020A5 is to check carefully what brand/type of PSU it has come with and do your own research. If it looks dodgy, it’s better to be safe than sorry and replace it.

• Power Supply Replacement/Upgrade
  A  power supply fault can sometimes damage other hardware components in your computer, so if there’s any doubt about the quality of your power supply then we’d recommend replacing it with something reputable like this EVGA 500W supply that comes with a few years of warranty. Note that if you plan on upgrading again further down the track you may want to opt for a larger power supply capacity to allow for future hardware upgrades.
• Solid state drive (SSD) installation
  While this is totally optional due to the decently sized 1TB hard drive that the GXiVR8020A5 comes with, it’s something we’d definitely recommend. Solid State Drives (SSD) are an alternative to regular hard disk drives that operate much, much faster. Adding in an extra SSD can be a nice upgrade especially if you move your operating system and commonly used programs and files onto the SSD instead of a hard drive – by doing something like this, you’ll see a very noticeable reduction in loading and boot up times.

Other Upgrade Considerations

It’s not a bad idea to give some thought to how long you expect to keep a computer like this one. The good news is that with its excellent and recent hardware base, you can expect this computer to perform excellently for at least the next 5 years or even more. At that point, if you are someone who really digs having the latest hardware, you may want to start considering graphics card or processor upgrades depending on what is on the market at that time. Some additional things you may want to do in addition to the upgrades mentioned previously may be:

• Memory (RAM) Upgrade
  Installing more memory (RAM) is an easy DIY upgrade and can sometimes give a noticeable performance boost if your current RAM is bottlenecking applications. The GXiVR8020A5 comes with 8GB of RAM which is pretty standard by today’s standards and more than enough to handle most games without any bottlenecking. However, if in the future this starts to be an issue, RAM is easily able to be upgraded – just be sure to check the number of available slots on your motherboard to find out if you can add to your current RAM installation or if you will need to replace the existing RAM fully with larger sticks.

• Cooling Upgrade
  We’ve seen user reviews that indicate that this build can tend to run a little hot if you are doing a lot of intense gaming. Although it has 3 intake fans, the large plastic panel appears to restrict a lot of the airflow. Some solutions may be removing the front panel to allow for better airflow (though be sure to think about something like a mesh panel replacement to avoid dust getting into your computer), or looking into other cooling options that will work with this case. This may not be an issue for most, but is worth keeping an eye on. For example, you can download monitoring software like HW monitor that will report on hardware temperatures.

Pricing/Value

At the time of review, the GXiVR8020A5 is selling for under $800 (

So if we’re talking about a fully-assembled, ready to go out-of-the-box gaming PC, the GXiVR8020A5 represents amazing value for money.

Alternative Products

If you’re interested in other pre-built gaming PCs in this price range then it might also be worth looking at the very similar GXiVR8060A5 which is also by CyberpowerPC. This PC is a little more expensive and uses the similarly-performing GTX 1060 graphics card, however it includes a 120GB solid state drive that will have noticably faster run times.

check out the HP Pavillion Power 580-023w as well.

For those who plan on doing a lot of gaming at 4K, we wouldn’t really recommend this build as the RX 580 graphics card is the 4GB lower memory variant. Those who want 4K capabilities are better off opting for a higher-memory graphics card for optimal gameplay.

Summary/Overall Impressions

The GXiVR8020A5 is a solid gaming computer for those who want to game on high settings at 1080p in demanding game titles, and even run some virtual reality games. Although gaming at 4K resolutions with max settings may push its limits, for most gamers, this PC under $800 represents excellent value for money while still leaving some room for nice-to-have upgrades.

<Click here to view the GXiVR8020A5 on Amazon>

Reference: Other Specifications

 GXiVR8060A5 which is also by CyberpowerPC