The CyberpowerPC Gamer Master GMA1390A3 is one of the best gaming PCs for folks who want to spend under one grand without sacrificing much in the way of power. Packing an AMD Ryzen 7 2700 and an Nvidia GTX 1650 graphics card, this desktop can run mainstream games at high settings and even handle media tasks without much of a sweat.
Better yet, the Gamer GMA1390A3 is very easy to open, making a strong statement for gamers who eventually want to upgrade to more powerful parts.
Design
On looks, the Master GMA1390A3 shares the same footprint with the Periphio Gaming Desktop, of course, with a few changes. The main difference has to the black front glass panel, while its predecessor was wet in white. The RGB-lit casing stands at 18.7 by 8.2 by 18.5 inches (HWD), all black brushed aluminum.
The front panel is solid black cover with a CyberPowerPC logo on the lower flank, a move away from the three concentric circles in its predecessor from last year. The upper panel host a couple of quick-access ports recessed to the right-front side, and the rest of the panel is made of parallel lines, save for grilled vent that lets you view the interior components and lighting from the top.
On the left side is a near-full window made of tampered glass, and gives you a perfect view of the interior components. Looking at the case you’ll realize that it isn’t a small-form-factor, but it happens to be on the smaller side for traditional towers.
Connectivity
The system doesn’t have an optical drive, which is fine given that these days you occasionally need to play from DVDs, as most PC games can be downloaded from digital services like Steam and Origin. Plus, having one on the front would be a scratch on the case’s stylish austerity. As it is, there are easy-access ports on the top panel (towards the front): two USB 3.1, microphone and headphone, and a Reset button.
Around the back, there are more ports to accommodate almost all your peripherals: two USB 2.0, four USB 3.1, one RJ-45 Network Ethernet, and Audio 7.1 channel. The new Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 graphics card also includes one HDMI port and DisplayPort 1.4 for multi-monitor setups. Also bundled into the package is an RGB 7 colors gaming keyboard and mouse, alongside 802.11AC Wi-Fi for wireless connectivity.
Performance
With a Ryzen AMD Ryzen 7 2700 (8-core), 8GB RAM and 512GB solid-state drive (SSD), the Gamer Master GMA1400A never slows down under heavy multitasking. You can download a game, flip between a dozen browser tabs, run a full system scan and fire up a few twitch streams all at once. If you’re paying for an 8-core Ryzen 7 desktop, you should expect no less than top-end speed, which it delivers across all spheres.
For general productivity and media creation, it is among the fastest AMD-powered systems you can find around at this price range. It beats most newcomers in multimedia tests including Photoshop, making it a big deal for video encoding and picture editing. It leads the pack for daily productivity in such a dominant fashion, and manages to stay right up there among the best in category.
Gaming Performance
The productivity capabilities above are helpful to measure the general processor aptitude, but it’s hard to beat full retail video games for judging a machine’s gaming credentials. Far Cry 5 and Shadow of the Tomb Raider, are both modern AAA, high-fidelity titles that can be used to illustrate how a systems fares on real-world video games at different settings. These two games are run on the maximum graphics-quality presets – Ultra for Far Cry 5 and Very High for Shadow of the Tomb Raider, played at 1080p, 1440p, 4K resolutions.
All these tests are meant to identify the sweet spot of visuals and smooth playability for any given system, with the results provided in frames per second. The different presets are based on the fact that Far Cry 5 is DirectX 11-based, while Shadow of the Tomb Raider can be run on DX12.
In our case, targeting a system in this price range means you’re most likely looking to play at full HD (1,920 by 1,080) resolution. Again, not only are 1440p or 4K monitors more expensive, but so is a GPU that will drive games smoothly at those resolutions. As such, our ideal target is 60fps and the Blaze II easily clears that bar with room to spare for more strenuous moments during game play.
In real-world gaming, Far Cry 5 returns impressive scores in Ultra Quality (60 fps – 1080p; 43 fps – 1440p) and the same is replicated on Shadow of the Tomb Raider played at Ultra Quality (46.1fps – 1080p; 27.6 fps – 1440p). On the whole, the GeForce GTX 1650 is a good GPU for 1080p gaming, not giving you too much or too little.
If your monitor refreshes over 60Hz – can as well consider the Sceptre (C248B-144RN) or the MSI Optix MAG24C both with a 144Hz refresh rate; the extra juice of the 1660 Ti is the way to go. This GPU replaces last year’s GTX 1050, meaning it is VR-Ready so it can run your virtual reality headset (HTC Vive or Oculus Rift) with ease. As you can see, 1440p is much more taxing (unless you’re okay with 30fps), and I wouldn’t recommend 4K on this machine.
Bottom line
CyberpowerPC’s Gamer Master GMA1390A3 is a one-of-a-kind gaming PC whose unique LCD side panel dazzles – and offers some practical uses, too. It’s an excellent centerpiece for any showy gaming den, simply because its alluring looks are backed by some very good AMD Ryzen 7 2700, GTX 1650 gaming performance at a reasonable price.
If you’re looking for more power within a still-striking design, you might want to consider the SkyTech Shiva Gaming PC, which starts for a few dollars more and offers better components and custom lighting options. And if you need something more powerful and even bolder, take a look at the CyberpowerPC Gamer SLC10220CPGV2, which offers the best of both worlds – raw gaming muscle and a spacious chassis for expansion.
That said, the CyberpowerPC Gamer Master GMA1390A3 still makes for a perfectly good choice for gamers who want to join the PC market but aren’t as quite comfortable enough to build their own machines (it will surely cost more). And given the Master GMA1390A3’s upgradability, this gaming desktop is more future-proof than even your typical console.
Recommended Configuration
Skytech Shiva Gaming PC Desktop
$1,199.99 in stock
2 used from $868.41
The Review
CyberpowerPC Gamer Master GMA1390A3
That said, the CyberpowerPC Gamer Master GMA1390A3 still makes for a perfectly good choice for gamers who want to join the PC market but aren’t as quite comfortable enough to build their own machines (it will surely cost more).
PROS
- Overall performance is good
- Spacious interior
- modern design
CONS
- Massive design
Review Breakdown
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EDITORS RATING
