The CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme GXiVR8060A12 desktop PC offers newer gamers the best and most affordable choice to hone their skills in the PC gaming scene. Most of us joined PC gaming when the ultimate rite of passage was building our gaming PC from scratch, but the recent spike in prices for individual components required to build a PC makes the entire process time-consuming and expensive.
After all, nobody wants to take the time scouring online stores for parts when boutique builders like CyberPowerPC, Skytech, and iBuypower among others have taken it upon themselves to deliver powerful rigs with the latest hardware at very reasonable prices.
CyberPowerPC’s latest Gamer Extreme line-up offers gamers the ability to choose from several mid-tier configurations that now include up to 12th Gen Intel processor, an Nvidia RTX 30-Series graphics card and up to 64GB of RAM all packed into neat, compact micro ATX cases.
Our review unit, the Gamer Xtreme GXiVR8060A12 is an entry-level gaming PC that packs all the components you’d need to run modern AAA titles at 1080p. Packed into the micro ATX cases is an 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11400F processor, a GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, 8GB RAM, and 512GB SSD. That’s pretty much what you would need to run most modern games, but the chassis is spacious enough to allow for future upgrades if needed.
CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme GXiVR8060A12 Specs
- Desktop Class: Gaming & Entertainment
- CPU: Intel Core i5-11400F (2.60 GHz)
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050(6GB)
- RAM: 8GB DDR4
- Storage: 512 GB SSD
- Connectivity: 2.5G Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1
- Operating system: Windows 11 Home
- Weight: 31.4 pounds
- Size (W x D x H): 22 x 21.5 x 12 inches
Design & Features
When we reviewed the CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme GXiVR8060A11 in February, we liked it for the neatly organized compact case with room to expand in the future, and the Gamer Xtreme GXiVR8060A12 sports the same design and components, save for the RTX 3050 GPU, while its predecessor came with an RTX 2060 GPU.
Those inclined to over-the-top gamer aesthetics will find the Gamer Xtreme’s look quite appealing. Well, it isn’t screaming with a Sci-Fi-inspired design, but it gets its share of RGBs on the front panel, some illuminating from the tempered side glass window and around the rear cooling fan. The façade has its upper and lower sections squared, and a CyberpowerPC logo at the bottom reminds you this is a gaming system.
Beyond that, however, the CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme doesn’t have any exceptional design frills, which we honestly like. We also like the black chassis theme, though we’ve seen white chassis designs on machines like the Skytech Shiva that look equally appealing. The side panel pops open effortlessly, all you need to do is unscrew a few thumbscrews on the side glass panel. This gives you easy access to the neat interior, especially if you’d like to upgrade or customize.
The port selection is good, but it lacks USB Type-C that’s becoming pretty standard even among gaming towers. In total, you have four USB 3.0, two USB 2.0, and an Ethernet port. Should you need to hook the system to more than one display, there are DVI, DisplayPort, and HDMI ports on the RTX 2060 graphics card. These ports are handy when connecting your PC to a VR headset since the CyberpowerPC Gamer GXiVR8060A12 is VR Ready out of the box. Wireless connectivity comes via 802.11AC Wi-Fi.
Also bundled into the package are a gaming mouse and keyboard, not the best, but we appreciate the fact that you have something to get you going before you can purchase a serious gaming combo.
Gaming and Graphics Performance
The Cyberpowerpc Gamer Xtreme offers solid 1080p on high-to-mid range settings. Modern AAA games with greater visual fidelity like Gears 5, Resident Evil village, and Doom Eternal perform adequately well and have high resolution and settings. The good performance is due to the RTX 3050 (8GB) graphics card that benefits from newer technology like ray tracing and DLSS.
As ever, high frame rates take precedent over visual fidelity in competitive, meaning, gamers looking for more esports performance standards can rest easy that the GXiVR8060A12 can handle Fortnite, Apex Legends, PUBG, and Rocket League without breaking a sweat at high settings, whether played through the SSD or HDD.
In real-world gaming, the GeForce RTX 3050 makes a strong showing compared to gaming machines running RTX 2060, but well below those running RTX 3060 and RTX 3060 Ti. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla runs pretty fine at 1080p, delivering 64 fps on average using the high-quality settings, which is the second-highest quality preset in the game. The RTX 3050 is however slower at 1440p unless you want to reduce the resolution quality.
Elsewhere, Shadow of the Tomb Raider played at high settings (1080p resolution), the CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme averages 86 fps but drops to 58 fps in 1440p resolution. At the same settings. Given the Gamer Xtreme GXiVR8060A12’s base RTX 3050 graphics card, this kind of performance is quite impressive, but we have machines like the Skytech Archangel within the same price range but come with performant RTX 3060 GPUs.
As mentioned above, the RTX 3050 graphics card used here benefits greatly from both ray tracing and Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) technologies. Therefore, it’s not surprising that the SlateMR 281a performs especially well at 1080p, but 1440p might not be that fluent, and not all games are going to utilize all that 8GB RAM, after all.
Also, the RTX 3050 meets the requirements to support VR gaming, meaning it’s optimized for your HTC VIVE and Oculus Rift VR headsets.
Productivity Performance
When not gaming, the CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme GXiVR8060A12 is a great productivity machine that you can use for most day-to-day tasks. The 6-core 2.6GHz Intel Core i5-11400F processor paired with 8GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB is capable enough to handle all your computing needs – everything, from processing spreadsheets, typing away projects, and media creation.
We only wish it had bigger storage, something like an additional hard drive on the side would have been better. The 512GB SSD, apart from being fast, will most likely fill up with gaming files in no time, but you have the option to expand the storage on this machine.
Overall, the CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme represents immense value, especially for a machine that costs just over one grand. It stacks pretty well when compared to gaming machines like the HP Omen 25L that cost hundred dollars more, but pack outdated hardware, in this case, an 11th Gen Intel Core i5 processor and an RTX 3050 Super graphics card.
Should you buy the CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme GXiVR8060A12?
The CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme is an entry-level gaming desktop PC with enough muscle to run most AAA titles at 1080p at decent frame rates. The same applies to intensive applications like video editing programs. If you have more money to spend on a gaming machine, you can go for the highest configuration of the Gamer Xtreme line, but if you’re on a tight budget, the GXiVR8060A12 delivers a good gaming experience.
All said, if you’re shopping on a tight budget of ~$1000, there are gaming PCs that will get you through medium settings beautifully with either RTX 3050 or RTX 3060 GPUs. And since the CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme GXiVR8060A12 is designed to be very upgradeable, we believe it’s well worth the money you’ll spend, and you can throw in powerful components later on when you can afford to.
Recommended Configuration
CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme VR Gaming PC, Intel Core i5-11400F 2.6GHz, GeForce RTX 3050 8GB, 8GB DDR4, 500GB PCI-E NVMe SSD, WiFi Ready & Win 10 Home (GXiVR8060A12), Black
$979.99 in stock
1 used from $829.99
The Review
CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme GXiVR8060A12
The CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme GXiVR8060A12 is one of the most affordable entryways into the world of pc gaming. While its mid-range configuration, especially the RTX 3050 GPU may not be appealing to high-end gamers, the PC’s hardware can still easily well over 60 fps on most AAA games.
PROS
- Neatly organized, compact case
- Room to expand inside
- Highly configurable
CONS
- Could use a Type-C port
- Lacks a card reader
Review Breakdown
-
EDITORS RATING
