CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme VR GXiVR8600A2 Review

The CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme VR GXiVR8600A2 is one of the best midrange gaming PCs out there, it’s very upgradeable, and in terms of style, it’s the kind of kit that will get all the attention in a room. Well, it isn’t as beautiful as the Alienware Aurora R14, but the Exclusive P428X case looks great no matter how you look at it.

Its specs are selected in a way that it is an easy contender for the best gaming PC of 2024 just in performance, and its price is much lower than most gaming rigs I’ve reviewed running Intel Core 14900KF, GeForce RTX 4090 AND 64GB RAM. The Xtreme GXiVR8600A2 isn’t cheap, but when compared with mainstream models like the Alienware Aurora R16 or Mantis V2 with similar specs, this is a steal deal.

About the CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme

The CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme is primarily designed for gaming with a wide performance range. We reviewed the following configuration:

• Processor: Intel Core i9-14900KF
• CPU Cooler: AIO liquid cooler
• Graphics Card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090
• Operating System: Windows 11 Home
• Memory: 64GB DDR5
• Storage: 2TB NVMe M.2 SSD
• Case: CyberPowerPC Exclusive P428X
• Weight: 35.8 pounds
• Dimensions: ‎21.8 x 21.5 x 12.1 inches
• Accessories: Wired gaming keyboard and mouse

The CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme VR GXiVR8600A2 is one great package, as it features an Intel Core i9-14900KF processor, 64GB of DDR RAM, 2TB SSD, and a GeForce RTX 4090 graphics card, all at a very reasonable price. This hardware is ensconced in an attractive case, complete with multiple RGB fans and a liquid cooler for the CPU.

What We Like

Fast, fast, fast gaming performance

When hunting for a gaming PC, one thing matters above everything else: performance. The all-kitted-out Gamer Xtreme VR GXiVR8600A2 delivers incredible graphics performance that can smoothly run just about any game on maxed-out graphics settings. Getting the desktop to sweat is hard – you can’t even hear the fans whirring when running Cyberpunk 2077 at 1440p resolution in the ray tracing ultra preset.

But this PC is made for gaming, plain and simple. Cyberpunk 2077 is arguably the most demanding game around, but the GXiVR8600A2 manages around 42fps with additional ray tracing settings. That figure might sound a little low, but the RTX 4070 inside the CyberPowerPC Gamer GXiVR8080A36 that I reviewed last year would only muster 28fps, so take from that what you will.

Naturally taking advantage of Nvidia DLSS 3 and Frame Generation results in tremendous uplift, and toggling it on ramps RT frame rates up to 147fps. On their highest graphics settings at 4K, Shadow of the Tomb Raider ran at 124 fps, Control ran at 113 fps, and Cyberpunk 2077 ran at 76 fps with ray tracing enabled. Doom Eternal, a less intense game, ran at 216 fps on 4K highest settings. Multiplayer games like Overwatch and Fortnite run as quickly, too.

A fantastic productivity machine

Unsurprisingly, the GXiVR8600A2 runs productivity tasks smoothly even with more intense tasks like 3D modeling and rendering. You can render a car in Blender in just two. Minutes and 1 second with its Intel Core i9-14900KF processor. The same takes under four minutes on the Skytech Nebula with its Intel Core i5-13400F processor.

Beyond 4K gaming, this Gamer Xtreme PC is a straightforward winner since CyberpowerPC included some beefy hardware that’s useful in both scenarios. The 3.2GHz Intel Core i9-14900KF (max 6.0GHz) processor is a top-tier chip, with 24 Core and 32 Threads, which explains the excellent single-threaded performance. It is paired with 64GB RAM and 2TB SSD storage for solid gaming and productivity performance.

For everyday tasks – browsing, watching Netflix, emails, creative tasks – well, of course, there won’t be problems. Even playing games while doing most of those things at the same time doesn’t disturb the pool of performance at all.

The case has many features and lots of storage

Most prebuilt PCs are usually built as showpieces, or pretty cases with little functionality – some not to be opened. The Gamer Xtreme VR GXiVR8600A2 comes in a juggernaut of a case that’s easy to handle, easy to take apart and put back together, and offers lots of space for replacing and adding components. CyberpowerPC uses standardized parts, which makes it easy to replace every part of the PC as needed.

On the outside of the case, a lot is going on. There are two USB-A ports, a headphone jack, and lots of other ports around the back. You can swap out SSDs as you please, and there’s even room on the motherboard for a second drive if you choose to install it. This is all on top of the 2TB SSD installed on the motherboard.

What we don’t like

Basic included keyboard

The included full-size keyboard has backlit membrane keys with RGB lighting. However, it lacks a built-in wrist rest and the keys themselves are stiff and scratchy; light typers will find their fingers exhausted after hours of use.

The keys’ scratchiness won’t necessarily fare better with heavier typists who may be annoyed at how loud and hollow the board sounds despite using membrane switches. Some cheaper linear mechanical switches like Kailh red switches would have done a lot to make this a better experience. Linear switches are some of the quietest mechanical switches, and their lack of actuation point makes them ideal for use with fast-paced games.

The included mouse and keyboard are usable for short runs, but serious gamers and typists should invest in their keyboard, for sure.

Should you buy it?

Yes, the CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme VR GXiVR8600A2 is a great gaming PC

With configurations starting for even under $1000, the CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme is a great value across the whole lineup. It packs quality components, price to performance, easy upgrade path, and easy upgrades, it’s one of the best-prebuilt PCs you can buy today. Our review unit is equipped with an Intel core i9 CPU and an RTX 4090 GPU and can run even the most demanding games at the highest graphics preset on 1440p (ray tracing off) and 4K with decent frame rates than most midrange gaming PCs.

The CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme’s possible flaw is the lack of a USB-C port and the included keyboard isn’t very great for pro gamers. Looking at the flaws keenly, they don’t affect performance at all and can be safely ignored.

Overall, the CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme VR GXiVR8600A2 is a great gaming PC for just about any use case. It looks beautiful, its hardware is powerful enough to run modern games at high framerates and it isn’t as expensive as competing gaming PCs. CyberpowerPC nailed it with this one.