Today we are checking out the new sub-$800 SkyTech DarkAngel gaming computer that is equipped with a second generation AMD Ryzen processor and AMD Radeon graphics card. This is in a highly competitive price range which is currently dominated by CyberPowerPCs Gamer Xtreme GXIVR8020A5, currently one of the best-selling gaming computers on Amazon.com. But how this pre-built SkyTech DarkAngel stacks against other similarly priced gaming desktops with Radeon RX 580 or GeForce GTX 1060 graphics cards, what are the advantages or disadvantages of this computer? At first glance, this VR ready SkyTech gaming PC comes with pretty good specs, it has an AMD Ryzen 5 2600 6c/12t processor, A320 chipset motherboard, AMD Radeon RX 580 4GB graphics card, 8GB of RAM and 1TB HDD. However, one downside is that it doesn’t come with an SSD, but it’s not necessarily a deal breaker for a gaming PC of this price. This computer is built in a stylish Thermaltake case with a transparent side panel.
Specs of SkyTech DarkAngel Gaming Computer:
AMD Ryzen 5 2600 6-Core/12-thread 3.4 GHz (3.9 GHz Turbo)
A320M AM4 motherboard
AMD Radeon RX 580 4GB graphics card
8GB of DDR4 2400MHz gaming memory
1TB 7200RPM hard drive
Windows 10 Home 64-bit operating system
Thermaltake N27 case
500 Watt 80 Plus certified power supply
Free gaming keyboard & mouse
1 Year Warranty on Parts and Labor | Lifetime Free US Technical Support
Processor/motherboard:
The new second generation AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is a 6 core/12 thread CPU just like the previous generation Ryzen 5 1600, but it runs at slightly higher clock speeds. It was released in April 2018 and it uses the AM4 socket, which is supposed to be supported up to year 2020. The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is a solid processor, it won’t be a bottleneck for faster GPUs than RX 580. Although, it is not as fast as competing Intel i5-8400 in gaming benchmarks, even though AMD Ryzen 5 2600 has 6 more threads.
The motherboard (unknown model) is based on the AMD A320 chipset, it is not the greatest chipset, but it doesn’t matter much if you don’t overclock or use multiple GPUs as both features are not available with A320.
Graphics card:
SkyTech DarkAngel Gaming Computer is equipped with an AMD Radeon RX 580 4GB graphics card. Unfortunately it is not the 8GB variant, but 4GB of GDDR5 VRAM should be enough for todays 1080p gaming. Same graphics card is in the best-selling CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme GXIVR8020A5. Currently there are no gaming computers for under $800 that have something much better. A NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 3GB which is in some competing gaming computers has similar performance to 4GB RX 570 and RX 580, 6GB versions of GTX 1060 and GTX 1070 video cards are usually found in more expensive desktops.
RAM and storage
SkyTech DarkAngel comes with 8GB of DDR4 2400MHz system memory. 8GB is the absolute minimum for a modern gaming computer, most competing PCs also have 8GB installed, very few with decent specs have 16GB. 2400MHz RAM is not the best choice for Ryzen, as it benefits from faster memory.
1TB mechanical HDD is the minimum you should get in an ~$800 gaming computer. Sadly this SkyTech doesn’t come with a an SSD. Having both HDD and SSD in this price range would mean a weaker CPU or GPU. Some alternatives have an 240-256GB SSD, it makes faster booting times, shorter loading times in games, but there would be no room for your Steam library.
Case and power supply
The computer case of SkyTech DarkAngel is Thermaltake N27 which costs around 60 dollars. This mid-tower case has a more round design than some other gaming computers with blocky cases. It has a transparent acrylic (not tempered glass) side window and there is enough room for upgrades. Thermaltake N27 supports up to 360mm long graphics card and CPU cooler with height up to 160mm.
This gaming PC comes with a 500W 80 Plus certified PSU, in the picture you see a Coolermaster power supply, but it not guaranteed you get this one. 500W power supply is plenty for such gaming desktop, it is positive that it at least has an 80 Plus certification. This PC doesn’t come with a optical drive like modern cases today.
Conclusion
The SkyTech DarkAngel is an amazing deal if you can get it for under 800 dollars, building the same computer by yourself would actually cost more than the price of this SkyTech gaming PC. Overall this computer has no major flaws, it is great for 1080p gaming with good settings and it meets requirements for VR. It’s a good alternative to CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme GXIVR8020A5.
Pros:
Good CPU
VR ready
Great value for money
Cons:
Slow 2400MHz RAM
No SSD
Other:
No WiFi out of the box
Approximate prices of components:
AMD Ryzen 5 2600 ~$170
Motherboard with AMD A320 chipset ~$50
AMD Radeon RX 580 4GB ~$230
8GB DDR4 2400MHz RAM ~$70
1TB HDD ~$45
Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS ~$100
Thermaltake N27 case ~$60
500 Watt 80 Plus power supply ~$40
Gaming keyboard and mouse ~$25
Total: ~$790
Some gaming PCs with similar price:
CYBERPOWERPC BattleBox Essential GMA2000A
CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme GXIVR8020A5
SkyTech Oracle Gaming Computer Desktop PC
iBUYPOWER Gaming Computer Desktop PC AM006A
HP Pavilion Gaming PC Desktop Computer (790-0020, Black)