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Prebuilt gaming PCs like the iBUYPOWER SlateMR 215a are just getting more important, especially when you consider that PC components gamers need to DIY their rigs have become more and more expensive. However, as we’ve seen over last year, iBUYPOWER’s PC prices haven’t been affected. That means that you’re more likely to find this gaming rig to be a more reasonable alternative to building your PC, and it is – but it’s not that simple.
Pros
- Solid 1080p Performance
- Great For Esports
- Easily Upgradable
- Affordable
Cons
- Low SSD storage
- Could use a front USB-C port
This new tower from iBUYPOWER doesn’t come with many aesthetic improvements; it sports the familiar glass side panel and a glass front panel with LEDs that have been around for a few years now. But some things have been refreshed to make this machine an excellent entry-level gaming device.
Mainly the CPU and GPU. The SlateMR 215a uses the AMD Ryzen 5 5600G CPU, a six-core, 12-thread processor that bonds well with the new AMD Radeon RX 6600XT GPU to deliver desirable gaming performance for less money.
iBUYPOWER SlateMR 215a Specs
- Desktop Class: Gaming
- Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 5600G
- Processor Speed: 3.9 GHz
- RAM (as Tested): 16 GB
- Boot Drive Type: SSD
- Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested): 480 GB
- Graphics Card: AMD Radeon RX 6600XT (8GB)
- Operating System: Windows 11 Home
Design and Features
Out of the box, the iBUYPOWER Pro provides an attractive black tower chassis. The bold-front facing iBUYPOWER logo and a trio of fans above it feature RGB lighting that looks impressive. Those looking to showcase the desktop’s innards will appreciate the transparent glass side panel. Top and rear ventilation keeps the SlateMR 215a cool with a total of three possible locations to maximize cooling.
There are two USB-A ports alongside headphone and microphone jacks in the front, though it would have been nice to see at least one USB-C port here. There are four USB-A ports, 5.1 Channel audio out, and an Ethernet port in the rear. That should be enough for the keyboard and mouse, headset, and webcam setup.
Included with the SlateMR 215a is also an iBuyPower gaming keyboard an RGB gaming mouse which should get you playing out of the box. Considering that most brands don’t include these at base level, the additions are welcome. Gamers looking to play competitively will have to shelf these basic components for something better.
Performance
Because the iBUYPOWER Pro we’re reviewing is strapped with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600G, AMD Radeon RX 6600XT (8GB), 16GB DDR4, and 480 GB SSD storage, there’s pretty much no game that won’t be blown out with this thing – provide you limit yourself to high setting and 1080p resolution. This gaming PC has no problem playing any AAA game on the market at 1080p at good frames per second and should remain that way for quite some time.
AMD claims that the Radeon RX 6600XT GPU should compete with the Nvidia RTX 3060 chip rather than the 3060 Ti. However, we hear none of that, considering the chip itself is more expensive than the RTX 3060 and only 15% cheaper than the 3060 Ti available in the Skytech Shadow 3.0 we reviewed recently. The table below shows the basic spec difference among machines fitted with the three GPUs.
In real-world gaming, the Radeon RX 6600XT makes a strong showing compared to gaming machines running Nvidia’s RTX 3060 GPU. Borderlands 3 runs pretty fine at 1080p, delivering 92 fps on average using the ultra-quality settings, which is the second-highest quality preset in the game. The 6600 XT is equally strong at 1440p with an average of 65fps, 28% and 27% faster than the RTX 3060 GPU.
The same performance is replicated in Forza Horizon 4, delivering 17% better performance at 1080p and an incredible 180fps, against the RTX 3060’s 154fps, but the margins do reduce considerably at 1440p, averaging 143fps and 124fps, respectively.
Overall, the iBUYPOWER SlateMR 215a with its Radeon RX 6600XT GPU delivers decent gameplay at 1080p, especially compared to RTX 3060 gaming rigs. However, its brilliant performance also depends on the games you’ll be playing. While both GPUs support Ray tracing, the RTX 3060 has better support right now.
The GeForce RTX 3060 also benefits from DLSS support, which is far more widespread than FSR, and in our opinion, works much better at lower resolutions such as 1080p.
Verdict – An Entry-Level Gaming Star
The iBUYPOWER SlateMR 215a is a great low-cost gaming desktop, especially for first-time enthusiasts. It provides much more stable 1080p gaming performance, thanks to its six-core AMD Ryzen 5 5600G CPU and 8GB AMD Radeon RX 6600XT, than competing desktops with quad-core CPUs and 4GB graphics cards.
Pairing both of AMD’s latest offerings makes much sense, and the same can be seen from the kind of gaming performance this PC delivers while maintaining the price in the entry-level category. A solid feature set, a clean design, and excellent 1080p gaming performance clinch the iBUYPOWER SlateMR 215a, an Editors’ award as an entry-level gaming tower.
OUR VERDICT
EXPERT RATING
EXCELLENT
The iBUYPOWER SlateMR 215a is as beautiful as ever, with one of the most elegant aesthetic in a prebuilt gaming PC. It is an excellent gateway into the world of PC gaming that delivers improved performance and style at a low price.
Last update on 2024-05-17 at 19:08 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Editors' Choice
iBUYPOWER Pro Gaming PC Computer Desktop SlateMR 215a (AMD Ryzen 5 5600G 3.9 GHz,AMD Radeon RX 6600XT 8GB, 16GB DDR4, 480 GB SSD, WiFi Ready, Windows 11 Home)
$1,199.00 in stock
1 used from $549.99
