iBuypower Chimera 4SE FX Ultimate: AMD Gaming PC

At this price range, you’re not going to find many computers sporting custom paint jobs or the top shelf graphics cards. At the same time, $2,600 is enough to buy you a respectable custom-built PC – one that can handle today’s games at strong frame rates and that has enough storage to last you several years of accumulating media, games and other data. A speedy SSD primary drive is practically a given at this price point, as is a high-end CPU cooler, be it liquid or air-based.

Beyond the parts themselves, the price tag saves you the time (and, depending on how the build goes, headache) of building a system, loading up the software, overclocking it, and burning it in. (Not to mention a warranty that makes breakdowns someone else's problem.)


The iBuypower Chimera 4SE FX offers reasonable performance for the price overall, though its performance wasn't quite as strong as we expected it to be in some of our benchmarks. The system isn't a benchmark record-breaker, but it has graphics muscle and is well-equipped for serious gaming nonetheless.

iBuypower really came through with a nice chassis side panel graphic. This beast is sure to get attention and the finish is durable enough to easily withstand dings that might scratch a paint job. We like the layout inside the case, both because it’s so clean and because there’s plenty of room for work and upgrades: you can reach components easily to replace them, and there are extra memory slots and internal/external drive bays. Extending your computer’s life should be a breeze with the Chimera as a solid foundation from iBuyPower. The Chimera is worth a look if you’re in the market for a mid-range system – or even a higher-end PC, if you have the budget for the setting the system up with top-shelf parts.