NZXT will now rent you a gaming PC — here's what it really costs

In an increasingly subscription-based world, it shouldn't be a surprise that the idea will eventually come to gaming PCs.

In a press release, gaming desktop PC builder NZXT revealed a new subscription service where it will send you a gaming rig for as low as $59 a month. There is a catch — you must provide your own mouse, keyboard and monitor.

"At NZXT, we believe everyone should be able to play the games they love," said Bryan de Zayas, NZXT's Head of Marketing, in the press release. "In the past, that meant buying a pre-built PC or building your own. Our new Flex subscription service offers gamers more flexibility and choice, so they can focus on what really matters – playing the games they love."

NZXT Flex specs — (Image credit: Future)

These may not be some of the best gaming PCs on the market, but they seem pretty solid.

All three tiers have a required $50 "setup and shipping fee," including a return label for whenever you cancel the sub. Subscriptions are month to month and can be canceled.

If you try the program, NZXT says that a new or like-new Flex rig will be shipped within three to five days. Free replacements are available, and NZXT says it guarantees hardware upgrades every two years.

For reference, the rig in the Player: One plan would cost $758 for the first year (the monthly cost plus the $50 initial fee). The next tier would run you $1548, and the highest would be $2078 for year one.

It's difficult to determine the total cost of buying one of these PCs since the full specs aren't available. We reached out to NZXT to get more information about the full specifications of the towers they provide and will update you if they provide that information.

What I could do was approximate the cost using PCPartPicker. I assembled a build, which you can see at this link, with the same processor, a 4060 GPU, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, a compatible motherboard and a case for around $965. That means you can own a similar computer for around $200 more than the price of one year of renting.

Despite gaming PC building getting more plug-and-play than in previous eras, we won't disparage anyone who wants to pursue a pre-built or buy one of the best gaming laptops.

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Scott Younker is the West Coast Reporter at Tom’s Guide. He covers all the lastest tech news. He’s been involved in tech since 2011 at various outlets and is on an ongoing hunt to build the easiest to use home media system. When not writing about the latest devices, you are more than welcome to discuss board games or disc golf with him. He also handles all the Connections coverage on Tom's Guide and has been playing the addictive NYT game since it released.