name calling like Asmongold , Emiru , MoistCr1TiKaL , and Sodapoppin should be familiar to you if you linger on Twitch sidereal day after 24-hour interval . Outside of being some of the most successful streamers on the platform , they all share something else in vulgar — a resounding secondment ofgaming PCsbuilt by Starforge Systems .
Starforge Systems is an interesting unusual person in the world of prebuilt gaming PCs . It ’s not just a matter of successful Twitch streamers put their seal of approval on a firearm of computer hardware . According to Starforge , these creators actually own the company , or at least a constituent of it .
I received the Navigator , which is in the middle of the batch of the 15 dissimilar configuration that Starforge Systems presently offers . It hits a sweet spot in full term of price and performance , and even among a ocean of rival personal computer builders , the Starforge Navigator finger like a PC suitable of the names that back it .
Specs and pricing
But lease ’s meet the Navigator . It ’s a $ 1,900 PC that have pretty solid spectacles for the monetary value . You ’re getting an RTX 4070 GPU , 1 TB of PCIe 4.0 memory board , 32 GB of DDR5 - 6000 memory , a 240 mm liquid cooler from DeepCool , and a solid branded motherboard and baron supplying from MSI .
One thing I appreciate about Starforge is that it list the specific element you ’re getting in the build — a deal of builders swap parts out depending on availability , intend you might get something you were n’t have a bun in the oven in the mail .
The only exception is the graphic card . The Navigator comes with an RTX 4070 , and Starforge has an MSI mannequin fancy on its merchandise page . I received a PNY model . GPUs are volatile , and it ’s unreasonable to assume Starforge would maintain stock list of a specific exemplar of computer graphic carte du jour , so it gets a pass here .
If you take all of the components here and price them out , it come out to about $ 1,450 , plus a few extra fans and a Windows key . Starforge is level $ 1,900 , which is a very fair price . It ’s about $ 400 for the bod fee , and for that , you get a two - yr parts and labor warranty . The real blessing for Starforge , however , is that you’re able to see what you ’re actually getting before you buy it . There is n’t a list of generic specs , and I was n’t surprised to see the final product when it express up on my doorstep .
I ’m reviewing the Navigator , but there are a lot of other options . The Horizon II is the cheapest build at $ 1,050 , and it comes with an AMD RX 6650 XT and Intel Core i5 - 12400F. At the top ending , you could overlook $ 4,600 on the Voyager II Elite , which comes kitted out with anIntel Core i9 - 14900KandNvidia RTX 4090 .
Inside the Starforge Navigator
unbox the Navigator was a piece of cake . Unlike theCLX HathororOrigin Neuron , you do n’t have to fence with a costly wooden shipping crate to get to your microcomputer . It ’s a cardboard box , fit with some bubble wrap to keep the PC dependable . Starforge uses expandible froth inside the personal computer to support the graphics card and other inner component , and everything showed up at my door in perfect precondition .
Starforge is a bit heavy on the fans , likely for aesthetical reasons , but it make the PC louder than it take to be . The fans ramp up when the personal computer is under load , as expected , but there ’s a constant Harkat ul-Mujahedeen total from the equipage due to the seven rooter in the comparatively pocket-size display case .
Still , the lover are configured in a smart direction here . There are four intake , three on the side and one on the bottom , and three exhausts , one at the rear and two on top through the fluid ice chest . The XPG casing Starforge uses includes dust filters for all of the aspiration , so keeping the personal computer clean should n’t be a hassle .
In gain to the microcomputer , you get an accessories case , a power cable television , and a agile start guide . The startle guide is helpful , though it should note the charge plate that cover the limpid cooler . There ’s a thin layer of charge plate over the liquid cooler , and it ’d be easy to miss in the rush of set up a fresh play PC .
The accessories loge control a suite of goodies that were include with the XPG font , including a vertical GPU mount , extra screwing , cable railroad tie , and even a GPU financial backing . Starforge funnily did n’t include any extra mogul supply cables , however . The company tells me it usually let in the extra cables , but they did n’t arrive with my review unit . Someone conversant with personal computer could split what ’s what here , but a bit of software documentation for neophyte would be helpful with a suite of disparate role like this .
The inside of the personal computer is a dream . Starforge has excellent cable television service management , and it includes some comforts like cable combing to keep the front bay looking tidy . This is much better care to detail than you get with something like theMSI Aegis RS 12 , and a good argument for a system of rules planimeter over a mainstream brand .
I can only speak for the microcomputer I reviewed . I ’ve seen a handful of other reviews that have blob takings like the SSD heat sink dagger still being utilize and connectors not being sit down fully . These problems have been showcased by monolithic names like Gamers Nexus and Linus Tech Tips , and further amplified by the streamers dish up as a face for Starforge Systems .
In little , I conceive Starforge is aware of the attention paid to its microcomputer given its wiz - studded slate of owner , and I do n’t believe superintendence like this will be vernacular or far-flung .
Warranty and support
Starforge includes a two - year warranty on all new PCs , compensate hardware and British Labour Party for the “ core computer . ” The companionship defines that as the original hardware in the PC , short of any special request or monitors order alongside the personal computer . If you have a valid claim , Starforge pronounce it will replace or repair your personal computer under the warranty .
One exception to this warranty is limiting . If you change anything in the PC or otherwise tinker inside , there ’s a good chance your warranty claim will be denied . gratefully , Starforge does n’t localise any warrantee gummed label at decisive ingress points , so as long as you ’re not soften anything when unfold the PC , you should be safe under the warranty — I wo n’t tell if you wo n’t .
In addition to the warranty , you get 30 day to yield the organization for a refund . transport is n’t included in the repayment , unless the getting even was due to the system being damaged during transit . Beyond that point , Starforge still accept returns , but you ’ll be charged a 15 % restocking fee , as well as a “ rental fee ” of $ 75 per day beyond the comeback window .
Bloatware and configuration
Starforge makes a solid argument for going with a smaller system integrator rather than a mainstream stigma like HP , Asus , or Lenovo . A big reason why is package . The Navigator does n’t come bogged down with a barrage of software , with Starforge alternatively opting for a few useful apps , which mean you may dive in and bulge using your microcomputer right away .
There ’s no bloatware here . Starforge preinstalled Google Chrome and the Nvidia App on my review unit , both of which are apps I at once hit for with a Modern PC . The BIOS looked good as well , with bothResizable BAR enabledand the overclocking visibility for the memory take .
Performance
The Starforge Navigator utilize off - the - ledge components . The goal with it is to match the functioning you may get with these component part if you built the PC yourself , and the Navigator meets that criterion . I endure it through a series of benchmarks , test against the results I saw when testing theRyzen 5 7600Xand RTX 4070 individually .
The Ryzen 5 7600X is a six - core CPU , which is a bite underpowered for productiveness use . It ’s a in effect place to trim back when building a focused gaming getup , however . In Cinebench , the Ryzen 5 7600X was a bit behind the multi - core sexual conquest I achieved with the pedigree part , though it managed to match the speed in the single - core benchmark .
It ’s not too big of a trade - off , and likely down to division between the CPUs themselves . The more interesting bench mark are for the GPU . Starforge says this a trailer truck for “ 1080p Ultra ” gaming , though that ’s selling it short . The RTX 4070 , as you’re able to read in ourRTX 4070 review , is squarely a 1440p graphics card with aspirations for 4K.
come out with the 4 K benchmark , the Starforge Navigator is correct in line of business with what I ask to see from the RTX 4070 . There are some places where the reference personal computer is ahead , most notably inCyberpunk 2077withDLSS 3enabled , but you ’re systematically getting over 60 build per 2d ( Federal Protective Service ) in demanding game at this resolution , either natively or through some combination of upscaling and frame generation .
Things are more comfortable at 1440p , with games likeHorizon Zero Dawnshooting well above 100 Federal Protective Service . Once again , Starforge is within a underframe of my credit PC in most games , showcasing that there are n’t too many chokepoint here for the GPU .
The main drawback here for play is the CPU . The Ryzen 5 7600X is a solid gaming CPU , but a faster CPU could make a big difference for game that can scale up on the processor , such asCyberpunk 2077.In this body-build , theRyzen 7 7800X3Dseems like an obvious pick for a gamey - end rig , so a few options to switch out the CPU would help orient the PC for the other components inwardly .
Should you buy the Starforge Systems Navigator?
There are a sight of system integrator on the market . Some of them build solid PCs , and others are so problematic you could call them a cozenage . gratefully , Starforge Systems fits into the former category . There ’s still a modest build fee here of around $ 400 , but that ’s bonnie considering the attention to detail inside the PC .
cable television management is excellent , and carrying into action lined up with my anticipation . The PC is a bit loud due to being ingurgitate with fans , and you ’re spending more to have someone else work up the personal computer for you , but for a PC that ’s ramp up well and play well , you could do a lot worse .
