Can You Upgrade A Pre-built PC? [Best Answer]

prebuilt pc upgradable

Prebuilt PCs save you a lot of time in researching and building a computer from scratch. These machines come assembled right out of the box. But can you upgrade a prebuilt PC later on if you want? Here’s the right answer to this question.

Well, it depends on the type of pre-built PC that you’ve purchased from the market. Some brands like HP, Dell, and NZXT, build PCs that are not upgradable. Only certain pre-built PC brands give you enough headroom to upgrade your PC later on with the hardware that you want.

Are Pre-built PCs Upgradable?

The chances of upgrading a premade desktop highly depend upon the brand and the type of motherboard used in it. As you know that standard ATX motherboards with a mid-tower PC case have enough room to fit in aftermarket hardware. There are more chances of adding more ram and installing a dedicated GPU in such pre-built PCs.

However, Pre-built PCs as compared to Custom-built PCs don’t have enough room for upgrades. It is possible that you can add a GPU or ram on a Pre-made desktop to increase its performance. But in some areas, there is strictly no room for an upgrade.

This is the reason you’ll find desktops from HP or Dell restricted or OEM parts only. These are the parts that you won’t find anywhere else in the market. Also, if you try to replace OEM parts with aftermarket parts, you’ll never be able to connect them up whatsoever.

OEM motherboard that has less room for an upgrade
An OEM Motherboard: Image Source: Alibaba

And even if there’s a slot for adding a graphics card on an HP or Dell pre-made PC, you’ll find the power supply to be at the lower end. And the PSU isn’t sufficient to power up the graphics card, there isn’t any sense in doing an upgrade on such a PC.

Which Pre-build Desktops Have More Chances of an Upgrade?

Simply, the ones with a tower PC case and an ATX motherboard can be upgraded with aftermarket parts. If your computer comes with a warranty, replacing or upgrading your hardware can result in voiding your warranty. So, make sure there won’t be any incompatibility issues once you replace or upgrade new hardware in your pre-made computer.

Can You Upgrade A Pre-built PC?
Image Source: iBUYPOWER

CyberPower & iBUYPOWER, both of these brands offer the best pre-built PCs in the market. The good thing is both brands offer you enough room for installing aftermarket CPU coolers, graphics cards, and SSDs. If you need cheaper prebuilt gaming PCs, then you can go with CyberPower.

Conclusion

Finally, if you want a pre-built PC that can be upgradable later on, then stay away from brands like HP, Dell, and NZXT that offer limited room for an upgrade. Moreover, the PCs that come with an ATX motherboard and standard ATX case have more chances of installing aftermarket bulky hardware.

  • Robert Milakovic

    Robert, based in Osijek, Croatia, is a co-founder of Incomera, a media company that has launched several entertainment sites including Fiction Horizon, Game Horizon, and Anime Horizon. He's also a co-owner of Computer Zilla, Comic Basics, and Voice Film. Since an early age, he wa...