Gamers Nexus claims that NZXT's Flex PC rental program is a 'scam'.
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A recently published one-hour video on a YouTube channel specializing in PC gaming hardware accuses NZXT's PC rental program of using misleading tactics. The Flex program allows customers to rent pre-built gaming computers starting at $59 a month, excluding mouse, keyboard, or monitor. However, this video reveals that NZXT alters the specifications and prices of their PC models "overnight." According to the investigation, they offer models with very different configurations under similar names, depending on whether the user is looking to buy or rent.
The content shows that, for example, NZXT's Player: Three model is listed with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super graphics card and an Intel Core i7-13700KF processor for the purchase option. When looking at the same model under the subscription option, it shows the same processor but with a less advanced Nvidia RTX 4070 Ti GPU. Despite the difference in GPUs, the video shows that NZXT claims both models have the same estimated performance in games like Starfield and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.
Additionally, the channel highlights other aspects of the Flex program, such as its pricing structure, which could result in a higher cost than simply buying a PC, as well as the terms of service that are considered "aggressive." While attempts were made to contact NZXT for comments, no immediate response was received, nor has there been any indication of a reply in their community areas or social media channels.
Steve Burke, the channel's editor-in-chief, expresses his distrust in the video: "We believe at this point this is a scam. The performance claims are tremendously misleading, especially because the only significant difference in one of these cases is the word ‘Super,’ which many people, especially those who might be renting or buying a pre-built PC, will not realize."