We overview dozens of gaming PCs annually. In 2024, there are a ton of worthy choices, however we have narrowed down an inventory of the ten greatest gaming desktops that deserve your hard-earned cash.
In 2024, we nonetheless suggest the Alienware Aurora R16 on account of its unbelievable design, stable efficiency, and respectable worth. Nevertheless, there are a number of different choices counting on your wants and price range. For those who desire a deeper gaze into how we consider gaming PCs, form positive to learn our put up on how we overview desktops.
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Alienware Aurora R16
The most effective gaming PC
Execs
- A lot smaller than earlier variations
- Wintry and restful throughout operation
- A number of configuration choices
- Competitively priced
Cons
- Alienware Command Middle is a bit annoying
- CPU lacks built-in graphics and overclocking assist
Why you must purchase this: It is an Alienware gaming PC constructed for the on a regular basis gamer
Who’s it for: PC avid gamers who need a whole lot of flexibility of their construct and need not service their PC.
What we considered the Alienware Aurora R16:
Alienware has a repute drawback, however the current Aurora R16 makes an attempt to repair that. It is the primary time Alienware has deserted the angular Aurora design we have seen for the previous a number of generations, as a substitute counting on a smaller mid-tower chassis that is simply as highly effective, however takes up loads much less area.
It is available in cheaper, as effectively. Portion of the rationale Alienware desktops own a little bit of a ghastly identify is their worth, however the Aurora R16 begins at simply $1,300 for an Intel Core i7-13700F, RTX 4060 graphics card, 16GB of DDR5 reminiscence, and a 1TB SSD. You’ll be able to scale that up with the identical processor, reminiscence, and storage, however with an RTX 4070 Ti, for $1,950.
Alienware upgraded the internals loads, nevertheless it’s the outside of this machine that stands out. It is round half of the scale of the earlier model, all with out compromising energy or thermals. Alienware has scaled up the design, too. Now, you could find the RTX 4090 within the R16, as effectively as Nvidia’s RTX 40-series Tremendous GPUs.
Alienware Aurora R16
The most effective gaming PC
Jacob Roach / Digital Tendencies
Lenovo Legion Tower 7i
The most effective gaming PC on sale
Execs
- Flagship 4K gaming efficiency
- Help for DLSS 3
- Absolutely upgradable
- Glossy, engaging design
Cons
- RAM runs at slower pace
- McAfee continues to harass
Why you must purchase this: It is a affordable gaming PC with flagship hardware, and it is absolutely open for upgrades.
Who it is for: PC avid gamers who desire a high-end expertise in 2024 and the likelihood to improve in the longer term.
What we considered the Lenovo Legion Tower 7i:
The Lenovo Legion Tower 7i is proof that purchasing a prebuilt gaming desktop would not own to intend sacrificing high quality. It packs in Nvidia’s RTX 4080 together with an Intel Core i7-13700KF processor, providing a few of the quickest hardware you possibly can purchase at present, and it performs as effectively as its spec sheet would recommend.
In our overview, we discovered that the Lenovo Legion Tower 7i was a hair quicker than a customized PC with the identical elements, so you are not leaving any efficiency on the desk by going prebuilt. You are free to swap out elements, too. In contrast to desktops from Alienware and another distributors, the Tower 7i makes use of standard-sized elements so you possibly can swap out no matter you wish.
That is all worthy, however the true motive we’re recommending the Tower 7i is its worth. The configuration we reviewed, which comes with an RTX 4080 and Intel Core i7-13700KF, prices $2,900. That is costly, nevertheless it’s solely a couple of hundred dollars greater than when you purchased all of the elements your self and pieced them collectively on your personal. And for that upcharge, you are getting a 12 months of Lenovo’s Legion Final assist, which incorporates next-business-day restore, as effectively as a 24/7 assist contact.
Since our overview, Lenovo has launched some cheaper fashions as effectively. You’ll be able to now bag the machine for round $2,050 with an Intel Core i7-13700KF and RTX 4070 Ti GPU. Even higher, the RTX 4080 mannequin is being cleared out, and you possibly can choose it up for an excellent worth.
Lenovo Legion Tower 7i
The most effective gaming PC on sale
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Origin Neuron
The most effective customized gaming PC
Execs
- Glorious cable administration and design
- Minimal bloatware
- Lifetime 24/7 assist
- Powerful CPU, GPU, and motherboard choices
- Straightforward to improve
Cons
- Costly
- Few non-Corsair allotment choices
- Restricted entrance panel ports
Why you must purchase this: The Origin Neuron comes with glorious construct high quality and extremely customizable elements.
Who’s it for: Avid gamers seeking to customise their very own PC with out moving into constructing.
What we considered the Origin Neuron:
There is no scarcity of PC builders that employ elements you possibly can purchase and place collectively your self, however Origin nonetheless manages to face out. You’ll be able to purchase and construct an actual duplicate of the Origin Neuron, however Origin’s cautious consideration to element, deep customization choices, and glorious assist form an argument to not.
Corsair owns Origin, so the Neuron comes fitted with Corsair elements throughout the board. That is a beneficial factor on this case, as Corsair makes a few of one of the best PC followers, energy provides, and RAM modules you possibly can purchase. All of those first-party elements give the Neuron a cohesive really feel, freed from software program conflicts that would mess up your RGB lighting.
You’ll be able to construct the machine precisely how you wish, too. Origin provides the most recent CPUs from AMD and Intel, as effectively as the most recent GPUs from Nvidia and AMD. Past that, you possibly can tweak the whole lot else — energy provide score, reminiscence pace, you identify it.
The Neuron is dearer than a mainstream PC just like the Omen 45L. That extra cash buys you higher construct high quality, extra flexibility, and a few trendy furnishings. Out of the entire customized PC builds you possibly can purchase, the Origin Neuron is our favourite.
Origin Neuron
The most effective customized gaming PC
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Acer Predator Orion 7000
The most effective high-end gaming PC
Execs
- Runs icy and restful
- Shimmering, vibrant RGB lighting
- Glorious 4K gaming efficiency
- Powerful connectivity choices
- Scorching-swappable SSD bay
Cons
- Costly
- Upgrades could possibly be irritating
- A great deal of bloatware
Why you must purchase this: It is a unbelievable and upgradeable high-end desktop that may delay for years.
Who’s it for: Fanatics that need an excellent start line to improve their gaming PC in the longer term.
What we considered the Acer Predator Orion 7000:
The Acer Predator Orion 7000 is a gaming PC in each sense of the phrase. Its design screams that with shimmering RGB followers and an aggressive design that makes it clear it is a machine constructed for gaming. Fortunately, it has the efficiency and thermals to again up its clear design affect.
It packs last-gen elements, however they’re nonetheless highly effective. You’ll be able to rating as much as an Intel Core i9-12900K and RTX 3090 graphics card, and we anticipate a next-gen improve quickly. Acer only in the near past up to date its Predator laptops, so a desktop makeover ought to approach quickly.
Even this mannequin holds up effectively in 2024, although. The elements are nonetheless very highly effective, and the design of the case makes fast work of all the warmth these high-end elements can spit out.
Acer Predator Orion 7000
The most effective high-end gaming PC
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Falcon Northwest Tiki
The most effective gaming PC for the front room
Execs
- Blazing 4K gaming efficiency
- Improbable thermal design
- High-notch construct high quality
- Accessible upgrades
- Customary three-year guarantee
- Restricted fan noise
Cons
- Restricted Intel configurations
Why you must purchase this: It is smaller than a gaming console and packs high-end PC hardware.
Who’s it for: Lounge avid gamers in search of a high-end gaming PC that does not buy up a whole lot of area.
What we considered the Falcon Northwest Tiki:
The Falcon Northwest Tiki is the right small type issue gaming PC. Identical to the Talon, the Tiki stands out with distinctive construct high quality, clear consideration to element, and assist that places main PC producers to disgrace. It is costly, however Falcon Northwest makes each penny really feel value it.
For dimension, the Tiki is the smallest gaming PC you possibly can purchase absolutely configured. However Falcon Northwest would not sacrifice efficiency in the method. The most recent model helps as much as a Ryzen 9 7950X or Intel Core i9-14900, together with an RTX 4080. You may also add as much as 8TB of NVMe storage, which is insane contemplating the Tiki’s dimension.
Often, a smaller dimension comes at the fee of thermals and noise, however not with the Tiki. It manages to remain cooler and quieter than many mid-sized desktops (learn our Asus ProArt PD5 overview for an instance of ghastly thermals on a desktop).
Falcon Northwest is one among the few boutique PC builders left, and the Tiki is an ideal showcase for what that mannequin can obtain. It is an exception PC general, and it is much more spectacular contemplating it is smaller than a PlayStation 5.
Falcon Northwest Tiki
The most effective gaming PC for the front room
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Dell XPS Desktop (8960)
The gaming PC for distant staff
Execs
- Flagship efficiency
- Understated, engaging design
- Comparatively restful
- Stable port choice
Cons
- Restricted improve potential
- Costly
Why you must purchase this: The Dell XPS Desktop 8650 would not gaze like a gaming PC, nevertheless it comes with the true hardware to escape the most recent titles.
Who’s it for: Distant staff who want an expert PC throughout the day and a gaming PC at night time.
What we considered the Dell XPS Desktop 8960:
If you must choose up a gaming desktop, however you are not keen on studying about upgrading or tricking it out with RGB, the Dell XPS 8960 Desktop is an excellent possibility. It is a stealth gaming PC that appears like an workplace desktop on the surface, however hides a few of the most highly effective elements you possibly can purchase inside.
You’ll be able to’t improve main elements within the Dell XPS Desktop, which is sort of all the time a draw back. However you possibly can at the very least trick out this PC with as much as an Intel Core i9-13900 and Nvidia RTX 4080. You’ll be able to even configure it with liquid cooling.
Configurations begin as little as $750, with the primary configuration with a discrete graphics card coming in at round $1,100. You are giving up the entire trimmings that form a gaming PC gaze like one, however when you’re content material to recycle your PC and improve a couple of years down the road, that is not a broad deal.
Though the XPS Desktop can match into any workplace setting, we’re recommending it particularly for distant staff. You may not wish to query your boss to invoice an RGB-ridden gaming behemoth; the XPS Desktop is far more cheap, and it nonetheless has sufficient muscle for gaming after hours.
Dell XPS Desktop (8960)
The gaming PC for distant staff
Picture used with permission by copyright holder
NZXT Streaming Plus BLD Equipment
The most effective DIY gaming desktop
Execs
- Highly effective
- Cheap
- Consists of all of the instruments you should construct your personal PC
Cons
- PC constructing is not for everybody
- Restricted customization choices
Why we selected this: The NZXT BLD Equipment lets you dip your toes into constructing a customized gaming PC and avoid wasting cash in the method.
Who’s it for: Hobbyists who wish to bag into constructing PCs however do not know the place to begin.
What we considered the NZXT BLD Equipment:
NZXT has a completely different strategy to gaming desktops. As a substitute of transport you a prebuilt machine, you bag the entire elements, instruments, and an guide to construct the PC your self. And don’t be concerned – you bag all of that at a reduction in comparison with getting a machine already constructed for you.
The BLD kits supply worthy worth, and NZXT has a number of accessible. We’re recommending the Streaming Plus equipment, which comes fitted with an eight-core Ryzen 7 5700X processor, an Nvidia RTX 3070 graphics card, and 16GB of RAM. Total, the equipment is about $200 than looking for the most cost effective elements your self, quite than the anyplace from $500 to $1,000 that manufacturers often cost as a constructing charge.
For those who cannot be bothered, NZXT additionally provides its customized BLD program. In contrast to most system builders, NZXT prices a flat $110 constructing charge. In any other case, you are paying the very same worth for the elements that you simply would when you purchased them individually.
PC constructing is not for everybody, however NZXT’s BLD program provides an economical and straightforward solution to bag into the passion.
NZXT Streaming Plus BLD Equipment
The most effective DIY gaming desktop
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MSI Aegis RS 14
The most effective gaming PC for novices
Execs
- Cheaper than constructing your self
- All MSI elements
- Dense, shimmering RGB lighting
- Glorious gaming and processor efficiency
- Improbable connectivity and growth choices
Cons
- Poor cable administration
- Twist ties used for some cables
- Case is not one of the best
Why we selected this: It is a no-fuss, highly effective gaming PC that will not atomize the financial institution.
Who’s it for: PC avid gamers who need a robust PC and need not fiddle with upgrades.
What we considered the MSI Aegis RS 14:
You bag a whole lot of PC on your greenback with the MSI Aegis RS 14. The design of this desktop has stayed the identical the previous couple of generations, however the most recent model combines as much as an Intel Core i9-14900KF with as much as an RTX 4080 Tremendous, supplying you with entry to a few of the most highly effective hardware cash should buy.
Pricing is what actually stands out for this desktop, although. Our really useful configuration comes with a Core i7-14700KF and an RTX 4070 Tremendous, which you possibly can seize for about $2,150. It is a stable worth contemplating the hardware inside, particularly while you consider the indisputable fact that MSI makes use of a 240mm all-in-one liquid cooler for the processor.
On prime of that, MSI consists of a stable mechanical gaming keyboard and mouse within the field. They don’t seem to be top-tier peripherals, however they’re good enough to bag novices began with PC gaming.
MSI Aegis RS 14
The most effective gaming PC for novices
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CLX Hathor
The most effective twin gaming PC
Execs
- Aesthetic design and construct high quality
- Two PCs in the scale of 1 case
- Flagship hardware assist
Cons
- Very costly
- Twin PCs aren’t required for most individuals
Why we selected this: It is a monster gaming PC that pulls double obligation.
Who’s it for: Streamers who want a twin PC setup however do not own the area for 2 PCs.
What we considered the CLX Hathor:
What’s higher than one monster gaming PC? Two, clearly. The CLX Hathor is insane, packing two full PCs right into a single case. One if a high-end gaming rig match with one among the most recent CPUs from AMD or Intel, together with one among the most recent graphics playing cards from AMD or Nvidia. The second is an Intel NUC that pull light-weight obligation so you do not own to impede one machine.
CLX lets you customise nearly each side of the PC, as effectively. There are the core elements like your GPU, CPU, and RAM, however you possibly can even tweak your cooler, a number of storage choices, and even customise the Lian Li case the PC ships in.
It is a wonderful PC, assuming you wish all of the ability it provides. The Hathor begins at $4,100, and it solely goes up from there. It is a high-end PC for high-end streamers, who want a secondary PC holding the work of streaming so your fundamental PC can concentrate on gaming.
CLX Hathor
The most effective twin gaming PC
Jacob Roach / Digital Tendencies
Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Excessive)
The most effective moveable desktop PC
Execs
- Stable efficiency
- Acceptable battery life
- Aesthetic, 120Hz display screen
- Versatile management scheme
- Help for principally any PC sport
Cons
- Turbo mode drains battery rapidly
- Home windows has a whole lot of quirks
- Armoury Crate is a utility, not an OS
Why we selected this: It is a top-tier handheld with a particular connection that turns the moveable gaming machine right into a desktop.
Who’s it for: Avid gamers who need a versatile setup that by no means compromises efficiency.
What we considered the Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Excessive):
The Asus ROG Ally would not gaze like a gaming desktop, positive, however it could play the function of 1 effectively. The Z1 Excessive chip inside the hand-held gaming PC is succesful sufficient for moveable gaming, however the ROG Ally actually shines as a desktop with the XG Cell exterior GPU.
This accent makes use of a proprietary connector, permitting you to attach an exterior GPU with a bunch of connectivity to the ROG Ally. With a single cable, it transforms the hand-held right into a full-fledged gaming desktop, and with efficiency to match that identify.
It is probably the most versatile PC setups you possibly can bag true now for gaming, nevertheless it’s not freed from points. The XG Cell may cause queer conduct, significantly when connecting and disconnecting the cable, and the setup is pricey. For a whole lot of avid gamers, although, there’s nothing higher.
Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Excessive)
The most effective moveable desktop PC
Often Requested Questions
PC vs. laptop computer for gaming
Whereas you possibly can play on the recede with a gaming laptop computer outfitted with a discrete graphics card, a gaming desktop will ship extra flexibility, energy, and efficiency for critical avid gamers. With extra space inside a desktop tower, thermal administration is mostly higher, which results in stronger graphics and processing efficiency with out the dismay of throttling.
One other good thing about going with a desktop is that there may be extra space to carry out upgrades in the longer term, so you possibly can add extra reminiscence or storage, swap out your graphics card, and improve your motherboard and processor down the highway. When looking for a gaming desktop, you must gaze for key options like upgradability, expandability, and assist for the most recent protocols, like Thunderbolt 3, which might attend prolong the lifetime of your funding.
What’s one of the best gaming PC for novices?
The most effective gaming PC for novices is the HP Omen 30L or 45L. These two machines reside in the identical household, and the 30L is barely smaller than the 45L. We suggest them for novices as a result of they approach with the most recent, most highly effective elements, they’re readily accessible, they usually’re simple to improve.
For configurations, you must concentrate to the GPU and CPU. For novices, we suggest the Nvidia RTX 3060 for 1080p gameplay, paired with both an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X or Intel Core i5-12600K.
Avid gamers can even wish to own sufficient RAM — we recommend at the very least 16GB of reminiscence — and expeditiously storage. Furthermore, taking the dual-drive route means you do not want to take a position in an costly solid-state drive with giant storage. This lets you pair a extra modest-capacity SSD with a bigger harddrive to retailer all the big media libraries on your sport.
Can gaming PCs be used for work?
Most undoubtedly. Producers like HP acknowledge that avid gamers do not simply play video games — workplace staff wish to keep entertained throughout their downtime, too. All that is wanted to play video games is a succesful processor, a powerful sufficient discrete graphics card, and sufficient reminiscence to hold the complete system operating easily.
For those who’re seeking to lower your expenses by utilizing one desktop for gaming and on your productiveness duties, you’ll be wanting to decide on a PC or probably the greatest laptops with extra understated aesthetics that may mix in higher along with your workplace decor. As soon as you’ve the true PC chosen, simply pick a couple of video games and own enjoyable.
Is PC gaming dying?
Completely not. With gross sales of general-purpose desktops stagnating lately, producers like HP and Lenovo are investing extra sources into their gaming manufacturers to gasoline development.
With current hardware options supported on gaming PCs — from VR and augmented actuality to real-time ray tracing — builders will own a lot of current applied sciences to leverage so as to command visually participating tales by their video games.
