When you're in the market for a Gaming PC, there's a lot to consider: power, size, components and what resolution you want to play at. (If you're looking for portability, check out the best gaming laptops.)
If all you need is to play a few AAA titles at 1080p, you won't need the absolute best GPU and/or best CPUs for gaming on the market.
But if you want to play at 1440p or 4K, then you need to start thinking about saving more for your rig. CPU horsepower is also tied to gaming acumen, but branching out into anything over a quad-core processor will primarily see performance gains in multi-threaded workloads such as video processing, rendering and encoding, not games.
Right now, finding exactly what you want may be difficult due to component shortages. For many, finding a pre-built PC might be the easiest way to get the parts you want.
At CES 2022, Intel announced a new range of processors, including its full 12th Gen "Alder Lake" lineup. On the graphics side, both AMD and Nvidia announced new budget GPUs, while the latter also announced its GeForce RTX 3070 Ti and GeForce RTX 3080 Ti on the high-end. We expect to see those in pre-builts soon.
How to Choose a Gaming PC
- Bigger isn't always better: You don’t need a huge tower to get a system with high-end components. Only buy a big desktop tower if you like the look of it and want lots of room to install future upgrades.
- Get an SSD if at all possible: This will make your computer far more faster than loading off of a traditional HDD, and has no moving parts. Look for at least a 256GB SSD boot drive, ideally paired with a larger secondary SSD or hard drive for storage.
- You can't lose with Intel or AMD: As long as you opt for a current-generation chip, both companies offer comparable overall performance. Intel’s CPUs tend to perform a bit better when running games at lower resolutions (1080p and below), while AMD’s Ryzen processors often handle tasks like video editing better, thanks to their extra cores and threads.
- Don’t buy more RAM than you need: 8GB is OK in a pinch, but 16GB is ideal for most users. Serious game streamers and those doing high-end media creation working with large files will want more, but will have to pay a lot for options going as high as 64GB.
- Don’t buy a multi-card gaming rig unless you have to: If you’re a serious gamer, get a system with the best-performing single graphics card you can afford. Many games don’t perform significantly better with two or more cards in Crossfire or SLI, and some perform worse, forcing you to disable an expensive piece of hardware to get the best experience possible. Because of these complications, you should only consider a multi-card desktop if you are after more performance than can be achieved with the best high-end consumer graphics card.
- The power supply is important: Does the PSU offer enough juice to cover the hardware inside? (In most cases, the answer is yes, but there are some exceptions, particularly if you intend to overclock.) Additionally, note if the PSU will offer enough power for future upgrades to GPUs and other components. Case size and expansion options vary drastically between our picks.
- Ports matter: Beyond the connections necessary to plug in your monitor(s), you’ll want plenty of USB ports for plugging in other peripherals and external storage. Front-facing ports are very handy for flash drives, card readers, and other frequently used devices. For added future-proofing, look for a system with USB 3.1 Gen 2 and USB-C ports.
Gaming PC Configuration Tip
Most pre-built gaming PCs, including those on our list of the best, come in multiple configurations. While we list the ones we reviewed, others may be better for you.
Graphics cards, including Nvidia's RTX 3090, RTX 3080, and RTX 3070 GPUs, are still hard to get. Some of our Nvidia-based picks still have the last-gen cards, though those who are patient or keep checking back may be able to find them with the latest and greatest.
For most people, budget plays the biggest role in a desktop buying decision. You can sometimes find good deals on big-box desktops when they go on sale, but you’ll be stuck with the components chosen by the likes of HP, Lenovo or Dell. The beauty of a custom-built PC is that you can adjust the component configuration until it suits your needs and budget. We are happy, though, to see more builds coming with standardized parts than ever before, so you can upgrade them later on.
Intel's Alder Lake CPUs are here, and AMD is teasing its Ryzen 7000 processors based on Zen 4, likely to show up later this year, so we should see new PCs throughout the year.
Best Gaming PCs You Can Buy Today
The Best Mainstream Gaming PC
Specifications
CPU: Intel Core i7-11700K
GPU: MSI GeForce RTX 3080 Ventus 3X OC
RAM: 16GB Crucial Ballistix DDR4-300
Storage: 1TB XPG Gammix S70 PCIe Gen 4, 2TB Seagate Barracuda (7,200 RPM)
Reasons to buy
+ Off the shelf parts Powerful gaming performance Decent pack-in peripherals
Reasons to avoid
- MSI Center software is clunky Middling file transfer speeds
The MSI Aegis RS 11th is a top-of-the line pre-built gaming desktop. The 11th Gen Intel Core CPU and options for an RTX 3080 bring awesome gaming performance in a design that you can upgrade yourself down the line.
All of the parts are standardized, including the case. In fact, MSI makes the case, motherboard, CPU cooler, fans, GPU and power supply. This is the type of pre-built that you can upgrade, tinker with and make your own over the next several years.
If you don't have a keyboard and mouse, the peripherals that MSI includes are decent enough to get started, though you'll likely want to bump up the keyboard to something with mechanical switches eventually.
Read: MSI Aegis RS 11th review
A Powerhouse PC With an RTX 3090
Specifications
CPU: Intel Core i9-10900K
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090
RAM: 64GB HyperX Fury DDR4-3200MHz
Storage: 2 TB M.2 NVMe SSD and 2 TB, 7,200-rpm HDD
Reasons to buy
+ Fairly compact design Strong gaming performance with 10th Gen Core i9 and RTX 3090 Little bloatware
Reasons to avoid
- Loud and needs better cooling Very expensive
The Alienware Aurora R11 muscled its way onto our list with its sheer GPU power. Right now, it's really hard to find one of Nvidia's Ampere GPUs, but as of this writing Alienware is shipping with both RTX 3080 and RTX 3090, so that's one way to go.
The design is futuristic, and while it may be divisive to some, you can't argue that it's fairly compact. The RTX 3090, compared with the Intel Core i9-10900K in our review unit, offered some top-notch gaming performance. It uses largely standardized parts and has plenty of room for extra drives.
The biggest downside is that the machine gets loud with few case fans. It's also expensive, but it's a maxxed out machine, not just the graphics card.
Read:
Alienware Aurora R11 reviewThe Alienware Aurora R11 has been supplanted by the Alienware Aurora R12. We haven't tested it yet, but if you're looking for the newest, you may want to try these configurations:
3. iBuypower Revolt 3 i7BG
The Best Small Form Factor Gaming PC (for Most People)
Specifications
CPU: Intel Core i7-11700KF
GPU: Aorus GeForce RTX 3080 Gaming OC 10G (10GB GDDR6X)
RAM: 16GB T-Force DDR4-3200
Storage: Western Digital SN550 1TB NVMe M.2 SSD
Reasons to buy
+ Attractive, understated case Includes a handle and two headset hangers Great performance
Reasons to avoid
- Limited space for upgrades Bottom-mounted IO complicates peripheral swaps
No intense lighting, no glass windows, just a small tower packed with gaming power. The iBuypower Revolt 3 has steel panels, black mesh and a largely subtle design. It's clever, though, with two headset hangers and a built-in handle to carry it to your next LAN party.
At $2,599 as tested with an Intel Core i7-11700KF and an RTX 3080, it's not listed at a crazy price considering today's component shortage. And those components offer excellent performance in this tiny chassis.
Small form factor PCs can bring some oddities. This one has the motherboard I/O on the bottom of the case, so you have to lift it up to plug in or remove peripherals. Additionally, there is limited room in this case for when you want to make upgrades.
We also happen to
like this case this system comes in on its own, if you're looking to build your own PC.
Read: iBuypower Revolt 3 i7BG Review
Best Premium Small Form Factor Gaming PC
Specifications
CPU: Intel Core i9-12900K
GPU: Liquid-cooled Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti (12GB GDDR6X)
RAM: 64GB Micron DDR5-4800
Storage: 2TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD
Reasons to buy
+ Compact, 12-liter chassis Stronger CPU and GPU performance Two-year warranty
Reasons to avoid
- Harder to upgrade than standard towers Expensive
In some ways, the Corsair One i300 is like a console. It takes up very little space on a desk with a 6.93 x 7.87-inch base that rises slightly taller than an Xbox Series X. But in that metal chassis is a set of top-end components, including an Intel Core i9-12900K, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, 64GB of DDR5 RAM and a 2TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD.
The design pulls in air through the sides and exhausts it out the top, and it's not particularly loud. But that same petite form factor is what makes it difficult to upgrade. Sure, it's possible, but you have very limited room to work with, and the sides don't come off because the radiators are connected to them.
In order to get this top-tier, tiny system, you'll have to pay a high price, however. We tested it at a wallet-busting $4,999, and the other configuration with Intel's 12th Gen CPUs starts at $3,649.99. If that's too much (and it is a lot of money!) you may want to consider some of the cheaper options on this list.
Read: Corsair One i300 Review
The Best Budget PC
Specifications
CPU: Intel Core i7-9700
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 (6GB GDDR5)
RAM: 16GB DDR4-2666MHz
Storage: 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
Reasons to buy
+ Compact size Lots of ports on the front Affordable
Reasons to avoid
- Limited cooling solutions Proprietary motherboard and server PSU
The Dell G5 is small for a mid-tower, and can play most games at mid or high settings at an affordable price. If you want to get into PC gaming and don’t care to focus on tinkering too much, it’s a good choice, though there are a ton of configuration options.
The G5 also has a lot of ports on the front and on the rear, making it easy to expand with peripherals and external storage. Inside, expansion options include extra room in hard drive cages and m.2 2280 slots.
Read: Dell G5 review
Dell G5 Updated Configuration
Dell G5 (Model: i5000-7385BLK-PUS)
The Best Budget PC - Alternate Configuration
Specifications
CPU: Intel Core i7-10700F
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti (6GB GDDR6)
RAM: 16GB DDR4-2933
Storage: 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
Reasons to buy
+ Empty List
Reasons to avoid
- Empty List
It's been awhile since we reviewed the G5 desktop, though Dell is still using a similar chassis (albeit with optional RGB lighting now). Mid-tier users may want to opt for a current version with a 10th Gen Intel Core i5-10400F, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB M.2 SSD for $1,149.99 at Dell, or with an i7-10700F, GTX 1660 Ti, 16GB of RAM and 1TB SSD for $1,349.99 at Best Buy.
An attractive design with name-brand parts
Specifications
CPU: Intel Core i9-10900K
GPU: Custom HP GeForce RTX 3080 (10GB GDDR6X)
RAM: 32GB HyperX DDR4-3200
Storage: 2TB WD Black M.2 NVMe, 2TB Seagate 2.5-inch SATA HDD
Reasons to buy
+ Improved, attractive design Powerful-name brand components
Reasons to avoid
- Cooling could use improvement Has a lot of bloatware
The HP Omen 30L is a big-box gaming PC that feels like one you build. The latest design adds more airflow with an intake fan, plus sleek glass front and side panels and still has an easy-access panel to get to the most critical components. Oh, and of course the new intake fan has some sleek RGB to go with the new logo and the rest of the system.
The version we tested, with a 10th Gen Intel Core i9 and an RTX 3080 proved powerful in our gaming benchmarks and productivity tests. We do wish that HP had a more powerful CPU cooler, as the single 120 mm fan isn't always enough for the Intel Core i9.
The addition of name-brand parts is also nice to see. There's little, if anything, proprietary about the system, which includes a micro-ATX motherboard, WD Black SSD, Seagate HDD and a 750W power supply. That's the special sauce that makes it feel a bit more like an enthusiast machine than some alternatives.
Read:
HP Omen 30L ReviewIf you can't find the model we tested, there are a variety of other options, including some with AMD processors:
Gaming PCs You Can Get During the Component Shortage
Right now, we're going through a global component shortage, which has made it difficult to buy the
best CPUs for gaming, the
best GPUsand really anything that goes in a gaming PC at all. In turn, people are turning to buy anything they can, including full-built gaming PCs, even if they only need a few parts. This is especially the case with Nvidia's RTX graphics cards.
We haven't been able to review all of these PCs, so shop with caution, but we're keeping an eye on the market so you can see what may be available since our last update.
$2,000 and more Gaming PCs
| Skytech Chronos Gaming PC | AMD Ryzen 5 5600X / Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 | See at Amazon |
| Alienware Aurora R12 | Intel Core i9-11900F / Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti | See at Dell |
$1,000 - $2,000 Gaming PCs
| Alienware Aurora R12 | Intel Core i7-11700F / Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | See at Dell |
| Cyberpower PC Gamer Xtreme | Intel Core i7-11700F / Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 | See at Best Buy |
Under $1,000 Gaming PCs
| Lenovo Legion Tower 5i | Intel Core i5-11400 / Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super | See at Best Buy |
Discounts on the Best Gaming PCs
If you're looking for a system that's among our best gaming PCs or something similar, you may find savings by checking out the latest Newegg promo codes, Corsair coupon codes, Dell coupon codes, HP coupon codes, Lenovo coupon codes or Razer promo codes.
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