We review dozens of gaming PCs each year. In 2024, there are a ton of great options, but we’ve narrowed them down to a list of the 10 best gaming desktops that deserve your hard-earned money.
In 2024, we still recommend the Alienware Aurora R16 because of its fantastic design, solid performance, and decent value. However, there are several other options depending on your needs and budget. If you want a deeper look into how we evaluate gaming PCs, make sure to read about how we review desktops.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
Alienware Aurora R16
The best gaming PC
Pros
Much smaller than previous versions
Cool and quiet during operation
Several configuration options
Competitively priced
Cons
Alienware Command Center is a bit annoying
CPU lacks integrated graphics and overclocking support
Why you should buy this: It’s an Alienware gaming PC built for the everyday gamer
Who’s it for: PC gamers who want a lot of flexibility in their build and don’t need to service their PC.
What we thought of the Alienware Aurora R16:
Alienware has a reputation problem, but the new Aurora R16 attempts to fix that. It’s the first time Alienware has abandoned the angular Aurora design we’ve seen for the past several generations, instead relying on a smaller mid-tower chassis that’s just as powerful, but takes up a lot less space.
It comes in cheaper, as well. Part of the reason Alienware desktops have a bit of a bad name is their price, but the Aurora R16 starts at just $1,300 for an Intel Core i7-13700F, RTX 4060 graphics card, 16GB of DDR5 memory, and a 1TB SSD. You can scale that up with the same processor, memory, and storage, but with an RTX 4070 Ti, for $1,950.
Alienware upgraded the internals a lot, but it’s the exterior of this machine that stands out. It’s around half the size of the previous version, all without compromising power or thermals. Alienware has scaled up the design, too. Now, you can find the RTX 4090 in the R16, as well as Nvidia’s RTX 40-series Super GPUs.
Alienware Aurora R16
The best gaming PC
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
Lenovo Legion Tower 7i
The best gaming PC on sale
Pros
Flagship 4K gaming performance
Support for DLSS 3
Fully upgradable
Sleek, attractive design
Cons
RAM runs at slower speed
McAfee continues to annoy
Why you should buy this: It’s a reasonably priced gaming PC with flagship hardware, and it’s fully open for upgrades.
Who it’s for: PC gamers who want a high-end experience in 2024 and the possibility to upgrade in the future.
What we thought of the Lenovo Legion Tower 7i:
The Lenovo Legion Tower 7i is proof that buying a prebuilt gaming desktop doesn’t have to mean sacrificing quality. It packs in Nvidia’s RTX 4080 along with an Intel Core i7-13700KF processor, offering some of the fastest hardware you can buy today, and it performs as well as its spec sheet would suggest.
In our review, we found that the Lenovo Legion Tower 7i was a hair faster than a custom PC with the same components, so you’re not leaving any performance on the table by going prebuilt. You’re free to swap out components, too. Unlike desktops from Alienware and some other vendors, the Tower 7i uses standard-sized parts so you can swap out whatever you want.
That’s all great, but the real reason we’re recommending the Tower 7i is its price. The configuration we reviewed, which comes with an RTX 4080 and Intel Core i7-13700KF, costs $2,900. That’s expensive, but it’s only a few hundred dollars more than if you bought all the parts yourself and pieced them together on your own. And for that upcharge, you’re getting a year of Lenovo’s Legion Ultimate support, which includes next-business-day repair, as well as a 24/7 support contact.
Since our review, Lenovo has released some cheaper models as well. You can now get the machine for around $2,050 with an Intel Core i7-13700KF and RTX 4070 Ti GPU. Even better, the RTX 4080 model is being cleared out, and you can pick it up for a great price.
Lenovo Legion Tower 7i
The best gaming PC on sale
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
Starforge Navigator
The best custom gaming PC
Pros
Excellent build quality
No bloatware
Solid performance
Two-year warranty
Cons
A bit expensive
Extra fans add extra noise
Why you should buy this: It’s a high-quality gaming PC backed by excellent support.
Who’s it for: PC gamers looking for something more premium.
What we thought of the Starforge Navigator:
PC builders are a dime a dozen these days, but Starforge Systems stands out with solid build quality, great customer support, and fantastic value. Compared to building your own PC, there’s a modest build fee of around $200 to $300, which is backed up by a warranty and some of the best hardware you can buy.
Unlike a lot of PC builders, Starforge has a no-nonsense approach. Your PC arrives free of bloatware, and with some useful apps installed like the Nvidia App and Google Chrome. Performance is also great, matching what you’ll get with a custom-built desktop.
Despite the reasonable pricing, Starforge’s build quality is very high. In addition to a custom liquid cooler with Starforge’s logo, the Navigator includes a ton of fans and cable combs, keeping your build looking clean.
Starforge Navigator
The best custom gaming PC
Luke Larsen / Digital Trends
Falcon Northwest Talon
The best high-end gaming PC
Pros
Immaculate build quality
Stunning level of detail
The latest and greatest parts
God tier warranty and support
Great thermals
Cons
Niche appeal
Shockingly expensive
Why you should buy this: It’s a pure showcase of PC craftsmanship.
Who’s it for: PC enthusiasts with plenty of cash to spare.
What we thought of the Falcon Northwest Talon:
No one builds PCs like Falcon Northwest, which is why it’s the only company that occupies two slots on this list. It’s one of the few PC builders left that occupies the boutique niche, putting on display pure craftsmanship in its PC builds — assuming you can stomach the price.
At thousands of dollars depending on your specs, the Falcon Northwest Talon is only for those with plenty of cash to burn. You’re not only getting the highest-end CPU and GPU currently available but also a high-end mother board, power supply, and hard drives. Falcon Northwest maximizes every aspect of the Talon.
Performance is fantastic, but it’s the attention to detail with the Talon that stands out. Every system is validated through a long series of tests, and Falcon Northwest includes that paperwork in the box. You’ll also get a bag of Falcon’s own coffee and a mug. Everything screams premium.
Although you can get these same components for cheaper elsewhere, no one can match Falcon Northwest’s quality, support, and attention to detail.
Falcon Northwest Talon
The best high-end gaming PC
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
Corsair One i500
The best gaming PC for the living room
Pros
Excellent performance
Beautiful finish
One of the smallest gaming PCs you can buy
Why you should buy this: It’s one of the smallest PCs you can buy, and it packs the most powerful hardware on the market.
Who’s it for: Gamers who want high-end hardware without taking up a lot of space.
What we thought of the Corsair One i500:
The Corsair One i500 shouldn’t work, but somehow it does. Corsair managed to pack the most powerful PC hardware money can buy, namely the Intel Core i9-14900K and Nvidia RTX 4090, inside a PC that isn’t much larger than a game console. And despite such a tightly-packed design, the One i500 sacrifices very little in the way of performance.
A big reason why the Corsair One i500 is such a stunning performer is because of its thermal design. Corsair packs everything in tightly, with fans on nearly every inch of the One i500. More importantly, Corsair leverages liquid cooling for both the CPU and GPU, vastly reducing the temperature of these power-hungry components.
Externally, the One i500 screams premium. The metal frame is hefty, and Corsair outfits the front of the case with a wooden finish. You’ll spend a lot to get your hands on the Corsair One i500, but the prebuilt shockingly makes every penny feel worth it.
Corsair One i500
The best gaming PC for the living room
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends / Digital Trends
Dell XPS Desktop (8960)
The gaming PC for remote workers
Pros
Flagship performance
Understated, attractive design
Relatively quiet
Solid port selection
Cons
Limited upgrade potential
Expensive
Why you should buy this: The Dell XPS Desktop 8650 doesn’t look like a gaming PC, but it comes with the right hardware to run the latest titles.
Who’s it for: Remote workers who need a professional PC during the day and a gaming PC at night.
What we thought of the Dell XPS Desktop 8960:
If you want to pick up a gaming desktop, but you’re not interested in learning about upgrading or tricking it out with RGB, the Dell XPS 8960 Desktop is a great option. It’s a stealth gaming PC that looks like an office desktop on the outside, but hides some of the most powerful components you can buy inside.
You can’t upgrade major components in the Dell XPS Desktop, which is almost always a downside. But you can at least trick out this PC with up to an Intel Core i9-13900 and Nvidia RTX 4080. You can even configure it with liquid cooling.
Configurations start as low as $750, with the first configuration with a discrete graphics card coming in at around $1,100. You’re giving up all of the trimmings that make a gaming PC look like one, but if you’re content to recycle your PC and upgrade a few years down the line, that’s not a big deal.
Although the XPS Desktop can fit into any office setting, we’re recommending it specifically for remote workers. You might not want to ask your boss to bill an RGB-ridden gaming behemoth; the XPS Desktop is much more reasonable, and it still has enough muscle for gaming after hours.
Dell XPS Desktop (8960)
The gaming PC for remote workers
Image used with permission by copyright holder
NZXT Streaming Plus BLD Kit
The best DIY gaming desktop
Pros
Powerful
Inexpensive
Includes all the tools you need to build your own PC
Cons
PC building isn’t for everyone
Limited customization options
Why we chose this: The NZXT BLD Kit allows you to dip your toes into building a custom gaming PC and save some money in the process.
Who’s it for: Hobbyists who want to get into building PCs but don’t know where to start.
What we thought of the NZXT BLD Kit:
NZXT has a different approach to gaming desktops. Instead of shipping you a prebuilt machine, you get all of the components, tools, and an instruction manual to build the PC yourself. And don’t worry – you get all of that at a discount compared to getting a machine already built for you.
The BLD kits offer great value, and NZXT has several available. We’re recommending the Streaming Plus kit, which comes fitted with an eight-core Ryzen 7 5700X processor, an Nvidia RTX 3070 graphics card, and 16GB of RAM. Overall, the kit is about $200 than shopping for the cheapest parts yourself, rather than the anywhere from $500 to $1,000 that brands usually charge as a building fee.
If you can’t be bothered, NZXT also offers its custom BLD program. Unlike most system builders, NZXT charges a flat $110 building fee. Otherwise, you’re paying the exact same price for the components that you would if you bought them individually.
PC building isn’t for everyone, but NZXT’s BLD program offers a cost-effective and simple way to get into the hobby.
NZXT Streaming Plus BLD Kit
The best DIY gaming desktop
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
MSI Aegis RS 14
The best gaming PC for beginners
Pros
Cheaper than building yourself
All MSI components
Dense, bright RGB lighting
Excellent gaming and processor performance
Fantastic connectivity and expansion options
Cons
Poor cable management
Twist ties used for some cables
Case isn’t the best
Why we chose this: It’s a no-fuss, powerful gaming PC that won’t break the bank.
Who’s it for: PC gamers who want a powerful PC and don’t need to mess around with upgrades.
What we thought of the MSI Aegis RS 14:
You get a lot of PC for your dollar with the MSI Aegis RS 14. The design of this desktop has stayed the same the past couple of generations, but the latest version combines up to an Intel Core i9-14900KF with up to an RTX 4080 Super, giving you access to some of the most powerful hardware money can buy.
Pricing is what really stands out for this desktop, though. Our recommended configuration comes with a Core i7-14700KF and an RTX 4070 Super, which you can grab for about $2,150. It’s a solid price considering the hardware inside, especially when you factor in the fact that MSI uses a 240mm all-in-one liquid cooler for the processor.
On top of that, MSI includes a solid mechanical gaming keyboard and mouse in the box. They aren’t top-tier peripherals, but they’re more than enough to get beginners started with PC gaming.
MSI Aegis RS 14
The best gaming PC for beginners
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
CLX Hathor
The best dual gaming PC
Pros
Beautiful design and build quality
Two PCs in the size of one case
Flagship hardware support
Cons
Very expensive
Dual PCs aren’t required for most people
Why we chose this: It’s a monster gaming PC that pulls double duty.
Who’s it for: Streamers who need a dual PC setup but don’t have the space for two PCs.
What we thought of the CLX Hathor:
What’s better than one monster gaming PC? Two, obviously. The CLX Hathor is insane, packing two full PCs into a single case. One if a high-end gaming rig fit with one of the latest CPUs from AMD or Intel, along with one of the latest graphics cards from AMD or Nvidia. The second is an Intel NUC that pull lightweight duty so you don’t have to bog down one machine.
CLX allows you to customize just about every aspect of the PC, as well. There are the core components like your GPU, CPU, and RAM, but you can even tweak your cooler, multiple storage options, and even customize the Lian Li case the PC ships in.
It’s an excellent PC, assuming you need all of the power it offers. The Hathor starts at $4,100, and it only goes up from there. This is a high-end PC for high-end streamers, who need a secondary PC holding the work of streaming so your main PC can focus on gaming.
CLX Hathor
The best dual gaming PC
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends
Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme)
The best portable desktop PC
Pros
Solid performance
Acceptable battery life
Beautiful, 120Hz screen
Flexible control scheme
Support for basically any PC game
Cons
Turbo mode drains battery quickly
Windows has a lot of quirks
Armoury Crate is a utility, not an OS
Why we chose this: It’s a top-tier handheld with a special connection that turns the portable gaming device into a desktop.
Who’s it for: Gamers who want a flexible setup that never compromises performance.
What we thought of the Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme):
The Asus ROG Ally doesn’t look like a gaming desktop, sure, but it can play the role of one well. The Z1 Extreme chip inside the handheld gaming PC is capable enough for portable gaming, but the ROG Ally really shines as a desktop with the XG Mobile external GPU.
This accessory uses a proprietary connector, allowing you to connect an external GPU with a host of connectivity to the ROG Ally. With a single cable, it transforms the handheld into a full-fledged gaming desktop, and with performance to match that name.
It’s one of the most flexible PC setups you can get right now for gaming, but it’s not free of issues. The XG Mobile can cause strange behavior, particularly when connecting and disconnecting the cable, and the setup is expensive. For a lot of gamers, though, there’s nothing better.
Asus ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme)
The best portable desktop PC
Frequently Asked Questions
PC vs. laptop for gaming
While you can play on the go with a gaming laptop outfitted with a discrete graphics card, a gaming desktop will deliver more flexibility, power, and performance for serious gamers. With more space inside a desktop tower, thermal management is generally better, which leads to stronger graphics and processing performance without the fear of throttling.
Another benefit of going with a desktop is that there is more space to perform upgrades in the future, so you can add more memory or storage, swap out your graphics card, and upgrade your motherboard and processor down the road. When shopping for a gaming desktop, you should look for key features like upgradability, expandability, and support for the latest protocols, like Thunderbolt 3, which could help extend the life of your investment.
What’s the best gaming PC for beginners?
The best gaming PC for beginners is the HP Omen 30L or 45L. These two machines live in the same family, and the 30L is slightly smaller than the 45L. We recommend them for beginners because they come with the latest, most powerful components, they’re readily available, and they’re easy to upgrade.
For configurations, you want to pay attention to the GPU and CPU. For beginners, we recommend the Nvidia RTX 3060 for 1080p gameplay, paired with either an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X or Intel Core i5-12600K.
Gamers will also want to have enough RAM — we suggest at least 16GB of memory — and fast storage. Moreover, taking the dual-drive route means you don’t need to invest in an expensive solid-state drive with large storage. This allows you to pair a more modest-capacity SSD with a larger hard drive to store all the large media libraries for your game.
Can gaming PCs be used for work?
Most definitely. Manufacturers like HP recognize that gamers don’t just play games — office workers want to stay entertained during their downtime, too. All that’s needed to play games is a capable processor, a strong enough discrete graphics card, and enough memory to keep the entire system running smoothly.
If you’re looking to save money by using one desktop for gaming and for your productivity tasks, you’ll want to choose a PC or one of the best laptops with more understated aesthetics that will blend in better with your office decor. Once you have the right PC selected, just pick out a few games and have fun.
Is PC gaming dying?
Absolutely not. With sales of general-purpose desktops stagnating in recent years, manufacturers like HP and Lenovo are investing more resources into their gaming brands to fuel growth.
With new hardware features supported on gaming PCs — from VR and augmented reality to real-time ray tracing — developers will have plenty of new technologies to leverage in order to tell visually engaging stories through their games.
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