The best gaming PCs may be designed to handle all the latest tech-demanding games, but that’s only the beginning of their usefulness. If you forgive the colorful RGB and some dedicated features, a “gaming” PC is really just another name for a modern supercomputer with some powerful components. Of course, that means higher frame rates and resolutions in 2023’s biggest games, but with one of the best gaming PCs around, you’ll also have what you need for content creation, working from home, or 3D rendering and more All functions.
Just like the best video editing computers, the best gaming PCs should have powerful GPUs and CPUs to handle hardware-intensive tasks. They also require at least 16GB of RAM to support them. Assembling the parts yourself and building your own gaming PC from scratch is the popular route these days, but it’s usually more expensive. With a new generation of all these components coming out, you might be able to get some serious value out of a pre-built machine. You’ll always be able to upgrade certain parts in the long run, but that always comes with a lot of learning. On the other hand, buying one of the best off-the-shelf gaming PCs can save you a lot of headaches.
Before you buy, we recommend that you think about what you’ll be using your gaming PC for. Also, think about the equipment you already own. If you have a 4K monitor or the best monitors for video editing, it’s well worth looking for a powerful GPU in your build. If not, maybe stick with the entry-level configuration. Thinking ahead can save you a lot of headaches, and researching which quests and games require which specs might help narrow your search.
Acer’s Predator line of gaming PCs is tried and tested and for good reason. One of the best gaming PCs should be future-proof, making upgrades easy, and, I guess, it never hurts if a case also has a good look. Acer’s popular Predator Orion 7000 certainly meets all of these criteria.
When I check out gaming PC deals, the HP Omen 30L is probably one of the most flown fliers I come across. While the Omen line has escalated, with the Omen 45L offering a bit more in terms of high-end configuration, the 30L is always a strong option for those not looking for the cutting edge. For a “baby’s first” gaming PC, the 30L might be just what you need. It’s most often seen with an RTX 3060 or 3060Ti, usually around a grand. In these cases, the 30L is one of the best value pre-built gaming PCs you can find.
An added bonus is that you’ll find both AMD and Intel CPUs in these machines, which means you’ll likely find some great value on many older components. Upgrading the 30L processor is where you might run into trouble. It’s certainly not the kind of long-term investment you might find elsewhere, though storage, memory and GPU upgrades are possible.
Either way, if you’re happy to forego the latest components and want to keep your spending low, the HP Omen 30L could be your easy-to-discount gaming PC.
As someone who’s spent a lot of time with Corsair gaming PCs, I can’t explain to you how amazing it is to find a high-end gaming PC as compact as the ONE a200. The Corsair ONE name has been around for a while, and we reviewed the One Pro i180 in 2019. Also, the i300 is a common top pick for compact gaming PC recommendations. However, the a200 takes two coveted components from the past few years and puts them in a similarly small box.
In general, the more you look for a high-end gaming PC, the more space and noise compromises you have to make. Just mentioning the RTX 3080 is enough to make most PC gamers think big when it comes to the case. Somehow, the a200 accommodates it and manages to keep it cool, efficient and quiet. With solid memory and storage capabilities, it’s a solid choice for anyone looking for the next step in gaming PC power.
Two caveats though; it’s not the cheapest, and while the ONE chassis comes in a ton of configurations, the availability of the A200 depends on GPU and CPU stock.
Depending on who you talk to, Alienware is either out of this world (pun intended) or simply not worth the premium price to get in. Alienware is Dell’s gaming brand, and its lineup of pre-built gaming PCs is second to none. Unfortunately, its proprietary technology has put some people off and occasionally caused quite a few problems. I’d like to point out that these are less common these days, and considering they’re still popular, the Alienware Gaming PCs are worth recommending.
Note; the R15 was just released and houses all the latest components that money can buy. However, for its high price, it’s hard to recommend.
However, the Aurora R13 and R14 are still solid options. I recommend keeping them together as they are essentially the exact same machine – the only difference is that the R13 uses an Intel CPU, while the R14 uses an AMD Ryzen. For this reason, you may find better prices for the R14.
Still, the R5 and R5 are highly future-proof and feature some bulldozer configurations thanks to PCIe 13 and DDR14 support.
If you’re looking for a cheaper, budget, entry-level gaming PC, the MSI MAG Infinite S3 has some lovely configurations. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a high-end powerhouse, MSI could also be your new desktop companion. The reason is, the MSI MAG Infinite has been around for a while and has been the subject of several updates. These great gaming PCs are still readily available in 11th-gen versions, they are now most commonly found in 12th-gen configurations and they are also one of MSI’s newer gaming PCs that will start appearing in more and more 13th-gen versions middle.
No matter which ends of the spectrum you find yourself on, these great gaming PCs will give you plenty of connectivity thanks to their clever case and motherboard designs, plenty of room for upgrades later, and perhaps most notably, no Bringing you too much noise pollution. Unfortunately, you won’t find the MAG Infinite S3 with an AMD CPU, but that won’t stop you from upgrading to a Radeon GPU if that’s your thing