Even though\u00a0 laptops \u00a0and\u00a0 tablets \u00a0make up roughly\u00a0 80% of the PC market , one out of every five computers sold is a good old-fashioned \u2026<\/b>
\nEven though laptops and tablets make up roughly 80% of the PC market, one out of every five computers sold is a good old-fashioned desktop. And why not? If you already spend your day tethered to a big-screen monitor, a desktop PC as your home computer makes a lot of sense. And when it comes to longevity, it’s hard to beat a desktop PC. Plus, a desktop offers more power and expandability than a laptop, and a powerful processor is especially important if you’ll be using your device for something like photo editing or as a gaming PC. A desktop computer is generally going to come in the form of either a tower or an all-in-one (with an integrated screen), though there are smaller designs for tighter spaces. And while you can find Windows and Macs for as little as $500 to $700, Chrome and Linux fans have plenty of affordable options, too. While laptops still occupy the majority of our editors’ time and effort with CNET’s hands-on reviews, we’ve rounded up our favorite recent desktop products below. This list starts with models we’ve tested, and then moves on to more generic configurations. We haven’t explicitly tested those specific models in the latter batch, but the specs listed should deliver considerable value for the price, based on our experience with similarly configured laptops we’ve tested. Unless otherwise indicated, the products listed below don’t include a monitor, keyboard, mouse or webcam. You’ll need to bring your own or buy them separately. We update this list periodically. These are the best desktop PC models that we’ve recently tested and can recommend based on our hands-on experience. We haven’t reviewed the specific models below, but we have reviewed systems using very similar hardware. These general configurations should serve you well, especially if you shop around for frequent deals. The specs we’d suggest for a basic Windows 10 machine: With those specs in mind, you should be able to find a good PC tower from brands like Dell, Acer, Asus or HP for between $500 and $600. Here are some that fit the bill, offering a great bang for the buck if you don’t need a laptop: Acer TC-895-UA92 ($669) This 10th-gen Intel Core i5 configuration includes everything listed above, along with Wi-Fi 6 compatibility and a keyboard and mouse, too. HP Pavilion Desktop TP01-1140 ($620) This system offers a capable AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, and HP throws in a mouse and keyboard. Want to do some gaming, or do you spend time editing photos or video? You’ll want to level up the above configuration with more RAM and better graphics options. Expect price points to be between $800 and $1,200 — and even higher if you go for a more bleeding-edge video card. Looking for a gaming computer with more muscle? Check out our list of best gaming PCs. HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop TG01-1076z ($900) This HP rig boasts an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 GPU, a 400-watt power supply,16GB of RAM and tosses a 1TB spinning hard drive on top of the 512GB SSD. Base price is $900, but we’ve seen it on sale for as low as $750. (This was out of stock when we last checked.) Dell G5 gaming desktop tower ($1,390) This Dell model has nearly the same specs as the HP above, but with a 10th-gen Intel Core i5 in place of the AMD Ryzen. We’d previously seen this for $1,050, but it appears to be currently selling for closer to $1,400. (We’ve seen it hit as low at $750.) An \u00ab\u00a0all-in-one PC\u00a0\u00bb (also known as AIO PC) is basically a Windows version of an iMac. That means the PC \u00ab\u00a0guts\u00a0\u00bb are essentially built into a monitor or its base. Unlike the PC towers listed above, all-in-ones generally offer no ability to upgrade the graphics card, and maybe not even the storage or RAM. The advantage is having fewer cables, however, since everything is integrated into the body. Recommended specs for an all-in-one are mostly similar to the basic tower above, albeit with compromises because of space considerations. Don’t expect an optical drive, for instance, and know that performance is often a step down from \u00ab\u00a0real\u00a0\u00bb desktop models because some all-in-ones use laptop components to better maximize available space. You’ll want a large screen with good resolution. The sweet spots we’d suggest are: The 24-inchers are good for kids, but adults should probably go for 27 inches and up. Expect to pay at least $800 at that latter size, especially if you want to avoid underpowered Intel Core i3 or AMD Athlon CPUs. The Surface Studio 2, HP Envy 32 (above) and Apple iMacs (below) are examples of high end all-in-one computers, but here’s a more reasonably priced alternative. Acer Aspire C27-962-UA91 ($800) While the screen on this Acer Aspire model is a spacious 27 inches, resolution is only 1080p (also known as 2K) — but that’s par for the course below the $1,000 price point. This model also lacks a DVD drive and USB-C ports. That said, you get a 10th-gen Intel Core i5 CPU, on-board Nvidia MX graphics (not as good as a GTX or RTX card, but better than average), half a terabyte of SSD storage and a built-in webcam (along with a keyboard and mouse). While you’re paying a big premium for the Apple name, an iMac is generally a great option for Apple fans who want an all-in-one computer with a superior display. And now that the 24-inch iMac has gotten a fresh overhaul, complete with the M1 chip, that’s a great starting point (see above). Looking for other Mac desktop options? That’s a bigger challenge. The iMac Pro was recently discontinued by Apple, and the 27-inch (non-Pro) iMac has yet to get its Apple silicon upgrade, so it remains available with older Intel chips. As for the Mac Pro: It offers serious workstation-level performance, but with an entry price point of $6,000, it’s effectively for pro users only. Meanwhile, the hardware — which debuted in late 2019 — runs on an Intel platform, which Apple is now moving away from with its aforementioned Apple silicon chips. Here, too, rumors of a \u00ab\u00a0Mac Pro Mini\u00a0\u00bb (Apple silicon CPU inside a smaller chassis with fewer, if any, internal expansion slots) mean that waiting is the prudent option here, as Apple has pledged to complete its transition away from Intel before the end of 2022. When it comes to desktop PCs, towers and all-in-ones represent the vast majority of the market. There are alternatives, but in the 2020s, they generally represent increasingly narrow slices of that market. Mini PCs: Following the debut of the Mac Mini in 2005, Windows PC makers experimented with similarly tiny designs. In the wake of likable small models like the Acer Revo One and HP Pavilion Mini, we even saw (woefully underpowered) \u00a0\u00bb PC on a stick \u00a0\u00bb offerings starting in 2015, but interest seems to have ebbed since then. Outside of specialty vendors like Beelink, the best choices in this mini PC size are probably the Intel NUC (Next Unit of Computing), most of which are sold as hobbyist options, requiring some BYO additions like user-supplied storage, RAM and other components — including the operating system. See more bare-bones Mini PCs at Newegg. Chromeboxes: If you’re looking for very basic computing — browsing the web, email, social media, YouTube and the like — the Chrome operating system is the most affordable route for home computing. This Google operating system effectively is little more than the Chrome web browser. That makes it easy for multiple users (only a Gmail address is needed to log in), and — because there’s no heavy operating system beyond the browser — viruses aren’t really an issue. Colloquially known as \u00ab\u00a0Chromeboxes\u00a0\u00bb (versus a \u00ab\u00a0Chromebook\u00a0\u00bb laptop), these systems don’t have beefy CPUs, RAM or storage requirements. That said, if you need any software beyond browser-based web apps, or if you don’t have excellent broadband, you’ll want to stick with Windows or Mac options above. Expect to pay between $200 and $500 for a Chrome-based desktop. But the closer you get to that $500 price point, the more you should consider stepping up to a Chromebook laptop or a basic Windows tower (see above) for just a bit more. See Chromebox options at Amazon. Linux PCs: No, Windows, Mac and ChromeOS are not your only operating system options. There’s a wide world of Linux operating systems out there, many of which are effectively free. You can get PCs with Linux preinstalled, but the better, more affordable option is probably installing it (or dual-booting) on a used Windows PC. Another option is the Endless Mission PCs, which cost between $79 and $229 and run a custom Linux-based OS. Raspberry Pi: You may have heard of a small computer that’s no bigger than a paperback book, and can be had for about $150. That’s the Raspberry Pi, and it’s 100 percent real and very cool — if you’re a hobbyist looking to build your own Lego-style computer and install your own custom Linux operating systems. We just wouldn’t recommend it as a primary computer if you’re looking to run mainstream software. See the Raspberry Pi 4 kit at Amazon.<\/p>\n