You can’t buy a more powerful gaming platform than a tricked-out desktop PC. Here’s everything you need to know, part by part, to pick the right killer gaming system, plus current favorites culled from our top-rated reviews.
Despite the allure and simplicity of gaming consoles and handheld devices, PC gaming has never been stronger. Enthusiasts know that nothing beats the quality of gameplay you can get with a desktop built for gaming. Today, it’s within almost every determined PC shopper’s grasp to get a PC with the graphics power necessary to drive the latest games on a full HD (1080p) monitor at lofty detail settings.
What kind of desktop PC makes games look and run better than on the Sony PS5 or Microsoft Xbox Series X? If you have deep pockets, it’s a custom-built hot rod from an elite boutique PC maker, such as Falcon Northwest, Maingear, or Velocity Micro. However, a few well-informed choices will go a long way toward buying the right gaming desktop from a mainstream brand, like Dell, Lenovo, or MSI—even if you’re not made of money.
These are the best gaming desktops in 2024 across all budgets and our latest top picks in the category. Every gaming PC we recommend has been thoroughly tested—from tower PCs to compacts—for a variety of uses. Our top picks are followed by a guide explaining how to buy the right gaming desktop for you and your budget.Why We Picked It
Budget systems are all about value, and while you’ll find some less expensive systems out there, we believe the NZXT Player: One justifies its $1,049 price. Rather than compromise on design or appearance, this system has the quality and style of a custom build, as well as a comforting two-year warranty. What’s more, the Intel Core i5-12400F processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 graphics deliver steady 1080p gaming performance for the cost.Who It’s For
If you’re on a slightly looser budget than $999, you will definitely enjoy this system. You can enjoy comfortably better-than-60fps gaming at 1080p, with the benefit of a machine with a high-end look without paying high-end pricing. Simply put, the NZXT Player: One is a more-premium experience for a budget desktop than usual, with only a minor upcharge.Why We Picked It
The main draw for the Alienware Aurora R16 prior to launch was a full redesign with a much more mainstream style. Upon review, we found that it not only has a slick new look, but it’s an all-around valuable deal. The complete rebuild improves both performance and aesthetics, and the reasonable starting price brings this new chassis to many gamers. Those with midrange or enthusiast budgets can ramp up the base model to something more like our review unit, which packed an Intel Core i7-13700F processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU to powerful effect while keeping under $2,000.Who It’s For
Alienware’s wide range of configuration options and the desktop’s slick new look make the Aurora R16 a smart pick for mainstream and hardcore players alike. 1080p and 1440p gaming will work comfortably with most component combinations on offer, playing the latest titles at smooth frame rates without much worry. Of course, you’ll find flashier builds with big glass windows and more bling, but you might prefer this more subdued look.Why We Picked It
Mainstream shoppers looking for midrange pricing want a mix of performance and value, and the iBuyPower Gaming RDY Y40BG202 hits that bullseye. On the surface, this desktop looks likes a machine that costs more, thanks to its chic case, but it stays comfortably under $3,000. On the inside, our review unit is packing an Intel Core i7-13700KF CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti GPU, two smart upper-midrange picks that give you a load of power for your dollar. Our complaints are minor, and between the performance, pricing, and style, you’ll find a lot to love with this prebuilt PC.Who It’s For
Even if your budget has room to go beyond entry-level pricing, it’s still a budget, so getting a decent deal is still important. This classy desktop will please mainstream shoppers who are looking to play at 1080p or 1440p with super-fast frame rates. The pricing may extend to the upper edge of what you’d consider mainstream, but component prices have risen in the last two years, and it’s thousands less than some of our high-end picks. Conversely, if you’re content with 1080p gaming, you can find a cheaper alternative above.Why We Picked It
We can’t help raving about the Falcon Northwest Talon (see below), but even ultra-high-end buyers have their budgets. What if you crave a bragging-rights gaming desktop but have, say, only $4,000 to spend instead of $7,000? Teaming the GeForce RTX 4090 GPU with Intel’s Core i9-13900K, Corsair’s Vengeance i7400 is a relative value, with 64GB of RAM for serious multitasking and impeccable construction backed by a two-year warranty.Who It’s For
Laden with top-of-the-line Corsair components, from a liquid cooling rig to six RGB-illuminated fans (yet surprisingly quiet in operation), the Vengeance is a fantastically fast gaming PC that—no offense—is built better than you could build yourself. It may not quite match the stellar Talon, but that’s like saying it has only seven-eighths the power of a supernova.Why We Picked It
While this desktop doesn’t stack up to full-size towers in the way our high-end compact pick can, it’s a great way to attain solid gaming performance in a space-saving design. The G22CH starts at just $1,399, making it appealing to a wider audience, while our $2,499 review model shows how high it can soar. The Intel Core i9-13900KF and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 in our review unit produced on-target 1080p frame rates despite the smaller design, though you can get a better deal on these parts in a more traditional tower. It’s a steady performer with a nice design, and can scale for different budgets. Who It’s For
The mainstream gamer shopping outside of true budget range should consider this desktop. (Making high-performance PCs more compact is inherently more expensive, so you won’t find much in the way of budget options in this class of gaming desktop.) If you are strapped for space, this is a slim and slick tower, though expect some compromises on expandability (and, somewhat, on performance) for the design.Why We Picked It
Almost like Doctor Who’s space-bending TARDIS, the Falcon Northwest Tiki pulls off a lot for a compact desktop. This slim tower is a fraction of the size of your average mid-tower PC, but you wouldn’t know it from the performance. The wizards at Falcon Northwest have packed an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 GPU into this tiny tower. As a result, you’d be hard-pressed to pick it out from the full-size systems looking at the performance testing results alone. Falcon Northwest charges a premium for its stellar space efficiency (our test unit rang up at nearly $5,500), but between the power, the build quality, and even the quiet fans, you can immediately see where that money goes.Who It’s For
The price and the components should indicate that this is a machine aimed at gaming enthusiasts, media professionals, and big-budgeted hobbyists. Even the base model doesn’t change that equation much—it starts at $3,400—so this is no entry-level or even midrange solution. If cost is virtually no object, or you have a genuine need for a high-end gaming, streaming, or media creation machine and would love something more compact, the 2023 Falcon Northwest Tiki is our top recommendation.Why We Picked It
Built to order by the hands of a single skilled expert, the Falcon Northwest Talon is nothing less than the ultimate gaming desktop. The latest model makes room for massive E-ATX motherboards and 13-inch graphics cards, yet still qualifies as a mid-tower in size. However, at about 44 pounds, it weighs more like a full tower, since it’s crafted from thick aluminum rather than thin steel or (ew) plastic. Custom liquid cooling, elegant (and relatively subdued) lighting, strong construction, and exquisite cabling all come standard.Who It’s For
Loaded with a 16-core AMD Ryzen 9 7950X CPU, a GeForce RTX 4090 Founders Edition, 64GB of Kingston Fury Beast RAM, and a 2TB SSD, our test Talon rings up at just under seven grand. As it should, the Talon delivers on that price with downright ridiculous frame rates and benchmark scores. (We consider 4,000 points in UL’s PCMark 10 a sign of excellent productivity performance; this thing posted 10,152 points.) You can certainly spend less for a blazing-fast gaming PC, but if unbeatable quality and engineering are your goal, Falcon Northwest’s flagship reigns supreme.Why We Picked It
We often see heavy overlap between gaming desktops and professional workstations. Both are costly PCs with cutting-edge CPU and GPU power, which are easily able to satisfy hardcore gamers and creative designers, CGI renderers, and video editors alike. Velocity Micro’s Raptor Signature Edition straddles this fence nimbly; its conservative design and lighting are more tasteful than most gaming rigs’, but it’s got muscle to spare and then some, thanks to a Ryzen 9 7950X processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti graphics card.Who It’s For
As gaming desktops go, the Raptor is a sleeper, almost free of bling but seriously competitive in raw speed and capability for demanding games and top creative apps.
