Upgrade your home setup with one of the best gaming PCs this year.
In normal circumstances, the finest gaming PC would be one that you built yourself with your own blood, sweat, and tears, but these aren’t normal circumstances. Because critical components are so hard to come by, buying a prebuilt PC is easier than waiting months to add a GPU to your shopping cart that’s been marked up 25% (if you’re lucky) and has already been grabbed up by a reseller.
While it may be more expensive, system builders such as Alienware, Lenovo, HP, and Origin have a greater chance than the typical consumer of obtaining hard-to-find GPUs and CPUs during these difficult times. Even if you’re looking for an RTX 3080, you may be better off purchasing a prebuilt and taking it down.
. These system makers also provide quite comprehensive warranties that cover both parts and labour in the event that something goes wrong with your setup.
Keep an eye on lead times when ordering a prebuilt PC; some vendors require customers to wait at least three to four weeks before shipping out customised PCs. If you can’t wait, iBuyPower, for example, offers same-day shipment on RDY prebuilt systems in stock. By the end of the week, you may be playing Elden Ring on a fresh new gaming PC with a Geforce RTX 3080.
Your future gaming PC must have the best graphics cards and CPU for gaming while staying inside your budget. That’s why we looked at systems that offer the best framerate for the money in 1080p, 1440p, and 4K resolutions.This list has something for everyone, from inexpensive to high-end.
1. Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition
The best AMD gaming PC
SPECIFICATIONS
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600–5950XGPU: Nvidia GTX 1650 Super–RTX 3090RAM: 8GB–64GB DDR4 3200MHzStorage: 1TB HDD–2TB HDD + 2TB SSDWarranty:
REASONS TO BUY
+AMD CPU + Nvidia GPU combo+Quality Alienware/Dell design+After sales care
REASONS TO AVOID
- -Sounds like it’ll take off-Divisive case design
Ryzen 9 5900X | RTX 3070 | 16GB DDR4-3200
The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 is a superb GPU for 1440p gaming, and when teamed with the 12-core, 24-thread 5900X, it can handle pretty much anything you throw at it.
The Aurora Ryzen Edition has surpassed the Intel models to take the top rank. Both in terms of performance and affordability, AMD Ryzen processors from the latest generation are outstanding.
With the possibility of a 16-core, 32-thread chip inside your Alienware gaming PC, as well as an Nvidia RTX 3090, you’re looking at something truly unique.
The lower end, on the other hand, has much to offer as well. Because of the various configurations available, you can obtain a six-core system with a GTX 1650 Super inside for £1,249, which will handle 1080p gaming in that sleek Alienware chassis.
It should be noted that any components you buy will come with an Alienware premium. The higher-than-average price, on the other hand, gets you dependable build quality, excellent customer service, and robust warranties.
Alienware’s numerous pre-fab solutions also help to reduce a lot of the guesswork involved in configuring your system. Some solutions offer better value for the parts utilised, but Alienware’s ease of use is hard to beat for h assle-free PC gaming right out of the box.
The case’s unusual design makes the most of its limited space, but it can be a little uncomfortable to work with at first. The ability to access practically every area of the PC without the use of tools, on the other hand, is a significant bonus that speeds up updates and maintenance. The Aurora Ryzen Edition achieves the goal of providing a convenient, premium product with some upgrade possibility.
2. Alienware Aurora R13
The best Intel gaming PC
SPECIFICATIONS
- CPU: Up to Core i9 12900KGPU: Nvidia GTX 1650 Super–RTX 3090RAM: 8GB DDR5-4400 – 64GB DDR5Storage: Up to 2TB M.2 PCIe SSD + 2TB SATA HDDWarranty: 1 Year (onsite)
REASONS TO BUY
+New chassis with window+Toolless access+Upgradeable+Solid after-sale support
REASONS TO AVOID
- -Pricey higher end configs
Our favourite Aurora R13 config:
16GB DDR5-4400 | Core i5 12700KF | RTX 3070
When you combine the amazing RTX 3070 with one of Intel’s newest Alder Lake CPUs, you’ll have a fantastic gaming PC that won’t break the bank. This system also includes 16GB of DDR5-4400 RAM, which is configured in dual-channel mode, and a 512GB NVMe SSD.
Look, a side window on an Alienware Aurora. What a world we live in. The new Aurora R13 leverages Intel’s Alder Lake CPUs to bring a small revamp of its otherworldly chassis, with a variety of configurations ranging from the Core i5 12400F through the Core i5 12600KF and i7 12700KF, as well as the Core i9 12900KF.
They’re compatible with Nvidia GPUs ranging from the GTX 1650 Super to the astronomically priced RTX 3090, as well as AMD Radeon cards ranging from the RX 6600 XT to the RX 6900 XT. This gives you a choice of Alienware gaming computers, ranging from moderately priced 1080p gaming to workload-smashing 4K performance.
The Alienware AIO cooling system will also assist keep the case’s comfy interior at a comfortable temperature.
Alienware is being a little frugal with its DDR5 RAM here, it has to be mentioned. Only the Core i7 or i9 variants of the Aurora R13 can be customised with dual channel RAM or have more than 8GB of DDR5 memory out of the box. With only DDR5-4400 available, it’s also not the fastest.
While DDR5 is expensive and difficult to come by, I’ll give it a pass for now, but it still stings and I’m not impressed.
The case’s unusual design makes the most of its limited space, although it’s a little uncomfortable to use with at first. Access to practically every element of the PC without the need of tools, on the other hand, is a significant benefit that speeds up updates and maintenance
. The Aurora design achieves the goal of providing a handy, premium product with some upgrading potential.
Availability is the issue with all gaming PCs and parts right now. And Alienware is feeling the pain just as much as the rest of the industry. If you order a new Aurora R13 rig now, you won’t get it for another month at the very least.
3. CyberPowerPC Infinity X109 Gaming PC
The best machine for 1440p gaming
SPECIFICATIONS
- CPU: Intel Core i9 10850KGPU: MSI GeForce RTX 3070 8GBRAM: 16GB DDR4 3200MHzStorage: 500GB WD SN550 + 2TB Seagate HDDWarranty: 3 year
REASONS TO BUY
+Powerful and quiet running+Standout lighting and looks+Excellent for 1440p gaming
REASONS TO AVOID
- -Can get a little noisy
Our favourite CyberPowerPC Infinity X109 config:
16GB DDR4-3200 | Core i9 10850K | RTX 3070
This strong build includes one of Intel’s top CPUs right now, as well as the RTX 3070, a 1440p monster. This gaming PC is remarkably quiet, and it also looks fantastic thanks to a slew of RGB-lit fans.
When purchasing a new computer, you’re primarily searching for a powerful machine that provides good value for money from a reputable manufacturer. You also want it to appear good. It wouldn’t hurt to run quietly. The Cyberpower Infinity X109 Gaming PC comes with a graphics card that you can’t purchase for love or money.
A machine with more lights than a Christmas tree, more fans than the Crystal Maze’s dome (well, there are five case fans), the latest hardware, and yet is remarkably quiet when in use. And that was all for a tidy sum of money. Consider us awestruck.
For just over two grand, you can obtain a powerful 10-core, 20-thread Intel Core i9 10850K processor that runs at 4.9GHz most of the time owing to the Cooling Master MasterLiquid Lite 240 cooler.
A GeForce RTX 3070 is also included, which is a good mid-to-high-end card. It can handle 1080p and 1440p gaming well, with 128 frames per second in Division 2, 139 frames per second in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and 110 frames per second in 1080p. Everything is very smooth. 4K is a bit of a stretch, but it’s not completely out of the question.
For just over two grand, you can have a powerful 10-core, 20-thread Intel Core i9 10850K processor with a Cooling Master MasterLiquid Lite 240 cooler that runs at 4.9GHz most of the time.
A GeForce RTX 3070, an excellent mid-to-high-end card, is also provided. With 128 frames per second in Division 2, 139 frames per second in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and 110 frames per second in 1080p, it can handle 1080p and 1440p gaming well. Everything is going swimmingly. Although 4K is a reach, it isn’t completely out of the question.
4. Corsair One
SPECIFICATIONS
- CPU: Up to AMD Ryzen 9 5950X | Intel Core i9 11900KGPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080RAM: 32GB DDR4-3200Storage: Up to 2TB NVMe SSDWarranty: 2 year
REASONS TO BUY
+Slim, minimalist footprint+Incredible looks+Outstanding performance
REASONS TO AVOID
- -Hard to access interior
Ryzen 9 5900X | RTX 3080 | 32GB DDR4-3200
It’s difficult to find powerful, small-form-factor gaming PCs, but the Corsair One design has enormous Mac Pro energy, and this monster compact machine sports both the best AMD processor and the strongest Nvidia 30-series graphics card available. And don’t come at me with your RTX 3080 Ti, which is pricey…
The Corsair One i164, one of our top-rated pre-built gaming PCs, has been updated. It’s the same compact form factor PC as before, but with a new internal layout and a few other minor tweaks. The casing design is still reminiscent of something from Tron.
Both the CPU and GPU have their own liquid cooling systems, and a single 140mm maglev fan exhausts all of the heated air. The PSU is now located behind the motherboard, and some USB ports have been relocated to the front of the chassis, but those are the only non-component modifications.
The Corsair One i164, like a number of the pre-built systems on this list, isn’t the only configuration available. In actuality, the i164 is the mid-range model, with an Intel Core i9 9900K and an RTX 2080 Ti. The mid-range model, yes, you read that correctly.
The Corsair One Pro workstation model has a Core i7 9700K and an RTX 2080, while the cheaper variant has a Core i9 9920X and an RTX 2080 Ti.
We haven’t heard anything about Nvidia’s RTX 30-series GPUs yet, but we expect that to change soon. Corsair will very certainly need to invest in more PSU capacity as a result of the move.
Of course, prices vary depending on specifications, so if £3,600 for the i164 is too much for you, the i145 is £1,200 less at £2,400, which is £100 less than the a100 with a 3900X CPU.
The i200 will drain £4,700 from your bank account if you’re looking for a small workstation. All One versions come with 32GB of RAM, so you won’t have to worry about upgrading it for years.
Regardless of setup, the Corsair One is a sleek, powerful little machine ideal for anyone who needs a powerful PC but doesn’t want to hear it complain every time it’s pushed.
5. HP Omen
The best gaming PC for under £1,000
SPECIFICATIONS
- CPU: Intel Core i5 10400FGPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060RAM: 16GB HyperX DDR4-2666Storage: 256GB M.2 SSD, 1TB HDDWarranty: 1 year
REASONS TO BUY
- +Powerful components +Sober thrill-free designed +Easy to upgrade
Our favorite HP Omen config:
Ryzen 7 3700X | RTX 3060 Ti | 16GB DDR4-3200
For about £1,400, the redesigned HP Omen desktop machine comes with a shinier chassis and can be set to house an RTX 3060 Ti. It’s worth it to upgrade the 256GB SSD at the time of purchase, as it’s a little slow by today’s standards.
Hewlett Packard has been established since before World War II, and the Omen 25L and 30L desktop PCs reflect that history in their design and construction. Starting with an RTX 2060 and Core i5 10400F and progressing to a Core i9 and RTX 2080 Super, the Omen 25L is extensively customisable.
The price of the Omen 25L is maybe its most amazing feature. Despite having an RTX card and a rock-solid CPU (along with 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a 2TB HDD), it costs only £999. This is partly due to HP removing all of the non-essential extras that tend to inflate the price of numerous machines with identical specifications.
This machine is a thick black block of computational power with no fancy liquid cooling system or a big suite of dazzling RGB lighting. The dark, almost melancholy appearance of the Obelisk will appeal to those who prefer clean lines and compact design above the flash and spectacle of RGB.
Similar specs are available from a variety of shops, albeit in a much smaller frame. On the one hand, there’s less room to muck around in the case if you decide to upgrade in the future, but it can fit into more tighter locations and is easier to move than a larger case. It’s the essence of function over form, and it’s also quite affordable.There’s no word yet on the RTX 30-series or AMD RX 6000-series GPUs, so stay tuned. Hopefully, HP will make a move in the near future.