Configure Your Desk Any Way with the Best Desktop Computer

There is a lot to like about this budget gaming computer, starting with an Intel i5 quad-core processor, which you can upgrade to an i7. You also get 16GB of DDR4 2800MHz RAM, which gives you fantastic performance, especially when playing games optimized to take advantage of fast memory. The default build includes an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 video card with 2GB of GDDR5 memory which is quite good. If you have extra money to pour into your system, then you can upgrade that to something like an NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan X. This computer comes with a 2TB hard drive with a second hard drive slot that you can use for more storage or a solid state drive for even faster performance. The only real flaw with this system is the 350W power supply which is weaker than it probably should be, but you can upgrade to a much more powerful PSU at a very low cost.

This is one of the best Steam Machines currently on the market, offering excellent performance and a surprising amount of potential upgrades and improvements to enhance your gameplay experience. It comes with an Intel i5 quad-core processor which you can upgrade to an i7 model for faster performance. Despite its small size there is an option for liquid-cooling, though air cooling is the default.

This Steam Machine comes with 8GB of DDR4 memory which can be upgraded to 16GB and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750ti video card with 2GB of graphics memory which you can upgrade all the way up to a Titan X with 12GB of memory for insane performance. The included hard drive is 1TB in size and comes with the Steam OS installed; however, you can choose a larger drive or solid state drive instead, with two more bays for additional storage. While no optical drive is included you can add a DVD or Blu-ray burner and although this system doesn’t come with a mouse or keyboard, you do get a Steam gaming controller included.

If customization is the most important thing to you in a new gaming unit, then consider a company like CyberPowerPC or Maingear. But for a straightforward gaming computer that requires no additional work to setup, this is a great option. It comes with an Intel i5 quad-core CPU and 8GB of DDR4 RAM. You also get an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950 2GB video card and a 1TB hard drive for storage.

While Digital Storm does offer some upgrade options on this computer, most of them are external components like keyboards and monitors. If you want to control every single piece of hardware that goes in the case, then this option really isn't for you, though there is plenty of room in the tower for you to change components or add some yourself. Digital Storm does offer different “Levels” on their computers, with higher levels offering better components (but naturally also cost more). If your budget allows for it, take a look at level two, three, or four of the Vanquish 4 for systems that offer solid state drives, more memory, and more powerful video cards.

While there are upgrades available for this computer, the starting setup is more than enough to make it a decent system on a budget. It has a 6th Generation Intel i5 quad-core processor for great speed and performance, as well as 8GB of RAM. While this isn't mind-blowing, it's more than enough for common tasks and quite good for this type of all-in-one system, plus you can pay a bit more to upgrade to more memory or an i7 CPU. The integrated graphics chip is decent, though it would be nice if there was an option to upgrade to some dedicated video memory.

This model has a 1TB hard drive, which gives you a good amount of storage, and a DVD burner, plus you can upgrade those to up to 3TB of storage and a Blu-ray player. The 23 inch display on this model is touch-sensitive and it comes loaded with Windows 10. While you get Wireless-N connectivity in this system, you have to pay a bit more if you want Wireless-AC and Bluetooth networking.

There's a lot to like about this all-in-one system, especially if you're trying to save some money on your system. You're not going to be able to run the latest PC games or other demanding software on this computer, but it's a great option for a lot of other, general tasks. It has a 4th Generation Intel i3 processor, which is a pretty good dual-core model with hyperthreading. You only get 4GB of memory in this computer, which makes it fine for navigating the internet, word processing, and similar tasks. However, this isn't a good choice if you want to do much PC gaming or use more memory-intensive programs.

You get a 1TB hard drive and an 8GB solid state drive, plus a DVD burner with this computer, and it has both Wireless-AC and Bluetooth connectivity. The 21.5 inch display looks good but is not touch-sensitive which helps keep the overall cost low; if you really want a touchscreen, then you’ll need to look elsewhere. Overall, you can find other all-in-one systems with better performance, but not at this price point.

There is a lot to like about this all-in-one from Dell, and while it’s still budget-friendly, you should get a little bit more from an $870 model. This one comes with a 4th Generation Intel i5 processor, which runs great and should work for most computer users. You get just 4GB of RAM in this system which is definitely less than it should be for the price, plus it lacks any dedicated graphics memory.

The 500GB hard drive is decent, and probably enough storage for a lot of people, but a 1TB model really would be preferable. This model does include a DVD burner and it includes Wireless-N connectivity, but there isn't Bluetooth functionality unfortunately. The display looks terrific and is touch-sensitive, which is nice, but at 19.5 inches it’s just a little smaller than it probably should be.

If you find this computer for $850, then it's a pretty good all-in-one computer, but if you find it for a lot lower price than that, then it's probably the best value on the market. You get a 5th Generation Intel i3 dual-core processor and 8GB of memory which gives you very nice performance overall. You're probably not going to be running the latest PC games on this one since it lacks any dedicated video memory. However, it should work well for a wide range of general programs and some games with lower requirements.

The 23 inch display that comes with this computer looks great and though you can pay more for a model with a touchscreen, this is a standard LED display. You also get a DVD burner, 1TB of storage, and this system has both Bluetooth and Wireless-AC compatibility. If you find this model from Lenovo or a retailer at just $550 then it's an incredible value that you should not overlook.

This one has a nice, fast 6th Generation Intel i5 quad-core processor, which should keep it running quite effectively no matter what kind of tasks you need to perform. There’s no hyperthreading with this chip, so it runs as a quad-core CPU. The 8GB of DDR4 RAM that comes with this system should be enough for most users, but you can upgrade to up to 16GB if you need more.

This model has a 1TB hard drive, which is pretty good for a budget system, but there aren't any options for upgrades on storage. You get 2GB of DDR3 video memory from an NVIDIA graphics card in this system, so it is an excellent choice for PC gaming and media streaming. It has built-in wireless connectivity through Wireless-N and Bluetooth 4.0 support, plus it comes with a DVD burner. This pick also has four USB 2.0 and six USB 3.0 ports, along with an Ethernet port and both HDMI and Display ports.

You get an Intel Pentium dual-core processor in this computer, which is a bit weak compared to similarly priced systems on the market. There is no video card or dedicated graphics memory in this system, though you can add one if you want to pay more to upgrade this computer. There is 8GB of DDR3 RAM included with this computer which isn’t amazing but you can upgrade that to 16GB if you need more.

It comes with a 1TB hard drive and a DVD burner plus you can upgrade to more storage, even a solid state drive and a Blu-ray player if you need it. This computer doesn't come with any wireless networking in the default build, which is one of its major weaknesses compared to similar models, though you can add Wi-Fi or Bluetooth for extra money. You get Windows 10 on this computer and it comes with the original disk which is nice, plus the system has four USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, an Ethernet port, and HDMI connector.

If you're doing editing work that requires a lot of power (such as rendering 3D graphics and editing HD video) then this is definitely the computer for you. Keep in mind you're going to pay a lot for this level of performance, so this pick it primarily meant for someone doing professional editing.

This is a dual-CPU setup that has two Intel XEON octa-core processors, though you can upgrade it all the way up to a pair of Intel XEON octadeca-core CPUs for unbelievable performance. While this rig doesn’t come with a video card by default, you can upgrade it with a pair of workstation graphics cards or up to four standard video cards in a Quad setup. It has 32GB of DDR4 memory but can be loaded with up to 128GB of RAM and there are bays for up to seven hard drives, including a hot-swap cage with five bays.

The default hard drive is only 500GB, but it’s a solid state drive which makes it a tremendous deal. If you need to build an insanely powerful computer for editing, with just about every customization option you could want, then this pick is as good as it gets.

Although advertised by HP as a gaming desktop, this model works very well as a computer for editing. It comes with an Intel i7 hexa-core CPU, but you can upgrade that to a faster chip or even an octa-core processor if you need better performance. You get 12GB of DDR4 RAM with this computer and there are options for upgrading to 24GB or 32GB if you run more memory-intensive software. The default hard drive on this system is 2TB which gives you plenty of storage although you can upgrade that to 3TB or add a solid state drive.

This pick includes a DVD burner with the option to upgrade to a Blu-ray reader/writer if you need one. You get a 4GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 745 video card with this system, but there are options for several more powerful cards as well. This is a great computer for editing if you want some customization choices, but don’t need as many options as you get with a company like Origin.

While Dell markets this pick for business use, it’s still a great choice for amateur or professional editing. This is a great all-in-one computer for editing thanks in part to a 24 inch display that includes 4K resolution and touch-sensitivity. While the touchscreen might not be the most useful aspect of this computer, the high resolution can help with video and graphics editing, letting you see your work at 4K with excellent color and detail display.

The components within this system are pretty good, with an Intel i5 quad-core processor and 8GB of DDR4 RAM which helps it run fast even when using demanding software. The 1TB hard drive gives you a good amount of storage, though it might not be enough if you’re stockpiling a lot of large files. This computer has an AMD R7 A370 graphics card with 2GB of video memory which makes it ideal for editing graphics or video. While it has eight USB ports and an Ethernet port, this one doesn’t come with any wireless connectivity which is an unfortunate weak spot in an otherwise excellent computer.

This nettop from Alienware is similar to their new Steam Machine, but runs Windows 10 rather than the Steam OS. If you want a nettop for playing PC games, streaming HD media, and similar tasks, then this is a great choice. It has an Intel i3 dual-core processor, along with 8GB of memory. You get an NVIDIA graphics card in this model that has 2GB of dedicated GDDR5 video memory. The 1TB hard drive gives you plenty of storage for programs and media, plus it comes with a multi-media keyboard and optical mouse from Alienware.

This nettop has both Wireless-AC and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity so it can link to a wide range of wireless networks and devices. It’s also a great option for physical connections since it has two USB 2.0 ports on the front, two USB 3.0 ports on the back, an Ethernet port, and both in and out HDMI connections.

This is a Steam Machine and while it might be designed with gaming primarily in mind, it can work well for a wide range of other applications. It comes with an Intel i5 quad-core processor which is great for this kind of small-form computer. It includes 8GB of memory but it’s capable of handling up to 16GB of total RAM if you’re interested in future upgrades.

This nettop has an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 card that’s great for running games on Steam. You also get a 1TB hard drive for lots of storage space and Wireless-AC/Bluetooth 4.0 support which lets you connect to just about any network and wireless device. A Steam controller is also included for playing PC games, and you’re getting four USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, and four HDMI ports thanks to the video card.

Here is another excellent nettop with a design inspired by the size and performance of Steam Machines, but it runs the Windows 8.1 operating system. It has an Intel i7 processor and 8GB of DDR3 memory, so it can run a wide range of programs with great performance. You also get an NVIDIA GeForce graphics card with 2GB of dedicated video memory along with a 1TB hard drive.

Thanks to the inclusion of Wireless-AC connectivity and an Ethernet port, this nettop can connect to multiple networks, though it doesn’t have native Bluetooth connectivity. The front of this nettop has two USB 2.0 ports, and the back panel has four USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI connection, and multiple audio jacks, including optical audio. If you are looking for a nettop to run PC games or use as a home theater media center, then this is a great choice.

This desktop computer has an Intel i7 six-core CPU with liquid-cooling, and it comes with 16GB of DDR4 RAM, though you can get up to 64GB if you need more memory in your computer. It also has an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750 graphics card with 1GB of video memory, so it works great for playing PC games or viewing HD media. There are also some great upgrade options for the video card, including the ability to have up to three cards working together if you want a much higher level of performance.

There's a 1TB mechanical hard drive for storage of files and programs, with three additional bays for more hard drives and a bay for a solid state drive if you’re interested in one. A DVD burner comes standard in this system although you have the option to upgrade to a Blu-ray player if you need one. You get a 750W power supply, which is great for the default setup, and there’s an option for up to a 1200W model if you plan on adding a lot of upgrades to the system and need more power. Lastly, this unit comes with four USB 2.0 and five USB 3.0 ports.

This desktop computer has a 6th Generation Intel i7 quad-core processor, and Dell provides 24GB of DDR4 RAM which is quite a bit more than some similarly priced setups. The hard drives on this desktop are terrific since it has both a 2TB mechanical storage drive and a 32GB solid state drive for your operating system. That's a ton of storage and quite a bit more than what you get in the default setup of a lot of other desktop computer models. Dell packages this one with an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750Ti video card with 2GB of DDR5 graphics memory which gives you terrific performance for streaming HD media or playing PC games.

This model also has both Wireless-AC and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, plus four USB 2.0 ports and six USB 3.0 ports. Added features include an integrated DVD burner, a mouse, and keyboard. The only real potential weakness with this model is that it lacks in customization compared to systems from a company like Maingear, but if you’re not looking for a ton of upgrades, then it’s a great option.

Origin builds some of the best computers out there, but in this instance it just might be more machine and more options than you really need. If you like freedom and total customization, however, then take a good look at what Origin has to offer. This system comes with an Intel i7 six-core CPU standard, as well as 8GB of DDR4 memory. You get a 2GB NVIDIA GTX 950 graphics card in this computer which gives you a good amount of dedicated video memory in addition to a 500GB hard drive.

With this pick, the thing to really keep in mind is that Origin gives you a ton of options for upgrades and customizing the components. If you want a pre-built desktop with four 12GB NVIDIA GTX Titan X video cards and five hard drives in a hot-swap cage, then Origin can make that happen for you. For some people, this type of customization is probably unnecessary, but if it's something you want, then give this desktop a good look.

There are some great components in this system which make it an excellent choice as either a general desktop computer or a gaming rig. This computer has an Intel i7 six-core processor for great speed, and you can upgrade to an eight-core CPU if you need even better performance. It has 12GB of DDR4 memory which you can upgrade to up to 32GB if you need to run some very memory-intensive software. One issue with this computer is that it only comes with a 256GB solid state drive which by itself is great, but there’s no mechanical hard drive for extra storage. You can add one, but doing so will increase the price of this model, though there is an option to swap the solid state drive for a 1TB or 2TB hard drive, which actually lowers the cost slightly. On the other hand, this computer has an NVIDIA GTX 745 video card with 4GB of DDR3 memory, a DVD burner, and support for Wireless-AC and Bluetooth 4.0, along with four USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0 ports. You don’t get a ton of upgrade options for each component in this system but what is available should be more than enough for many computer users.

While there are more powerful default systems available from other manufacturers, this is a great option with solid components and just enough upgrades available for most computer users. It starts with an Intel i5 quad-core processor and 8GB of DDR4 memory with options to get an i7 CPU and 16GB or 32GB of RAM. This computer also includes an NVIDIA GeForce GT 730 video card with 1GB of graphics memory, plus a 1TB hard drive and DVD burner.

If you’re willing to pay a bit more for some truly impressive performance, you can get a video card with up to 2GB of memory, up to 3TB of storage, a solid state drive, and even a Blu-ray burner. If you want some freedom in how you set up your computer, but don’t want to be overwhelmed by options, then this is a great choice. However, you will need to upgrade the 500W power supply if you want to add a lot of the optional components listed above.

Customization is the name of the game with Origin computers, and the Genesis really shows that off. Not only are there a ton of options for you to choose from when setting up your gaming rig, but you can contact Origin to request components they don't normally carry. You're just not going to find a better level of customization unless you're building the computer yourself. Even if you do just stick with what Origin offers, the Genesis is an absolute powerhouse gaming PC.

The genesis has an Intel i7 hex-core CPU you can upgrade to an eight-core processor if you need even better performance. The default NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 2GB video card is good, but you can upgrade it as well to a number of different setups all the way up to four NVIDIA Titan X cards. It comes with 16GB of DDR4 RAM, but you can upgrade that to up to 64GB of memory to create one of the most powerful computers you'll find for gaming.

This gaming rig comes with CPU liquid cooling, but you can upgrade to even better cooling solutions and choose a liquid-cooled video card for incredible heat management. The 650W power supply in the baseline build is a bit weak, but you can upgrade to up to a 1.5 kilowatt model. With multiple bays for hard drives and two bays for optical drives, you can build an Origin Genesis capable of taking on any gaming-related task.

While Origin is hard to beat for customization and customer service, XOTIC PC certainly gives them some great competition. You get a ton of options for every single component in your computer and you can talk to someone at Origin to request specific components they don't normally offer. While these changes certainly impact the price of your computer, it's hard to argue with that level of customization and freedom in your computer build.

The default setup on this system, however, is pretty impressive and includes custom liquid-cooling with acrylic and copper tubing. It has an Intel i7 six-core CPU and dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN EVGA Black Edition 6GB video cards. You can add a third or fourth card, or change to more powerful graphics cards if you need even better performance, but the default build should be sufficient for most PC gamers.

This computer also has 32GB of DDR4 RAM, which you can upgrade to 64GB, and both a 1TB hard drive and 250GB solid state drive for storage. It comes with a Blu-ray player and DVD burner, plus there are a ton of options for chassis customization such as the paint job and lighting options for both inside and outside of the case.

There's a lot to like about this gaming computer, starting with an Intel i7 six-core processor, which you can upgrade to an eight-core CPU if you need even better performance. The processor is liquid cooled with a copper radiator and PVC tubing, plus you can even choose a specific coolant color. It comes with 16GB of DDR4 memory, but you can upgrade that to 32GB or even 64GB if you need incredibly fast performance.

The standard graphics card with this model is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 4GB card, but you can choose from up to four AMD Radeon R9 290X cards or even four NVIDIA Titan X 12GB cards, for a total of 48GB of video memory. The default build doesn't include liquid cooling for the graphics card, but you can add it to any setup if you're concerned about heat buildup. You get a 3TB hard drive and a 250GB solid state drive with this computer, and there are options for additional storage, plus it has a DVD burner with an option to upgrade to a Blu-ray player or burner.

There's a lot to like about this gaming computer, and even though the customization options on it aren't exactly mind-blowing, the default setup is already quite good. It comes with an Intel i7 quad-core processor, but there's no option for upgrading to a six or eight core model, so keep that in mind. You get 16GB of DDR3 memory with this computer, which is pretty good but there's no option to upgrade to DDR4 RAM.

This system has custom tubing for CPU liquid cooling, but no option for liquid-cooling on the video card, which is a little disappointing. It comes with an NVIDIA GTX Titan Z 12GB video card, which you can upgrade to a Titan X model if you really need the ultimate level of video performance possible. Although there's no option for adding additional video cards with this system, one Titan card should be sufficient for most builds. While this is already a great gaming computer, it would just be even better if Digital Storm offered more upgrade options when you’re in the process of ordering it.