Consoles and handhelds are easy and fun, but using a gaming PC is where it’s really at these days. Any serious gamer will tell you that nothing beats the experience of playing on a custom-built rig.
The best part?
You don’t need to be a tech wizard or have deep pockets anymore. For a decent price, you can snag a prebuilt gaming PC that will run the latest titles in full HD with all the eye candy cranked up. And that’s just the starting point.
Keep reading and get a walk-through for finding your perfect gaming PC.
1. Alienware Aurora R15
Dell finally got with the program and replaced the 120-mm radiator with a better 240-mm one. They’ve also added more vents on the side, which means this PC purrs like a kitten instead of roaring like a jet engine.
Now, when you stuff an Intel Core i9-13900KF and an Nvidia RTX 4090 into a case, you can only expect fireworks. Alienware Aurora R15 crushes the benchmarks, both for gaming and heavy-duty work.
The PC is loaded with ports—three USB-A, one USB-C, and a headphone jack, making it super convenient, right? The bottom line is that the gaming PC is a beast of a machine, but it comes with some trade-offs.
It’s your call if it’s worth it.
2. Acer Predator Orion 7000
The Acer Predator Orion 7000 has been killing it in the prebuilt gaming PC world for a while now. The 2022 version of the Orion 7000 came out just before all this new fancy tech hit the market. We’re talking new CPUs, GPUs, and this DDR5 RAM that everyone’s hyped about. Acer wasn’t about to get left in the dust, though.
They swapped in a new motherboard that can handle these beastly 13th-generation Intel processors. Now, it’s not just compatible with the new CPUs—it’s also rocking DDR5 RAM and Nvidia’s latest RTX 40 series GPUs. That’s some incredible computing power right there, and this PC will take anything you throw at it.
If you want a prebuilt rig that will stay relevant for a long time, Acer’s refreshed Predator Orion 7000 is worth a look.
3. iBuyPower Y60 Gaming PC
The iBuyPower Y60 is like the middle child of gaming PCs—it’s not the cheapest or the most expensive, but it’s got some tricks up its sleeve.
First, it has 32GB of RAM and a whopping 2TB of storage, which you will appreciate when you’re knee-deep in Steam sales.
This gaming PC comes in the Hyte Y60 case, which is a fishbowl for your components. It has a wrap-around window that lets you show off your hardware with a vertically mounted GPU.
It also works with a 240mm liquid cooler, which keeps things nice and quiet. Some other PCs in this price range sound like they’re trying to take off when you boot up a game.
4. Corsair Vengeance i7400
Corsair makes some top-notch PC parts and boasts a big name in the industry, having over 4000 product awards.
The Vengeance i7400 starts at about $2,150, providing a classic mid-tower setup with all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a high-end build. We’re talking about a fancy Corsair case with RGB lighting, liquid cooling to keep things chill, and enough power to make your games run smoothly.
Under the hood, you get an Intel Core i9-13900K and an Nvidia RTX 4090. With 64GB of DDR5 RAM, you could probably run every app on your computer at once and still have room to spare.
Despite all that power, it runs quietly. Plus, Corsair throws in a two-year warranty, which is pretty sweet.
If you want a top-tier gaming rig without the hassle of building it yourself, this might be your ticket. Just be prepared to open your wallet wide.
5. Dell XPS 8960
Under that modest exterior, the Dell XPS 8960 has some serious superpowers. If you are on a budget but still want to dive into some serious gaming, this might be your ticket. It’s not going to break your bank account, but it will still let you run those eye-candy games without breaking a sweat.
You’re looking at an RTX 4070 graphics card, an Intel Core i7-13700 processor, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. If you want a gaming rig that can hang with the best of them, the Dell XPS 8960 might be your jam.
6. Lenovo Legion Tower 7i (Gen 8)
Lenovo Legion Tower 7i uses standard parts, meaning you can tweak it later if you want to upgrade. It has four M.2 slots on the motherboard. Sure, one of them is taken up by the Wi-Fi card, but hey, three out of four is not bad. It also has four USB ports right on the front, so no more yoga moves trying to plug your mouse in the back.
Under the hood, it’s packing an Intel Core i9-13900KF and an Nvidia RTX 4080. In other words, it can run circles around most games. The Legion Tower 7i is powerful, it’s upgradeable, and it won’t blind you with RGB lights every time you turn it on.
7. MSI Infinite RS 13th
The MSI Infinite RS 13th is like the Rolls-Royce of gaming PCs. It boasts a 13th-gen Intel Core i9 and a liquid-cooled Nvidia RTX 4090. Despite all its power, this gaming PC runs quieter than a library, thanks to its two radiators and nine fans.
It also features an MSI Prospect 700RL case, and all the parts are standard. That means if you want to tinker later, you’re not stuck with proprietary stuff.
This PC’s performance is remarkable, making it perfect for gamers who want the best and are willing to pay for it. It’s powerful, quiet, and future-proof. Among the other factors you will consider when choosing the best computer, just make sure you’ve got the space for it.
Wrapping it Up
When buying your gaming PC, think about what you will use it for. If you’re just looking to play Fortnite or Minecraft at 1080p, you don’t need to remortgage your house for a top-of-the-line rig. A decent mid-range setup will do just fine.
But if you’re dreaming of cranking up those settings and diving into 4K gaming? Well, that’s when you might need to start counting your pennies. Those high-res textures and fancy lighting effects need some serious horsepower to run smoothly.
Remember, sometimes it’s worth spending a bit more upfront to save yourself the hassle of upgrading too soon.