Desktops

HP moves the CPU cooler outside the case and uses more standard name-brand parts. But its HP motherboard and BIOS limit performance.

The Corsair One i300 packs the Intel Core i9-12900K and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 into a chassis that doesn't take up much space on your desk, but it has a hefty price tag.

The iBuypower Intel 12th Gen Z690 i7 DDR4 Gaming lets you build an Alder Lake machine to your liking, with a three-year warranty. But it may not have all the bells and whistles.

iBuypower's Revolt 3 i7BG is pretty, powerful, and easy luggable. If you don't like RGB or bulk, it's worth serious consideration.

The Zotac Mek Hero stands in stark contrast to the Mek Mini line, giving you plenty of space to upgrade it as you see fit.

Competently and cleanly assembled, with good parts for this price range, NZXT’s Streaming Plus PC is a solid option to get your PC gaming on.

The iBuyPower Element CL Pro is a hardline system that doesn't add a huge premium on parts, but isn't set up to take full advantage of the cooling straight out of the box.

With a Ryzen 9 5900X and an RTX 3080, both liquid-cooled for quiet operation in a compact case, Corsair’s One a200 is easy to recommend.

How many MSI components can fit in one machine? A lot.

HP’s redesigned Omen 30L desktop is sleek, powerful and configurable just like a boutique PC with name-brand parts. But without better cooling, you should skip the Core i9-10900K.

Corsair's 3090-packing Vengeance i7200 is a powerful performer in a pretty package. But those who care at all about value will want to opt for the 3080 option rather than our $4,500 configuration.

The Alienware Aurora R11 with an RTX 3090 and 10th Gen Core i9 is a powerful gaming and productivity solution, but it needs better cooling.

Buypower’s Gaming RDY IWBG207 pairs a Core i9 with an RTX 3080 for stunning gaming performance that easily bests previous-gen rigs that cost more.

The MSI Trident X is a powerful, thin gaming PC that you can upgrade later with off-the-shelf parts.

The Maingear Turbo is the epitome of a compact luxury AMD Ryzen PC, with beautiful looks and powerful performance. But it can get very, very expensive.

Maingear’s Vybe with Apex Cooling manages to tame Intel’s Core i9-10900K for impressive, quiet performance with a polished, pretty presentation.

The Corsair Vengeance a4100 is a powerful Ryzen and Nvidia RTX-powered gaming rig with a capture card included.

The Intel NUC 9 Extreme Kit (Ghost Canyon) is a pricey barebones PC that fits a discrete GPU. The Compute Element with mobile Intel CPU makes for an exciting new form factor, though.

The Corsair Vengeance 6182 Gaming PC is an all-AMD machine with standardized parts, though the company makes some more powerful options for less money.