Best Gaming PCs: Ultimate Top Picks for 2024 Revealed

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A gaming PC offers great flexibility, allowing you to upgrade and customize parts to suit your needs. When buying one, consider factors like power, size, components, and the resolution you want to play at. For instance, if you’re gaming at 1080p, you may not need a high-end CPU and GPU.

However, for 1440p or 4K gaming, you’ll need to invest more in your rig. While CPU power matters, anything beyond a quad-core processor mainly benefits multi-threaded tasks like video processing, not gaming.

Intel’s 14th Gen “Raptor Lake Refresh” processors, such as the Core i9-14900K, Core i7-14700K, and Core i5-14600K, are new options. However, AMD’s 7000-series X3D chips still reign supreme for gaming. We’re testing desktops with these new chips to gauge their performance.

On the graphics side, Nvidia updated its lineup with Super cards like the RTX 4070 Super and RTX 4070 Ti Super, while the RTX 4090 and 4060 Ti remain unchanged. Intel’s Arc A770 and A750 offer power for low-end and mid-range needs, but they’re less common in prebuilts. AMD’s high-end 7900 XT and 7900 XTX are also strong contenders. We reviewed the Radeon RX 7600 XT, which impressed with its 16GB of VRAM but wasn’t a huge leap from its predecessor.

Below, we’ll share our top picks for prebuilt gaming PCs. If you need more advice on shopping or specific features to look for, check out our buying guide after the picks.

QUICK LIST

BEST OVERALL

BEST MID-RANGE

POWERFUL AND QUIET

POWERFUL PERFORMANCE ​

UPGRADEABLE

Small PC

Best Prebuilt Gaming PCs You Can Buy Today

1. Corsair Vengeance i7500

A powerful gaming PC with top-notch build quality

SPECIFICATIONS

 

CPU: Intel Core i9-14900K        RAM: 64GB DDR5-6000

GPU: Palit GeForce RTX 4090 GameRock OmniBlack    Storage: 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD

REASONS TO BUY

+ Exceptional performance

+ Quiet operation
 
+ Top-notch build quality
 
+ Two-year warranty

REASONS TO AVOID

-Expensive with RTX 4090
 
-No RGB lighting on RTX 4090 as tested

While buying a gaming PC may be simpler than building one, the Corsair Vengeance i7500 stands out for its resemblance to a self-built rig, starting with its Vengeance 4000D mid-tower case and high-quality construction.

Equipped with an Intel Core i9-14900K and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 from Palit, our review unit delivered exceptional performance, albeit at a premium price, but backed by a two-year warranty. Being constructed entirely from aftermarket parts, this PC allows for extensive customization without any proprietary components. 

One downside is the lack of RGB lighting on the GPU, which might disappoint RGB enthusiasts considering the price.

2. iBuyPower Pro Y60

Best Mid-Range Gaming PC

SPECIFICATIONS

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7700X

RAM: 32GB DDR5-5200

GPU: PNY GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Verto   Storage: 2TB Western Digital Blue SN580 SSD

TODAY'S BEST DEALS

REASONS TO BUY

Classy case

Front USB-C port
 
240 mm liquid cooling 
 
Includes a decent keyboard and mouse

REASONS TO AVOID

Large for a mid-tower
 
Wi-Fi 6, not Wi-Fi 6E

The iBuyPower Y60 is a strong mid-range performer with some bumped-up specs that will serve you well in the future. It’s slightly pricier than some similar desktops, but it comes with 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage, which will let you store plenty of games and handle demanding apps in the future.

You get a classy case — the Hyte Y60 — with this prebuilt, which gives you a wrap-around window to your components and a vertically-mounted GPU. While the motherboard doesn’t have a USB Type-C port on the rear, there is one on the case.

Other desktops we tested in this range used air coolers that didn’t impress. While liquid cooling isn’t a must, the 240 mm liquid cooler in this case was quieter than on some competitors.

There are some downsides, namely in networking. This system uses Wi-Fi 6, which is getting a bit old as a standard. Some gamers may want to plug in Ethernet (always a best practice if you can), particularly for big game downloads.

3. MSI Infinite RS 13

A Powerful, Quiet PC with Room to Upgrade

SPECIFICATIONS

CPU: Intel Core i9-13900KF

RAM: 32GB DDR5-5200

GPU: MSI RTX 4090 Surpim Liquid X

Storage: 2TB MSI Spatium PCIe 4.0 SSD

TODAY'S BEST DEALS

REASONS TO BUY

+Liquid-cooled CPU and GPU

Very quiet
 
Top-end performance 
 
Case feels premium

REASONS TO AVOID

Very large
 
Swing-out doors have very little ground clearance

The MSI Infinite RS 13th is a powerhouse designed for those who demand the best in gaming performance. Equipped with a 13th Gen Intel Core i9 processor and a liquid-cooled Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 GPU, this system delivers exceptional performance while maintaining a quiet operation. The spacious MSI Prospect 700RL case houses two radiators and nine fans, ensuring efficient cooling and minimal noise. 

All components are standard and easily upgradeable, making future enhancements straightforward. While the included keyboard and mouse are functional, upgrading to higher-quality peripherals is recommended.

In our testing, the Infinite RS 13th excelled, providing smooth gameplay and impressive performance. If you prioritize top-tier performance and upgradeability in your prebuilt system and have the space to accommodate its large case, this is an excellent choice.

4. Alienware Auroa R15

Powerful Performance with Improved Cooling

SPECIFICATIONS

CPU: Intel Core i9-13900KF

RAM: 64GB DDR5-5200

GPU: Nvidia Geforce RTX 4090 (24GB)

Storage: 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD, 1 TB, 7,200-rpm HDD

TODAY'S BEST DEALS

REASONS TO BUY

+ powerful gaming performance

Lots of ports on the front

Alienware finally moved to 240 mm AIO cooling

REASONS TO AVOID

Proprietary motherboard and server-style PSU make upgrading harder
 
At this price, you should get entirely SSD storage

The Alienware Aurora R15 has received significant updates focusing on cooling improvements. Dell, Alienware’s parent company, upgraded the cooling system to a 240 mm radiator from a 120 mm cooler, enhancing CPU performance and reducing noise. Additional side ventilation further contributes to a quieter PC.

Equipped with an Intel Core i9-13900KF and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090, the Aurora R15 excels in both gaming and productivity benchmarks. The front of the Aurora R15 offers convenient accessibility with three USB Type-A ports, a USB Type-C port, and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. However, the use of a proprietary motherboard limits full system upgrades.

The GPU, RAM, and CPU are accessible, and there is space for additional storage, although the review unit was already maxed out in its configuration.

For those interested in Alienware’s latest design, the smaller Aurora R16 offers more limited configurations but maintains the brand’s quality and performance standards.

5.Lenovo Legion Tower 7i (Gen 8)

Upgradeable With Few Frills

SPECIFICATIONS

CPU: Intel Core i9-13900KF

RAM: 32GB DDR5-4400

GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 (16GB GDDR6X)

Storage: 1TB Samsung PM9A1 PCIe Gen 4 SSD

TODAY'S BEST DEALS

REASONS TO BUY

+Standard parts allow for upgrades

Lots of ports on the front

Strong gaming performance

REASONS TO AVOID

RAM not running at full speed 
More software than previous Lenovo PCs

The Lenovo Legion Tower 7i may not be the flashiest prebuilt gaming PC, but it stands out for its upgradeability thanks to its use of standardized parts. The motherboard features four M.2 slots, providing ample storage expansion options, although one slot is occupied by the Wi-Fi card.

The front panel includes four USB Type-A ports, offering convenient accessibility for peripherals and external storage without needing to reach behind the system.

Performance-wise, the combination of an Intel Core i9-13900KF and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 delivers impressive gaming benchmarks. This setup also promises robust performance for productivity tasks, though it’s worth noting that the system’s DDR5-5600 RAM was running at 4,400 MHz during testing, which could impact productivity applications.

Overall, the Legion Tower 7i is an excellent choice for those seeking a powerful gaming PC that is both understated in design and easily upgradeable for future needs.

6.Corsair One i500

A Small PC to Fit on Your Desk

SPECIFICATIONS

CPU: Intel Core i9-14900K

RAM: 32GB Corsair Vengeance DDR5-6000

GPU: Zotac RTX 4080 Super Trinity (16GB GDDR6X, 2,550 MHz boost clock), liquid-cooled

Storage: 2TB Samsung MZVL22T0HBLB-00B00 PCIe NVMe SSD

TODAY'S BEST DEALS

REASONS TO BUY

+Wood paneling looks great

Strong gaming performance

Easier to upgrade than prior versions

Doesn’t use iCue software

REASONS TO AVOID

Only comes with very expensive components
Need customer support for GPU upgrades
120 mm radiator on Core i9-14900K

The Corsair One i500 is designed to sit on your desk, addressing the common issue of desktops typically ending up on the floor. This model is slightly larger than previous versions, accommodating large graphics cards like the Nvidia RTX 4080 and RTX 4090, and offers more room for future upgrades.

A notable design feature is the wood paneling on the case, available in both dark and light wood, with each unit having a unique look. This aesthetic choice adds a touch of elegance to the desktop.

The cooling system, particularly for the CPU, could use some improvements. It currently uses a 120 mm radiator for the Core i9, but there is space for a larger one. Despite this, performance did not seem to be significantly affected.

The Corsair One i500 is also appealing for its lack of bloatware. It comes with minimal pre-installed software, excluding even Corsair’s own iCue software. Instead, it uses a simple app to control RGB lighting, complemented by a touch strip on the front for controlling lighting effects, although the software provides more precise control.

Overall, the Corsair One i500 is a stylish, powerful desktop designed for those who prefer their PC to be a feature on their desk rather than hidden away on the floor.

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