After evaluating and analyzing in detail more than 10,000 customer satisfaction about Best Prebuilt Gaming Pcs, we have come up with the top 10 products you may be interested in Best Prebuilt Gaming Pcs.
We have ranked the best brands as you see below: Computer Upgrade King, OMEN, Skytech Gaming, Mytrix, Thermaltake, CyberpowerPC, HP…
The 10 Best Prebuilt Gaming Pcs
[amazon box=”B08KYQFZ6K,B08J44QSY2,B09BRJYKVT,B08KHD3Q5Z,B08CL2TQR4,B08QBMBP5M,B097GZB3D9,B08W8815S1,B08WVWPW14,B08WYV48ZQ” template=””]
Types
Unlike custom PCs, which often cost an arm and a leg, prebuilt PCs are much more affordable, ranging from $500 to $3000. So, which one is the best within each level? Continue reading to get the answer!
1. The best-prebuilt gaming PC under $500
The gaming PCs under $500 are for tight-budget gamers. You can choose among CPUs of recent generations with iGPU or 2nd CPUs and 2nd dedicated GPUs. The AMD Ryzen 5 3400G is the best value CPU with GPU for this building range. We recommend the HP Pavilion Desktop.
You can choose a lower build as the HP Desktop M01-F0 with Ryzen 3 3200G. There are also newer choices with Ryzen 4600G or even 5600G like Lenovo IdeaCentre 5 Desktop, AVGPC Q-Box Series Gaming PC.
2. The best-prebuilt gaming PC under $1000
CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme VR Gaming PC, a signature product from one of the best gaming PCs manufacturers in the world – CyberpowerPC, is definitely worth your investment. The Gamer Xtreme series in general and this model, in particular, features the latest generation of high-performance Intel Core processors and ultra-quick DDR RAM to easily handle system-intensive tasks, such as high definition video playback and gaming.
Moreover, it has discrete video cards providing smooth gaming and multimedia experience. As a result, the popularity of CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme VR Gaming PC has a 4.6 out of 5 rating on Amazon.
There are similar choices like OMEN 25L Gaming Desktop PC or Dell XPS 8940 Tower Desktop Computer. Feel free to pick one for yourself.
3. The best-prebuilt gaming PC under $1500
Another nominator from Skytech Shadow is Skytech Shadow 3.0 Gaming PC Desktop. This model is probably the most potent prebuilt gaming PC you can find on the market. Belonging to the CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Supreme series, this product is featured a 9th Gen Intel Core i7 Processor and many other extraordinary characteristics assuring to bring you the most beautiful gaming experience ever.
If you don’t like the look of the Skytech Shadow PC, you can take a look at the CyberpowerPC Gamer Supreme Liquid Cool Gaming PC.
4. The best-prebuilt gaming PC under $3000
The CUK Continuum Micro Gamer PC is the best-prebuilt gaming PC for under $3000. The PC features an Intel Core i9-10900KF Ten Core Processor, 32GB of DDR4 RAM, RTX 3080 graphics card, and 512GB NVMe SSD plus 2TB HDD. It has everything to conquer all modern games on the market.
A similar build, a little less robust, is the OMEN 30L Gaming Desktop PC. It costs less but still has enough juice for any games you want. If you have the budget to throw, pick one for yourself now.
Buying Guides
Getting a pre-configured gaming PC with all the hardware in tune is a fascinating way to get into PC gaming. Unlike building a PC on your own, buying premade machines is simple and time-saving. Everything works out of the box. Setup is easy and hassle-free. Then, it would be best to plug it in, and you can begin enjoying your games.
On a side note, most prebuilt gaming PCs are available with multiple configurations. Thus, you can easily choose the best specs that fit your needs and budget.
Anyhow, here’s the buying guide for how to choose the best-prebuilt gaming PCs your hard-earned money can buy:
1. CPU
The CPU, AKA processor, matters a lot in gaming. This component is like a central hub that provides instructions for your other parts. A sound processor makes your PC generally feel snappier to use.
For gaming, avoid low-powered CPUs like the plague. For example, Celeron, Pentium, Athlon, or CPUs with the last letter “U” in their names, etc., are suitable for office and general purposes. Still, they just aren’t cut out for gaming. So instead, you should get at least an Intel Core i3 or Ryzen 3. Then, for a more comfortable gaming experience, get at least an Intel Core i5 or Ryzen 5. Then you can play most modern games at a high resolution.
Generally, it would be best to get at least a 4-core CPU with a clock speed of 3.0GHz. Another thing to remember is getting the latest generation of CPU. Any 8th generation Intel Core i3 can easily outperform a 2nd generation Intel Core i5. Check out Acer Aspire TC-895-UA91 and CUK Continuum Micro, which feature the latest generation Intel Core i3 and Ryzen 3.
Unlike memory, storage, and graphic cards, the processor is the most challenging component to upgrade. Therefore, choose wisely and get the best CPU you can. This way, it can last you for several years to come while you upgrade the other components.
2. Graphic card
A graphic card AKA GPU transforms an everyday PC into a gaming beast. It excels at handling and processing high-quality graphics. Therefore, you require a GPU to process complex 3D graphics and do the heaviest lifting for gaming. Moreover, games are increasingly becoming more realistic and demanding, so a GPU is necessary for any gaming PC.
Some integrated graphics such as Intel Iris Plus or Vega graphics pack impressive power. Surprisingly, you can play entry-level games such as CS: GO or Overwatch on these graphics at a stable framerate. However, integrated graphics can only take you so far. For serious gaming, you always need a discrete GPU.
At the very least, you should get an AMD 500 series or Nvidia 10 series graphic card. These cards allow you to play the latest installments of your favorite series at 1080p 60fps. For instance, a PC with a GTX 1660/RX580 GPU like this CYBERPOWERPC GXiVR8060A7 or SkyTech Blaze is a perfect choice.
You should aim for those RTX 20 Series or AMD RX 5000 series for extreme gaming. Prebuilt gaming PCs such as Alienware Aurora R10 and Thermaltake LCGS Shadow III will handle 4K and VR gaming like a champ.
3. RAM
As for memory, 8GB RAM is the baseline for modern gaming. Therefore, it is advisable never to go lower than this number.
16GB is sufficient for more demanding games for 1080p and even 4k gaming. However, having more than 16 GB RAM is redundant as most will sit unused. So it’s a waste to spend more money on the amount of memory you don’t need.
I recommended choosing a gaming PC with 8GB RAM like iBUYPOWER Element Mini 9300. Then you can install additional RAM sticks down the line. On the other hand, if you are willing to spend a bit more at the starting point, go for 16GB like the one you found on Skytech Shiva.
4. Storage
There are two types of drives at the moment: SSD and HDD. So how do you choose one type over the other? You need to consider these two aspects when considering a storage option: speed and capacity.
As for speed, here’s my advice: always opt for an SSD. This newer storage option provides superior speed compared to the traditional HDD. A faster drive means reduced loading time and speedier booting up, making the overall computer feel snappier. However, there’s a catch: an SSD costs more than HDD in terms of price-per-bytes. That means it costs more to get a speedy SSD than the good old HDD with the same amount of disk space.
So will you choose high-speed storage with limited space or slower ample storage? The perfect answer to this question is hybrid storage. We can have the best of both worlds by having an SSD and an HDD on the same PC. You will use SSD for system files while storing games and personal files on HDD.
As for capacity, I advise you to get at least 1TB of storage, whether it’s SSD or HDD. Some modern games such as COD: Modern Warfare can take up to 150GB! This Skytech Chronos features a 1TB SSD and will satisfy all of your storing needs in terms of speed and capacity. On the other hand, if you’re on a tight budget, you should get at least 256GB SSD and one HDD drive. For instance, CYBERPOWERPC GXiVR8060A8 (somewhat) fits the bill.
5. Budget
How you choose, your PC depends on your budget and what games you want to play. You can still play the latest titles on budget PCs, with some compromise, though. Specifically, you have to turn down the graphics drastically, making the game look uglier. However, the frame rate will be stable in exchange, and the game won’t run like PowerPoint slides.
Here’s are some prebuilt gaming computer price ranges and what can you can expect:
Potato gaming ($50-200): the term potato PC refers to machines that have been rendered obsolete. As a result, you can’t play the newer games on such PCs. Due to outdated hardware, you can only play older titles, 2D and flash games. Something like Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e is suitable for office and basic games such as Candy Crush, Among Us, etc. You also can emulate some older gaming consoles such as Gameboy, SNES, NES, etc.
Entry-level gaming ($200-500): We get the low-end gaming tier moving up the ladder. You can expect to play newer games titles at 720p 30fps. You have to tune down the graphics settings for more demanding games such as Crysis Remaster to get a stable framerate. Nevertheless, the latest integrated graphics such as Intel’s UHD and AMD’s Vega still offer solid performance for the price. In addition, you can buy some rigs like CUK ASRock DeskMini A300W, or Acer Aspire TC-885-UA91 and slap in a GT 1050 for improved performance.
Mid-end gaming ($500-1,000): this is where your gaming experience is becoming more refined. You get more options within this price range, but typically you can easily enjoy games at 1080p. Even at high settings, you can hit that 60fps mark with ease. Besides performance, these rigs also offer eye-catching chassis that will make every head turn. For instance, Omen Obelisk and iBUYPOWER Element 9260 spot a unique aesthetics and sleek design.
High-end gaming (>$1,000): premade gaming PCs at this price range have everything you want and even features you don’t know you need. These rigs offer state-of-the-art technology and components to bring you the best gaming experience possible. Prebuilt gaming PCs above $1,000, such as Alienware Aurora R10 or Corsair One i164, support 4K and VR gaming.
For reference, below is the table for minimum specifications of each gaming tier:
Specs / Gaming tier | Potato level gaming | Entry-level gaming | Mid-end gaming | High-end gaming |
Expected gaming performance | Casual games only (web-based, 2D, or indie titles) | 720p 30fps (AAA titles) | 1080p-1440p 60fps (AAA titles) | 4K and VR-ready (AAA titles) |
CPU | Older generation Intel Core i3-i5, Athlon, Celeron, Pentium, etc. | Intel Core i3, Ryzen 3 | Intel Core i5, Ryzen 5 | Intel Core i7, i9, Ryzen 7, Ryzen 9 |
RAM | 4GB | 8GB | 8GB-16GB | 16GB+ |
GPU | Old integrated graphics | Newer integrated graphics (Intel UHD, Ryzen Vega graphics) Or Dedicated GPU (at least a GT 1030 or RX 550) | Dedicated GPU (at least a GTX 1060 or RX 480) | Dedicated GPU (at least an RTX 2060 or AMD Radeon 5600 xt) |
STORAGE | 60-128GB+ SSD (For Windows only) | 256GB+ SSD (Get at least another HDD for storing games and files) | 512GB-1TB+ SSD | 1TB+ SSD |
Typically, prebuilt gaming PCs at around $700 are the sweet spot between price and performance. For example, SkyTech Archangel, SkyTech Rampage, or Acer Nitro 50 are the best bang for your buck. These are mid-end rigs. With some adjustments, you can enjoy games at medium-high settings at 1080p or even 1440p.