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Gaming PCs are the best way to play video games at the highest level, so we've rounded up the best ones you can buy.
Although it's expensive, the Corsair One i160 computer's uncompromising performance and small form factor make it easily the best gaming PC around.
If you're a gamer, there's no better way to play games than with a PC. While the Xbox One and PS4 bring their own exclusive games to the table, a PC allows you to push the graphics of your games to the limit. Additionally, without the need for retail packaging or sale, most PC games end up being cheaper.
Like anything good in life, PC gaming doesn't come without some extra work. Between knowing what parts do what and how to put the parts together, the barrier for entry into PC gaming is high. Thankfully, the number of companies now making gaming PCs has grown, allowing you to get in on the action without the hassle.
There's nothing inherently special about a "gaming" PC. It's still a normal computer, except it usually has faster internal components. The key concern for gaming computers is the graphics card, which is the chip that's responsible for translating all of the data that your computer is processing into images on your screen.
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Faster graphics cards allow the computer to render the complex 3D models in video games quickly, so gaming PCs usually come with a dedicated graphics chip. In order to balance the system, gaming PCs will generally have faster processors, too.
If you're a computer newbie, fret not. I'll do my best to guide you through this list. That said, I can't explain what each component does and, furthermore, how that component sits in the market without multiple other articles. I'll still give you the components, but I'll also tell you how that translates into gaming. If you want to learn more about the components that make up a PC, go here.
With that, we can get to our list of the best gaming PC you can buy. We have five picks, each of which fill a different need, so make sure to read through all of the options to find the best one for you.
Why you’ll love it: The Corsair One i160 leaves no stone unturned with the absolute best in hardware and an attractive design, to boot.
The Corsair One i160 is the first PC to truly combine powerful components and a small form factor without sacrificing thermals. At around twice the size of a gaming console and a third of the size of a mid tower gaming PC, the Corsair One is the perfect centerpiece for your living room or desk.
Given the small form factor, it’s easy to assume that the One skimped on specs, but that isn’t the case. There are two versions: the i160 and i140. Between the two, there’s a $600 price discrepancy, which, given the higher end components in the i160, is worth it.
The i160 comes outfitted with an Intel Core i9-9900K, Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti, 32GB of 2666Mhz RAM, a 480GB NVMe SSD and 2TB 2.5-inch hard drive. If all of that’s gibberish to you, here’s what you need to know: For gaming and even light content creation, the specs of the i160 are the best you can get right now. Both the graphics card and processor are the top-of-the-line chips from Intel and Nvidia, making the i160 one hell of a machine.
Furthermore, every component has a standard form factor. Many pre-built computers come with proprietary designs, making it impossible to upgrade components down the line. While the One’s crowded chassis doesn’t make upgrades especially easy, they are possible. Many of the components in the machine — including the RAM and power supply — are products from Corsair that you can buy from any tech retailer.
While cramped when trying to upgrade, Corsair’s effort to condense standard PC components into as small of a space as possible pays off. The design of the One is gorgeous, with smooth accent lighting in the front and vented side panels. The RGB LEDs can sync with Corsair’s iCue software, too, meaning you can match your rig with other Corsair peripherals.
Pros: Top of the line hardware, attractive case, RGB lighting
Why you’ll love it: Alienware’s Aurora R7 has a standard PC layout, making it a perfect entry point for those who want to upgrade their PC in the future.
While you can upgrade the Corsair One, we wouldn’t recommend digging into it unless you know what you’re doing. It’s cramped, with multiple passthrough cables and a strange layout. If you’re just diving into the world of custom PCs, the Alienware Aurora R7 is a better choice. It brings a different kind of flare to pre-built PCs, with a standard internal layout for those who want to get the lay of the land.
Like many gaming PCs, there are multiple builds available. The one we’d recommend comes with an Intel Core i7-8700K, 16GB of 2666Mhz RAM, and an overclocked Nvidia RTX 2080. You can outfit the Aurora R7 with the same specs as the Corsair One, but you’ll be paying a hefty premium.
Outside of a strange power supply mount, the Aurora R7 has a mostly standard PC layout. Swiveling the power supply out exposes the other components, including the built-in all-in-one water cooling solution and support for dual graphics cards. All of the mounts, cables, and slots are standard, too, meaning it’s easy to upgrade your graphics card, storage, or RAM down the line.
While the motherboard supports dual graphics cards, none of Alienware’s pre-built configurations come with two GPUs. It’s easy to upgrade to dual graphics cards using Alienware’s configurator, though. Considering it’s cheaper to add dual graphics cards than to buy a second graphics card off the shelf, we recommend you configure your build that way if you want two GPUs.
Many pre-built gaming PCs make it more difficult to get into the world of building your own computer, but the Aurora R7 actually makes it easier. By providing a no-nonsense layout inside an attractive chassis, Alienware allows you to understand how standard computer components work and fit into a machine.
Pros: Standard layout, solid specs, support for dual graphics cards
Like the other options in this guide, CyberPower has a configurator that will allow you to customize the PC to your liking. However, for the price, we’re talking specifically about the Gamer Xtreme VR GXiVR8060A5 (what a mouth-full). You don’t have to worry about the model number, though — just use the Amazon link below and you can find the exact PC we’re talking about.
When budget is the main concern, it’s hard to beat CyberPower. While the specs don’t reach as high as our top two picks, CyberPower trades whatever power in loses in a simple checkout experience. You can buy the machine directly from Amazon, with two-day Prime shipping. It even comes with a keyboard and mouse, so you’ll be ready to go out of the gate.
As for specs, this PC isn’t top of the line, but it should still run most modern titles without any issues. It sports an Intel Core i5-8400 clocked at 2.8Ghz, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, a 3GB Nvidia GTX 1060, and two hard drives. There’s a 120GB SSD that stores Windows and all of your core applications, as well as a 1TB spinning hard drive for any media storage, too.
For those that don’t know the first thing about computer hardware, here’s how the specs translate: This PC can run most modern titles at full HD with medium settings. It’ll reach 60 frames per second in most games, though some more demanding titles will sit around the 40 frames per second mark.
As an introduction into PC gaming, the Gamer Xtreme VR GXiVR8060A5 is a solid choice. The build is balanced across processor, graphics card, and memory, and it comes in a case with RGB fans and a tempered glass side panel. It has built-in Wi-Fi, too, which is an important but often forgotten feature in enthusiast desktops.
Why you’ll love it: The MSI Trident X proves that you don’t need to sacrifice space for power.
The Corsair One is already small at only 12 liters, but the MSI Trident X is even smaller. With an internal volume of only 10 liters, the Trident X is one of the smallest gaming PCs on the market, making for a suitable console replacement or high-powered media center. It’s cheaper than the One, too, at around $2,000.
It has a long, slender chassis, outfitted with RGB accent lighting. On the front, there are three light bars with individual controls that you can adjust using MSI’s software. There’s also an RGB light strip internally that shows off the graphics card, as well as an RGB ring around the CPU fan. All of that lighting is shown off, too. MSI has a vented side panel that slightly exposes the graphics card, as well as a tempered glass side panel for the CPU cooler.
Because of that design, the thermals are quite good. The power supply, graphics card, and CPU all have vented grilles directly above them, allowing air to move throughout the system. The tempered glass side panel is slightly raised, too, allowing air to freely move into the case and cool your components.
The specs aren’t as high end as the Corsair One, but at around $1,500 less, the tradeoff is worth it. With an Intel Core i7-9700K, Nvidia RTX 2070, and 16GB of RAM, the Trident X can easily handle modern titles, including any VR gaming or 4K gaming that you might want to do.
Furthermore, most of the components are the same parts you could buy off the shelf. The motherboard and graphics card are both retail versions of MSI boards, meaning you can always upgrade the Trident X down the line.
Why you’ll love it: The Maingear F131 compromises nothing both in terms of performance and aesthetics.
Water cooling has become significantly easier in the last few years, with all-in-one systems gaining popularity for cooling a processor. For both thermals and aesthetics, though, there’s no suitable replacement for hardline water cooling.
Instead of using air, water cooling continually passes fluid over your components. The fluid takes the heat from the components and transfers it to a radiator, which disperses it out into your room. Since the fluid is in constant motion and takes more heat than normal air, water cooled systems usually run cooler and quieter.
The “hardline” part of the name refers to the type of tubing used to transfer the fluid. Instead of a loose, floppy tube, hardline tubing is rigid, adding clean lines to your build. The Maingear F131 is built with that in mind. The PC comes stock with hardline tubing, and you can upgrade it to include metal tubing, too.
It’s not just a water cooled PC, though. The F131 stands out with a unique reservoir that spans the height of the system. Maingear calls it the “APEX” system, which combines dual pumps and a high capacity reservoir in thick slabs of acrylic. Not only does the APEX system provide a high capacity reservoir, it also shows off the color of the fluid you’re using in a visually stunning way.
That comes at the cost of both money and knowledge. You can only purchase the F131 through Maingear’s configurator, meaning those that know nothing about the components will have to either do their research or go with another option. A fully tricked out version of the F131 can cost as much as $6,000, too, so penny pinchers should probably look elsewhere.
Pros: Unique water cooling system, high-end components, gorgeous design
