The best gaming PC 2018: 10 of the top gaming desktops you can buy
With a steady stream of the best PC games, the PC continues to be the best platform to play your games on. From best-in-class RPGs like Dark Souls: Remastered to intense shooters like Far Cry 5, having the best gaming PC for your budget can make a world of difference for your gaming experience.
It doesn’t matter whether you prefer Intel, AMD or Nvidia – most PC makers will let you choose the best processors and best graphics card for your needs anyway. And, now that cryptocurrency mining has died down a bit, the prices of the best gaming PCs will inevitably fall as well.
You’ll find the best gaming PCs from manufacturers you’ll know like Alienware and Lenovo to those you’ve likely never heard of like Corsair and Zotac. We went ahead and collected all the best gaming PCs we could find – after putting through an ultimate test to decide which ones provide the most bang for your buck. So, let’s dive into the 10 best gaming PCs you can buy today, so you can get to pushing your pixels.
As is custom with pre-built gaming PCs, the Alienware Aurora R7 isn’t just a computer. It’s a whole menu of computers that you can choose from and personalize based on the specs of your liking combined with a set budget. It’s important, then, for it to be easily upgradeable and attractive to look at considering its awfully high price tag. Fortunately, the Alienware Aurora R7 is both of those things and will impress those unconvinced that they should build their own rig.
Read the full review: Alienware Aurora R7
- This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the MSI Aegis 3
It’s not uncommon anymore for PC makers to brandish their pre-built desktop rigs as VR-ready. What is unusual is to do so with a computer that’s also ready to conquer any game you throw at it at well over 60 frames per second and for under two grand. That’s exactly what MSI has accomplished with the Infinite A, a tower whose graphical efforts aren’t thwarted by its preparedness for VR, nor is it so expensive that it would see your head turn the other way.
Read the full review: MSI Infinite A
- This product is only available in the US at the time of this writing. Australian and UK readers: check out a fine alternative in the Overclockers 8Pack Asteroid
If you’re looking for one of the best gaming PCs, but want something that doesn’t look like, well, a gaming PC – you’re in luck. While the Intel Hades Canyon NUC isn’t as powerful as some of the other gaming PCs on this list, it’s also much smaller – looking more like a set-top box than any PC. And, even with its small form-factor it still packs just as much power as the best gaming laptops with its beefy 8th-generation Intel Core i7 CPU and discrete-class Radeon graphics. Just keep in mind you’ll have to supply your own RAM, storage and OS.
Read the full review: Intel Hades Canyon NUC
Positioned as a ’console killer,’ the MSI Trident 3 looks a lot like an Xbox One S and is more powerful than a PS4 Pro, but at the end of the day, it’s a PC that feels just right in your living room. Complete with all the ports you could ever dream of, the MSI Trident 3’s advantages are clear. Still, in trying to be as thin and light as possible, the MSI Trident 3 comes equipped with a 330W external power supply brick, resembling some of the most less attractive console designs.
Read the full review: MSI Trident 3
If you’re buying a pre-built PC, upgrades should be simple, right? That’s the philosophy behind the Lenovo IdeaCentre Y900. Embellished with red lights all over, the front of its chassis is bespeckled with textured patterns that’ll no doubt make your friends jealous. On top of offering support for a VR-ready GTX 1080, the Lenovo IdeaCentre boasts SLI support and room for up to 64GB of RAM, which are thankfully complemented by a convenient tool-less design.
Read the full review: Lenovo IdeaCentre Y900
- This product is only available in the US and UK as of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Corsair One.
The Dell XPS Tower, much like the sublime XPS 13 is a lesson in packing beefy specs into a subtle chassis. This inconspicuous gaming rig looks like something you’d find in your dad’s office, rather than something powering the latest PC games. But, beneath that quiet exterior, the Dell XPS Tower is one of the best gaming PCs, packing an Intel 8th-generation Coffee Lake processor and an Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti at the lowest configuration option. With the Dell XPS Tower Special Edition, you’re getting one of the best gaming PCs you can buy in 2018, without any of the off-putting ‘gamer aesthetic’.
Read the full review: Dell XPS Tower Special Edition
- This product is only available in the US and UK as of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Corsair One.
When you buy a computer from Origin, it’s almost like you’re building it on your own. You have to be familiar enough with PC components to decide for yourself what goes into the rig and how much money you’re going to spend on it. So, of course, our only real criticism of the Origin Millennium is that you can build a similar model for cheaper. However, because of its subtle design and flexible specs, we’re willing to bet you won’t want to.
Read the full review: Origin Millennium
- This product is only available in the US as of this writing. UK and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Overclockers 8Pack Asteroid.
In classic Alienware fashion, the Area 51 Threadripper Edition pushes the limits of both technology and your wallet. It’s wildly powerful, markedly featuring the latest AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X across all of its configurations. The Area 51’s triad-design hasn’t changed much since its introduction back in 2014, but on the inside this machine is essentially tool-less to upgrade, not that you would even need to.
Read the full review: Alienware Area 51 Threadripper Edition
- This product is only available in the US at the time of this writing. UK and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Corsair One
One of the only advantages gaming consoles have traditionally held over the best gaming PCs is size – in the past it’s been incredibly difficult to have a gaming PC blend into the background. However, with the MSI Vortex G25, that’s no longer the case. Not much bigger than a PS3 Slim, but with a ton more power, the Vortex G25 will feel right at home in your living room, while providing out-of-this-world gaming performance. You do give up some upgradeability with a chassis so small, but the included Thunderbolt 3 softens that blow a bit.
Read the full review: MSI Vortex G25
Corsair has made a name for itself in pretty much every category of PC components, so it’s only natural that it would eventually create one of the best gaming PCs you can buy today. Enter the Corsair One Elite, a high-spec PC in a compact and quiet case that, while expensive, blows the competition out of the water. The Elite is a huge improvement over the original Corsair One, packed with an 8th-generation Core i7 processor, a Nvidia GTX 1080 Ti and more water cooling than you can shake a stick at. If you can afford its high price tag, the Corsair One Elite is one of the best gaming PCs you can buy today.
Read the full review: Corsair One Elite
Joe Osborne and Gabe Carey have also contributed to this article
