As mobile devices become more capable, the desktop — our old standby — is too easily forgotten. While manufacturers might lament the decline in desktop sales, it’s all good news for consumers. You’ve always been able to get more bang for your buck out of a desktop computer than you could out of, say, a laptop. Now more than ever, desktop manufacturers are in fierce competition to provide you with the best value without sacrificing performance.
Here we’ve compiled the best desktop computers currently on the market. Whether you need something for your dorm room, home office, or gaming cave, we’ve got you covered with the best desktop PCs on the market today.
Our pick
Falcon Mach V
Why you should buy this: You want the best of the best — a grim obelisk, thrumming with dark power.
Who it’s for: Gamers, professionals, overclocking enthusiasts
How much will it cost: Between $2,800 and $9,000+
Why we picked the Falcon Mach V
Like the Monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey, the Falcon Mach V is a solid black pillar of immense power. It’s understated, elegant, and expensive.
If you want a desktop that will outperform and outlast any other desktop on the market, and price isn’t too much of an issue, then you can’t do better than the Falcon Mach V. It’s fully configurable, from the processor to the paint job, and while it’s a little pricey you’re going to come away with something tailored to your specific needs.
Compared to some other systems, the Mach V may seem mundane, but that’s to its benefit. It doesn’t call too much attention to itself, so it can work as a high-end workstation, a supercharged gaming PC, or anything in between. You may want to seek another rig if flash is important to you, but we think most users will prefer this monolith’s look. Also, it tends to run quieter than competitors, so it won’t distract you with whirring fans.
The conventional design also makes the Mach V easy to upgrade. It has a large, spacious, logically arranged interior, with plenty of room for new hard drives or a large graphics card. And if it breaks within the first three years (god forbid), you’re covered: Falcon’s standard warranty is among the best in the business.
The best budget desktop
Dell Inspiron 5680
Why you should buy this: You want good performance on a budget.
Who it’s for: Students, families
How much will it cost: $800+
Why we picked the Dell Inspiron 5680:
The Inspiron 5680 is a quiet desktop PC that just gets the job done. Properly specced it can do pretty much anything you need it to without breaking your budget. It can serve as a solid, reliable workstation, or its intended purpose: a budget gaming rig.
It’s not the most expensive system on this list, but it’s got a couple features that give it a leg up over some of its more expensive competitors. For starters, it’s very quiet. Seriously, it’s whisper quiet even under a heavy load, which makes it a great choice for dorm rooms or living rooms, or anywhere that excessive fan noise wouldn’t be particularly appreciated. It never gets very loud, and it’s practically inaudible under a desk, even under heavy load.
The Inspiron is also surprisingly compact. You can put this thing anywhere; it’d fit comfortably under a desk, on top of it, or even in a small cupboard. It’s just flashy enough to look stylish without looking out of place in a home office. Overall, the Inspiron 5680 is a workhorse, plain and simple. If you need a new desktop PC, a new all-around workstation that will dutifully serve with only a sensible number of bells and whistles, the Inspiron is your best bet.
Read our full Dell Inspiron 5680 review
The best all-in-one
Apple iMac 27-inch with 5K Display
Why you should buy this: You want a cord-free, clean setup.
Who it’s for: Students, families, creative professionals
How much will it cost: Starts at $1,800
Why we picked the Apple iMac 27-inch with 5K Display
Looking for a more reserved style? Maybe you just want an all-in-one with a tack-sharp screen? Then the iMac with Apple’s 5K display is a solid choice particularly if space is a consideration, or if you just don’t want to deal with all the hassles that come along with a typical desktop PC.
The iMac lives up to the famous Apple promise: it just works. This is a desktop that gets out of your way and gets the job done. The gorgeous, luxurious screen makes the iMac a great choice for multi-purpose use: As a workstation, it’s got a big enough monitor with all the space you could need; as an entertainment center or even a TV replacement, it’s got vivid colors, deep blacks, and unparalleled color clarity.
In addition to all of that, the iMac is surprisingly fast. It’s snappy and responsive, with quick load times, and decent multitasking performance as long as you don’t push it too hard.
Performance, paired with a classic glass-and-aluminum design, make the iMac a good choice for consumers looking for a well-rounded desktop that doesn’t take up too much of the desktop.
The best gaming desktop
Alienware Area-51
Why you should buy this: It’s big box power is accented by a sublimely quiet gaming experience.
Who it’s for: Gamers who want ultimate gaming power in a unique-looking chassis.
How much will it cost: Starts at $1,900 – $8,000. Tested at $6,710
Why we picked the Alienware Area 51:
Alienware’s Area 51 has always been a striking gaming PC and the latest R5 iteration is no different. With a hefty, but uniquely angled and styled chassis, the new version packs up to dual GTX 1080 graphics alongside Intel CPUs and memory options which will leave no gamer wanting.
One of the most exciting elements of this sleek system though, is that it’s so quiet. It’s also well designed for those planning customization of their own. Its case design is such that removing graphics cards, memory, and other components can be done quickly and easily without a tool in sight.
As a robust system, it can also stand up to any knocks and bangs during transit – perfect if you like to pop along to a local or national LAN party. It’s a bit on the hefty side, but the sturdiness of the chassis makes up for that.
You have to pay through the nose for such a quality machine, but if you want a futureproofed gaming desktop with plenty of power today, there’s little better than the latest Alienware Area 51.
Check out our list of the best gaming laptops for more options.
Read our full Alienware Area-51 R5 review
Should you buy now, or wait?
That’s the real question here, isn’t it? If you’ve read this far, you probably already have a good idea of what you want out of a new desktop, but when should you pull the trigger on the decision?
Well, now’s as good a time as any. Graphics card prices remain sky high, making pre-built systems a much more attractive option. Additionally, Apple, Microsoft, Dell, and most other major manufacturers have refreshed their flagship desktop lines with Intel’s 8th-generation chips from last year, though if you’re excited by AMD’s Ryzen+ chips, you may want to wait a few more months for those to arrive en masse.
If you buy today, or sometime soon, you’re in a good position to get a reliable desktop at a reasonable price.
How we test
You’ve read our reviews. You’ve read our conclusions. And now you’re wondering how we came to them.
Reviews often lack context. We’ll give out a score and analyze the finer points of desktop performance, but how do we reach those conclusions? How do we test these machines?
Allow us to lift the veil. Here we’ll explain the benchmarks we use for objective testing and the perspective from which we approach subjective topics. We don’t expect everyone to agree with our opinions, but we hope that sharing our process will leave you better equipped to decide what desktop best fits your needs.
