Top gaming PC brands

The best gaming PCs are the premiere way to get a seriously powerful gaming rig into your life with, arguably, a greater level of ease and convenience. While you could always look at building yourself a great gaming PC from scratch, meticulously researching components and soldering techniques, the truth is there are plenty of great pre-made and optimized builds on the best gaming PC market right now.

To make your life a little easier, GamesRadar has put together a list of what we believe are the best gaming PCs to help you get a sense of what's available and what you should be on the lookout for when you go bargain-hunting.

Of course, it would be wise to have a rough idea of what you're looking for first. Quality and power tend to scale with price, and a high-end gaming PC can certainly break the bank if you aren't careful. That's why you should consider what you need your new PC to do, what you hope it will do in the future. There are the lower-end machines that will give you a great way of catching up with some of the best PC games of the last generation, and then there are the more expensive, power-hungry rigs that will require the best gaming monitors to get the most out of. Whatever you decide, keep reading on to see our recommendations for the best gaming PC, no matter your budget.

No matter what you go for, the benefits you'll get from picking up one of the best gaming PCs ready-made are clear. To start with, it's less stressful than putting a build together yourself. Even though the process can be a lot of fun, it's not without anxiety and can give its fair share of headaches when things don't work properly. In addition, you're getting the benefit of manufacturer warranty [yes, it's a very dull thing to harp on about but is seriously handy all the same]. Finally, pre-built PCs tend to have better cable management, clever space-saving techniques, unique cooling arrangements, and even parts you won't be able to find anywhere else.

Just remember to check out the best antivirus software before diving into a game. They'll ensure your brand new gaming powerhouse is well protected.

Looking for something a bit more portable, on the other hand? We've compared the finest models over on our guide to the best gaming laptops.

Best gaming PC retailer pages:
Dell | Amazon | Best Buy | Newegg | Walmart | HP | Lenovo | Microsoft

Best gaming PCs 2022

At around the $1,500 / £1,500 mark, the Predator Orion 3000 might be one of the best-value gaming PCs on the market right now. The advent of the RTX 3000 series of GPUs means that kind of money gets you performance-for-value that wouldnt have been possible even just a few years ago.

With a compact 18-litre case and customisable RGB lighting, the Orion 3000 certainly looks pretty slick. Although the CPU is only equipped with a stock air cooler, this PC can handle graphically intensive games without overheating. 1440p gaming is the sweet spot here, but youll find that it can run many games at 4K without much compromise in quality or framerate.

Plenty of storage and great connectivity back up the solid performance of the core components, and the tidy internals mean that upgrading most parts of this build shouldnt be hard. While some parts of the case feel less than durable, its hard to deny that this is a quality gaming desktop for the asking price.

Alienware's Aurora R12 is leading Alienware into the next generation of gaming; as well as 10th-gen Intel processors and the possibility of liquid-cooled graphics cards, it offers a variety of builds to suit most budgets. If you want to get into PC gaming for the first time or would like to upgrade your existing setup - perhaps in preparation for ray tracing games - this is the most cost-effective way to do it.

Ranging from affordable starter rigs to pimped-out super PCs, the Aurora R12 strikes a good balance of choice. Better still, these desktops can be easily opened and upgraded with different parts as and when you see fit. Want more RAM or a larger SSD? No problem. Because the power supply unit swings out on a metal arm, you get more room to fiddle with the PC's insides.

The R12's design is of a similar form for the last few years and is attractive enough - and unique if nothing else. Although it sticks with the distinctive case and scooped-out front of its predecessor, this update enriches that formula with new lighting around the central strip in some cases. It's an addition that turns heads and makes the design feel even more futuristic than it did before.

The Aurora Ryzen R10 series is a Ryzen-build entry into the Aurora series, all sporting third-gen AMD Ryzen processors rather than the usual Intel processors. The former have massively closed the gap on the latter in recent years and months, so it's no real surprise to see an Alienware PC range specifically offering that kind of CPU.

Focused around that Ryzen CPU, though, you can fully customize your Aurora R10 however you want, which means that whether you're a console gamer looking to break into PC gaming or a die-hard veteran who wants the ultimate build, you'll find it here. The Alienware brand name comes with the usual price premium that most Alienware products have, but if you can overcome that, and want the respective premium quality that also comes with the name, then the spaceship-inspired R10 design is for you, especially since the Alienware Command Center is a useful bit of kit packed in. The main downsides are that it can get somewhat loud, almost as if it is a spaceship engine trying to take off, and accessing the components within isn't an easy task thanks to the placement of the PSU cage. You can definitely do much worse when buying a pre-built PC though, and that Ryzen-Nvidia blend is a brilliant one that offers exquisite performance.

It's worth noting that this variant of the Aurora lineup is often the most value-busting - it starts out dangerously close to being the best gaming PC under $1000 and the occasional discount means it becomes the bonafide best gaming PC under 1000 dollars, no contest.

Away from Dell's Alienware gaming nutters, the PC-maker's own brand G-series desktop PCs are underrated machines. They often provide a great budget or entry-level route into gaming PCs and are not an afterthought: they get updates as much as any of the other desktops or laptops available at Dell. The really entry-level ones won't do gang-busting numbers or levels of graphical fidelity but they'll be great PCs to have at home for work and play.

Now that the baseline is the 10th-generation of Intel chips this is another factor to work in their favor. Particularly as the baseline is the 16-series of Nvidia cards which will handle anything just fine, and you can choose one well into the ray-tracing range including the 2070 Super. Their compact form is also a plus side, while Dell's aftercare - should you need it - is pretty good too. A value-busting quality entry in this list, and one of the best gaming PCs for under $1000 if you find the right build.

If youre not out to build your own PC [or youve had no luck with the current GPU lottery] but still want a powerhouse desktop for some next-gen gaming, check out HPs Omen 30L line. Custom-built inside a slick Omen chassis, they offer solid hardware with plenty of customization options and the potential for easy future upgrades.

The Omen 30L weve reviewed comes with some slick, understated RGB lighting, as well as a 10th-gen Intel processor and RTX 2080 Super GPU. This version costs $1,999 [with a years warranty included], but pricier models are available with RTX 3000-series cards [though be prepared for all kinds of stock fluctuation given it is the year 2021]. The case has two tempered glass panels to showcase your system, with easy access for adjustments and excellent ventilation to prevent overheating.

While the interior isnt the tidiest weve seen amongst the best gaming PCs, the performance speaks for itself. The 2080 Super model is a beast at 1440p and can play most games comfortably at 4K too, with its liquid-cooled processor never getting too hot even playing the most demanding titles. HP has proven that its taking pre-built machines seriously, so the Omen 30L gets a thumbs up from us.

This is a tremendous machine and one that really harnesses a great power to performance to price balance. It's a great new design from ASUS and is a welcome addition to the pre-built gaming PC market. I use this PC every day so I am a bit biased perhaps, I'd argue, it's a well-placed bias! It's a joy to use as a work PC that seamlessly changes to a monster. The components of my build, particularly, demonstrate the GA15's successful inhabiting of a place of balance between performance and value. Inside is a 3700X processor, a 2060 Super graphics card [itself probably the best bang for buck GPU in the ray-tracing category], 16GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD + 2TB HDD combo. It's got a sweet design, plenty of ports, runs quiet, and has some RGB fun too on the front - with ASUS making so many great gaming laptops right now, it's no wonder they've come out with an excellent new desktop range.

Just for clarity and to reassure you if you're following links, you might see this machine listed as a G15DH or G15 - do not worry, it's the same one as the GA15. Your options of specs might also slightly differ depending on you're location: the above list is taken straight from ASUS itself in terms of what the machine can house, but I have seen some slightly different builds - including the odd Intel CPU build - crop up at some retailers. Regardless, this is still a PC build that is extremely easy to recommend and each variant will have that ASUS stamp of quality and pedigree within that you can have confidence in. What's more, with the 30-series graphics cards now being firmly here [we know], this PC can offer a more budget-perspective and level, often being one of the best gaming PCs for under $1000

This offers great bang for buck value. The Cyberpower Gamer Xtreme is a great PC to rock the current generation of games and do it all as one of the best gaming PCs under $1000 too.

Even beyond that and branching into the increasingly large world of VR, this machine will get you there on a shoestring: it's VR-ready right out of the box [just] and will be easy to upgrade when newer, more fancy headsets become more available.

The Xtreme is also great for anyone looking for a PC to match the capabilities of consoles, and something that will complement a PS4/Xbox One or PS5/XSX setup. And the Gamer Xtreme is also modular and upgradeable enough to allow you to quickly adapt when specs for when you need to allow for solid upgradeability and future proof-ness. Again, all without breaking the bank.

The Corsair One series is incredibly small and lightweight [at least considering how much power it's packing], and has an attractive form factor. As a step-up option from Corsair's flashier but more modestly outfitted Vengeance model, the Corsair has a few advantages that will primarily appeal to those looking for more workload capability and who are focused on gaming as a more secondary concern. The Corsair One is decidedly a workstation focused rig, though it certainly doesn't slouch in the gaming department either.

The One comes in a few flavors, but the best dollars-to-performance value is in the package around the $3,000 mark. It's built around an RTX 2080Ti, and contains a 960GB SSD and a 2TB HDD. It also has the impressive i9-9900K intel processor which is still offers some mega gaming chops despite the new 10th gen CPUs now going. And also, in a nod to megatasking workload scenarios, it packs a lot of RAM, at 32GB of DDR4-2666. It will manhandle modern games at 4K with ease, and it's also suitable for heavy rendering, CAD, or other workstation style applications.

It's sort of the ultimate gaming/workstation hybrid, though if you find your bank balance is absolutely bursting with discretionary income, first, call me, but second you might also want to consider the top option in the Corsair family. The ridiculous $5,000 option includes the wildly overpowered i9-9920X CPU, which Intel insists on describing [and probably rightly so] as the "best processor for gaming."

The iBUYPOWER Element CL Pro deftly handles one of the more difficult challenges in the creation of the best gaming PCs: custom liquid-cooling. Normally reserved for only the priciest machines due to expensive shipping costs, the Element CL Pro offers a gorgeous, custom loop liquid-cooled rig at a reasonable price - you can get this beauty for less than $2K.

The Element CL Pro is a step above last year's Element CL Plus because it can support the RTX 3070 cards, and the numbers it churns out proves it handles 4K gaming well. It can't quite hit 4K 60fps for Metro Exodus, but it can easily reach that with Red Dead Redemption 2 and Shadow of the Tomb Raider on the highest graphical settings. The rig reaches 60fps across multiple games at lower resolutions [1440p and 1080p]. Simply put - it produces excellent and consistently amazing gameplay.

If you're someone who loves to tinker with your PCs, the Element CL Pro offers incredibly easy access for upgrades and maintenance. An all-glass side panel lets you get to the GPU and CPU with ease and refilling the liquid cooling system is a breeze as it's located outside of the system so there's no need to worry about accidental spillage.

The iBUYPOWER Element CL Pro is a gorgeous machine that offers excellent performance at a price that won't hurt your wallet.

Browse the selection right now at iBUYPOWER

If you want excellent QHD performance and dedicated hardware for ray tracing, all in a sleek package with a beautiful glass panel and brilliant RGB lighting, the CLX Set Gaming is an excellent deal. Packing a Ryzen 7 2700, plenty of CPU for gaming and multitasking, and a Geforce RTX 2070, Nvidia's mid 20-series card loaded with hardware to support ray tracing as well as DLSS, the Set Gaming from CLX is a fantastic machine that's priced very competitively [as of this writing it's discounted even further down to $1,255 at Walmart from it's normally excellent starting price].

Being right in the middle of the RTX pack means the 2070 is easily capable of handling the current pool of games that feature ray tracing at solid frame rates at 1440p [or even 4K, depending on the game and your settings]. And the Set Gaming also packs a speedy SSD you can use as a boot drive, while saving the 1TB HDD for games and storage. For the specs, you won't find a machine close to this price point, so the Set Gaming is an easy recommend, especially if you can grab it during the current sale.