Which computer is best for gaming

All of that comes in a chassis that takes up less than a third of a cubic foot. It's perfect if you're looking to pack a ton of power within a small space. If you're ready to throw down some serious cash for one of the most capable gaming desktops money can buy, there isn't really a much better option than the Alienware Aurora Ryzen Editon R Not only will you be able to enjoy true 4K 60fps PC gaming, but you'll also be able to squeeze out quality ray tracing effects from this gaming desktop's GPU without having to greatly sacrifice frame rate.

Of course, those are just the base specs. Dell allows for some seriously impressive upgrades, including a bump to the core Ryzen 9 X and up to GB of memory. With all this graphical and processing power, the Alienware Aurora is easily capable of providing a solid gaming experience and could also serve as a solid video production machine. Alternatively, this gaming desktop could easily serve as a streaming PC without any noticeable hit on its gaming prowess if you max it out.

High-end gamers will be able to get a lot out of this highly customizable machine. If you prefer a gaming PC with a more unassuming design, the Dell XPS Tower Special Edition puts powerful gaming hardware into a sleek-but-simple chassis, so no one will know you're not using it for work. The case is surprisingly compact, but it still boasts four USB 3. What's more, you get a tool-less design similar to the Alienware Aurora for super easy upgrades.

There are 3 PCIe slots to add graphics cards, sound cards, and more to even further customize your machine. Want a gaming PC that will make people do a double-take?

The Maingear Turbo might be the one to do just that. This compact PC may look fairly unassuming given its small stature and muted design, but a quick peek through the tempered glass side panel will show off what makes this machine purr.

Therefore, you'll have tons of performance potential with 12 cores and little worry over overheating. This combination of hardware will let your compact PC handle just about any gaming demands you have for it, including smooth 4K gaming.

This machine is also customizable, so you can pick and choose what it comes loaded with. Consoles have had the advantage over gaming PCs for their ability to easily slot into media centers and TV stands. This has made them an easy addition to living rooms for gaming, but the MSI Trident 3 turns the tables.

The MSI Trident 3 comes in at just 3. A PlayStation 5. Meanwhile, the RTX inside will offer up great visuals. This experience is nearly indistinguishable from native 4K without the same performance hit of that higher resolution. The Corsair Vengeance a Series brings it.

Like the Intel-based Vengeance i, this model comes built into a Corsair D Airflow case for phenomenal airflow to keep your system cool even under pressure, not to mention the computer comes with a bunch of fans. In this configuration, Corsair is including a water-cooler AMD Ryzen 9 X with plenty of cores to handle your gaming and streaming at the same time. Meanwhile, the RTX Ti can deliver exceptional graphics in your games and even help facilitate your streaming with Nvidia ShadowPlay.

Getting your gaming PC prebuilt can save a lot of time and hassle for you, and this is still the case no matter where you are in the world. But for a flexible, portable gaming experience, a laptop is ideal. There is also the risk of theft, laptops being easier targets than desktops.

A desktop will almost always outperform a laptop when it comes to power, longevity, ports, and customization. If upgrading your computer and staying on the cutting edge of performance are exciting ideas to you, choose a desktop.

And even if it does, make sure you have a quiet cooling system that can handle the processing power required by VR. Nothing takes you out of an immersive digital experience like buzzing fans. Put that extra money toward features you care about — or just save it.

Check to see what tools you need to get in the case and whether the motherboard has one, two, or four RAM slots. In others, the package will include a keyboard, mouse, or monitor. You may not like the style of the keyboard or mouse, or you might want a 4K monitor instead of a p monitor. How long will my gaming computer last? You can expect your computer to handle new games for five or six years before you need to consider upgrades. How do I know if my computer can handle certain games?

How much should a gaming computer cost? This varies, based on brand, accessories, and technical specs.

Best Gaming Computers Updated December BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. Read more. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.

Bottom Line. Best of the Best. Check Price. Stellar Performance Bottom Line. Best Bang for the Buck. Trusted Brand Bottom Line. Powerful Graphics Bottom Line. Portable Convenience Bottom Line. Click here for testing insights. Models Considered. Consumers Consulted. Hours Researched. Updated December Alienware is offering both the dark and light chassis options for the current lineup, and however you feel about the design, it does certainly make for a striking machine.

The Aurora cases are not necessarily the easiest to upgrade due to their bespoke design. They're awkward to dig into if you want to start upgrading yourself, and you will soon see why they don't offer tempered glass side panels yet once you look inside. But as a starter machine, the Alienware Aurora R10 will not do you wrong.

And given the general component drought right now, that you can bag an all-AMD Alienware machine with just a few months lead time is pretty great. You'll also get a Rocket Lake Core i5 KF, an impressively speedy gaming chip that doesn't demand either crazy cooling or a heap of power. This pairing will deliver seriously high-end gaming performance without breaking the bank.

While the extra-terrestrial styling may not appeal to everyone, the performance of Alienware's Aurora R12 gaming PCs remains undeniable. Alienware also offers eight discrete configurations on its site, from low-end gaming rigs sporting the GTX Super and Core i5 F, all the way up to RTX gaming monsters.

That gives you a range of Alienware gaming machines from reasonably affordable p gaming right up to blistering 4K workload-smashing performance, and the Alienware AIO cooling system will help keep the cozy interior of the case at a reasonable temperature, too.

While the actual configs Alienware offers are great starting points, as with the Ryzen Edition, it's absolutely worth digging around in the customization options when it comes to picking the right rig for you.

The memory issue is something you must be aware with when buying Alienware products. This will double your memory bandwidth, and it's a bit off that it's otherwise sold with the weaker solitary stick. Thanks to their Cypress Cove core architecture, the new Intel Core i5 chips make great gaming CPUs and would definitely be our picks if you're looking for a new Aurora R12 build. We have played with the RTX version of the last-gen Aurora R10, sans liquid chilled GPU, and in gaming terms, you're not going to get a lot higher frame rates than you would with the RTX build.

That's not a massive surprise given our testing of the RTX at launch; it only makes sense if you need that 24GB frame buffer for creative work. The unconventional case design exploits every inch of its limited space, but it initially feels a bit awkward to tinker with. However, access to nearly every part of the PC without tools is a definite plus, as this expedites upgrades and maintenance—so long as you're familiar with the design.

There's an obvious priority on providing a convenient, premium product with some potential for upgrades, and the Aurora design just about accomplishes that goal. The issue with all gaming PCs and parts right now is availability. And that's currently hitting Alienware as hard as the everyone else.

Picking up a new Aurora R12 rig today means you're not going actually to receive it for a month at best. There's a reason Razer is desperate to follow Corsair's lead; it's one of the biggest names in PC gaming hardware right now.

Through continual product expansion, and some super-smart acquisitions, Corsair now has its fingers in pretty much every facet of our hobby. In fact, CPUs, motherboards, and GPUs are the only places you won't find a Corsair logo, but with its impressive line of premium gaming PCs, that logo will still contain all three: the very finest of all that technical jazz.

And if you're looking to kick start your career as the next big Twitch streamer, Corsair's integration of Elgato streaming tech in its PCs means they're a great option for the budding stream-star. What makes this system stand out is the optional Elgato 4K60 Pro capture card in the specific "Streaming" machines.

Sure, you can just use OBS Studio or Nvidia's Shadowplay or whatever it's calling itself these days , but there will always be some overhead to deal with. Using a professional capture card can really take the load off. And that's especially good for broadcasting a livestream.

Since Corsair acquired Elgato, it now has access to some of the world's best streaming hardware for its Vengeance rigs. Pair that with Corsair's classic component quality, and you have a recipe for not only great gaming PCs but fantastic streaming rigs, too.

You've got to hand it to Corsair; it sure knows how to build a fine PC. But the Vengeance gaming PCs are more straightforward, and that means they're also far easier to upgrade down the line.

Corsair's chassis are among the best around, and they're most accessible for DIY projects, which makes the Vengeance machines a great first PC with a view to getting into the upgrade game later on. The only issue with that is Corsair doesn't really lend itself to the more affordable end of the PC spectrum. Read our full Corsair Vengeance A review. Hewlett Packard has been around since before the Second World War, and that historical expertise is evident in the design and construction of the Omen line of gaming PCs.

You can also take that configuration to the memory and storage requirements, too, allowing you to really tailor your system.