The Best Gaming PC of 2024: Top Prebuilt Desktops - IGN (2024)

Building your own rig is a hassle, especially when it comes to figuring out the components you need and dealing with those parts coming in and out of stock. Grabbing a prebuilt gaming PC instead, like our favorite, the HP Omen 45L, saves you time and frustration. Plus, you almost always have the option to upgrade hardware down the road. So, from a lower-power, budget gaming PC to a beefy machine ready to tackle any game at max settings, we’ve got something for you.

Click to jump to detailed looks at the best gaming PCs, or check out our list below:

TL;DR – These are the Best Gaming PCs

• HP Omen 45L - Best Gaming PC
• iBuyPower TraceMesh Gaming Desktop - Best Budget Gaming PC
• Alienware Aurora R16 - Best High-End Gaming PC
• MSI MEG Trident X2 - Best Mini Gaming PC
• MSI Vision Elite RS 14NUI9-679US - Best Current Gen Gaming PC

Purchasing a pre-built desktop computer might be a bit more involved than getting a new console, like the PS5 or Xbox Series X. But we’re here to help you avoid some of the headaches, as you can’t beat a great gaming PC's raw graphical power. Even when comparing a gaming laptop vs. a gaming desktop, there really isn't a substitute. Take a look at our top four PC picks – and click here to find them in the UK.

Looking for additional savings? Check out the best gaming PC deals happening right now.

The Best Prebuilt Gaming PCs

1. HP Omen 45L

Best Gaming PC

Pros:

• Great 4K gaming performance
• Ample cooling

Cons:

• Expensive

For a beast of a gaming rig that fledgling and veteran PC gamers alike should flock to, grab the HP Omen 45L. With it comes the latest 13th gen Intel Core i9 processor for insane computing power, ensuring this machine breezes through everything from daily tasks to streaming and recording gameplay. That chip pairs perfectly with the Nvidia RTX 4090 graphics, meaning this PC is ready to play games in 4K at high frame rates with ray tracing on. So, you’ll want to grab one of the best 4K gaming monitors for your battle station.

Now if that isn’t enough to sell you on the HP Omen 45L, there’s 16GB of speedy DDR5 memory to make multitasking a breeze, while the 1TB SSD ensures quick boots and a 1TB HDD is handy for storing movies, photos, and documents. Of course, you don’t want its hot-running, high-powered components overheating, so you get 360mm liquid cooling and three 120mm PC fans at the front of the case. Topping off this PC is a tempered glass side panel to show off all the impressive internals and four RGB lighting zones.

2. iBuyPower TraceMesh Gaming Desktop

Best Budget Gaming PC

Pros:

• Ready to run games in 1080p at high frame rates
• Includes mouse and keyboard

Cons:

• Not good for 4K gaming

Get gaming with this affordable PC that offers some mighty powerful hardware for less than expected. With the iBuyPower TraceMesh Gaming Desktop, you’ll enjoy a 13th gen Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 4060 graphics that provide all the processing headroom to sail through games in 1080p at high frame rates. Heck, you may even get to enjoy 1440p gaming when you disable some graphical effects.

Those processors are paired with 16GB of high-bandwidth DDR5 RAM, ensuring this PC is ready to run multiple programs simultaneously—the TraceMesh Gaming Desktop could even be a viable option for those getting into game streaming. We can’t forget to mention the 1TB of SSD storage for some speedy launches and saves of all those applications while the case and fans keep all the PC’s hardware running smoothly. Of course, if you want to upgrade components down the road, iBuyPower makes that easy. An RGB mouse and keyboard are even included, so you can grab some other great gaming accessories with the savings.

3. Alienware Aurora R16

Best High-End Gaming PC

Pros:

• Wildly powerful processors
• Multitasking maven

Cons:

• More mainstream design

For those seeking the latest and greatest who also happen to have a healthy budget, this model of the Alienware Aurora R16 is packing some serious hardware. Rather than the futuristic look of the Aurora R15, Alienware steps slightly back to the mainstream with the boxy R16, though you still get plenty of RGB lighting. This case is designed for optimal airflow and fitted with powerful fans and a 240mm liquid CPU cooler while running whisper-quiet. And robust cooling is a must, given the beefy components inside this rig.

Running the show is an Intel Core i9-14900KF processor paired with RTX 4080 Super graphics—part of Nvidia’s mid-series refresh. Those processors provide plenty of muscle to handle whatever kind of PC games thrown their way. Whether you’re targeting high framerates at 4K or encoding videos in mere minutes, this rig is ready. It doesn’t stop there, as the Alienware Aurora R16 is fitted with 32GB of DDR5 memory running at 5,600 MHz, so it’s a multitasking maven. Plus, the wild 2TB of high–speed NVMe M.2 PCIe SSD storarge makes for lightning-fast game loads.

4. MSI MEG Trident X2

Best Mini Gaming PC

Pros:

• More compact dimensions
• Easily upgradeable

Cons:

• No Thunderbolt 4

The MSI MEG Trident X2 keeps it compact, making it the best mini PC to take on all the action in the game deals you just scored. It’s at the top of the pile in terms of sheer performance. In fact, our hardware editor has been using it daily for three months, and she loves it. With this option, you get a 13th-gen Intel i7 processor paired with RTX 4070 Ti graphics, which should be more than enough to take on most games at their moderate to highest settings. Add in 32GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage, and your games are all but guaranteed to run smoothly and load up quickly. But should you feel the need for even beastlier internals, the rig is easily upgradable.

Given this PC packs some powerful hardware in a smaller-than-usual form factor, cooling needs to be a top priority. MSI doesn’t disappoint with a special tech that utilizes independent air chambers to dissipate heat and a unique design to direct cool air toward the GPU. There’s also 280mm AIO liquid cooling, so things should stay relatively frosty. To top it off is a handful of ports for peripherals and a handy ​HMI touch LCD.

5. MSI Vision Elite RS 14NUI9-679US

Best Current Gen Gaming PC

• See it on Best Buy

Pros:

• Latest and greatest processors
• Stunning panoramic glass panel case

Cons:

• Eye-watering price tag

From the stunning case to the beastly components housed within, the MSI Vision Elite RS 14NUI9-679US is the perfect PC to tackle even the most demanding games in 4K at high frame rates–once you get past the eye-watering price tag. The latest 14th-generation Intel Core i9 processor provides class-leading single-threaded and multi-threaded performance alongside a high boost clock for even better performance. Paired with an RTX 4090 graphics card, it’ll cruise through AAA games at speedy FPS in 4K with ray tracing.

That’s just the start of what’s on offer, as a hefty 64GB of DDR5 memory and a healthy 2TB of SSD storage ensures breezy multitasking and quick loads. Given all that power, a solid cooling system is in place, including a 360mm liquid CPU cooler, to keep things frosty, while a seamless panoramic glass panel shows off the cooler and other components’ flashy RGBs. Clearly, this rig is already future-proof, sporting cutting-edge processors, but we’d be remiss not to mention the Wi-Fi 7 support and impressive I/O adding to its value for years to come.

Where to Get the Best Gaming PC in the UK

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. We've cheated a little bit with this, as plenty of the options on our list are available to purchase and shipped to the UK. Newegg, for example, will ship several brilliant pre-builds, all the way from the US to the UK. Costs for shipping, and the PCs in general, are low, so you shouldn't have any worries going forward.

How to Choose a Gaming PC

Below we go over the basic specifications you should prioritize when buying a gaming PC and how to get the most of your purchase of a prebuilt rig. We also explain a few alternative options you might find of interest as well.

Prebuilts are the most surefire way of getting into gaming and arguably the most cost-effective hardware you can buy. When buying a system, you’re not only getting the hardware inside but time savings of having to track down the best processor to best RAM for your system and putting it all together yourself and praying it actually boots up correctly.

That said, just like building your own PC you want to make sure you’re spending your money where it’s needed most. Firstly, you should prioritize you’re getting the graphics card you need for the gaming monitor or the gaming TV you’re gaming on. There’s no need for anything better than an Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti if you’re just playing games on a 1080p display.

Likewise, you should only need an Intel Core i5 or Ryzen 5 processor with at least four cores to play most modern games comfortably at any resolution.

System memory and solid-state drives can be the biggest money sink for any system. Those comfortable with upgrading their system after it arrives should choose a configuration with the smallest storage and RAM capacities possible, as buying these components yourself can often be more cost-effective.

If that last suggestion resonates with you, perhaps a barebones system is what you seek. Barebones PCs can be much cheaper since they come with all the major hardware—such as the CPU, GPU, and power supply—installed, but they usually lack storage, memory, and an operating system as a trade-off.

Lastly, if you want more control over what exactly is going into your build, go with a boutique PC builder. Origin, Maingear, DigitalStorm, Falcon Northwest, PC Specialist, and many more companies offer excellent PC building services that let you pick exactly which components go into your gaming PC. From there, they build your system with the sort of cable management some can only dream of while ensuring it all works properly out of the box.

In case this all sounds a little overwhelming to you, NZXT has its own PC building service called BLD. Instead of picking every part that will go into your PC, you chose the games you’ll actually play and the service gives you several configuration options that will be able to run the games for a smooth experience.

Similarly, iBuyPower offers an Easy Builder service that operates in very much the same fashion. Users can select games that they play from a small pool that includes Fortnite, GTA V, Apex Legends, WoW, League of Legends, Overwatch, and Battlefield V. From there, users can select whether they play at a 1080p or 1440p resolution, as well as their budget and the system, will spit back a few configurations to choose from.

Beyond choosing the components you need, prebuilt PC's come with several features and pieces of software you might find convenient. Many gaming PCs in this category come with some sort of overclocking support and even a one-click button to boost your system's performance. Of course, it's easy enough to download a piece of overclocking software like MSI Afterburner or EVGA Precision X. Additionally, your machine may come with system monitoring software that makes downloading and updating drivers a breeze.

Gaming PC FAQ

Should you buy a gaming PC or a gaming laptop?

Unless you’re looking for an all-in-one, portable package, a gaming PC is usually better than even the best gaming laptops. With a desktop, it’s much easier and less expensive to upgrade parts, and they tend to last longer before going obsolete. For more on gaming PCs vs. gaming laptops, check out our guide.

Is it easy to upgrade your prebuilt gaming PC?

Another important thing you'll want to keep in mind when buying a prebuilt desktop is how easy is it to upgrade down the line.

Most PC manufacturers have figured out users absolutely hate proprietary parts. While you might still find no-name motherboards installed into the hearth of your PC, they should all at least fall in line with the standard size and layout of Mini ITX or Micro ATX motherboards. The best gaming PCs should allow you to easily swap out the CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage on your system with just a few simple tools or just a screwdriver.

Better yet, systems that tout tool-less upgradability don't require you to undo screws or anything to replace any of the major components. One of the things you'll likely find on most modern chassis are thumbscrews, which can be removed after a few quick twists with your fingers rather than a screwdriver. Additionally, tool-less SSD and hard drive caddies make expanding and replacing your storage just a little bit easier.

Should you buy a gaming PC or a console?

When comparing a gaming PC vs. console, there appear to be more similarities than differences these days, but one still comes out on top—the gaming PC.

Not every aspect of a gaming PC beats consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Consoles are much easier to use. You’ll also find that even the most expensive consoles are cheap compared to a quality gaming PC with a good graphics card. There are some great handheld gaming PCs and mini PCs that are more affordable, but they’re better for indie games or older cross-platform console titles.

Where a gaming PC pulls ahead is in its gaming library, peripherals, upgradeability, and overall performance. There’s no denying that there are a massive amount of PC games, and of course, a gaming PC has cross-platform compatibility with popular console titles. Beyond the best gaming keyboards and gaming mice, you’ll find a wealth of other peripherals, from racing wheels to controllers, all of which work seamlessly with a PC. You can also enjoy better visuals and a higher performance ceiling, and it’s easy to upgrade components. That makes a well-equipped PC the clear winner.

Can you find a good gaming PC for under $1,000?

Yes, it’s absolutely possible to find a great gaming PC for under 1,000; you just need to manage your expectations. Less powerful hardware will usually come in these budget-friendly desktops, meaning gaming performance is more limited. Even still, you should have no problem running many of your favorite games in 1080p or sometimes even 1440p at respectable frame rates. Sure, your PC may struggle during more graphically intensive games running at their top settings, but the savings you enjoy might be worth the trade-off.

Should you build your own gaming PC?

Building your own gaming PC has many benefits. First and foremost, you get to customize your PC to your own specifications, including only the components you want and need. Rather than purchasing a pre-built desktop that may not be tailored to your requirements, you can select all of the individual parts that make up a gaming PC.

However, you will need some knowledge of how to build PCs, or at least be able to closely follow an in-depth YouTube video. This is where things get a little tricky. If you’ve never built a custom gaming PC before, you will need to do some research before getting stuck in. From understanding how each component interacts with each other, to how to hold a stick of RAM or a CPU so you don’t damage it, there’s quite a large learning curve.

If you do decide to build your own gaming PC, you will likely find that you can save some money compared to buying a pre-built machine. Choosing your own parts means you can keep an eye on sales and offers to get the best deal possible.

But, building a gaming PC isn’t for everyone. If you aren’t rigid on the specifics and don’t have a particular build in mind, it can be less troublesome to allow someone else to do it for you. You also get the added reassurance that the PC will be professionally built, and there’s no chance your warranty can be void.

After you've scored an awesome gaming PC, be sure to grab the best gaming accessories for the ultimate PC battle station.

Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam.

Image Credit: Annalee Tsujino is a multi disciplinary designer and illustrator. Check them out on Instagram @antsu_illustrations.