We’re past the savings bonanza of Amazon Prime Day, but producers of desktop computers always seem motivated to move one type of tower or another. As such, there are still plenty of deals on the market if you’re willing to be flexible on brand or appearance—but you definitely don’t have to sacrifice performance. Desktop computers offer more flexibility than ever before, from all-in-one machines (like the Apple iMac) that keep your desktop space fairly free, to smaller and cooler towers that can sit on a bookshelf or in a drawer.
Even if you’ve been a laptop devotee for years, a new desktop could be the thing for you. From mini-PCs to massively powerful gaming rigs, we’ve pulled together the best desktop computer deals we can find.
Best Home and Office Desktop Deals
Our current best value pick is the diminutive Dell Inspiron 3020 with a 13th Gen Intel i5 processor, a 512GB SSD, and 16GB of RAM. The HP Pavillion All-in-One is a compact and cost-effective work-from-home option with a Ryzen 5 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and dual storage (1TB HDD + 512GB SSD) as well as a 23.8-inch, 1,080p display. Speaking of small form factors, the configurable Dell Optiplex 7010 Micro, with a 13th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, is worth a look if you need a Windows Professional business desktop.
Best Desktop Deals for August 2023
*Deals are selected by our commerce team
Best Gaming Desktop Deals
Our budget pick is the HP Victus 15L with an Intel i7 CPU, RTX 3060 GPU, and dual storage (a 1TB HDD plus a 512GB SSD) for under $1,000. Our midrange recommendation is the Alienware Aurora R14 with a Ryzen 7 CPU and an RTX 3070 GPU, capable of modern-day gaming using ultra settings. If you really want to future-proof your gaming rig and have that extra bit of cash in your budget, check out the Alienware Aurora R15 with a Ryzen 9 CPU and an RTX 4090 CPU.
Best Gaming Desktop Deals for August 2023
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HP Victus 15L Intel i7 RTX 3060 Dual Storage Desktop
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$919.99
(List Price $1,399.99)
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Alienware Aurora R14 Ryzen 7 RTX 3060 1TB SSD Desktop
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$999.99
(List Price $2,449.99)
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Alienware Aurora R14 Ryzen 7 RTX 3070 1TB SSD Desktop
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for
$1,199.99
(List Price $2,249.99)
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Asus ROG G22CH Intel i7 RTX 3060 1TB SSD Desktop
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for
$1,299.99
(List Price $1,599.99)
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Asus ROG Intel i7 RTX 3070 1TB SSD 16GB RAM Desktop
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for
$1,399.99
(List Price $1,649.99)
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Alienware Aurora R13 Intel i9 RTX 3070 1TB SSD 16GB RAM Desktop
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for
$1,449.00
(List Price $2,699.99)
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Alienware Aurora R13 Intel i9 RTX 3080 1TB SSD Desktop
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$1,499.99
(List Price $2,779.99)
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Lenovo Legion Tower 5i Intel i7 RTX 4070 1TB SSD Desktop
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$1,699.99
(List Price $1,999.99)
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Alienware Aurora R15 Ryzen 9 RTX 4090 2TB SSD Desktop
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for
$2,999.99
(List Price $3,799.99)
*Deals are selected by our commerce team
Home and Office Desktop Deals
(Credit: Dell)
Dell Inspiron 3020 S Intel i5 512GB SSD 8GB RAM SFF Desktop
The new Inspiron Small Desktop features the latest 13th Gen Intel Core i5 processor and includes a 512GB SSD and 8GB of RAM. This is a great daily-use configuration that won’t break the bank. The compact design lets it fit easily into your existing workspace, and a number of ports on the back enable you to connect peripheral devices.
(Credit: Best Buy)
HP Envy TE01 Intel i7 13th Gen 1TB SSD 16GB RAM Desktop (2023 Model)
The HP Envy TE01 is a comfortably-priced configuration that will last for years. Powered by the latest 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, this desktop can handle a variety of tasks, from web browsing to document processing. The 1TB SSD boots swiftly and holds plenty of files, and the 16GB of RAM let you multitask handily. You could even add a dedicated graphics card later if you wanted to use this desktop to access your gaming library.
(Credit: Dell)
Dell Optiplex 7010 Micro Intel i5 8GB RAM 256GB Desktop
Small but mighty, the Dell OptiPlex 7010 desktop is ready to work. Featuring a 13th Gen Intel Core i5 processor and Windows 11 Pro, this configuration is streamlined for productivity. Also included is a 256GB SSD and 8GB of RAM, which is plenty for work-related tasks such as document processing and web browsing. A wired mouse and keyboard complete the setup.
(Credit: Dell)
Dell XPS 8950 Intel i7 512GB SSD 16GB RAM Desktop
With an Intel Core i7 processor, a 512GB SSD, and 16GB of RAM, this Dell XPS 8950 is a capable daily-use configuration at an affordable price. This desktop lets you surf the web, answer emails, and produce documents with enough power left over to stream Netflix shows. This tower has four DIMM slots, three tool-less backplane slots, and room for up to four storage devices.
Gaming Desktop Deals
(Credit: HP)
HP Victus 15L Intel i7 RTX 3060 Dual Storage 16GB RAM Desktop
The HP Victus 15L offers a lot of power without breaking the bank. The Intel i7 processor is snappy and multitasks well, plus the 16GB of RAM can easily handle resource-intensive programs and games. The RTX 3060 graphics card is the real winner here: Powerful and efficient, it can run a gamut of games at their highest settings. Also included is a dual storage solution of a 1TB HDD and 512GB SSD.
Recommended by Our Editors
(Credit: Dell)
Alienware Aurora R13 Intel i9 RTX 3070 1TB SSD 16GB RAM Desktop
The Alienware Aurora R13 has a powerful Intel i9 processor and an RTX 3070 graphics card, so it’s more than capable of running modern day titles at their highest settings and then some. The robust thermal design enables up to four system fans, and a liquid cooling option keeps your rig from overheating during even the most intense usage. With AlienFX software, you can tailor the RGB lighting to your liking, so your rig will look as impressive as its performance.
(Credit: Best Buy)
Asus ROG G22CH Intel i7 RTX 3060 1TB SSD Desktop
This sleek and stylish Asus ROG G22CH is compact enough to fit beside your monitor or under your desk, but it doesn’t sacrifice power. A 13th Gen Intel i7 CPU and an RTX 3060 GPU make this tower capable of a variety of tasks, from gaming to web surfing, and the 1TB SSD is spacious enough for current titles. The DisplayPort 1.4 connector lets you take advantage of your monitor’s premium features, such as FreeSync, and there’s also an HDMI port and four USB 2.0 ports.
(Credit: Best Buy)
Lenovo Legion Tower 5i Intel i7 RTX 4070 1TB SSD 16GB RAM Desktop
The Lenovo Legion Tower 5i has all the bells and whistles a modern-day gamer could want: a 13th Gen Intel i7 processor, a RTX 4070 graphics card with 12GB GDDR6 dedicated video memory, a 1TB SSD, and 16GB of RAM. Four USB 3.2 ports can charge and transfer data to your peripherals at blazing-fast speeds, and three display ports let you connect several monitors to perfect your gaming battle station.
How much should I pay for a desktop computer?
Your money goes further with desktop PCs and their components versus laptops. You can find complete mini PCs for very light work or display-signage duty for less than $400, and perfectly serviceable small towers for $400 to $600. Gaming desktops with dedicated graphics cards start at around $500 to $600. You can also find all-in-one (AIO) desktops, with the display and all of the computing components built into a single device, starting at around $400. The sky’s the limit once you get into high-end gaming PCs and business-workstation power desktops, but the prices above are the right range for most mainstream buyers.
Is it better to get an all-in-one computer or desktop?
Traditional tower desktops offer the most upgrade and power flexibility, at the cost of bulk. Most towers have generous interior space and full-size motherboards, so you can install one or more (sometimes, many more) secondary storage drives, more RAM in empty slots on the motherboard, and a video card (if the PC doesn’t come with one). PC gamers will want to stick with a traditional tower.
An all-in-one desktop’s big appeal is saving you lots of space, since the PC is built right in, with the components living behind the display. It comes down to how much you care about the desk area your PC uses up, and whether you happen to be shopping for a desktop monitor at the same time. Budget AIOs with basic feature sets are common, but spending more can gain you some combination of a touch-enabled screen, a panel with high native resolution, roomier storage, and a more muscular processor. Higher-end AIO desktops tend to cater, though, to content creators and productivity-app power users, not gamers,
Is it cheaper to build a PC or buy one right now?
It depends, largely, on the kind of desktop you are looking to buy or build. At the low end, economies of scale for the components, plus the cost of single Windows 10 or 11 licenses, tend to make buying a prebuilt PC a better deal. It’s when you get into the $1,000-and-up zone that building your own starts to make more sense, especially if you can reuse parts from an existing PC build. For the last few years, the inflated cost of graphics cards made building your own PC a lot less attractive. That price pressure has relented in 2022, though.
How much does a good budget PC cost?
Expect to pay a solid $400 to $500 for a basic, competent small tower for day-in/day-out productivity and web work. You’ll find plenty of models below $400, especially in the mini PC class, but you should insist on at least 8GB of system memory for any Windows machine, and, for anything beyond very basic productivity work, a Core i3 or Ryzen 3 processor.
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