Readers’ Choice 2023: The Desktop PCs, Components, and Accessory Brands You Like Most

A modern laptop can do just about anything a desktop PC can do. So why would anyone not choose a smaller, portable computer?

Desktop PCs tend to be less expensive than laptops, they’re more upgradeable, and the fastest and highest-capacity components are made for desktops. Desktops are perfect for power users who don’t plan to carry around a computer. Yes, a laptop is self-contained—but so is an all-in-one desktop.

This month, we asked our readers to rate their satisfaction with the desktop PCs they use at home.

While these systems can be used for any type of computing task, desktops are quite appealing to gamers. About two in five respondents to our survey (41%) say their primary desktop computer at home is gaming-specific with enhanced graphics. So we also asked respondents to tell us how they like their graphics cards.

Even if their PCs come with a keyboard and mouse, many survey respondents choose to upgrade, so we asked about their input devices, too. Keyboards and mice work just as well with laptops, though, so regardless of what type of PC you use, check out these results before you pick up those accessories.

(Credit: PCMag)

The Top Desktop PCs for 2023

Once you’ve decided to buy a desktop PC, you have other choices to make. One of the most important is the operating system. For many people, Windows is the default OS—but as we see year after year, those who choose a computer running Apple macOS tend to experience more satisfaction with their new purchase.

Apple’s Readers’ Choice winning streak in this category spans back more than a decade, and this year is no exception. Not only does Apple have the highest ratings in what we consider to be the two most important factors (overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend), it also rates highest in satisfaction with reliability, ease of use, technical support, and setup (though it ties with Dell in the last category).

Apple’s main weakness has always been reader satisfaction with cost and value. The company receives the lowest rating among all companies on this measure.

(Click the down, left, and right arrows in our interactive charts to view different elements of our survey results. The average is for vendors only and does not include self-built PCs.)

For many, Macs are impractical or too expensive. If you prefer Windows, start with the highest-rated brand, Asus, which also wins our Readers’ Choice award. Although Asus trails Apple on most of our satisfaction ratings, it’s not far behind. And notably, it bests Apple and every other brand in satisfaction with repairs.

Asus also wins a Readers’ Choice award, specifically for its gaming desktop PCs. The company shares the award with Dell’s Alienware brand, which has won the award every year since we began asking respondents to rate gaming PCs in 2020. This is a true tie that’s almost impossible to break, as Asus and Alienware have identical ratings for overall satisfaction and the likelihood to recommend. Alienware customers rate their PCs’ reliability slightly higher than Asus’, but Asus comes out on top in satisfaction with gaming performance, cost and value, and ease of use.

Many PCMag readers prefer to buy a case and components and build their own computer that’s customized to their needs, desires, and budget. So many go that route that we had more self-built-PC ratings (including “clones” purchased from local vendors) than ratings for any one brand. As we’ve seen in the past on nearly every measure of satisfaction, respondents who build their own desktops rate their systems higher than those who buy a preconfigured PC from a name-brand vendor. (Look for the yellow bar in the charts above.)

The ratings difference is greatest with gaming PCs, where self-built desktops come out on top on every measure of satisfaction except likelihood to recommend, slightly behind Asus and Alienware.

One type of PC you can’t easily build is an all-in-one (AIO), which given their slim designs, are appealing to those who strive for neat, streamlined workspaces.

Apple prevails with its line of all-in-one desktop computers. On every satisfaction measure for AIOs, the company’s iMac line has the highest ratings.

There was a time when Apple made the only all-in-one desktop game in town. These days, Windows users can also enjoy the benefits of the sleek design of an AIO. HP and Dell receive enough survey responses to be considered, and HP receives the Readers’ Choice award for Windows-based AIOs. It beats Dell where it counts, including categories such as reliability and screen quality. Dell is not far behind, however, tying with Apple on cost and value.

(Credit: PCMag)

The Top Graphics Cards and Graphics Chip Makers for 2023

The graphics card in your gaming PC handles the rendering of images on your monitor and is arguably more important than the PC’s processor. Two companies, AMD and Nvidia, supply chipsets that power the vast majority of graphics cards. Most of these cards are sold by third parties, though AMD and Nvidia also offer their own branded GPUs.

Last year’s PCMag Readers’ Choice award winner for graphics cards, EVGA, made Nvidia-based cards, but the company got into a feud with the chip manufacturer and is exiting the market. This leads to atypical satisfaction ratings in our results. Respondents rate EVGA cards highest on every measure for which they receive sufficient responses, except likelihood to recommend, where it earns the lowest score. But we can’t recommend a brand that you won’t be able to buy.

This year’s PCMag Readers’ Choice award goes to Gigabyte. The company, which offers both Nvidia- and AMD-based graphics cards, is right behind EVGA on nearly every satisfaction measure, and the two companies tie for the best rating for ease of use. The one category that Gigabyte didn’t win—and in which EVGA also falls short, as noted above—is in likelihood to recommend. For that category, Nvidia’s own brand of graphics cards comes out on top.

To determine which graphics chip maker wins our Readers’ Choice award, we combine the ratings for all cards based on the chipset, as specified by the respondent. Last year, AMD edged out Nvidia; this year, Nvidia takes the lead. Nvidia-based cards win better ratings for overall satisfaction and satisfaction with ease of use and reliability.

The two chip makers tie for satisfaction with setup, technical support, and repairs. AMD has a substantial lead over Nvidia in satisfaction with cost and value and also bests Nvidia in likelihood to recommend, but this is likely a result of EVGA’s exit from the graphics card market.

(Credit: PCMag)

The Top Keyboards for 2023

There are plenty of reasons to upgrade your keyboard. You might prefer one that’s wireless, more compact, or more durable, or one with a better feel. Apple makes a small line of keyboards for Macs, and these receive the highest overall satisfaction rating.

In addition to Apple keyboards not being so practical for non-Mac computers, survey respondents are less inclined to recommend Apple than Logitech, last year’s winner. That helps ensure that Logitech once again earns our award for PC keyboards.

When we drilled down based on the type of keyboard our respondents use, Logitech comes out on top in both ergonomic and split keyboards and wireless keyboards. Corsair, whose keyboards are popular among gamers, has the highest ratings for gaming and mechanical keyboards, ahead of Logitech and Razer.

The Top Mice for 2023

You spend a lot of time using your mouse. Doing so with the wrong device can cause fatigue and even pain. And gamers have additional considerations, such as button placement and the mouse’s precision, speed, and sensitivity. Keep this all in mind when you buy a new mouse or other type of pointing device.

Several brands make the cut in this category, including many from PC makers. In the end, though, Logitech is once again our PCMag Readers’ Choice award winner.

Logitech lists more than two dozen models of mice for sale on its website, including tiny, wired devices, ergonomic and vertical mice, and mice specifically designed for gaming. The company’s ergonomic mice are rated higher than Microsoft’s, and Logitech has a slightly more comfortable lead over Corsair in gaming mice and over Apple for wireless mice.

Full Results

The PCMag Readers’ Choice survey for Desktop PCs and Components was in the field from May 15 to June 5, 2023. For more information on how we conduct surveys, read the survey methodology.