There’s no “best time” to purchase a new desktop computer, which means there are almost always compelling machines available at a discount. If the tower that’s currently on your desk is slow to open files, crunch numbers, save your edits, or keep more than a few browser tabs open, you’re not just losing time—you could be losing money as well.
A good desktop PC doesn’t have to be a clunky plastic tower anymore (though there are certainly plenty of those out there). A Mac mini or iMac are sleek alternatives to dusty towers, especially now they can run Windows. Like the iMac’s style but not the price? There are a variety of options for all-in-ones and mini-PCs.
The Best Home and Office Desktop Deals for May
Our current best value pick is the HP Pavilion at Best Buy with a Ryzen 7 processor, 16GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD. For $599, the Apple Mac mini M2 desktop is a great option for those looking for a low-cost, compact macOS computer. Speaking of small form factors, the configurable Dell Optiplex 7010 micro config, with a 13th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, is worth a look if you need a Windows Professional business desktop.
The Best Gaming Desktop Deals for May
Budget gamers should check out the HP Victus 15L with an RTX 3060 and dual storage (1TB HDD + 512GB SSD) as well as 16GB of RAM. The HP Omen 25L may be $200 less, but for the specs, you may want to swing for the more expensive configuration. Our midrange deal pick is the HP Envy with an Intel i9 and an RTX 3070. The price is very competitive for similar specs and you also get a mouse and keyboard. Our premium deal pick is the Asus ROG with an Intel i7, RTX 3080, and huge dual storage (2TB HDD + 512GB SSD). This will future-proof you for some time even as more graphically intensive games continue to be released.
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HP Victus 15L Intel i7 RTX 3060 Dual Storage Desktop
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$999.99
(List Price $1,399.99)
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Alienware Aurora R14 Ryzen 5 RX 6600 XT 512GB SSD Desktop
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for
$899.99
with code SAVE10 -
HP Omen 25L Ryzen 5 RTX 3050 256GB SSD Desktop
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for
$799.99
(List Price $1,349.99)
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HP Envy Intel i9 RTX 3070 1TB SSD 16GB RAM Desktop
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for
$1,229.99
(List Price $1,599.99)
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Alienware Aurora R13 Intel i9 RTX 3060 512GB SSD Desktop
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for
$1,259.99
with code SAVE10 -
Lenovo Legion 5i Tower Gen 7 Intel Core i7 RTX 3070 Dual Storage 32GB RAM Desktop
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for
$1,405.99
with code GAMINGXTRA5 -
Alienware Aurora R14 Ryzen 9 RTX 3080 1TB SSD Desktop
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for
$1,574.99
with code SAVE10 -
Asus ROG Intel i7 RTX 3080 Dual Storage 16GB RAM Desktop
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$1,799.99
(List Price $2,199.99)
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Alienware Aurora R13 Intel i9 RX 6900 XT Dual Drive Desktop
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for
$1,709.99
with code SAVE10
Home and Office Desktop Deals
Dell Inspiron 3020 Intel i7 13th Gen 512GB SSD 16GB RAM Desktop
The new Inspiron 3020 series desktop features the latest 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and includes a 512GB SSD and 16GB of RAM, making it powerful enough to multitask programs and browser tabs with a little streaming on the side. This will make a great daily-use configuration that won’t break the bank and the compact size means it will fit easily into your available space.
Apple Mac Mini M2 Chip Desktop
The Mac mini M2 base desktop offers a good balance between affordability and power compared to other desktops at its price-point. The new base M2 chip offers 8 CPU cores and 10 GPU cores with 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD storage. This is a great choice if you just need an everyday desktop to stream content, check emails, or browse the web. Please note, Mac mini desktops do not come with a keyboard or mouse. You will need to buy those separately.
Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower Intel i5 256GB SSD 8GB RAM Desktop
The Dell OptiPlex 3000 desktop is ready to go to work. Designed for maximum cooling efficiency with a fresh, modern look, this tower has a 12th Gen Intel Core i5 processor that easily handles tasks like maintaining Google Sheets and Docs and checking emails. This configuration also includes a mouse, so all you’ll need is a keyboard and monitor to finish your new work setup.
Dell XPS 8950 Intel i7 RTX 3060 Ti Dual Storage 16GB RAM Desktop
This XPS desktop is ready and able to do all your heavy lifting when it comes to content creation. With an Intel Core i7 processor and RTX 3060 Ti graphics card, this configuration has enough power to do it all, whether you’re drafting via AutoCAD, splicing together video clips in CyberLink PowerDirector 365, or photo editing in Photoshop. This configuration comes with plenty of storage, but if you wanted to add more RAM, that’s an easy fix because the XPS Desktop has four DIMM slots, three tool-less backplane slots, and room for up to four storage devices.
HP All-in-One 24 Intel i7 Dual Storage 16GB RAM Desktop
This HP Pavilion All-in-One is a compact, high-powered desktop. With a zippy 12th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and a whopping 1.5TB storage capacity (512GB SSD and 1TB HDD), all housed in a 23.8-inch touch display, this desktop will make short work of tasks from A to Z. Thanks to built-in speakers and an included keyboard and mouse, you won’t have to worry about paying extra for peripherals.
Recommended by Our Editors
Gaming Desktop Deals
Alienware Aurora R14 Ryzen 9 RTX 3080 1TB SSD 16GB RAM Desktop
Sporting an AMD Ryzen 9 processor, an RTX 3080 graphics card, a 1TB SSD, and 16GB of RAM, the Alienware Aurora R14 will handle all your gaming needs—and look good doing it. The robust thermal design enables up to four system fans or a liquid cooling option to keep your rig from overheating during even the most intense play sessions. If you’re the type who enjoys tinkering with your machine, the easy access doors on either side of the chassis and tool-less approach to replacing and optimizing internal parts makes the process a breeze.
HP Victus 15L Intel i7 RTX 3060 Dual Storage 16GB RAM Desktop
This HP Victus 15L has an Intel Core i7 processor, a RTX 3060 graphics card, 16GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD/1TB HDD storage combo. This configuration will play modern-day titles with ease and resource-heavy tasks like video and photo editing. The tower features tool-less access to internals and easy upgradability for further customization.
Lenovo Legion 5i Tower Gen 7 Intel Core i7 RTX 3070 Dual Storage 32GB RAM Desktop
If you’re looking to future-proof your gaming tower purchase, this Lenovo Legion 5i Gen 7 configuration will fit the bill. The RTX 3070 graphics card is powerful enough to play modern games at their highest settings and with 32GB RAM, you’ll be able to launch programs without any slowdowns—even multiple ones. 2TB of total storage (1TB SSD and 1TB HDD) will take even the those with hundreds of games, files, and photos a while to fill. Your purchase includes 3 months of Xbox Game Pass for PC, instantly expanding your gaming library with a wide variety of titles.
Asus ROG Intel i7 RTX 3080 Dual Storage 16GB RAM Desktop
This Asus ROG gaming desktop has one of the more unique tower designs on our list: tall and slender with the signature ROG logo emblazoned on the front. Looks aside, it includes a powerful RTX 3080 graphics card, which will have enough power for high-fidelity gaming and more. The 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB RAM will make quick work of multitasking different programs simultaneously. The 2TB HDD and 512GB SSD combo is just icing on the cake.
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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