7 best gaming desktops of 2025: tested and reviewed

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Updated less than 6 days ago

Peak performance, upgradability, and solid pricing are all hallmarks of the best gaming desktops, and only a select few PCs meet that bar. We review dozens of desktops each year, and we’ve settled on a list of 10 that are worth your time, and more importantly, your money.

We’ve tested a lot of the systems below by hand, spending hundreds of hours on in-depth benchmarks. Some of them have since received upgrades to newer hardware, and in those cases, we recommend either buying the older version (which we’ve reviewed ourselves) or taking a chance on the newer model. Odds are that it’ll be even better than the one we’ve tested previously.

Based on our testing, for most gamers, we still recommend the Alienware Aurora R16. Although it lacks legs in terms of upgradability, Alienware’s balance of design, performance, and pricing is a winning combination. If you want a deeper look into why we chose the R16, or any of the desktops on this list, make sure to read our article on how we test desktops. And once you’re ready to get your own, check our guide on how to buy the best gaming desktop for your needs.

Alienware Aurora R16

The best gaming PC

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$2399 Amazon $949 Dell Home & Home Office More

Lenovo Legion Tower 5i

The best gaming PC under $1,500

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$1499 Amazon

Alienware Aurora R16

Why you should buy this: It’s an Alienware gaming PC built for the everyday gamer

Who’s it for: PC gamers who want a lot of flexibility in their build and don’t need to service their PC.

What we thought of the Alienware Aurora R16:

Alienware has a reputation problem, but the new Aurora R16 attempts to fix that. It’s the first time Alienware has abandoned the angular Aurora design we’ve seen for the past several generations, instead relying on a smaller mid-tower chassis that’s just as powerful, but takes up a lot less space.

Alienware upgraded the internals a lot, but it’s the exterior of this machine that stands out. It’s around half the size of the previous version, all without compromising power or thermals. Alienware has scaled up the design, too. Now, you can find the RTX 4090 in the R16, as well as Nvidia’s RTX 40-series Super GPUs.

Current-gen options are available as well, but they’re a lot pricier. You’ll have to pay well over $4,000 for a model with the RTX 5080, making it a worse deal for most gamers.

Lenovo Legion Tower 5i

Why you should buy this: It’s an extremely fast gaming PC that you can pick up for under a little over $1,000.

Who it’s for: Gamers on a budget who don’t want to sacrifice on performance.

What we thought of the Lenovo Legion Tower 5i:

The Lenovo Legion Tower 5i is proof that you can still score an excellent gaming desktop without going overboard on the price. The Tower 5i comes out swinging with excellent performance, great hardware, and little in the way of bloat.

At the heart of the machine, you’ll find the RTX 5060 Ti paired with the Intel Core Ultra 7 265F. It’s a great CPU and GPU combo for 1080p gaming, and although you may have to sacrifice graphics settings in some demanding games, the RTX 5060 Ti is still capable of delivering high frame rates. That’s especially true with Nvidia’s DLSS 4, which offers both upscaling and frame generation.

We’ve tested an older version of this desktop, one equipped with the RTX 4060. We fully expect this one to be just as great as the older iteration, which is now hard to come by.

Starforge Navigator

Why you should buy this: It’s a high-quality gaming PC backed by excellent support.

Who’s it for: PC gamers looking for something more premium.

What we thought of the Starforge Navigator:

PC builders are a dime a dozen these days, but Starforge Systems stands out with solid build quality, great customer support, and fantastic value. Compared to building your own PC, there’s a modest build fee of around $200 to $300, which is backed up by a warranty and some of the best hardware you can buy.

Unlike a lot of PC builders, Starforge has a no-nonsense approach. Your PC arrives free of bloatware, and with some useful apps installed like the Nvidia App and Google Chrome. Performance is also great, matching what you’ll get with a custom-built desktop.

Despite the reasonable pricing, Starforge’s build quality is very high. In addition to a custom liquid cooler with Starforge’s logo, the Navigator includes a ton of fans and cable combs, keeping your build looking clean.

Falcon Northwest Talon

Why you should buy this: It’s a pure showcase of PC craftsmanship.

Who’s it for: PC enthusiasts with plenty of cash to spare.

What we thought of the Falcon Northwest Talon:

No one builds PCs like Falcon Northwest, which is why it’s the only company that occupies two slots on this list. It’s one of the few PC builders left that occupies the boutique niche, putting on display pure craftsmanship in its PC builds — assuming you can stomach the price.

At thousands of dollars depending on your specs, the Falcon Northwest Talon is only for those with plenty of cash to burn. You’re not only getting the highest-end CPU and GPU currently available but also a high-end motherboard, power supply, and hard drives. Falcon Northwest maximizes every aspect of the Talon.

Performance is fantastic, but it’s the attention to detail with the Talon that stands out. Every system is validated through a long series of tests, and Falcon Northwest includes that paperwork in the box. You’ll also get a bag of Falcon’s own coffee and a mug. Everything screams premium.

Although you can get these same components for cheaper elsewhere, no one can match Falcon Northwest’s quality, support, and attention to detail. Keep in mind that there are newer options available now, so we recommend checking out the Falcon Northwest Talon equipped with the latest hardware — if you’re spending money, spend it the right way.

MSI Aegis RS 14

Why we chose this: It’s a no-fuss, powerful gaming PC that won’t break the bank.

Who’s it for: PC gamers who want a powerful PC and don’t need to mess around with upgrades.

What we thought of the MSI Aegis RS 14:

You get a lot of PC for your dollar with the MSI Aegis RS 14. The design of this desktop has stayed the same for the past couple of generations, and the version we’ve reviewed sports an RTX 4070 Super — one of the best graphics cards, even now.

Pricing is what really stands out for this desktop, though. Our recommended configuration comes with a Core i7-14700KF and an RTX 4070 Super, which you can grab for about $1,799. It’s a solid price considering the hardware inside, especially when you factor in the fact that MSI uses a 240mm all-in-one liquid cooler for the processor.

On top of that, MSI includes a solid mechanical gaming keyboard and mouse in the box. They aren’t top-tier peripherals, but they’re more than enough to get beginners started with PC gaming.

CLX Hathor

Why we chose this: It’s a monster gaming PC that pulls double duty.

Who’s it for: Streamers who need a dual PC setup but don’t have the space for two PCs.

What we thought of the CLX Hathor:

What’s better than one monster gaming PC? Two, obviously. The CLX Hathor is insane, packing two full PCs into a single case. One is a high-end gaming rig fit with one of the latest CPUs from AMD or Intel, along with one of the latest graphics cards from AMD or Nvidia. The second is an Intel NUC that pulls lightweight duty, so you don’t have to bog down one machine.

CLX allows you to customize just about every aspect of the PC, as well. There are the core components like your GPU, CPU, and RAM, but you can even tweak your cooler, multiple storage options, and even customize the Lian Li case the PC ships in.

It’s an excellent PC, assuming you need all of the power it offers. The Hathor starts at $4,100, and it only goes up from there. This is a high-end PC for high-end streamers who need a secondary PC holding the work of streaming so your main PC can focus on gaming.

Asus ROG Ally X

Why we chose this: It’s one of the most powerful Windows handhelds.

Who’s it for: Gamers on the go who still want a desktop setup.

What we thought of the Asus ROG Ally X:

The Asus ROG Ally X doesn’t look like a desktop, and it’s not. You can easily turn it into one, though. Asus’ handheld comes with two USB-C ports, both of which support USB 4. That allows you to easily connect an external GPU enclosure and transition from a handheld to a full-fledged desktop with a single cable.

The flexibility that the ROG Ally X affords is something special. When you’re out and about, you have the most capable Windows handheld money can buy. The Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor still puts in impressive work, and the bump to 24GB of memory provides an edge in some games. You also have 1TB of storage, and support for M.2 2280 SSDs, giving you plenty of room for that desktop experience.

Although you don’t have quite the CPU grunt of a full desktop, access to 24GB of memory and up to 8TB of storage certainly gives the ROG Ally X some legs as a desktop PC. If you plan on running at higher resolutions as well, the external GPU will play much more of a role than the CPU inside the handheld.