The Best Gaming PC of 2025: Top Prebuilt Desktops

Building your own PC might seem daunting, but high-quality pre-built gaming PCs offer a fantastic alternative. Skip the research, component sourcing, assembly, and troubleshooting—and spend that extra time gaming! Today's pre-built systems are far superior to their predecessors, offering durable, long-lasting performance. With top-tier graphics cards and processors commanding premium prices, pre-built options from brands like Alienware, MSI, and HP can even be more budget-friendly. Many are easily upgradeable, like our favorite, the spacious HP Omen 45L.

In short: Here are the best gaming PCs.

Lenovo Legion Tower 7i
See it at Lenovo

HP Omen 45L
See it at HP

iBuyPower Trace 7 Mesh Gaming Desktop
See it at AmazonSee it at Best Buy

Alienware Aurora R16
See it at Dell

Asus ROG NUC
See it at Amazon

Choosing a gaming PC is more involved than selecting a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. Consider your gaming preferences and desired performance levels; budget gaming PCs won't max out Cyberpunk 2077. Matching processors, storage, memory, cooling, and other hardware is crucial to avoid bottlenecks. Fortunately, many manufacturers handle this optimization for you.

Note: The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080, launched at CES 2025, and the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT (launching March 2025), will soon be incorporated into many of these PCs or their upcoming refreshes.

Whether you need an affordable PC for indie games, a space-saving option, or a top-tier rig for 4K gaming, our five selections cater to diverse needs. Click here for UK options.

Contributions by Danielle Abraham and Georgie Peru

For additional savings, check out the best gaming PC deals.

Lenovo Legion Tower 7i – Photos

7 Images

1. Lenovo Legion Tower 7i – Best Gaming PC

The Lenovo Legion Tower 7i boasts powerful hardware and easy upgradeability. See it at Lenovo

Product Specifications
CPU: Intel Core i9-14900KF
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti – RTX 4080 Super
RAM: Up to 32GB DDR5 @ 4,000MHz
Storage: Up to 2TB PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD
Weight: 37.48 lbs
Size: 19.37 x 8.31 x 18.27 inches (H x W x D)

Pros: Extremely solid performance for the money; Easy to upgrade.
Cons: Ships with very basic memory and motherboard.

The Lenovo Legion Tower 7i stands out due to its exceptional price-to-performance ratio, offering a high-end system at a lower cost than comparable HP or Alienware options.

2. HP Omen 45L – Best Current-Gen PC

The HP Omen 45L excels with its powerful components and exceptional cooling system. See it at HP.

Product Specifications
CPU: Intel Core i7-14700K – Intel Core i9-14900K
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti – RTX 4090
RAM: 16GB DDR5 – 64GB DDR5
Storage: 512GB – 2TB SSD (System); 1TB – 2TB 7200 rpm hard disk (Secondary)
Weight: 49.82 pounds
Size: 8.03 x 18.5 x 21.85 inches (W x D x H)

Pros: Great cooling system; One of the best cases in a pre-built gaming PC.
Cons: It is VERY heavy.

The HP Omen 45L's spacious case makes it exceptionally upgrade-friendly, even accommodating custom water cooling loops.

3. iBuyPower Trace 7 Mesh Gaming Desktop – Best Budget Gaming PC

The iBuyPower Trace 7 Mesh Gaming Desktop delivers excellent 1080p gaming performance at an affordable price. See it at AmazonSee it at Best Buy.

Product Specifications
CPU: Intel Core i7-14700F
GPU: Nvidia RTX 4060 Ti
RAM: 32GB DDR5 5,600MHz
Storage: 1TB SSD
Weight: 35 pounds
Size: 19.3" x 8.66" x 18.9"

Pros: Ready to run games in 1080p at high frame rates; Includes mouse and keyboard.
Cons: Not good for 4K gaming.

This budget-friendly option includes a keyboard and mouse, making it ideal for new gamers.

4. Alienware Aurora R16 – Best High-End Gaming PC

The Alienware Aurora R16 offers top-tier performance with powerful processors and impressive cooling. See it at Dell.

Product Specifications
CPU: Intel Core i9-14900KF
GPU: Nvidia RTX 4080 Super
RAM: 32GB DDR5 5,600MHz
Storage: 2TB PCIe NVMe SSD
Weight: 33.9 pounds
Size: 16.46" x 7.75" x 18.05"

Pros: Wildly powerful processors; Multitasking maven.
Cons: More mainstream design.

This high-end system excels in 4K gaming and demanding tasks.

5. Asus ROG NUC – Best Mini Gaming PC

The Asus ROG NUC provides surprisingly powerful gaming in a compact form factor. See it at Amazon.

Product Specifications
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 – Intel Core Ultra 9
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 – Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 (Mobile)
RAM: 16GB – 32GB DDR5
Storage: 512GB – 1TB PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD
Weight: 5.73 pounds
Size: 10.62 x 7.09 x 2.36 inches (W x D x H)

Pros: The same size as a cable box; Solid 1080p gaming performance.
Cons: Uses mobile-class hardware.

Despite its small size, the Asus ROG NUC delivers impressive 1080p gaming.

UK Availability: Many PCs on this list are available in the UK via retailers like Newegg.

MSI MEG Trident X2
See it at Newegg

Choosing Your Gaming PC

Pre-built PCs offer convenience and cost-effectiveness. Prioritize your graphics card based on your monitor's resolution (an RTX 3060 Ti is sufficient for 1080p). An Intel Core i5 or Ryzen 5 processor with at least four cores handles most modern games. Consider upgrading RAM and storage yourself for potential cost savings. Barebones systems offer another option, providing major hardware but lacking storage, memory, and an OS. Boutique builders offer custom configurations for ultimate control.

NZXT's BLD and iBuyPower's Easy Builder services simplify the process by letting you choose games and desired performance levels.

Pre-built PCs often include overclocking support and system monitoring software.

Gaming PC FAQ

Gaming PC vs. Gaming Laptop: Desktops usually offer better upgradeability, longevity, and performance, unless portability is your top priority.

Upgrading Pre-built PCs: Most modern pre-built PCs use standard components, making upgrades relatively straightforward. Look for tool-less designs for easier maintenance.

Gaming PC vs. Console: Gaming PCs offer superior performance, upgradeability, a vast game library, and extensive peripheral support, though consoles are more user-friendly and generally cheaper upfront.

Gaming PCs Under $1000: Possible, but expect limitations in performance, especially at higher resolutions and settings.

Building Your Own PC: Offers maximum customization and potential cost savings, but requires technical knowledge and time investment.