Not everyone is a DIY fan and that is perfectly understandable especially in these times where the component stocks have run out. PC builders have had an exhausting year seeing that essential hardware components like CPUs and GPUs are nearly impossible to track due to the global tech supply crisis. The primary goal here is to save the extensive time spent on researching hardware matching your requirements and finding them in stores for the best bargain price. So what defines a good prebuilt gaming PC?
Well, if it fulfils all your requirements at a reasonable price and mostly saves you from the burden of hand-picking every single component in the system . When it comes to DIY, you have no guarantee that your finished build would function correctly. So a good prebuilt gaming PC would ideally have an appropriate CPU with considerable processing power and an equally suitable graphic card that works in parallel with the CPU, with as limited bottlenecks as possible. Memory, storage and connectivity comes next.
Prebuilt PC’s come with several features and pieces of software you might find convenient. Most prebuilt gaming PCs in this category come with some sort of overclocking support and probably a one-click button to boost overall system performance. However these fluctuate with the type of PC you are looking for. For example, the PCs suited for content creators, production and other high end workloads are much more complex than just sorting the CPU and GPU.
With that said, let’s jump right to it and choose the best one for you. Also note that there’s always the option to further upgrade with a new processor, memory, or storage. In our recommendations we will present options for those who want to play a few AAA titles at 1080p as well as for those who engage in heavy workloads and demands 4K gaming.
MSI Aegis RS Gaming Desktop- High-End Intel Prebuilt PC
- Intel Core i7-11700K
- GeForce RTX 3080 Ti
- 32GB DDR4 @ 3000MHz
- 2TB SSD + 2TB HDD
- Wi-Fi 6E
You can clearly see that everything about this desktop screams high-end and heavy workload optimized. The latest i7 overclocking CPU paired with the 3080 Ti speaks for the immense power this desktop delivers. All of the hardware is standardized and MSI manufactures the case, motherboard, CPU cooler, fans, GPU and power supply. Aesthetics are well taken care of for RGB lovers because of the customizable RGB cooling. As for the design, the left side panel is tempered glass allowing component visibility. The right side is opaque and covers up the cable management. The fan placement is a bit irregular and the front three fans and CPU cooler have RGB lighting.
Let’s talk about the performance briefly. The i7 11th gen paired with the RTX 3080 Ti truly does pack a punch. According to tomshardware most benchmark games such as Grand Theft Auto V, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Far Cry New Dawn and Borderlands 3 exceeded 130+ fps at highest graphic settings in 1080p resolution. With 4K the fps count was above 50 for all the games above and with Far Cry New Dawn the count was 90+fps. Needless to say you can always tweak graphic settings to be medium and have higher frame rates.
Performance in CPU tests such as Cinebench R15, Handbrake and Geekbench 5 is also creditable compared with similar setups of course. As we know Ryzen dominates these tests with its multithreaded performance. Nonetheless the Aegis placed decently in these tests. According to tests carried out by PCmag and tomshardware, the Alienware Aurora(Ryzen) outranked the Aegis unsurprisingly in the Handbrake and Cinebench R15 tests. The single core performance of the Aegis was the highest compared to desktops with i9-10900K CPUs. So unless you desire a Ryzen CPU paired with an RTX 3090, the MSI Aegis should suit you well. The keyboard and mouse are decent for high performance requirements and you can utilize the MSI Center software to customize your hardware peripherals.
Alienware Aurora R10- High-end Prebuilt Gaming PC with AMD+Nvidia
- AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
- Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti
- 16GB DDR4 @ 3400MHz
- 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
- Wi-Fi 6 AX1650
Here we are with the Ryzen selection. It wouldn’t be a complete list if we did not include an Alienware Aurora R series desktop. The mini powerhouse 6-core, 12-thread 5600X with clock speed up to 4.6GHz paired with the RTX 3060 Ti delivers great value for heavy workloads. Also note that there are several combinations of CPUs and GPUs of this desktop. We chose this because of the AMD and Nvidia combo. If you want an absolute beast of a machine, check out the Alienware Aurora R10 with the Ryzen 9 5900 paired with RX 6800 XT and 32GB DDR4. The storage options vary from 1TB HDD–2TB HDD + 2TB SSD.
The upgradability to a 16-core Ryzen 9 5950X and up to 128GB of memory along with a RTX 3090 is truly appealing. Needless to say that these Ryzen processors outrank equivalent Intel CPUs in stress tests. Enjoying 4K gaming at 60 fps under decent graphic settings won’t be an issue with this one and you’ll be able to crush it with 1080p. You don’t have to compromise frame rates for ray tracing effects. Choose to use it as a quality video production machine, as a streaming PC without any issues. Six USB 2.0, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 with Type-C and one with a standard fitting for ports. Additionally there are another three standard ports with USB 3.1 Gen 1. The Aurora R10 is definitely worth the price in the long run.
HP Pavilion-Best Budget Prebuilt Gaming PC under $1000
- Intel Core i5-10400F
- 8 GB DDR4 @ 2666
- RTX 3060
- 256 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
- USB Type-C
Okay so it isn’t exactly below 1000 bucks, however it has a good price to performance ratio given the RTX 3060. There are AMD+ Nvidia combinations available for this series as well. However we feel that the i5 10th gen paired with one of the latest Nvidia cards would serve as a better combination at this point of time. The downside here is the lack of storage. A HDD addition would have been really handy paired with a RAM upgrade, if you need one that is. In our opinion this prebuilt gaming desktop is pretty underrated. According to the subreddits, the GPU runs pretty cool even under stressful conditions.
The rest of the fans are pretty quiet too. However there have been complaints in the past that the machine has been a bit noisy. You can also go for the variant with the Ryzen 5 5600G+ Radeon RX5500 or the Ryzen 5 3500+ GTX 1650. We believe that the RTX 3060 model is more worth it mainly because of the powerful GPU. It has 9 USB ports in total including the Type-C, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi connectivity and Bluetooth. Overall this desktop offers plenty of power for full HD gaming at high graphic settings and would work great for 4K with a minor hardware upgrade. Also bundled into the package are a standard USB keyboard and a mouse.
SkyTech Blaze 3.0- Another Budget Prebuilt Gaming PC
- Ryzen 5 3600
- GTX 1660 Super
- 1TB SSD
- 16GB DDR4 @3000MHz
A little expensive than the HP Pavilion, yet cheaper than the MSI or the Alienware. Definitely a viable choice for those content with 1080p gaming, for this desktop is made for it. Designed for Esports and online multiplayer games like Fortnite, CS:GO and Valoranta and it is VR ready. Outputs 100+fps in high graphics settings @1080p with games such as Rainbow Six Siege, Fortnite Chapter 2 and 60+fps with Call of Duty Warzone and The Witcher III.
A solid choice for streamers as well. Remote and software controlled RGB lighting. Sleek and attractive design with 3 RGB dual RING fans for maximum air flow. Wi-Fi connectivity along with USB 3.2, 3.0, 2.0 plus the keyboard and mouse. However it lacks a Type-C port and an addition of an HDD would be better.
iBUYPOWER Computer Desktop Trace 4 9310– A Budget Prebuilt Gaming PC With Several CPU GPU Combinations
- i5-11400F
- GTX 1660 6GB
- 8 GB DDR4
- 480GB SSD
It has so many different CPU and GPU combos that would satisfy most gamers who are either AMD lovers or Intel fans. The only combination it lacks is an AMD CPU+ Nvidia GPU. Anyway, just like the SkyTech Blaze and HP this is perfect for beginners and experienced PC gamers alike, with excellent entry-level specs. The hardware combo is matched with stylish RGB fans and a windowed case. Again, this PC too lacks USB Type-C and an HDD. You can always upgrade later should you choose to pursue 4K gaming or streaming. Package also includes the gaming keyboard & RGB gaming mouse. Case is great for airflow and the design is optimized for maximum heat dissipation. It must be noted that the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 paired with a Radeon RX 5500 XT is the widely purchased combo of this gaming desktop.
ZOTAC Magnus ONE- A Compact PC
- Intel Core i7-10700
- RTX 3070
- 16 GB DDR4 @2,933MHz
- 512GB NVMe SSD, 1TB HDD
Our final recommendation. A tad bit expensive but a durable choice for gamers who value compact PCs because building a compact gaming PC can be a serious challenge. The Zotac Zbox Magnus One delivers a splendid compact gaming PC that’s loaded with all the performance you need for competitive gaming while maintaining a minimal design. No compromises on airflow whatsoever. You might seriously wonder how the manufacturers managed to pack all this hardware into a third of a cubic foot.
It has the SSD and HDD leaving no room for storage upgrades. Plus it is 4K ready with the i7 10th gen and the all new RTX 3070. VR ready, quad-display ready and it has USB Type-C. To top it all, it also has Wi-Fi 6. According to some users, the machine runs cool and very quiet even with bumped up fan curves. The CPU cooler is also capable of maintaining stable temperatures during intense workloads. Since this PC is compact, it has proven to be of great value for travelers.
Summary
So there you have it. You might have noticed that we inclined a bit more to the budget builders side. To be honest not many of us can spare the amount required for an Alienware Aurora R11 and this is where building your own rig can come in handy. So to summarize, if you are looking for an absolute beast of a machine capable of handling intense workloads you have the MSI or the Alienware Aurora R10 or R11. Controversially, if what you need is a machine just to handle regular workloads like web browsing, handling minor apps and 1080p gaming, check out the HP Pavilion or the iBUYPOWER Trace 4 9310.
A good prebuilt PC offers good value for money because you are paying for more than just the hardware components. You are paying for warranty service, support, and being assured that your system was put together by professionals. Also design and upgradability can be overlooked when you are putting the PC together yourself IF you are a newbie for PC building.
