Desktop PCs: Buying Advice, Tips, and News
Prefer power over portability? Every desktop system that passes through PC Labs undergoes rigorous, hands-on testing tailored to its strengths and intended use. That means our recommendations aren’t based on specs alone—they’re grounded in real-world performance, deep expertise, and trusted, independent evaluation.
-
Buying Guide: Everything You Need to Know to Find the Right Desktop PCClassic towers, sleek all-in-ones, space-saving mini PCs: Today's desktops pack neater designs and more value than ever. See our recent favorites based on our deep-dive reviews, plus all the shopping advice you need.
By Tom Brant
Our Top Picks
Acer Aspire TC-1775-UR11
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
Acer's Aspire TC-1775-UR11 is a solid-value budget desktop packing a 14th Gen Core i7 processor, Wi-Fi 6E, USB-C, and a compact design that tucks under your desk.
Full Acer Aspire TC-1775-UR11 ReviewPros
- Dual HDMI supports two monitors
- Antenna-free Wi-Fi 6E
- Front-panel card reader
- Good value
Cons
- Intrusive fan noise under heavy loads
- 512GB SSD fills up fast
- Boot POST takes longer than expected
Pros
- Dual HDMI supports two monitors
- Antenna-free Wi-Fi 6E
- Front-panel card reader
- Good value
Cons
- Intrusive fan noise under heavy loads
- 512GB SSD fills up fast
- Boot POST takes longer than expected
Dell Tower Plus (EBT2250)
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Dell Tower Plus EBT2250 delivers solid midrange performance, with speedy graphics, high configurability, and room to grow. It’s a versatile PC that handles productivity, content creation, and mainstream gaming with ease.
Full Dell Tower Plus (EBT2250) ReviewPros
- Highly customizable
- Potent review configuration
- Broad port selection
- Solidly built and reasonably sized
- Easy access to components
Cons
- Lowest- and highest-end configurations aren't the best values
- Some quirky component combinations in Dell's prebuilt configs
- Proprietary motherboard and power supply design
Pros
- Highly customizable
- Potent review configuration
- Broad port selection
- Solidly built and reasonably sized
- Easy access to components
Cons
- Lowest- and highest-end configurations aren't the best values
- Some quirky component combinations in Dell's prebuilt configs
- Proprietary motherboard and power supply design
Apple Mac mini (2024, M4 Pro)
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
Apple has outdone itself with its 2024 Mac mini, crafting a smartly redesigned micro-desktop that leads budget PCs on value in its lesser configurations, but can square up with the best at the high end.
Full Apple Mac mini (2024, M4 Pro) ReviewPros
- Excellent high-end performance for work and play in a small chassis
- More memory in base model for the same low price
- New space-saving design
Cons
- Storage capacity in base model is still scanty
- Fans can be noisy under load
- Internal memory and storage are not upgradable post-purchase
Pros
- Excellent high-end performance for work and play in a small chassis
- More memory in base model for the same low price
- New space-saving design
Cons
- Storage capacity in base model is still scanty
- Fans can be noisy under load
- Internal memory and storage are not upgradable post-purchase
CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme pairs a sharp-looking chassis with strong budget-tier performance and generous RAM and storage. Our test configuration is a standout desktop for first-time PC gamers and value seekers.
Full CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme ReviewPros
- Impressive price-to-performance ratio
- Solid value for the component mix
- Sleek glass design
Cons
- Fans can get loud
- Power supply wattage may limit future upgrades
- Side glass panel is tricky to seat
Pros
- Impressive price-to-performance ratio
- Solid value for the component mix
- Sleek glass design
Cons
- Fans can get loud
- Power supply wattage may limit future upgrades
- Side glass panel is tricky to seat
iBuyPower RDY Element Pro R07
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
iBuyPower’s Element Pro gaming desktop delivers standout liquid-cooled gaming performance in an attractive glass case, accompanied by effective included accessories, all backed by an above-average warranty.
Full iBuyPower RDY Element Pro R07 ReviewPros
- Excellent gaming performance
- Quality glass case
- Liquid cooling and Wi-Fi 7
- Generous warranty
- Decent included peripherals
Cons
- GPU ships separately
- Limited lighting customization
Pros
- Excellent gaming performance
- Quality glass case
- Liquid cooling and Wi-Fi 7
- Generous warranty
- Decent included peripherals
Cons
- GPU ships separately
- Limited lighting customization
Velocity Micro Raptor Z55a (2025)
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
Velocity Micro's Raptor Z55a packs a lot of power in a modest-looking micro-tower. With many configuration options, this no-nonsense gaming PC will rise to any game's demands.
Full Velocity Micro Raptor Z55a (2025) ReviewPros
- Competitively priced
- Ferocious gaming speeds
- Speedy productivity performance
- Ideally sized case
- Plenty of configuration options
Cons
- No Wi-Fi 7
- No-window case design may be off-putting for some shoppers
Pros
- Competitively priced
- Ferocious gaming speeds
- Speedy productivity performance
- Ideally sized case
- Plenty of configuration options
Cons
- No Wi-Fi 7
- No-window case design may be off-putting for some shoppers
Lenovo Yoga AIO 27-Inch
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The Lenovo Yoga AIO 27-Inch delivers standout value and performance in a stylish, entertainment-ready package.
Full Lenovo Yoga AIO 27-Inch ReviewPros
- Powerful performance
- Impressive screen, with flexible stand adjustments
- Simplified port access
- Solid speakers
- Sharp webcam
- Wireless peripherals included
Cons
- No alternative mounting options
- Tops out at 16GB of RAM
- Touch screen is not standard on all models
Pros
- Powerful performance
- Impressive screen, with flexible stand adjustments
- Simplified port access
- Solid speakers
- Sharp webcam
- Wireless peripherals included
Cons
- No alternative mounting options
- Tops out at 16GB of RAM
- Touch screen is not standard on all models
Lenovo ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 (27-Inch)
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 builds on Lenovo's previous-generation AIO for offices, offering faster performance, broad configuration options, an excellent screen, and above-average options for storage expansion.
Full Lenovo ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 (27-Inch) ReviewPros
- Excellent productivity performance
- Sharp, bright, and flexible IPS display
- Three M.2 SSD slots for storage expansion
- Premium build, with lots of ports
- Extensive configuration options
Cons
- Review configuration is light on storage
- No option for a touch screen
- Some ports are inconveniently placed
- Audio is just OK
Pros
- Excellent productivity performance
- Sharp, bright, and flexible IPS display
- Three M.2 SSD slots for storage expansion
- Premium build, with lots of ports
- Extensive configuration options
Cons
- Review configuration is light on storage
- No option for a touch screen
- Some ports are inconveniently placed
- Audio is just OK
Dell Pro Max Tower T2
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
Dell’s worthy mainstay desktop workstation starts modestly but has elite upgrade headroom—capable of transforming into a full-blown pro powerhouse with an Intel Core Ultra K-series CPU and Nvidia RTX Pro 6000 graphics.
Full Dell Pro Max Tower T2 ReviewPros
- Reasonable starting price for a premium desktop workstation
- Highly scalable performance
- Generous connectivity mix
- Quiet cooling system
- Easy serviceability
Cons
- No CPU liquid cooling or options for AMD CPUs
- Proprietary mainboard design
Pros
- Reasonable starting price for a premium desktop workstation
- Highly scalable performance
- Generous connectivity mix
- Quiet cooling system
- Easy serviceability
Cons
- No CPU liquid cooling or options for AMD CPUs
- Proprietary mainboard design
HP Z2 Mini G1a
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
HP’s Z2 Mini G1a compact desktop is a tiny powerhouse, packing a serious wallop for workstation tasks and AI dev work with AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ processor and 128GB of unified memory.
Full HP Z2 Mini G1a ReviewPros
- Powerful Ryzen AI Max+ processor
- Enough memory for local-model AI development
- Compact and mountable
- Plentiful connectivity for its size
Cons
- Fans can get loud under load
- Memory, while generously apportioned, is not upgradable
Pros
- Powerful Ryzen AI Max+ processor
- Enough memory for local-model AI development
- Compact and mountable
- Plentiful connectivity for its size
Cons
- Fans can get loud under load
- Memory, while generously apportioned, is not upgradable
Geekom A9 Max
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
Geekom's A9 Max combines elite mini PC performance, a refined design, and robust connectivity in a compact, Mac mini-size Windows machine. It isn’t cheap or silent, but few desktops this compact are as fast or as capable.
Full Geekom A9 Max ReviewPros
- Attractive and well-built
- Small, unobtrusive chassis design
- Solid productivity performance from Ryzen AI chip
- Generous connectivity options, including four front USB ports and dual Ethernet
- Upgradable memory and storage
Cons
- Cooling fan can get noisy under load
- Single available config is a bit expensive, if you don't need all the ports and CPU power
Pros
- Attractive and well-built
- Small, unobtrusive chassis design
- Solid productivity performance from Ryzen AI chip
- Generous connectivity options, including four front USB ports and dual Ethernet
- Upgradable memory and storage
Cons
- Cooling fan can get noisy under load
- Single available config is a bit expensive, if you don't need all the ports and CPU power
Latest Desktop PC Stories
The three-day weekend comes to an end tonight, so snag one of these top-rated PCs from Apple, Dell, Lenovo, and our other favorite brands at discounts of up to $600 while you can.
No matter what kind of PC you're shopping for, this three-day weekend has some of the year's best prices. Save on Apple, Lenovo, Alienware and other top brands here.
Building or buying a PC in 2026 just keeps getting more expensive, with memory and storage prices surging. I've been building PCs for a long time, so here's how I would save my money.
We want to hear your thoughts on the PC brands you use in a professional capacity. Take the survey for a chance to win big.
You can't buy a more powerful gaming platform than a tricked-out desktop. Here's everything you need to know, part by part, to pick the right prebuilt gaming PC, plus current favorites culled from PC Labs' top-rated reviews.
You don't need to spend four figures to get a reliable home PC—many of our budget desktop favorites are under $600. Check out our top labs-tested picks among conventional towers, mini PCs, all-in-ones, gaming rigs, and more.
If you want space savings, power, and flexibility—all from a single desktop computer—you need an all-in-one (AIO) PC. We've got the advice, backed by our lab-based reviews, to help you find the right AIO.
Looking for a new computer? The holiday weekend is bringing the big savings, but you don't need to wait that long. We've found five unbeatable sales, right now!
Updated May 13: No matter what you need a desktop tower for, we've got the lowest prices from the highest-rated brands, including Apple, Lenovo, and HP.
A compact desktop hidden inside a keyboard sounds brilliant. But it solves a problem most people don't have.
Classic towers, sleek all-in-ones, space-saving mini PCs: Today's desktops pack neater designs and more value than ever. See our recent favorites based on our deep-dive reviews, plus all the shopping advice you need.
Dell’s Precision 7875 workstation PC combines extraordinary speed and enterprise readiness into a desk-friendly tower that's ready for anything from AI development to complex data science.
$6,714.02
The cheapest Mac mini now has an M4 chip, 16GB RAM, and 512GB storage.
Demand for Macs products to run AI agents locally caught Apple by surprise, says the CEO.
The ECS Liva Z11 Plus is a simple, effective barebones mini PC for small businesses, with generous multi-display output, easy upgradability, and potent processing that its cooling fan screams to keep up with.
$699.00
Got an ancient laptop or desktop lying around? Here's how to transform an old PC into an NAS, experiment with a new OS, build your own security cam, and more.
Preemptive buying to avoid expected price increases was a key factor driving a Q1 surge in PC shipments, according to Counterpoint Research. But it probably won’t last.
For workstation buyers who don’t need flagship-tier GPUs but still want strong compute, expandability, and ISV-ready reliability, Lenovo's ThinkStation P3 Tower Gen 2 is a compelling mid-tower choice with an affordable entry point.
$1,489.00
Are new models in the mix or is the memory crunch to blame?
Dell’s worthy mainstay desktop workstation starts modestly but has elite upgrade headroom—capable of transforming into a full-blown pro powerhouse with an Intel Core Ultra K-series CPU and Nvidia RTX Pro 6000 graphics.
$3,522.17