The Best Gaming PCs (2018)

We all love building our own PCs, but the allure of buying a prebuilt gaming PC can’t be overlooked. In the past, getting your hands on the best gaming PCs meant you had to part with ludicrous amounts of money, something that encouraged building it yourself. Now than ever, you find that purchasing a prebuilt is financially smart and can save a first-time builder a whole lot of headache.

Most gaming systems will come with all the chops to get you into the battlefield –whether it’s Intel, AMD, or Nvidia, all that matters is choosing the best processors and graphics card. Plus, now that cryptocurrency mining is on a go-slow, the systems are fairly cheaper, meaning you can now afford a top gaming PC for your needs.

And, now that Nvidia Turing graphics cards and Intel’s 9th Generation processors are finally out and roaming, class-leading PC gaming is about to get way better.

Here we present everything you need to know about your prospective gaming PC, part by part, and we have picked the killer gaming systems from our current favorites. You’ll find the best gaming PCs from manufacturers that you know like Alienware and Asus, to boutique builders that produce beefy systems like CyberPowerPC, SkyTech, and iBuyPower.

For those who want to build, we have the best guides detailing the best DIY ideas, but for those who want a top-notch gaming experience straight out of the box, these are the best gaming PCs you can buy at any budget, so you can max out your pixels.

1. CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Supreme Liquid Cool SLC10200CPG

PC gaming on the high-end, Ultimate freedom

CPU: Intel Core i9-9900K 3.6GHz 8 Core | Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 (8GB) | RAM: 16GB DDR4 | Storage: 1TB SSD

PROS: Strong Intel Core i9-9900K processor. Latest GeForce RTX 2070 graphics card. Plenty of storage, plus speedy SSD.

CONS: Niche target audience.

The CyberPowerPC Gamer SLC10200CPG represents a new class of powerful, high-end gaming PC with the latest components including a 9th generation Intel Core i9-9900K processor and Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 2070 graphics card, all at very reasonable pricing.

Read the full review: CyberPowerPC Gamer SLC10200CPG

2. Alienware Aurora R7

Power and ease of upgradability converge here

CPU: Intel Core i7-8700 (6-core/12-Thread) | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 | RAM: 16GB (max 64GB) | Storage: 2TB HDD, 32GB Intel Optane

PROS: Strong CPU ad GPU performance. High score for upgradability. Useful port layout.

CONS: Noticeable fan sound

The Alienware Aurora R7 is an excellent fusion of design, power, and upgradability you can get for the money. Granted, it is not the cheapest gaming desktop available, but it does offer great value, and that’s what really matters more. The chassis is slick with customizable LED lighting that stands out in your command center, and it is seamlessly easy to upgrade the internals to make it future-proof for technically adept gamers.

Read the full review: Alienware Aurora R7

3.iBUYPOWER Trace 9220

This VR-ready machine is built for the future

CPU: Intel Core i7-8700K (6-core/12-Thread) | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 240GB SSD + 2TB HDD

PROS: Very good performance for price. Good value for money. VR-ready and decent components

CONS: Lacks USB-C port

The iBUYPOWER Trace 9220 is a VR-Ready gaming PC that combines the best of both worlds, by simply combining a snappy hexa-core Intel Core i7-8700K chip and the latest Turing-based Nvidia RTX 2070 graphics card, all at a very reasonable price.

Read the full review: iBUYPOWER Trace 9220

4.SkyTech Omega 8700K-1080Ti

A slick gaming PC for pro gamers

CPU: Intel Core i7-8700K (6-core/12-Thread) | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080Ti | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 250GB SSD + 2TB HDD

PROS: Latest GTX 1080Ti graphics capable of 60fps 4K gaming. Useful port options.

CONS: Vertical orientation means clumsy port layout. Plain chassis choice.

Our first impression of the SkyTech Omega 8700K-1080TI was that this could be a gaming PC that married the best things about desktop PCs with the latest components. As it turns out, it is a gaming rig that exhibits some of the best features that don’t cost too much. If you’re not interested in game consoles, the Omega performs well, and it won’t be easy to find a gaming desktop out there that beats this value, especially at this price range.

Read the full review: SkyTech Omega 8700K-1080TI

5.iBUYPOWER Slate 9200

Beautiful, Affordable, Powerful

CPU: Intel Core i7-8700K (6-core/12-Thread) | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 240GB SSD + 1TB HDD

PROS: Outstanding configuration and pricing. Elegant case design. Smooth gaming performance. Room for expansion.

CONS: Lacks USB-C port. Screen panel doesn’t add much utility.

The iBUYPOWER 9200 i7-8700K’s main strengths to make it into the best gaming PC are its top-tier performance for the price and looks –sure to seduce gamers who love some bling– as well as configurable options. For the price, you’re getting a midrange gaming PC masquerading as a dedicated gaming machine and a powerful content creation tool, that will get the job done, even though it drops a few frames on 4K games, as compared to its competitors. For that, it compensates with seamless VR playability and a sleek case.

Read the full review: iBUYPOWER Slate 9200

6.Acer Aspire GX-281-UR11

It is very affordable, but it plays well

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1400 (quad-core) | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 1TB HDD

PROS: Reasonably priced. Good midrange gaming performance. Useful port options. Subtle, attractive design.

CONS: Single-color LEDs on case

With its understated planning and design, the Acer Aspire GX-281-UR11 can be used for gaming and work. With a dedicated GTX 1050 graphics card, it isn’t the most powerful but, it will allow you to play modern games at full HD, though 4K will not be within reach. As configured out of the box at 3.2GHz, it scores well in productivity, though it comes behind Intel Core i5-powered systems, though not far much behind. Multimedia projects should be a breeze, as well, should you need to encode a few videos or edit photos between gaming sessions.

Read the full review: Acer Aspire GX-281-UR11

7. Skytech ST-ARCH-GTX1050TI-V1

PC gaming and multitasking on the go

CPU: Intel Core i5-6400 (quad-core) | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 950 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 1TB HDD

PROS: Reasonably priced. Good gaming performance. Subtle and attractive design.

Cons: Competitors are offering SSD in addition to hard drive storage.

The SkyTech ArchAngel (ST-ARCH-GTX1050TI-V1) isn’t pricey, but there’s no question, you’re getting a well-designed, speedy gaming system for your buck. It doesn’t stack up to more expensive gaming systems, but it’s still among the best in its class.

Read full review here: Skytech ST-ARCH-GTX1050TI-V1

8.CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme GXiVR8060A5

Ultimate power means freedom to choose

CPU: Intel Core i5-8400 2.8GHz (6-core/12-Thread) | Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (3GB) | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 120GB SSD + 1TB HDD

PROS: Great design. Latest 8th Gen. CPU offer very good performance.

CONS: Included mouse and keyboard aren’t the best.

The CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme VR GXiVR8060A5 manages to catch the aggressiveness in a standard tower while retaining the attitude of a custom-built system in both style and function. It has plenty of power, and the fact that the components can be swapped out makes it quasi-future proof.

Read full review here: CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme GXIVR8060A5

9.iBUYPOWER Ultra AM900Z

Top notch gaming prowess at a cost

CPU: Intel Core i7-8700K (6-core/12-Thread) | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070Ti | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 240GB SSD + 1TB HDD

PROS: Outstanding performance. Elegant case design. Reasonable price.

CONS: Some might expect an optical drive.

The iBUYPOWER Ultra AM900Z’s design and remotely controlled RGB lighting make it part of our best gaming PCs, adding some caprice to a gaming PC. Having a case with a transparent side panel is quite common, but this one does it in a stylish way, and the front panel isn’t exaggerated with bling, so it can be used almost everywhere, provided you have enough space.

Read full review here: iBUYPOWER Ultra AM900Z

10.CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme GXIVR8020A4

A VR-ready PC that doesn’t cost much

CPU: Intel Core i7-8400K (6-core/12-Thread) | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 120GB SSD + 1TB HDD

PROS: Strong all-around performance. Useful port options. Elegant case design.

CONS: Other desktops offer SSD option storage.

The CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme GXIVR8020A4 packs about everything you’d want from a midrange gaming PC into a nice package. It doesn’t cost too much, is easy on the eyes, has some real estate to grow into something bigger, and the gaming experience is just below high-end gaming machines. You get a nicely done VR-Ready PC with plenty of ports and enough storage for creatives to store media and games.

Read full review here: CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme GXIVR8020A4

The thrill of gaming consoles and handheld devices might be at fever pitch, but tricked-out desktop PCs remain the most powerful gaming platform to date. Gaming enthusiasts confess that nothing beats the quality of playability you get from a desktop PC built for gaming. And today, all PC shoppers want to get hold of a gaming rig with the best graphics card that can drive the latest games at the best frame rates on a full HD (1080p) monitor, although some desktops now max their guts with smooth 4K gaming.

In choosing our top ten choices of best gaming PCs, we took deep insight into every major manufacturer and system configurator to find the best combination of value, reliability, customer feedback, design, and performance for various budgets. Still, we recommend the experience of building a gaming PC yourself, but if you can’t crack that, then you’re more than likely to find an excellent system on this list.

Now, check out our list of Best Gaming Desktop PCs for 2021