The Best Gaming PC of 2025: Top Prebuilt Desktops

Building your own gaming PC can be a rewarding but time-consuming project. If that's not your priority, pre-built gaming PCs offer a fantastic alternative. While you miss the satisfaction of a DIY build, you gain valuable time—time better spent gaming! Gone are the days of subpar pre-built systems; today's options deliver long-lasting performance. With high-end graphics cards and processors increasingly expensive, a pre-built PC from reputable brands like Alienware, MSI, or HP can even save you money. Plus, many allow for future component upgrades, like our favorite, the spacious HP Omen 45L.

TL;DR – The Best Gaming PCs

1. Lenovo Legion Tower 7i
See it at Lenovo
2. HP Omen 45L
See it at HP
3. iBuyPower Trace 7 Mesh Gaming Desktop
See it at Amazon See it at Best Buy
4. Alienware Aurora R16
See it at Dell
5. 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 style and preferences; a budget PC won't run Cyberpunk 2077 at maximum settings. Matching processor, storage, memory, cooling, and other hardware is crucial to avoid bottlenecks. Fortunately, many manufacturers simplify this process.

Note: The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 and RTX 5080, launched at CES 2025, are game-changers. While I haven't reviewed pre-builts with them yet, expect many on this list to offer them soon or be updated with this new generation hardware. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is also slated for a March 2025 release.

Whether you need a budget PC for indie games, a compact option, or a top-tier 4K rig, 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: Excellent performance for the price, easy to upgrade.

Cons: Ships with basic memory and motherboard.

The Lenovo Legion Tower 7i bucks the trend of proprietary hardware in pre-built PCs. Its standard components make upgrades and repairs straightforward. While Lenovo economizes on memory and motherboard, the standard sizing allows for easy upgrades. This makes it not just a great gaming PC, but a stepping stone to PC customization.

2. HP Omen 45L – Best Current-Gen PC

The HP Omen 45L excels with its Intel Core i9 CPU, Nvidia RTX 4090 GPU, 16GB RAM, and robust cooling. 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: Excellent cooling, superb case for upgrades.

Cons: Very heavy.

The HP Omen 45L stands out with its exceptional case design. Its spacious interior easily accommodates upgrades, including custom water cooling and high-end graphics cards. Even the entry-level model is upgrade-friendly, making it a long-term investment.

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

This affordable PC offers a 14th-gen Intel Core i7 processor and high-bandwidth DDR5 RAM for excellent 1080p gaming. See it at Amazon and 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: Excellent 1080p performance, includes keyboard and mouse.

Cons: Not ideal for 4K gaming.

The iBuyPower Trace 7 Mesh offers impressive performance at a budget-friendly price. Its 14th-gen Intel Core i7 processor and RTX 4060 Ti GPU deliver smooth 1080p gameplay. The included keyboard and mouse add extra value.

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

This high-end rig boasts powerful processors, impressive cooling, and 32GB RAM for high frame rates in 4K. 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: Extremely powerful, excellent multitasking.

Cons: More mainstream design.

The Alienware Aurora R16 delivers top-tier performance with its powerful components and robust cooling. It's a powerhouse for 4K gaming and demanding tasks.

5. Asus ROG NUC – Best Mini Gaming PC

The Asus ROG NUC is surprisingly powerful for its compact size, featuring a mobile-class RTX 4070. 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: Compact size, solid 1080p gaming.

Cons: Uses mobile-class hardware.

The Asus ROG NUC proves that small size doesn't mean compromised performance. While using mobile-class components, it delivers impressive 1080p gaming in a remarkably compact form factor.

UK Purchases: Many PCs on this list are available from retailers shipping to the UK, such as Newegg.

MSI MEG Trident X2
See it at Newegg

Choosing a Gaming PC: Prioritize the 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 four cores handles most modern games. Consider upgrading RAM and storage yourself for cost savings. Barebones systems offer another option, while boutique builders provide maximum customization.

Gaming PC FAQ: Gaming PCs generally outperform gaming laptops in terms of upgradeability and longevity. Most modern pre-built PCs use standard components for easy upgrades. Gaming PCs offer superior gaming libraries, peripherals, and performance compared to consoles. Good gaming PCs under $1000 are available, but with some performance limitations. Building your own PC offers customization but requires technical knowledge.