The most powerful pre-built gaming PCs on the market right now

Whether you are looking to run the latest PC game on ultra-high graphics settings or you just want to hit that ideal FPS, you’re going to need a stellar PC gaming rig. No matter what kind of game you want to run, however, getting the right setup is a continuous struggle for gamers of all kinds. And that’s because there are just so many gaming PCs on the market.

That’s also why we’ve put together a fine selection of some of the best and most powerful gaming PCs available on the market right now. Our list focuses mostly on the high-end, as many top-notch gaming PCs don’t go cheap. But we also include a couple of budget choices that don’t skimp on the power. So, let’s get started exploring the most powerful pre-built gaming PCs around.

All prices are listed in USD.

Alienware Aurora R10

Alienware has been a staple in the market for quite a few years now, and the Aurora R10, its latest product, is a testament to that legacy. Getting set up for PC gaming has never been easier than with the Aurora R10. In addition to looking incredible, it allows for the easy running of any VR game at the highest graphics settings and even has room for future upgrades. That’s impressive, given many high-end gaming PCs aren’t really VR ready (even if the marketing says they are).

This incredible gaming PC comes with various components depending on your choices and preferences, but we’re talking about the most powerful ones here, of course. At the highest end, the Aurora R10 comes with the top of the line AMD Ryzen 9 3950X CPU and RTX 2080 Super  for the GPU. Both of those are some of the best that’s currently on offer, with lightning fast speeds and a promise of 210+ FPS. Can you actually tell what 210 FPS looks like? Who knows, but it’s definitely worth trying to find out.

That model goes for $1,899, and while there are more affordable models, they don’t offer the gold standard in PC gaming power like this one. Alienware doesn’t call it “Elite Level Gaming” for nothing.

HP Omen Obelisk

HP is yet another staple of the market, though some might not know the company quite as well as other PC users. They should get to know HP, though.  The company hasn’t made a lot of gaming PCs in the past, but it is now making its presence known in a big way with the Omen line. HP’s Omen is known for delivering high-quality gaming experiences at a fraction of the cost compared to other manufacturers. The latest Omen is no exception.

Meet the Omen Obelisk. HP’s Omen Obelisk brings to you an Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060, 16GB of DDR4-2666 RAM (that’s fast, in case you didn’t know), and a 9th-gen Intel Core i7 CPU. It also has a 256GB solid state drive (SSD) to help keep things moving. That’s not incredibly large, but it’s also more affordable than many gaming PCs with larger SSDs. The Omen Obelisk we described retails for $1,849.99, and you can get it straight from HP itself.

You might wonder why you should shell out the same for this HP as you would for the Aurora R10, when HP doesn’t have as good a GPU. The processor is the answer there. Not everyone is a fan of AMD for various reasons. We aren’t taking sides here, but if you’re most comfortable with Intel, HP has you covered.

Intel Hades Canyon NUC

This is probably one of the more intense-looking PC gaming desktops, but it’s probably just trying to make up for being so teeny-tiny. The Hades Canyon is super small and portable, which is one of its biggest strengths. It’s what’s going on inside that counts, and this thing packs a major punch. The Intel Hades Canyon NUC has an Intel Core i7 and a Radeon RX Vega M GL or GH. That might not seem like top-of-the-line, but it’s sort of like a discrete GPU packaged in a mobile processing unit. That’s… pretty impressive, actually.

Intel has most certainly prepared a full-package deal that will make PC gaming feel like smooth sailing. You have to provide your own storage, RAM, and operating system for this desktop, but it will take up to 64 GB of RAM and 2TB for a hard drive or SSD. On the other hand, there are more ports than you can shake a USB at with the Hades Canyon, and it supports a huge variety of different displays.

At a starting price of around $900, this is a pretty great choice for anyone looking to build their own package without having to start completely from scratch.

MSI Trident X

The MSI Trident X is a curious beast. It’s technically built for top-notch esports performance, so it’s super powerful, fast, and consistent like you’d expect. Yet it also sweeps the competition with creation tools like Adobe Photoshop and more, not to mention handling everyday tasks with ease. It’s highly compact as well and, depending on which version you go for, surprisingly affordable compared to other rigs on the market.

The high-end Trident X comes with an Intel i9-9900K, a GTX 2080 Ti GPU, 512GB M.2 solid state drive, and a 2TB hard drive — but it also costs the most. It’ll set you back anywhere from $2,600 to $2,800 or so, depending on the retailer. The low-range model is a lot more affordable and still impressive given the innards. It has an Intel i7-9700KF processor, GTX 2070 Super GPU, a 512TB solid state drive. Better yet, it usually goes for $1,699 and still performs admirably.

No, the 2070 Super isn’t as shmancy as the 2080 Ti. But it’s still one of the best GPUs available and supports ray tracing as well — something we’ll be seeing more of in the next generation of gaming.

In fact, most reviews say the MSI Trident X is more powerful than you’d really need. That’s on account of it being an esports machine — where every frame matters. But if you’ve got the cash to spare and want one of the most powerful gaming PCs around right now, the Trident X is a good bet.

Dell G5 gaming desktop

Dell is yet another trusted name when it comes to PC desktops, so you know you can’t go wrong here. Dell introduced its own line of PC gaming machines a while ago, but the G5 is definitely one of the stars. The machine can come with any sort of Intel Core CPU, ranging from an i3-9100 all the way to an i9-9900K. If you’re looking to enter the PC gaming world without spending too terribly much, the base version comes equipped with an Intel i3.

The i3 is older, but this one is better than it sounds since it’s the 9th generation of the line. Even the low-end model promises 120+ FPS and is VR ready, so a 9th-gen i3 really isn’t a drawback here unless you require something else.

The GPU is great as well. For the graphics card, it can have an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650, though of course it can also all the way to the other end of the spectrum with an RTX 2070. Either way, Dell promises a well put together build that is sure to impress. The G5 starts at $679.99.

iBUYPOWER Snowblind

The Snowblind by iBUYPOWER is simply a great PC gaming machine that will allow you to sit back and enjoy any sort of game. Though the brand name might not be as instantly recognizable as Alienware or HP, the Snowblind is right up there with the Aurora R10 and Omen Obelisk in terms of raw power.

Outfitted with a 9th-gen Intel Core i9, 16GB of RAM and an Nvidia GTX 2080 Ti, Snowblind will tackle any game that asks for high-end gear to run on ultra graphic settings. It’s basically the R10, but not built with AMD’s Ryzen. Like the R10, you also get a 1TB solid state drive.

The Snowblind allows for its outside panel to be customized in ways you’ve never imagined before. You can even set your own wallpaper on it. Even if you don’t do anything with it, the Snowblind still has a unique aesthetic. It’s definitely one of the only gaming PCs we’ve seen that looks like it doubles as an aquarium. (It doesn’t, though, so please don’t put fish or water in it).

Skytech Supremacy gaming PC

If you want to go absolutely all out and show off that fact, then the Skytech Supremacy is the rig for you. The Skytech Supremacy boasts one of the most powerful gaming GPUs around, the RTX 2080 Ti. It’s also got a 500GB Samsung solid state drive and a lovely 32GB of RAM. That means you could even run Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order if it’d actually required 32GB as we first thought it did and would likely be all set for next-gen gaming as well.

One drawback is the Skytech Supremacy doesn’t have the latest and greatest CPU. It uses an 8th generation Intel i-7. However, even though the i-7 can’t quite match the i9 CPU, its six cores makes it doubtful you’d encounter any issues. In fact, most reviewers say it handles the most demanding MMO material with more ease than other gaming PCs they’ve used.

Then there’s the look of it. Skytech Supremacy is very much a showpiece as well as being one of the most powerful gaming PCs around. Five of its six sides are glass, so you can see every working piece, and it’s all arranged with pleasing symmetry and style. It’s costly style, at roughly $3,200, but if that doesn’t deter you, you’ve got a major powerhouse that looks pretty darn snazzy to boot.

CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme

If you want the most bang for your buck, though, then you may want to consider the CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme. It uses the same GPU as the low-end Dell G5 (that’s the Nvidia GTX 1660, if you forgot already). But the CPU is much better. CyberPower uses the 9th-gen Intel i5-9400F, where the most affordable Dell G5 is still running an Intel i3.

You’re getting all that plus a 500GB solid state drive and 1TB hard drive for $899 from Walmart, or it would run you $1,199 from Amazon (though, why pay more for the same thing?).

It’s true the GTX 1660 isn’t the most powerful GPU around. However, it still handles most modern games with relative ease. If the memory capacity or GPU aren’t to your liking, though, you can modify the CyberPowerPC later on down the line with something more powerful with a new GPU. Either way, though, it’s an attractive offer for anyone looking to get into PC gaming without breaking the bank.

HP Pavilion Gaming 790 desktop

The 790 Pavilion is one of the most cost-efficient and yet still powerful PC gaming desktops out there. HP is offering a pretty good package for those who don’t want to spend too much. You won’t want the base model of the Pavilion Gaming 790 Desktop, because it uses integrated graphics.

However, you can upgrade to the Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti for an extra $389, which brings the total up to $889.89. The 1660 Ti is actually a decent upgrade over the regular GTX 1660, so the 790 Pavilion is a good competitor for powerful entry-level gaming PC.

It’s also outfitted with an i5-9400, which is perfect for this kind of rig. The 8GB of RAM isn’t necessarily the best, but you can increase that for a big extra as well. The only real drawback here is the hard drive, because it’s a hard drive — not a solid state drive. While SSDs don’t really augment a gaming PC’s power, they do help things run a fair bit faster.

Still, this “budget beast” of a gaming PC will satisfy all your needs by running everything on at least medium to high on the highest possible FPS your screen can handle.

Corsair Vengeance 6182

 

The Corsair Vengeance 6182 is a unique machine in that it’s entirely AMD. The Vengeance 6182’s power is  just a bit behind the HP Omen Obelisk in terms of overall capabilities, but you’re still getting a workhorse of a machine here. The XFX AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT Raw II GPU unit plays most modern games at the highest settings and doesn’t drop below 60 FPS in basically every test that’s been done on the hardware.

It packs an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X CPU. While it can’t hold a candle to the likes of systems running an Intel i9 core, again, you’re still getting solid performance for a lower price. Like most top-of-the-line gaming rigs, it also has solid state drive with a whopping 1TB of space, plus 16GB of RAM with the Seagate Barracuda 2TB, 7200 RPM hard drive.

Corsair’s Vengeance 6182 is easy to modify and, happily, uses mostly glass and steel for its case. Even better, there’s a two-year warranty on the product, should anything go awry. Considering most hardware warranties expire far sooner than that, it’s actually a pretty good deal. The Vengeance 6182 often only available on the Corsair website and costs $1,999.

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If this list hasn’t already made it clear, there’s a mind-boggling number of choices to get into PC gaming. Not all of them push the power limits, but sometimes, you don’t need the absolute top of the line either. Whether you’re on a budget or looking to blow some serious cash, there’s a gaming PC out there for you. Let us know your favorites in the comments!

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