The 8 Best Desktop PCs of 2022 for Work, Gaming, & More

Best Overall: Alienware Aurora R12

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Dell's Alienware desktop comes from a long legacy of top-quality gaming hardware. Shortly after Intel announced its 11th generation processors, Dell upgraded its Alienware to take advantage of them. We haven't had the chance to go hands-on with the Alienware R12, but we did look at the R11, and we're confident enough in the Alienware brand to conclude the R12 is a beast.

The hardware is capable, with an 11th generation Core-i7 processor, a solid NVidia GeForce RTX 3080 Super GPU, 64GB of RAM, and two SSDs for a combined total of 3TB. That means you can store basically anything and access it very quickly.

Put all that under a load, and this computer will spit out quite a bit of heat and fan noise, but that's consistent with a lot of gaming PCs. It's important to make sure this PC is in a place with good ventilation and airflow. But overall, this computer will happily take on any demands you care to throw at it.

_{CPU: Intel Core i7-11700F | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 | RAM: 64GB | Storage: 1TB SSD, 2TB SSD}

Best for Gaming: HP Omen 30L

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Games push the limits of every aspect of PC hardware, making gaming computers ideal for gaming and just about any other task you can imagine. The HP Omen series of gaming PCs offers everything from affordable configurations to high-end VR-capable rigs. Whether you spend a lot or a little, Omen gaming desktops deliver great value for the money.

Gamers, in particular, may look to upgrade their machines someday down the road, and fortunately, the HP Omen 30L makes that easy with an accessible case design that’s great to work in. It’s also clear, so you can see all the hardware inside, with built-in LED lights to show it off. Overall, the HP Omen 30L is a top-notch gaming PC.

_{CPU: Intel Core i9-10850K | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 | RAM: 32GB | Storage: 1TB SSD, 1TB HDD}

Best Value: ASUS ROG G10CE

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If you want to get the most out of your money, then the ASUS ROG G10CE offers a respectable setup with the latest hardware, including a powerful graphics processing unit (GPU) and plenty of storage capacity. That’s enough to max out settings in the latest games at 1080p or do power-hungry graphic design or video editing tasks.

A flashy-looking case contains all this capability. The build quality is a cut above the typical office PC tower. The only downside worth mentioning is that it gets pretty loud when playing particularly demanding games, but overall you’re getting a lot of power in a well-built package at an attractive price point.

_{CPU: Intel Core i7-11700F | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 512GB SSD, 2TB HDD}

Best Chrome OS: HP Chromebase All-in-One 22

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The HP Chromebase All-in-one 22 is one of the slickest-looking desktops you can buy on a shoestring budget, so long as Chrome OS works for you. Though the processor is slow and there’s not a lot of RAM, it’s good enough to run Chrome OS. The limited nature of this operating system isn’t for everyone, but if you just need a PC for browsing the web, watching shows, or basic productivity tasks, then this HP Chromebase offers a lot of bang for your buck.

This affordable PC also looks fantastic with a spacious, built-in 21.5-inch screen that offers a wide range of potential adjustments. One downside is that it only features about as many ports as you’d expect to find on a laptop. Considering the scope of Chrome OS and what you’re likely to use it for, this isn’t so much a problem.

_{CPU: Intel Pentium Gold G6405U | GPU: Integrated | RAM: 4GB | Storage: 64GB SSD}

Best Apple: Apple Mac mini (M1, 2020)

4.7

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In late 2020, Apple introduced the M1 Chip, its first ARM-based processor built specifically for Apple hardware. That hardware included the Mac mini, making it a formidable little machine. However, the design of the Mac mini is a little disappointing, given that it's less upgradeable and has fewer available ports than the previous generation of this PC.

The Mac mini is a great minimalist PC if you prefer Apple's operating system. It'll fit just about anywhere and isn't huge and intrusive like so many desktop machines. It's also relatively affordable for a Mac, but it's worth spending more at the outset for a more capable configuration because you won't be able to upgrade it down the road.

_{CPU: Apple M1 | GPU: Integrated 8-core GPU | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256GB SSD}

Best for Students: HP Pavilion TG01-1120

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Students don’t typically need the most powerful PC on the market, and affordability is significant when choosing a device. However, for many, the ability to handle demanding digital content creation is a must. The HP Pavilion TG01-1120 hits the sweet spot for price and power with its competent set of components at a price point that won’t break the bank.

With it, you get reasonably powerful components that can handle graphic design or other demanding tasks you may encounter during your education. On the downside, this PC doesn’t come with a ton of storage. However, its solid-state storage offers a serious speed boost over a hard drive. Plus, adding an internal or external hard drive won’t set you back that much if you need extra storage.

_{CPU: Intel Core i5-10400F | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 | RAM: 8GB | Storage: 256GB SSD}

Best for Creatives: HP 34" ENVY 34-c0050 All-in-One Desktop Computer

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Two things digital content creators need, whether artists, Youtubers, or video game creators, is a big screen and plenty of power behind it. The 34-inch HP ENVY 34-c0050 All-in-One Desktop Computer has both in one convenient, space-saving, and attractive package. Its huge, high-resolution display is perfect for working on fine details, and it's big enough that you can fit multiple documents or programs on it at the same time.

Under the hood is a powerful, modern processor and a reasonably powerful graphics card, as well as plenty of RAM. This combination is the perfect recipe for a content creation machine. However, it is a little pricey, and it, unfortunately, does not have a touchscreen. However, considering how much a high-resolution display on its own will set you back, this HP all-in-one is an ideal desktop PC for creating amazing things.

_{CPU: Intel Core i7-11700 | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 | RAM: 32GB | Storage: 1TB SSD}