The 7 Best Desktop PCs of 2021

About Our Trusted Experts

Adam Doud has been writing in the technology space for almost a decade. When he's not hosting the Benefit of the Doud podcast, he's playing with the latest phones, tablets, and laptops. When not working, he's a cyclist, geocacher, and spends as much time outside as he can.

Yoona Wagener is a copywriter and product reviewer whose areas of expertise include computers and computer peripherals.

Zach Sweat is an experienced editor, writer and photographer based in New York City. He is a gaming expert and praised the Dell G5 2020's base model for being surprisingly powerful.

Jeremy Laukkonen's obsession with technology tempted him away from the automotive industry to become a full-time ghostwriter for several major tech trade publications and a product tester for Lifewire. He loved the Acer Aspire E 15's full HD display and long-lasting battery, and called the HP Spectre x360 15t a "high water mark" for 2-in-1s. He also tested the MacBook Air with the M1 chip, praising its excellent performance and long-lasting battery.

Erika Rawes has written for Digital Trends, USA Today, Cheatsheet.com, and more. She tested several of the desktop PCs on this list.

Andrew Hayward is a Chicago-based writer who has been covering technology and video games since 2006. He reviewed the Dell Inspiron 3671 and praised it as a solid middle-of-the-road option.

FAQs

Do desktop PCs come with a monitor, mouse, and keyboard?

That depends. Often, when you're buying a desktop computer, you're getting just the tower. Other times, you'll get a mouse and keyboard, but no monitor. Sometimes, you'll get the whole kit. Getting a monitor along with a desktop tower is rare. Most people like to buy separate peripherals for their computers according to what's comfortable, and most computer OEMs have adopted that sales style.

Should you build your own PC?

Speaking of tinkering inside your PC, why not just build one from scratch? That's a very real possibility, and by doing that you can pick everything from the case to the power supply to the graphics card, memory, and more. It's a great way to get your own PC and often it turns out to be cheaper than buying one like in the list above. But, there is a fairly high knowledge/research bar you need to clear before you consider it. Knowing what components work with each other, the amount of cooling necessary, how to properly assemble the components and more can all be very intimidating.

What should you do with your old PC?

There are a number of ways you can recycle your old PC. Some people use older PCs as a sort of media server to store and stream videos. Some people install ChromeOS or Linux onto older PCs since they will often run well on lower specifications. You can also look into seeing if your local school district takes donations, or see if there is a computer recycling center nearby. If you go that route, be sure to scrub all of your personal data off the computer first.

The Ultimate Desktop PC Buying Guide

In a world where smartphones and tablets are the norm, desktop PCs are making a comeback. Generally, a great desktop PC will make a case for itself against a well-rated laptop by providing better value and power, especially when it comes to gaming and graphics processing. If you’re not so concerned with portability when looking to invest in a new computer, you should be looking at higher specifications for roughly the same price, and there are a slew of options on the market today, priced comparably to the best laptops, with such value.

Desktop PCs work well for multi-monitor setups geared toward productivity or for those who use a computer for long stretches of time. They have all the necessary ports, unlike some laptops today, which may only offer two USB-C ports. They also allow you to use a separate, larger keyboard and mouse—an ideal setup for people across professions.

Whatever the case may be, it’s almost certain that there’s a PC out there for you, as these machines, both prebuilt and customized, are more affordable than ever before. Read on for our guide to finding the best desktop PC for you.

Why Choose a Desktop PC Over a Laptop?

As mentioned in the FAQ, desktop PCs work well for increased power, improved productivity, and graphical performance. It’s also worth noting that new laptops are not as upgradable anymore, as thinner laptops must have their hard drives into the motherboard, and you can’t change a hard drive if you can’t take it out. So, you’ll have to pay a premium when you purchase a laptop to have everything on it in the highest specifications.

Upgrades on PCs, on the other hand, are much easier. Processor, RAM, graphics cards, storage, and other components can all be upgraded. And a big part of improving your experience comes from changing the monitor (a non-starter for laptops). There are larger options and curved options, which add to functionality based on your needs, and we’ll get into more specifics on those later.

How Will You Use It?

Desktop PCs are a great setup in many professions. Financiers and accountants often benefit from a number pad, while designers and editors tend to have better precision on Adobe programs with a mouse rather than with a trackpad. Typists and gamers might prefer a mechanical keyboard or additional accessories like trackballs and controllers. And when it comes to editing spreadsheets and documents, the bigger screen or multiple monitors you can get with a desktop pays dividends. 

Ultimately, due to a combination of increased screen real estate and increased power, desktop PCs can simply do more in terms of productivity, games, and photo/video editing. If any of these use cases sound useful to you and the lack of portability isn’t an issue, a desktop is the best choice for you.

Where Will You Keep It?

Desktops can be kept at your office or in your home. For communal use at home, you might put it in a kitchen or a shared office. We tend to see multi-monitor setups in home office or work settings. Wherever you put it, you’ll want to make sure it’s a location where you have access to plenty of plug points. If you don’t, you may want to pick up a surge protector to give you more places to plug in and for some added protection. 

PC Operating Systems: The Programs You Need

If you decide you want a desktop PC, you’ll have to consider which operating system you want to use. The operating system is the software that you engage with while using the computer. On an Apple computer, the operating system is macOS, while virtually any other computer will have Microsoft Windows. There are advantages and disadvantages to both operating systems. They’re outlined below.

macOS:

When you use an Apple computer, you’re using macOS to manage your files, run your applications and more. If you’re a dyed-in-the-wool Apple user, you probably know that already and are familiar with the user-friendly nature of their software both for PCs and mobile devices (its smartphone operating system is iOS). What you may not know is that Apple doesn’t license out its operating system to other companies, so you can only use this system if you buy an Apple computer.

Another thing to consider is that macOS is the only software with a streamlined App Store (Windows doesn’t have such a user-friendly experience, and Linux doesn’t have a store at all). Photo and video editors often opt for macOS, because it has a lot of native, or preinstalled, applications. MacOS is also the only software to run Final Cut Pro, and some users have argued that Adobe Suite runs smoother on macOS.

Windows OS: 

Inspired by Apple’s operating system that was introduced in 1984, Microsoft went to work on developing its own system—and boy, did they succeed. Windows has been, and continues to be, the operating system used with the majority of PCs worldwide. And perhaps this has to do with the fact that it’s licensed to a panoply of computer manufacturers, including Apple. So, if you like Windows but prefer the build of an Apple computer, you’re in luck, because Windows will run on it.

A downside mentioned above is the App Store experience, as downloading well-known applications can sometimes mean users will have to search the Internet for them because they’re not centrally located in the store. Still, gamers and programmers are partial to Windows; you’ll seldom find them using macOS. You can’t game with macOS because the specs simply aren’t there for it, and programmers tend to like macOS because it’s Linux-based (more on that later). Perhaps a tradeoff for the deregulated App Store is Microsoft Office Suite, a productivity software with some programs exclusively offered through Windows, including Publisher and Access. Of course, that’s for you to decide.

ChromeOS

Google's own desktop operating system is largely based on Google's Chrome web browser. Indeed the entire experience feels like surfing the web. Years later, Google added a significant number of Android apps from the Google Play store to the ChromeOS experience. Apps and extensions are run in tabs.

ChromeOS also requires a Google account to run. Along with that comes automatic tie-ins to all of your Google accounts including Gmail, Drive, Maps, YouTube, and more. While most of ChromeOS is designed to be used along with a high-speed internet connection, ChromeOS has become an offline operating system as well.

Chrome OS is designed to be a light operating system that can run on comparatively underpowered hardware. That's not to say there aren't any high-powered ChromeOS machines. Indeed, ChromeOS has as wide a variety of great Chromebooks as any other operating system. It's a very versatile operating system that can run on basically any hardware which is its key advantage.

Linux 

A completely free software, Linux can be installed on virtually any computer. Programmers like it, though businesses don’t tend to use it because there’s no technical support. It’s a community-based and -driven software, so security updates aren’t regulated by one single company. This means that there is perhaps a larger margin for error as the updates come out. Since the root of macOS is Linux-based, programmers today might opt for macOS, if they’re willing to pay the premium for an Apple product.

Configuration Choices: All-In-One vs. Tower Desktop

When comparing an all-in-one and a tower desktop configuration, it really comes down to your probable need to customize the computer in the future. You can add components to a tower desktop that you can’t easily add to an all-in-one because the hardware is less accessible (the monitor and computer are housed in one place, making it a more complicated machine to take apart). With a tower, you can upgrade and replace your current hard drive, add storage, increase RAM, swap out the GPU. You can add a second or even a third hard drive or CD and Blu-ray drives. The best part is it will cost way less because it requires less labor.

Another note: if you’re creating a multi-monitor setup, consider that purchasing an all-in-one desktop would preclude you from purchasing a matching second monitor. So, if you want a uniform setup, a tower configuration could be a better option for you.

Processors: Intel vs. AMD

Intel and AMD processors are two main manufacturers buyers can choose between, and they are comparable in performance, power, and price. You can’t necessarily go wrong with either, but finding the best option for you depends on need and budget. The Intel Core i7 CPU is widely favored right now, with manufacturers including it on the Surface Studio 2 and the Lenovo Yoga A940. AMD tends to be better for those on a budget who aren’t looking for the best possible performance. If price isn’t a big issue, you’ll have to take a closer look at the specs, such as clock speed and multithreading, to decide which processor is right for you.

All processors factor in clock speed; this is how fast the processor runs. Why does it matter how hard your processor works? In a gaming context, a processor that’s working too hard will glitch. If you’re designing in CAD, spinning an item in 3D will prove difficult. Using Excel, alphabetizing thousands of rows of data will be a slow and painful process. Core i3, i7 and i9 reflect the size of the processors. The higher the number, the lower the clock speed you’ll need because the stronger processor won’t need to work as hard to accomplish its task.

Most modern processors support multithreading. One thread is a unit of execution, and multithreading is a technique that allows a processor to execute multiple tasks needed to complete a process at once. The AMD Ryzen 3700X is an 8-Core, 16-Thread processor means that it can handle tasks like gaming and streaming simultaneously. It’s a great workhorse processor for mixed-use cases. Higher-end processors like the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X have an incredible 64 cores and 128 threads, making them capable of doing impressive amounts of rendering with blazing fast speeds. They’re a great, albeit expensive, pick for intensive workflows.

Hardware: What Drives Desktop Capability

SSDs vs. HDDs 

An HDD, or hard disk drive, is a data storage device that’s actually pretty outdated. It uses magnetism to store data on a rotating platter, and the faster the platter spins, the quicker the HDD performs. If you need lots of storage, an HDD could work, but highly capable desktops should be SSD-equipped. With an SSD—a solid-state drive—a computer boots, runs programs and transfers files more rapidly. SSDs are faster than HDDs because the former stores data on interconnected flash memory chips instead of platters, so it has a shorter latency and read and write time. It’s also lighter and less noisy.

A new computer will most likely be equipped with an SSD, but the question is whether you’ll want an HDD for extra storage. In the current market, large capacity SSDs are very expensive, so people are buying HDDs to increase their reserve. When looking at SSD sizes, you should consider 250 GB at the minimum. This will keep your operating system and essential software. As a gamer or graphic designer, you’ll want an HDD with one or two TB.

RAM

Desktops used the standard DDR3 memory system for years, but an up-to-date machine will have the DDR4 instead, especially with DDR5 around the corner. RAM is arguably one of the most important components of any desktop, as it’s responsible for storing PC information in the short run. Without it, user activity would slow and perhaps even stop. RAM is measured in gigabytes (GB), and a good desktop for browsing and basic productivity like spreadsheets should have a bare minimum of 8GB. Designers and gamers will want 16GB to 32GB of RAM. If you have particularly intensive tasks like 4K video rendering, you may need as much as 64GB to 128GB. 

Ports and Connectivity

Desktops offer tons of connectivity options, unlike today’s laptops. When you compare the standard Apple iMac 21.5-inch 4K and the MacBook Pro 16-inch Retina, it’s easy to see the differences. The former has a 3.5mm headphone jack, an SDXC card slot, four USB 3 ports, two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, an Ethernet connector, and a Kensington lock slot. The latter has four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports and a headphone jack. VGA, HDMI, DVI, SDXC, and Thunderbolt 2 outputs are only supported using adapters sold separately.

What this means is that desktops give you more options to connect displays, audio devices, and other accessories. If you want to set up multiple monitors, you’ll usually have three or four ports to use, along with plenty of USB ports for mice, keyboards, touchpads, trackballs, or anything else you might want. The wired Ethernet port also tends to be fairly rare to find on laptops now, giving desktops another advantage in internet connectivity options and speed. 

All-in-one desktops (Mac or Windows) are generally limited to Ethernet, USB-A, USB-C, a headphone jack, and a media card slot. Meanwhile, tower desktops allow for more customization. You can add graphics or connectivity cards to increase the number of ports.

Brands: A Myriad of Manufacturers
Acer

This manufacturer has a breadth of choices known less for standing out from the crowd and more for their budget-friendly price tags. It has many towers and all-in-one PCs to choose from, with the majority falling under $1,000. Acer’s computers generally won’t outperform those of other manufacturers but they have garnered some decent reviews from Lifewire, especially if you’re looking for productivity on a budget.

Apple

The Apple brand has pervaded modern society unlike any other technology corporation in the world, by creating phones, tablets, watches, and computers with sleek designs, brilliant displays, and user-friendly interfaces. Their products often have higher price tags than those of their competition, but they’re also built to last, so the splurge is perhaps more easily justified. That aside, if you like the all-in-one model and you’re looking for one company to streamline your life, Apple might be for you.

Apple also pivoted hard into developing its own processors, eschewing Intel processors in favor of its own M1 processors. The M1 processor is ARM-based, which means it has more in common with your smartphone than it does your desktop PC. But don't let that fool you. M1 chips are powerful and Apple is all-in.

Dell

The main reason market experts consider Dell a top manufacturer is its selection of desktops and ability to customize them. Dell machines can be pricey, but that higher cost tends to give buyers a quality computer that fits their needs exactly. Whether it’s gaming on an Alienware machine or productivity on a Dell Inspiron workstation, you’re certain to find what you’re looking for with Dell.

Lenovo

A computer manufacturing powerhouse, Lenovo boasts a massive selection of products. They cover a broad spectrum of price and capability, and yet, there isn’t a range of quality, as this manufacturer has a proven track record of prioritizing performance across the board. This is perhaps why corporations opt to use Lenovo computers. Design and functionality are also major considerations for the makers, as demonstrated in machines like the Yoga A940, which includes a 4K IPS touch display and a stylus among other basic accessories for an all-in-one desktop.

Accessories: Keyboards, Mice, and More

Keyboards and mice are the basic accessories you’ll need for a desktop. Both usually come with the all-in-one computers, making that system (again) a less easily customized option. Tower desktops give consumers the flexibility to choose a keyboard and mouse that’s right for them from the get-go. Typists and gamers may opt for a mechanical keyboard for precision.

Extra monitors and drawing tablets are other accessories to consider as you devise your setup. It’s generally easier to connect bulky accessories to any desktop than it is to any laptop. Doing the former will allow you to spread out your setup and perhaps create a more comfortable workspace.

Conclusion: How to Pick the Best Desktop PC

No two computers are created equal, and with so many manufacturers and options created by those makers, it can be hard to know what the right buying decision is for you. The bottom line is that understanding your needs and measuring them against configuration options and the capabilities, price and overall quality of those options will hopefully send you in the right direction.