Best Desktop Computers for 2023: Apple, Dell, HP and More - CNET

In this article:

• Desktop PCs: Tested and recommended
• Other recommended desktop PCs
• What astir a Mac Pro?
• Chromebox, Mini PCs and different niche options
• How we trial computers

Modern laptops and tablets whitethorn beryllium large for those connected the move, but you conscionable can't bushed the powerfulness and ratio of a desktop computer. Only one-fifth of computers sold these days are desktops, but erstwhile you spot what the close desktop has to offer, you'll recognize they're worthy considering. 

The champion diagnostic of astir desktop PCs is their upgradability and longevity. Not lone are desktops built much solidly, but they endure acold little deterioration and teardrop than a accepted laptop. You tin often get a decent spot much powerfulness and expandability than you could from a laptop, including higher-end graphics cards and much retention options. That processor powerfulness and retention imaginable are peculiarly important if you're readying to usage your idiosyncratic machine arsenic a gaming PC oregon a graphics-editing powerhouse. 

A desktop machine is mostly going to travel successful the signifier of either a operation oregon an all-in-one (with an integrated screen), though determination are smaller designs (sometimes called "small signifier origin PCs") similar the Mac Mini for tighter spaces. 

Though laptops inactive inhabit the bulk of our editors' clip and effort with CNET's hands-on reviews, we've rounded up caller products to bring you our apical desktop machine options, listed below. This database starts with models we've tested, and past moves connected to much wide configuration suggestions that we haven't specifically tested, but  the specs listed should present sizeable worth for the price, based connected our acquisition with likewise configured PCs. 

Unless different indicated, the products listed beneath don't see a monitor, keyboard, mouse or webcam. You'll request to bring your ain oregon bargain them separately. We'll update this champion desktop machine database periodically.

Desktop PCs: Tested and recommended

These are the champion desktop PC models that we've precocious tested and tin urge based connected our hands-on experience.

Other recommended desktop PCs

We haven't reviewed the circumstantial models below, but we person reviewed systems utilizing precise akin hardware. These wide configurations should service you well, particularly if you store astir for predominant deals.

Basic Windows PC operation (starting astir $620)

The specs we'd suggest for a basal Windows 11 machine:

• Intel Core i5 (12th  oregon 13th-gen) oregon AMD Ryzen 5 (3000 oregon 5000 series)
• Default integrated graphics (such arsenic Intel UHD oregon Iris oregon baseline AMD Radeon)
• 512GB oregon larger NVMe SSD drive
  
• 16GB of RAM oregon more 
  
• Four oregon much USB 3.1 oregon 3.2 ports with USB-C and USB-A formats (at slightest 1 oregon 2 connected the front)
  
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless
  
• At slightest 1 PCI-E (x16) enlargement slot (for adding a video card)
  
• Optional: DVD oregon Blu-ray optical thrust (only if you request it for bequest bundle oregon media)
  

With those specs successful mind, you should beryllium capable to find a bully PC operation from brands similar Dell, Acer, Asus oregon HP for betwixt $500 and $600. Here are immoderate that acceptable the bill, offering a large bang for the subordinate if you don't request a laptop:

Acer Aspire TC-895-UA92 (under $650)
Aside from a somewhat older 10th-gen Intel Core i5 CPU, this configuration different includes everything listed above, on with Wi-Fi 6 compatibility and a keyboard and mouse, too. 

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HP Pavilion Desktop TP01-2040 (under $700)
This strategy offers a susceptible AMD Ryzen 5 CPU, and HP throws successful a rodent and keyboard.

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PC operation for airy gaming and originative duties (starting astir $900)

Want to bash immoderate PC gaming, oregon bash you walk clip editing photos oregon video? You'll privation to level up the preceding configuration with much RAM and amended graphics options. Expect terms points to beryllium betwixt $800 and $1,200 -- and adjacent higher if you spell for a much bleeding-edge video card.

• Nvidia GTX/RTX oregon AMD Radeon RX graphics paper (GPU)
• 16GB of RAM oregon more
• 350-watt (or more) powerfulness supply

Looking for a gaming machine with much muscle? Check retired our database of best gaming PCs.

HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop (under $1,000)
This HP rig boasts an 11th-generation and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 GPU and 16GB of RAM. 

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Basic Windows All-in-One (starts astir $800)

An "all-in-one PC" (also known arsenic AIO PC) is fundamentally a Windows mentation of an iMac. That means the PC "guts" are fundamentally built into a show oregon its base. Unlike the PC towers listed above, all-in-ones mostly connection nary quality to upgrade the graphics card, and possibly not adjacent the retention oregon RAM. The vantage is having less cables, however, since everything is integrated into the body.

Recommended specs for an all-in-one are mostly akin to the basal operation above, albeit with compromises due to the fact that of abstraction considerations. Don't expect an optical drive, for instance, and cognize that show is often a measurement down from "real" desktop models due to the fact that immoderate all-in-ones usage laptop components to amended maximize disposable space. You'll privation a ample surface with bully resolution. The saccharine spots we'd suggest are:

• 24 inches astatine 1,920x1,080 pixels (aka 2K oregon 1080p)
• 27 inches astatine 2,560x1,440 pixels (aka 1440p)
• 32 inches astatine 3,840x2,160 pixels (aka 4K)

The 24-inchers are bully for kids, but adults should astir apt spell for 27 inches and up. Expect to wage astatine slightest $800 astatine that second size, particularly if you privation to debar underpowered Intel Core i3 oregon AMD Athlon CPUs. The HP Envy 32/34 and Apple iMacs are examples of precocious extremity all-in-one computers, but here's a much reasonably priced alternative.

Acer Aspire C27-962-UA91 (starts astir $600; debased stock) 
While the surface connected this Acer Aspire exemplary is simply a spacious 27 inches, solution is lone 1080p (also known arsenic afloat HD) -- but that's par for the people beneath $1,000. This exemplary besides lacks a DVD thrust and USB-C ports. That said, you get a 10th-gen Intel Core i5 CPU, on-board Nvidia MX graphics (not arsenic bully arsenic a GTX oregon RTX card, but amended than average), 512GB of SSD retention and a built-in webcam (along with a keyboard and mouse).

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HP All-in-ones (recommended models starting astatine $800)

Back successful aboriginal 2020, we reviewed the HP Envy 32, a Windows instrumentality connected the basal iMac design. At that time, it had somewhat dated specs: a ninth-gen Intel CPU and a spinning hard thrust backing up the 256GB solid-state drive. The 32-inch exemplary appears to person been discontinued, but HP maintains a unchangeable of existent models successful 22- to 27-inch surface sizes, with a caller $2,000 34-inch HP Envy 34 present surviving astatine the apical of the line.

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What astir a Mac Pro?

James Martin/CNET

While you're paying a large premium for the Apple name, an iMac is mostly a large enactment for Apple fans who privation an all-in-one machine with a superior display. And present that the 24-inch iMac has gotten a bully overhaul, implicit with the M1 chip, that's a large starting point. And portion the 27-inch iMac is nary more, the caller Mac Studio starts astatine $2,000, and offers immoderate superior power, particularly if you ramp up to the M1 Ultra chipset. 

Need adjacent much power? While Apple has a Mac Pro surviving astatine the apical of its desktop line, the existent exemplary is an aging Intel design, which the institution has already pledged to regenerate with an Apple Silicon version. If the Mac Studio can't grip your high-end Apple needs, we'd powerfully urge steering wide of the Mac Pro until that caller mentation hits. 

Chromebox, Mini PCs and different niche options

When it comes to desktop PCs, towers and all-in-ones correspond the immense bulk of the market. There are alternatives, but successful the 2020s, they mostly correspond progressively constrictive slices of that market.

Left to right: The HP Mini, Acer Revo, Intel Compute Stick and Apple Mac Mini. The Mac is the lone 1 that's been precocious updated.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Mini PCs: Following the debut of the Mac Mini successful 2005, Windows PC makers experimented with likewise tiny designs. In the aftermath of likable tiny models similar the Acer Revo One and HP Pavilion Mini, we adjacent saw (woefully underpowered) "PC connected a stick" offerings starting successful 2015, but involvement seems to person ebbed since then. Outside of specialty vendors similar Beelink, the champion choices successful this mini PC size are astir apt the Intel NUC (Next Unit of Computing), astir of which are sold arsenic hobbyist options, requiring immoderate BYO additions similar user-supplied storage, RAM and different components -- including the operating system. See much bare-bones Mini PCs astatine Newegg.

Chromeboxes: If you're looking for precise basal computing -- browsing the web, email, societal media, YouTube and the similar -- the Chrome operating strategy is the astir affordable way for location computing. This Google operating strategy efficaciously is small much than the Chrome web browser. That makes it casual for aggregate users (only a Gmail code is needed to log in), and -- due to the fact that there's nary dense operating strategy beyond the browser -- viruses aren't truly an issue. Colloquially known arsenic "Chromeboxes" (versus a "Chromebook" laptop), these systems don't person beefy CPUs, RAM oregon retention requirements. That said, if you request immoderate bundle beyond browser-based web apps, oregon if you don't person fantabulous broadband, you'll privation to instrumentality with Windows oregon Mac options above. Now, earlier you walk immoderate money, you should cheque retired the escaped mentation of the operating strategy known as ChromeOS Flex, which you tin instal connected astir aged PCs (including moving it from an attached USB drive). But if that's not an enactment and you privation to bargain new, expect to wage betwixt $200 and $500 for a Chrome-based desktop. However, the person you get to that $500 terms point, the much you should see stepping up to a Chromebook laptop oregon a basal Windows operation (see above) for conscionable a spot more. See Chromebox options astatine Newegg.

Linux PCs: No, Windows, Mac and ChromeOS are not your lone operating strategy options. There's a wide satellite of Linux operating systems retired there, galore of which are efficaciously free. You tin get PCs with Linux preinstalled, but the better, much affordable enactment is astir apt installing it (or dual-booting) connected a utilized Windows PC. See Linux PC options astatine Newegg.

Raspberry Pi: You whitethorn person heard of a tiny machine that's nary bigger than a paperback book, and tin beryllium had for astir $150. That's the Raspberry Pi, and it's 100% existent and precise chill -- if you're a hobbyist looking to physique your ain Lego-style machine and instal your ain customized Linux operating systems. We conscionable wouldn't urge it arsenic a superior machine if you're looking to tally mainstream software. See the Raspberry Pi 4 kit astatine Amazon.