Best assembled gaming PCs: buying guide

You have been literally blown away by the world of PC games and, now, you would like to set up a station ready to give vent to your new passion. However, while you know that the best gaming computer is self-made one, you don’t have the time or the skills to go down that road. For this reason, you would like to opt for a ready-to-use solution, to be connected to external peripherals and to be used almost immediately, but you are not sure how to orient yourself in the choice.

If this is the situation you are in, know that I will be happy to help you with your purchases! In the course of this guide, in fact, I will show you what, in my opinion, are the best-assembled gaming PCs currently available on the market based on various price ranges. In addition, I will take care to make you aware of the most important characteristics to take into account when choosing, so as to be sure to make a purchase as prudent as possible.

So, without further ado, make yourself comfortable and carefully read everything I have to explain to you on the subject: I’m sure that, at the end of reading this guide, you will have quite clear ideas about the category of computer towards which to orient yourself. Having said that, there is nothing left for me to do but wish you good reading and good shopping!

Index

• Characteristics of a gaming PC
  • Form factor
  • Monitor
  • Processor
  • RAM memory
  • SSD and disks
  • Operating system
  • Mouse, keyboard and other peripherals
• Which assembled gaming PC to buy
  • Best cheap assembled gaming PCs (up to 1000 €)
  • Best mid-range assembled gaming PCs (from 1000 € to 2000 €)
  • Best high-end assembled gaming PCs (over 2000 €)

Characteristics of a gaming PC

Before showing you what, in my opinion, are the best gaming computers currently on the market, I feel it is my duty to provide you with an overview of the most important features to keep in mind when purchasing.

Form factor

The first aspect to consider is the form factor of the computer: gaming PCs, in fact, are available in the classic “desktop” format, but also in the form of notebooks or as an all-in-one system, with compact dimensions. Below you will list what are the strengths and weaknesses of each of the formats mentioned.

Desktop PC

The desktop gaming computer represents the “classic” solution, one in which each internal component is enclosed in a case, to which external peripherals such as monitor, keyboard, mouse and so on are then added. Gaming desktop computers are generally bulky, need some dedicated space, are not portable, and can have RGB LED lighting cases.

The advantage, however, is all in terms of performance: in fact, very powerful internal components can be installed, even with independent ventilation (eg the most advanced discrete video cards); the internal air flow is better, with advantages for the dissipation of the heat generated by the CPU, GPU and disks; but most importantly, the internal hardware can be easily replaced and updated, which makes the desktop the most suitable solution for those looking for something long-lived.

Notebook

A laptop, unlike a desktop, takes up extremely small dimensions, can be transported and already includes the minimum to be able to play: a monitor (the integrated one), a keyboard and a mouse, in the form of a trackpad.

Generally, purely gaming models have a very attractive aesthetic but the weight is not comparable to that of a “classic” notebook, given the presence of bulky heat dissipation systems: for this reason, although a gaming laptop is easily transportable, keeping it on your shoulder for long periods could lead to annoying physical consequences.

Gaming notebooks usually offer better energy efficiency than desktops, but updating them can be extremely complicated: if it is true that part of the hardware is easily accessible ( SSD, mechanical disks and RAM banks, for example), replacement CPU and GPU can be extremely complex, if not impossible. With the same performance, notebooks are generally much more expensive than desktop computers.

All-in-one (or AiO)

The all-in-one solutions represent an attempt at compromise between desktops and notebooks: all internal hardware (except, usually, the power supply) is included in a single body that resides under the monitor, or inside it, therefore, the space required to install such a configuration is significantly less than that required by a desktop PC.

However, AiOs follow the same performance and obsolescence characteristics of notebooks: the internal hardware cannot be replaced easily, the maximum performance can be lower than that of desktop computers, and the heat dissipation system may not always be at its best. height of the situation. For these reasons, I recommend that you consider purchasing a gaming AiO only if the space available to you is really very small.

Monitor

The monitor is, without a doubt, the external device that makes the most difference during the gaming experience. It is integrated on notebooks and AiOs but, in general, it must be purchased separately in the case of fixed preassembled (unless it is already included in a kit).

As you certainly know, monitors can have different sizes and resolutions: generally, the size of the displays installed on gaming notebooks varies from 14 “to 18”, while for AiO and fixed the diagonal can also increase over 30 “, with even curved panels and equipped with ultra-wide view (the ratio, in this case, is 21: 9). Monitors of this type have a higher cost than the standard ones with a 16: 9 ratio, however they offer a much more immersive gaming experience than the latter.

As for the resolution (i.e. the number of pixels contained on the two lengths of the monitor), in the specific case of games it should be as high as possible, so as to allow the reproduction of extremely detailed images. Currently, the most popular resolutions are the following.

• HD– is equal to 1280 × 720 pixels or 1366 × 768 pixels and currently represents the cheapest solution but with the minimum level of detail. Personally, given the hardware you will be dealing with, I do not recommend opting for panels with similar resolution.
• Full HD– is equal to 1920 × 1080 pixels (or similar, if the perspective view is more “squashed”) and is the most common for gaming systems. All modern titles support this resolution, which represents an excellent compromise between viewing quality and performance.
• 2Kor Quad HD – is equal to 2560 × 1440 pixels and it is advisable to consider it when paired with high-end gaming computers, with very powerful GPUs. Such a panel allows obtaining clear, sharp and defined images, together with very high performance.
• 4Kor Ultra HD – is equal to 3840 × 2160 pixels and represents, to date, the ne plus ultra in terms of performance and image quality. A resolution of this kind, however, is only recommended in combination with very high-end hardware, due to its complex management.

Furthermore, in a gaming monitor, the refresh rate should also be taken into consideration, i.e. the refresh rate of the images, which should be adequately high (from a minimum of 60 Hz, up to 120 or 144 Hz if you intend to play “fast” securities); and the response time, i.e. the speed with which the display reproduces images from the CPU / GPU, which should be as low as possible. Finally, checking the presence of the support technologies such as G-Sync of NVIDIA and FreeSync of AMD, which allow to exploit a precise function of the video card to obtain even smoother images.

If you need some more advice to find the most suitable display for the gaming PC you are about to buy (unless you are thinking about a notebook or an AiO configuration), I invite you to consult my buying guide to gaming monitors, in which I have dealt with the subject in great detail.

Processor

The processor, or CPU, is the “brain” of the computer: in fact, it is the hardware that takes care of all the generic mathematical calculations. Its power is expressed in GHz and can be composed of one or more cores, that is, distinct computing units that act in parallel to perform multiple operations at the same time, thus improving overall performance.

Regarding to low-end gaming computer, you should consider the CPU Intel Core i5 or i7 seventh or eighth generation, while for high-performance systems would be shown to have on board a CPU Intel Core i7 and i9 better whether of the tenth or eleventh generation; for AMD, however, it is recommended to start from the Ryzen family. To get a better idea of ​​processor families and features, you can take a look at my guide dedicated to the best CPUs.

Video Card

The video card and its GPU (dedicated computing unit) are practically the heart of a gaming computer, since it is the hardware that actually performs the mathematical calculations for the graphic representation of the elements.

In gaming systems, it is good that the graphics unit is dedicated (or discrete ) and not included in the CPU, preferably recent: for example, for a medium / low-end computer you can consider the NVIDIA GTX 1050 and later but if you intend to opt for a much more powerful computer, you should orient yourself towards the very recent RTX 20 × 0.

As for the AMD chips, you should seriously consider those of the Vega family, certainly of excellent level. If you are interested in learning more about this topic, please consult my in-depth analysis dedicated to the best video cards.

RAM memory

Also the RAM has a strong influence on what are the performance of a gaming computer: in fact, it is the short-term memory of a computer, which interfaces in an almost direct with the processor, and that contains data that the latter elaborates.

Personally, I advise you not to go below 8 GB on mid/low-end computers and to opt for 16 GB or more on high-end ones. For more details, see my RAM buying guide.

SSD and disks

In a gaming computer, it is important to have enough memory to store games and data. To get the best performance, it would be advisable to opt for computers equipped with solid state drives (or SSDs ), which guarantee a faster access speed to data than that which can be obtained with a mechanical disk.

In some configurations, pre-assembled computers provide for the presence of double disk drives: an SSD disk (preferably M.2) to be dedicated to the operating system, programs and games, and a mechanical disk, to be reserved for personal data. For more information on this, you can read my purchase guides on SSDs and internal mechanical disks, in which I have illustrated the main characteristics of these components.

Operating system

The operating system that I recommend to play is definitely Windows 10: although the macOS and Linux platforms are trying to improve the gaming aspect, Microsoft’s system remains the best choice today, both in terms of software and in terms of hardware compatibility.

However, when choosing, you would do well to check the actual presence of Windows 10 on the computer you are about to buy: some manufacturers, in fact, avoid installing a copy in order to provide a lower final price (which, at that period, it would not include the Windows license). Should you opt for a similar solution, you will have to purchase and install Windows 10 yourself, together with all the drivers related to the peripherals that your PC is made up of.

Mouse, keyboard and other peripherals

Generally, assembled gaming PCs do not include a mouse, keyboard, and other gaming peripherals (such as headsets and controllers). Except for notebooks, which integrate it into their body, you will necessarily have to buy a keyboard to play, if you don’t already have one; in this context, the choice almost always falls on backlit mechanical keyboards, which make use of mechanical switches, in fact, capable of guaranteeing greater precision when pressing multiple keys.

The mouse also plays a key role in the gaming experience: the models designed for this area, in fact, have programmable keys, weights and “physical” switches to increase/decrease their DPI, effectively affecting the level of precision. obtainable.

For the full experience, also consider purchasing a set of speakers or a pair of gaming headsets that are comfortable, lightweight, and have a microphone (if your favorite titles feature multiplayer / co-op) and, if required by the games of your interest, a compatible controller.

Almost all gaming computers have a dual-band Wi-Fi module (capable of using 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz wireless connections) and an Ethernet port. Some machines also provide for the presence of an optical player dedicated to CD, DVD and possibly Blu-ray, however this option is becoming increasingly rare.

If you need some more advice regarding the peripherals mentioned in this section, take a look at the thematic guides available on my site, dedicated to the best gaming keyboards, the best gaming mice and the best gaming headsets.

Which assembled gaming PC to buy

Having clarified the hardware details to pay attention to when choosing a gaming computer, the time has come to give you an idea of ​​the best assembled gaming PCs currently available on the market.

Best cheap assembled gaming PCs (up to 1000 €)

Let’s start this examination from the so-called entry-level gaming computers, that is, equipped with hardware features that are not exactly the latest, but which still allow you to get a good gaming experience (however, having to make some compromises as regards the graphic details).

Megaport PC with AMD APU (Desktop)

Let’s start with a desktop computer, the Megaport PC with AMD Athlon 3000G APU and integrated AMD Radeon Vega 3 GPU. It is a system that allows you at most to play browser games or three-dimensional titles that have a few years on their shoulders. Power is not its strong point, but if your budget is less than 500 euros (monitor and peripherals excluded) you can’t expect much more than that. It comes with 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a 400W power supply.

 

Inventive A500 (Desktop)

Another computer without a dedicated video card, excellent for games of a few years ago not too heavy on the graphics level, to be played at low resolutions (HD or at most Full HD). It uses a 6-core Intel Core i5-10400 processor, 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD with a 1TB hard drive for mass storage, and a 600W power supply. This is a pretty cool computer, which can be completed in the future if you wish, with a dedicated GPU for a noticeable leap in gaming performance.

 

Acer Nitro 5 (Notebook)

With a budget of less than 1000 euros, you can buy a gaming notebook that is more than decent in terms of performance with games. I am referring to the Acer Nitro 5 , in its version with 9th generation Intel Core i5-9300H processor, 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage space on a fast PCIe NVMe SSD. The display is 15.6 inches at Full HD resolution with good viewing angles, while on the graphics side we find an nVidia GeForce GTX 1650 with 4GB of dedicated RAM, which allows good performance even with the latest generation games, as long as you go down to some graphic compromise.

HP Gaming Pavilion 15 (Notebook)

More sober in aesthetics but with comparable power is the HP Gaming Pavilion 15 , another very interesting gaming notebook in terms of value for money. This model also has a dedicated nVidia GeForce GTX 1650 GPU with 4GB of RAM, while the processor is an AMD Ryzen 7 4800H which guarantees a good power reserve. We then have 8GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, all in combination with a 15.6 “anti-glare display with support for Full HD resolution.

 

Megaport PC with AMD Ryzen and GeForce GTX1660 Super (Desktop)

Is your budget just under 1000 euros? Then check out the Megaport PC with AMD Ryzen 3 3100 CPU and nVidia GeForce GTX1660 Super video card. This system guarantees good Full HD performance with almost all games, and can also be exploited with the heavier triple A titles coming to some compromise on the graphic detail front. It comes equipped with 8GB of RAM and 1TB of hard drive, and Windows 10 is already installed on the first start.

Best mid-range assembled gaming PCs (from 1000 € to 2000 €)

Are you looking for a computer that will allow you to easily play the latest game titles, without having to face the excessive expense? In this case, you can consider one of the models that I propose to you below.

Acer Nitro 5 (Notebook)

Just over 1,000 euros, Acer offers another version of its Nitro 5, which is also quite spartan in the finishes but with extremely interesting hardware. In fact, we find an Intel Core i5-10300H processor with 8GB of RAM and 512GB of storage on PCIe NVMe SSD. The display is a 15.6 ″ Full HD resolution with a 144hz refresh rate, while the GPU is the recent GeForce RTX 3060 with 6GB of RAM. It comes with Windows 10 Home pre-installed and already running.

Megaport PC with AMD Ryzen and GeForce RTX 2060 (Desktop)

Another Megaport gaming preassembled , with 6-core AMD Ryzen 5 2600X CPU and an nVidia GeForce RTX 2060 GPU with 6GB of dedicated RAM. This system ships with 16GB of RAM, 240GB of storage paired with a 1TB hard drive for mass storage, and Windows 10 on first boot. Great for playing the latest games in Full HD, and even pushing yourself up to 2K with the triple A of a few generations ago.

MSI Alpha 15 (Notebook)

Let’s go back to notebooks with the MSI Alpha 15, with RGB backlit keyboard and respectable hardware. Here we find an AMD Ryzen 7 4800H processor with dedicated AMD Radeon RX5600XM GPU, supported by 16GB of RAM and a fast PCIe NVMe SSD with 1TB of capacity. The display is 15.6-inch in Full HD resolution, with support for the 144Hz refresh rate. Windows 10 Home is pre-installed

Megaport PC with various hardware (Desktop)

Going up a bit in price, Megaport offers some very interesting assemblies, with which you start to get really serious. I suggest three models specifically, but by clicking on one of the two listings below you can also browse others. One of the three uses the 8-core Intel Core i7-10700F paired with 6GB GeForce RTX 2060, another the same processor but with the faster GeForce RTX 3060Ti with 8GB of RAM which guarantees significantly higher performance. On the storage side we both have a 480GB SSD and a 1TB hard drive. Finally, we have a more expensive model, but even more performing, with an Intel Core i7-10700K processor and nVidia GeForce RTX 3070 GPU with 8GB of dedicated VRAM. With this computer, you can really play anything, even in 4K.

 

Megaport PC-Gaming Intel Core i7-10700F 8x 2.90GHz • GeForce RTX 2060 …

See offer on Amazon

 

Megaport PC-Gaming Intel Core i7-10700F • GeForce RTX 3060Ti 8GB • 16 …

See offer on Amazon

MSI GP66 Leopard (Notebook)

MSI GP66 Leopard is another very interesting gaming notebook under 2000 euros, thanks to its respectable hardware and aesthetics that is also appreciated for use in productivity. On the component side we have an Intel Core i7-10750H processor with 16GB of RAM, while on the storage level there is a 512GB SASD with M.2 format and PCIe NVMe architecture. This notebook uses a powerful nVidia GeForce RTX 3070 with 8GB of dedicated RAM, while the display is a 15.6 ″ 144Hz Full HD resolution.

Best high-end assembled gaming PCs (over 2000 €)

We conclude this guide by analyzing what are currently the best gaming computers belonging to the high end of the market.

Megaport PC with Intel Core i7 and GeForce RTX 3080 (Desktop)

At the high end, we really mean it. Let’s start with an assembled Megaport PC that uses an Intel Core i7-10700K processor and an nVidia GeForce RTX 3080 with 10GB of dedicated RAM. It goes without saying that with these features you will be able to play all games in 4K with excellent performance. We also find 16GB of RAM and a 480GB SSD, in combination with a 1TB hard drive for mass storage. Windows 10 is pre-installed.

 

ASUS ROG Strix G17 (Notebook)

This notebook with a 17.3-inch display can be considered a desktop replacement, therefore a real replacement for a desktop computer. The important dimensions and the powerful hardware in fact make the lack of a desktop feel very little: in this configuration we have an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HZ processor with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD on the NVMe platform, while the integrated GPU is a GeForce RTX 3070 with 8GB of dedicated RAM. The panel is a 300Hz refresh rate anti-glare, and Windows 10 is pre-installed in the Home version.

Sedatech PC Pro Gaming Watercooling with various hardware (Desktop)

Among the best gaming assemblies you can find on Amazon, I can only recommend the systems prepared by Sedatech. Specifically, the Sedatech PC Pro Gaming Watercooling are configured with balanced and almost always very powerful hardware. In the high-end it offers various solutions, both with Intel and AMD processors, and on the graphics side we find solutions with nVidia GeForce RTX also of the latest generation (and also the very powerful GeForce RTX 3090), together with the most modern AMD Radeon RX 6000 Series GPUs. the models are offered with abundant RAM and storage capacity, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth adapters included and HDMI and DisplayPort ports. Cooling is liquid.

Alienware Aurora R12 (Desktop)

If you are looking for an iconic assembly, with a sure aesthetic impact in the environment, then consider purchasing the Alienware Aurora R12. The company now belongs to Dell, but is one of the most renowned names in gaming. The price is starting from 1179 €, but if you go further with the hardware it can become very expensive up to well over 4000 euros. Among the available configurations we find 11th generation Intel Core CPU up to i9, an abundant choice of latest generation AMD and nVidia GPUs, up to 64GB of RAM, and much more. You can find all the information on the Dell website.

Corsair One i200 (Desktop)

Another iconic solution, unique in its kind because it mixes extremely high performance in a decidedly reduced size. Corsair One i200 is in fact a Mini-PC and the price goes hand in hand with the power. It is also offered in various configurations, such as the one with the latest generation Intel Core i9-11900K processor combined with the nVidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU with 10GB of RAM, 32GB of system RAM and a 1TB SSD with M.2 interface. With this system, which you can find on the Corsair official website, you can play any game of the latest generation, even in 4K.

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15/17 (Notebook)

Are you looking for an uncompromising gaming notebook with no expense spared? Then check out ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 and ASUS ROG Strix Scar 17. The former is more compact with a 15.6-inch display, the latter a desktop replacement with a 17.3 “panel. Both support Full HD resolution and a 300Hz refresh rate, as well as having the best of hardware available today: AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX processors, 32GB of RAM, 1 + 1TB of storage on lightning-fast PCIe NVMe SSDs, and much more. . Windows 10 Home is pre-installed.

HP ENVY 32 (Desktop all in one)

If you are looking for a ready-to-use desktop gaming computer, in the smallest possible footprint, and with the greatest ease of configuration, then I can only recommend the HP ENVY 32, with a wonderful 31.5-inch display. at 4K resolution (3840 × 2160 pixels) and mouse and keyboard included in the original equipment. It is actually a system designed for productivity, but with a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and an nVidia GeForce RTX 2080 GPU it can render games at a very high speed, ensuring a great gaming experience all the time. It costs a little, but it is a complete and ready-to-use system, capable of offering a lot of computing power in all areas.