Best desktop PC for 2021

Welcome to CNET’s list of best desktop PCs and Macs, which we’ve just updated in the wake of the new 2021 iMac becoming available. Laptops and tablets make up about 80% of the PC market, but that still means one out of every five computers sold is a good old-fashioned desktop. And why not? If you want more power and expandability, or if you already spend your day tethered to a big-screen monitor, a desktop PC makes a lot of sense. These days, a desktop is generally going to be either a tower or an all-in-one (with an integrated screen), though there are smaller designs available for tighter spaces. In addition to Windows and Macs available for as little as $500 to $700, there are also options for Chrome and Linux fans, too. 

While laptops still occupy the bulk of our time and effort when it comes to hands-on reviews, we’ve pulled together some of our favorite recent desktop products below. The list starts with models we’ve tested, and then moves on to more generic configurations. We haven’t explicitly tested those specific models in the latter batch, but the specs listed should deliver considerable value for the price, based on our experience with similarly configured laptops we’ve tested. Unless otherwise indicated, the products listed below don’t include a monitor, keyboard, mouse or webcam. You’ll need to bring your own or buy them separately. We update this list periodically.

Desktop PCs: Tested and recommended

These are desktop computers that we’ve recently tested and can recommend based on our hands-on experience.

Other recommended desktop PCs

We haven’t reviewed the specific models below, but we have reviewed systems using very similar hardware. These general configurations should serve you well, especially if you shop around for frequent deals.

Basic Windows PC tower (starting around $550)

The specs we’d suggest for a basic Windows 10 machine:

• Intel Core i5 (9th or 10th generation) or AMD Ryzen 5 (3000 or 5000 series)
• Default integrated graphics (such as Intel 630 or baseline AMD Radeon)
• 512GB or larger NVMe SSD drive

• 12GB of RAM or more (16GB preferred)

• Four or more USB 3.1 / 3.2 ports with USB-C and USB-A formats (at least one or two on the front)

• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless

• At least one PCI-E (x16) expansion Situs Judi slot (for adding a video card)

• A DVD or Blu-ray optical drive (if you need it for legacy software or media)

With those specs in mind, you should be able to find a good PC tower from brands like Dell, Acer, Asus or HP for between $500 and $600. Here are some that fit the bill, offering a great bang for the buck if you don’t need a laptop:

Acer TC-895-UA92 ($550)

This 10th-gen Intel Core i5 configuration includes everything listed above, along with Wi-Fi 6 compatibility and a keyboard and mouse, too. 

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PC tower for light gaming and creative duties (starting around $900)

Want to do some gaming, or do you spend time editing photos or video? You’ll want to level up the above configuration with more RAM and better graphics options. Expect price points to be between $800 and $1,200 — and even higher if you go for a more bleeding-edge video card.

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

Looking for gaming or creative PCs with more muscle? Check out our list of .

HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop TG01-1076z ($900)

This HP rig boasts an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 GPU, a 400-watt power supply, 16GB of RAM and tosses a 1TB spinning hard drive on top of the 512GB SSD. Base price is $900, but we’ve seen it on sale for as low as $750. (This was out of stock when we last checked.)

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Dell G5 gaming tower ($850)

This Dell model has nearly the same specs as the HP above, but with a 10th-gen Intel Core i5 in place of the AMD Ryzen. We’d previously seen this for as much as $1,050, but it appears to be selling for closer to $850 at the time this was published. (We’ve seen it hit as low at $750.)

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Basic Windows All-in-One (starts around $700)

An “all-in-one PC” (also known as AIO PC) is basically a Windows version of an iMac. That means the PC “guts” are essentially built into a monitor or its base. Unlike the PC towers listed above, all-in-ones generally offer no ability to upgrade the graphics card, and maybe not even the storage or RAM. The advantage is having fewer cables, however, since everything is integrated into the body.

Recommended specs for an all-in-one are mostly similar to the basic tower above, albeit with compromises because of space considerations. Don’t expect an optical drive, for instance, and know that performance is often a step down from “real” desktop models because some all-in-ones use laptop components to better maximize available space. You’ll want a large screen with good resolution. The sweet spots we’d suggest are:

• 24 inches at 1,920×1,080 (aka 2K or 1080p)
• 27 inches at 2,560×1,440 (aka 1440p)
• 32 inches at 3,840×2,160 (aka 4K)

The 24-inchers are good for kids, but adults should probably go for 27 inches and up. Expect to pay at least $800 at that latter size, especially if you want to avoid underpowered Intel Core i3 or AMD Athlon CPUs. The Surface Studio 2, HP Envy 32 (above) and Apple iMacs (below) are examples of high end all-in-one computers, but here’s a more reasonably priced alternative.

Acer Aspire C27-962-UA91 ($800)

While the screen on this model is a spacious 27 inches, resolution is only 1080p (also known as 2K) — but that’s par for the course below the $1,000 price point. This model also lacks a DVD drive and USB-C ports. That said, you get a 10th-gen Intel Core i5 CPU, on-board Nvidia MX graphics (not as good as a GTX or RTX card, but better than average), half a terabyte of SSD storage and a built-in webcam (along with a keyboard and mouse).