Best Desktop Computer for 2024
price
You can find a good PC tower for $500 to $600 from brands like Acer, Asus, Dell, or HP that will last for years with general use. Our recommended specs for a basic Windows 11 machine:
- Intel Core i5 (13th or 14th generation) or AMD Ryzen 5 (6000, 7000 or 8000 series)
- Default integrated graphics (e.g. Intel UHD or Iris or baseline AMD Radeon)
- 16GB RAM or more
- 512GB or larger NVMe SSD drive
- Four or more USB 3.1 or 3.2 ports in 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 slot (for adding a graphics card)
Do you want to play computer games, or spend time editing photos or videos? You’ll need to upgrade your configuration with more RAM and better graphics options. If you want a more advanced graphics card, expect to pay between $800 and $1,200 (or even more).
- Nvidia RTX or AMD Radeon RX graphics card (GPU)
- 16GB RAM or more
- 450 watt (or above) power supply
operating system
Microsoft Windows and Apple’s MacOS do basically the same thing, but they do it differently. Unless you need an operating system-specific app, choose the one you’re most comfortable using. Most desktops run Microsoft Windows, while Apple’s iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro desktops run Apple’s MacOS. There are also weird Chromebox products based on Google ChromeOS. Chromeboxes are easier to use and often cheaper than a Windows PC or Mac, but they can’t run Windows or Mac software.
processor
The processor, also known as the CPU, is the brains of your desktop computer. Intel and AMD are the major CPU manufacturers for Windows desktops. Both offer amazing processor choices. You can go to Intel’s or AMD’s Websites that provide explanations so you can get the performance you need. Intel’s current product lineup is 13th generation Core chips, with 14th generation processors expected to be launched in early 2024. AMD’s current desktop processors are the Ryzen 7000 series. But generally speaking, the faster the processor and the more cores it has, the better the performance.
Apple makes its own chips for Macs, which makes things a little easier. The iMac and Mac Mini are powered by Apple’s latest M4 processor. Mac Studio uses M2 Max or M2 Ultra, while Mac Pro is based on M2 Ultra. Also, generally speaking, the more cores, the better the performance.
graphics
Graphics processing units (GPUs) handle all the work of driving the screen and generating display content, and accelerate many graphics-related (and increasingly artificial intelligence-related) operations. For Macs, Apple’s M-series processors have integrated GPUs. For Windows desktops, there are two types of GPUs: integrated (iGPU) or discrete (dGPU). As the name suggests, iGPU is part of the CPU package, while dGPU is a separate chip with dedicated memory (VRAM) that communicates directly with it, making it faster than sharing memory with the CPU.
Because the iGPU separates space, memory, and power from the CPU, it is limited by these factors. It supports smaller desktops like all-in-ones or SFF PCs, but the performance isn’t nearly as good as a dGPU. In fact, some games and creative software won’t run unless a dGPU is detected or sufficient VRAM is available. Most productivity software, video streaming, web browsing, and other non-professional applications will run fine on the iGPU.
For power-hungry graphics needs such as video editing, gaming and streaming, design, and more, you will need a dGPU. There are only two real companies making them: Nvidia and AMD, although Intel offers some products based on its Xe-branded (or older UHD Graphics-branded) iGPU technology in its CPUs.
memory
For memory, we highly recommend at least 16GB RAM. RAM is where the operating system stores all the data for currently running applications, and it can fill up quickly. After that, it starts swapping between RAM and SSD, which is slower. Some lower-end models only offer 8GB, which combined with slower disks can result in a frustratingly slow Windows experience.
Tower computers usually have free internal slots for adding more memory modules, but all-in-one and SFF computers may not. Even if you do, these DIMM slots may be difficult to access.
storage
You may still find cheaper hard drives in budget desktops and larger drives in gaming PCs, but faster solid-state drives (SSDs) have all but replaced hard drives. They can make a big difference in performance. Not all SSDs are equally fast, and cheaper desktops often have slower drives. If your computer only has 8GB of RAM, it may eventually switch to that drive and the system may slow down quickly while you work.
Buy what memory you can afford, but we recommend at least 512GB of desktop memory for most users. For storing large media or game libraries, we recommend 1TB or more. You can usually add a second internal drive to a tower if you need to use a smaller drive. For all-in-one and SFF PCs, external drives or cloud storage are often simpler options in favor of smaller internal drives.
exhibit
An all-in-one PC integrates a monitor with computer components, which are placed not in a tower or small enclosure but behind the monitor or in its base. The trade-off for this space-saving, streamlined design is fewer upgrade options. For a monitor, you need a large screen with good resolution. The sweet spots we recommend are:
- 24 inches, 1,920×1,080 pixels (also known as 2K or 1080p)
- 27 inches, 2,560×1,440 pixels (aka 1440p)
- 32 inches, 3,840×2,160 pixels (aka 4K)
