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The best gaming PCs for 2022

Our research found the best gaming computers for every budget.

The best gaming PCs need to have enough power to run the most resource-intensive and graphically intensive video games in the largest and most elegant form factor possible. These gaming PCs are excellent, but they are also the most expensive.

Despite its high price tag, a powerful gaming PC has many benefits. Graphic design, animation, streaming 4K movies to your TV, or just getting work done are all possible on these high-end computers, and experiencing games at lightning-fast frame rates and ultra-high resolution. If you have one of our top gaming mouse picks, this is even more true.

While the PS5 and Xbox Series X delivers plenty of power, they are still no match for a top-of-the-line gaming desktop computer. The best gaming desktops are available now, so you don’t have to wait for consoles.

All-new gaming PCs are tested to see if they meet the criteria for inclusion on this page, and the page is updated as new systems become available. We’re here to help you find the best gaming computer for your needs.

Consider our guide to the best wireless gaming mouse for your new PC.

It’s time to find out which PCs are the best for gaming.

The best gaming PC you can buy is whatever you can find for a reasonable price due to a severe shortage of computer processors.

The Alienware Aurora R13 is our top pick for the best all-around gaming PC. When it comes to configurations, it has a wide range of options that can accommodate any budget, and the components you select are housed in a new Legend 2.0 chassis that is stylish, roomy, and reasonably quiet.

We recommend the Acer Predator Orion 3000 if you’re buying a PC for someone new to gaming PCs. For less than $2,000, you can get a gaming rig that can handle the latest games at 1080p or even 1440p. The case is small and easy to open for future upgrades, making it ideal. Just be aware that 4K gaming will be a challenge on this machine.

When it comes to pre-built gaming PCs, Dell’s XPS 8940 is a great option for those who prefer a more refined look (i.e., no flashing lights or other bells and whistles) but still have the power to play the latest games. This PC is perfect for the office environment with its dull, non-RGB case and current game compatibility.

Which gaming PC should you buy?

Most decent gaming PCs start around $700 to $1,000 in price if that’s a concern for you. Specifications like Intel Core i3 and Core i5 processors, Nvidia 1660 and 1660 Ti GPUs, and 8GB to 16GB of RAM, are within reach for that price range.

Consider your performance needs for an immersive gaming experience. For 1080p/60fps gaming, you need a Core i5 processor and the GeForce 2060 or AMD Radeon RX 5600 GPU. Radeon RX 5700 and GeForce 2080 are great 1440p GPUs. 4K TVs are popular. Invest in an RTX 3080 or AMD RX 6800.

As technology advances, so should your gaming PC, and the best ones can be easily upgraded with new components as needed. Alienware Aurora and Dell G5 are easy to open and manipulate, even for non-techies. Like the Corsair One, Compact devices can be more difficult to open. When upgrading your investment in the future, remember this.

Want to play games in virtual reality? An Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti / AMD Radeon RX 470 GPU, a Core i3 or Ryzen 3 processor, and 8GB of RAM are required for headsets such as the Oculus Rift S and HTC Vive. Check this before buying a machine.

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Get Started 8 Steps to Becoming a Professional Gamer

We’ve put together this resource to help you become a professional gamer. Let’s jump right in.

For many gamers, becoming a professional gamer is a dream come true. You can earn money while having fun playing your favorite video games. As one might expect, esports tournaments aren’t as straightforward as one might think.

Try Several Games

It’s good to try out a few different games before committing to one as your entry into the Esports Hall of Fame. Professional tournaments currently feature the following game types:

Online slugfests involving multiple players. Professional players’ favorite games include Dota 2, League of Legends, Smite, and Heroes of the Storm.

FPS (first-person shooters). Of course, there are always the classics like Counter-Strike and Special Forces II. Tournaments are a thing in the world of third-person shooters.

Real-time strategy games like Warcraft III or Starcraft II.

Video games that feature violence. Games like Tekken, Street Fighter, and Killer Instinct use them, and they’ve been around since the early days of gaming competition.

Playing cards. The Arena of Magic: The Gathering.

Become a Better Player

To make it as a professional, you must be able to keep up with your peers. However, simply playing for the sake of playing isn’t sufficient. If you want to compete in the biggest esports events, you need to include strategy in your training.

However, there are a lot of resources available. For example, to improve your aim in FPS games, you can find tutorials online and learn the most popular and efficient techniques.

Also, keep an eye on online professional tournaments and jot down the tactics used by the top players. Another option is to watch other gamers as they play online.

Put Yourself to the Test

Professional tournaments can be extremely stressful, and your performance may suffer. This is why you need to get used to performing in front of an audience and under duress.

You can start small and stream your gaming sessions with a second PC if there are no tournaments for a while. Then, sign up for online competitions, and there is a chance that you will win a cash prize for participating in these competitions.

LAN tournaments are the next logical step. To give you a better idea of what it’s like to compete in a large, live tournament, we’ve put together a series of videos. To progress, you can begin by participating in local tournaments.

Invest in the Best Equipment Possible

No one can believe that you lost a game because of a malfunctioning mouse or keyboard, and this is why starting with high-end equipment is a good idea. Consider your needs before purchasing, as these peripherals can cost a significant amount of money.

Once you have your gear, make sure you use it consistently. Are you playing for fun or starting a five-hour training session? Use the same equipment. Muscle memory can be improved by familiarizing yourself with your equipment.

Organize Your Social Media Presence

You’ll run into better people than you in tournaments or when researching the best strategies. Try to know them and talk about their game strategy, training methods, or mental preparation for matches.

You can even organize tournaments and invite high-ranking players to participate. Learn about their strategy in real-time by using Discord or a similar app. Having connections with players who have already leaped the professional ranks can wonder about your future career prospects. You may be referred to other teams or sponsors for private sessions or invitations to special events.

Don’t Be a Noob.

As a professional gamer, you put in a lot of time and effort, so you need to take care of your body, mind, and spirit. If you want to work for a long time, you need to have a healthy work-life balance.

Remember that you may be viewed as a celebrity, so be respectful and avoid bringing up sensitive topics. Even if you’re losing, keep a positive attitude because you could be banned if you show a bad mood.

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What You Need to Know About Gaming on an Aging Windows PC with Stunning Graphics and Smooth Framerates

To teach an old dog new tricks, you must make it easier for them to perform. Here’s how to get the most out of an older Windows PC’s performance.

In time, even the most powerful PC on the market today will be out-of-date. It’s only a matter of time before today’s most cutting-edge technology struggles to keep up with the most demanding games.

Fortunately, unlike consoles, PC gaming offers a significant advantage: the ability to customize your experience. You can keep the game’s graphics stunning while also speeding up framerates by fiddling with the game’s options.

What Causes Diminishing Framerates on a Computer?

Modern PCs are built on four main pillars, all of which can have an impact on how well a game runs:

  • The number of cores and the speed of the CPU.
  • The GPU’s performance, memory, and other capabilities.
  • The amount of RAM and its speed.

Effortless storage.

Framerates will drop if any of these properties fail to meet the expectations of the game. Learn more about “framerate” by reading our article on what FPS means in gaming, explaining why high FPS numbers are necessary for an enjoyable gaming experience.

The “slow” part could theoretically be improved. Generally, most people would prefer to delay a costly upgrade for as long as possible because it would necessitate purchasing a brand new laptop for most people.

Our guide on overclocking a graphics card in Windows 10 using ASUS GPU Tweak II is an alternative. Since this is all about overclocking your hardware, we’ve put together a guide on how to do so safely.

Would you prefer to avoid putting too much strain on your hardware? There’s still hope: You can identify what’s limiting a game’s performance and tweak it to improve its frame rate.

Increasing the CPU’s Power

Some in-game options may be helpful if the CPU is the bottleneck. Before changing settings, try “unburdening” the processor.

Terminate any other software that may be consuming CPU cycles and consuming resources. These “helpers” are often active in Windows’ tray. If you’re experiencing low FPS while playing a game on Windows, check out our guide to fixing it.

Also, be sure to look at our instructions on how to turn off GameDVR.

Go to the Performance tab in Task Manager if you’re concerned about the CPU. Logical processors can be viewed by right-clicking the graph and selecting Change graph > Logical processors from the drop-down menu.

Keep an eye on the graphs as you return to your game. There are some “logical processors” in the red, but most appear to be sleeping. Disabling hyperthreading in the BIOS/UEFI of your motherboard may be an option.

Multi-threaded software can benefit from hyperthreading, which breaks each CPU core into smaller “logical processors” to increase performance. It can hurt single-threaded application performance.

The general performance of the graphics processing unit

Despite having enough VRAM for the game, your graphics card may still underperform. Do you notice jittery frame rates due to this “underperformance”? The simplicity of the setting, such as a dark room with a handful of items and characters, affects the game’s smoothness. If that’s the case, the processing power of the GPU is most likely inadequate.

Besides upgrading your GPU, there aren’t many things you can do outside of the game to help this situation.

Fortunately, several visual settings can be changed to speed up a game’s playback speed. In order of importance:

  • Resolution
  • The ambiguity of the situation
  • Specifications of the model
  • Decals
  • Physics

To get a performance boost, the first thing you should do is lower the game’s resolution. A lower resolution can be upscaled to match your monitor’s native resolution using NVIDIA and AMD GPU technologies like DLSS and FSR, supported by nearly all modern GPUs from both companies.

Our guide on using AMD FSR on any game, even if your GPU is not supported on a driver level, has all the information you need. You only need a free tool called Magpie.

You’ll lose some clarity, but you’ll keep the game’s “looks” if you lower the resolution. If the game is still sluggish, you can try dropping the graphics settings mentioned above in the advanced stages.

Model detail should be the last thing to be added in most games. If you reduce the fidelity too much, the character models may resemble those of Super Mario 64.

Finding a Solution to Your Storage Problems

Unless you’re using blazing-fast NVMe drives, storage can be a bottleneck. Multitasking is the fastest way to degrade the performance of any storage device.

As a result, reduce the storage device’s load by running fewer processes. If the task manager shows that a program uses a lot of disc space, don’t just minimize it; remove it completely. Do this to allocate as much bandwidth to your game from your storage device.

Try to “spread the load” if you have multiple storage devices installed on your PC. Occasionally, the operating system needs to read and write data to them.

The OS should be installed on one device, while your games should be installed separately. As a result, each device will be able to focus on just one thing at a time: the OS, and your games, on the rest of the bandwidth.