The Best Affordable Desktops In 2024

Dan Simmons By, Dan Simmons
Updated
Best Affordable Desktops
Best Affordable Desktops

The Rundown

1. Best Overall: HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop

The HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop PC is a computer specially designed for gamers. With access to 4K visuals, you can enjoy rich and immersive multimedia entertainment. It's 10x faster than a traditional hard drive and delivers exceptional performance for gaming and graphics-intensive applications. Read Review

2. Best Bang For The Buck: Dell Inspiron 3880 Desktop

With the Dell Inspiron 3880 Desktop, you can have a powerful, ultra-small footprint desktop. Our thin and light design makes this machine easy to transport from one place to another. Connect easily to numerous devices such as TVs, projectors, and more with the HDMI output. With our powerful i5 processor and Intel UHD 630 graphics card, you will be able to run more apps faster than ever before. Read Review

3. Best Efficient: SkyTech Shadow Gaming Computer PC Desktop

SkyTech Shadow is an ultra-powerful all-in-one PC gaming system, featuring a powerful NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Super 6GB video card for the best quality VR, 4K, and Big Screen Gaming. Its super-fast SSD drive with up to 30x faster read/write speeds than traditional hard drives gives you an unprecedented gaming experience. Read Review

4. Best Design: Acer Aspire TC-1760-UA93 Desktop

The Acer Aspire TC-1760-UA93 is a powerful computer hub. It's packed with power and speed and has the storage to do more. This computer is equipped with a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 1TB HDD, and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 6GB graphics card for an incredible visual experience. Read Review

5. Best Reliable: ZOTAC A5938V2 Desktop

The ZOTAC A5938V2 Desktop is the perfect balance of power and portability. It features a 3.4 GHz AMD Ryzen 9 5950X processor and an EKWB 240MM liquid cooler, making it ready to handle your most demanding tasks with ease. The Quad-díplay ready design allows you to work with any type of display setup while the rear chassis ventilation system ensures that your system is always cool, even when playing a game for hours on end. Read Review

Today’s digital world means almost everything is connected to the internet. We use digital devices to access all of our information from calendars, emails, and social media accounts. With so much data flowing through our computers, it’s essential that they have the processing power necessary to handle all of this information.

As technology continues to advance at an exponential rate, desktops have evolved as well. Today’s affordable desktops are not only more powerful than ever before but they also come in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and price ranges. This guide reviews the most affordable desktop PCs on the market today. Let’s take a look...

Before making our recommendations, our specialists spend substantial time researching and analyzing customer feedback. Then we found the best affordable desktops is HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop. It is the greatest choice for its high quality. If you're looking for another one, consider Dell Inspiron 3880 Desktop.

Our Top Picks

TOP Choice #1 HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop
Our Score:
9.7
HP

MU-MIMO SUPPORTED – Pair with a MU-MIMO router for a smoother online experience in multi-device homes

CUSTOMIZABLE AND COMPACT – This sleek, space-saving tower allows you to expand and upgrade with customizable LED lights and system optimization in the OMEN Command Center

4K READY – Outstanding performance and immersive multimedia entertainment with 4K visuals courtesy of the 10th Generation IntelⓇ Core i3-10100 processor

DDR4 MEMORY – With 8 GB of RAM, everything from browsing multiple web pages to playing games gets a performance boost

MOUSE AND KEYBOARD – Complete your setup with a USB black wired keyboard and mouse combo

PC GAMING CONNECTIVITY – Enjoy rock-solid connections with the latest Wi-Fi 5 (1x1) WLAN adapter and Bluetooth 4.2 as well as reliable external ports in the Headphone/Microphone combo, 5.1 surround sound, and SuperSpeed USB Type-A and Type-C ports; this pc is perfect for dual display support

FREE UPGRADE TO WINDOWS 11 (1) (when available, see below)

PLENTY OF STORAGE – Get up to 10x faster performance than a traditional hard drive with 256 GB of PCIe NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive storage

STUNNING GRAPHICS – With the all-new NVIDIA Turing architecture and 4 GB GDDR6 dedicated memory, you’ll boost your creative and gaming experience with real-time ray tracing and fast performance from the NVIDIAⓇ GeForceⓇ GTX 1650 SUPER graphics card

WINDOWS 10 AND WARRANTY – Confidently work and play on a desktop equipped with Windows 10, tested over 230 individual times, and backed by a 1-year limited hardware warranty

TOP Choice #2 Dell Inspiron 3880 Desktop
Our Score:
9.6
Dell

Includes: KB 216 Keyboard and Wired Mouse

Easy connection with front side media card reader and Type A USB ports

2 Year Onsite Service after remote diagnosis

Reclaim your workspace with a footprint that’s 14% smaller than the previous gen

Run multiple apps faster and enjoy sharp, high-quality visuals with Intel UHD Graphics 630 shared graphics memory

TOP Choice #3 SkyTech Shadow Gaming Computer PC Desktop
Our Score:
9.5
Skytech Gaming

802.11 AC Wi-Fi | No bloatware | Minimum 4 x USB Ports, including 2.0, 3.0, and 3.2 Gen 1 | 1 x HDMI and 1 x DisplayPort Guaranteed, additional ports may vary | Free RGB Keyboard & Mouse

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Super 6GB Video Card | 16 GB Gaming Memory DDR4 3000 with Heat Spreader | Windows 10 Home 64-bit

1 Year Warranty on Parts and Labor | Lifetime Free Technical Support | Assemble in the USA | This Powerful Gaming PC Capable to Run Any of Your Favorite Game at 1080P High to Ultra Resolution with 60+ FPS Such As Apex Legends, Fortnite, Player Unknown Battleground (PUBG), Overwatch, CS:GO, Battlefield V, Anthem, The Division 2, and More.

Ryzen 5 3600 6-Core 3.6GHz (4.2GHz Max Boost) CPU Processor | 500G SSD – Up to 30x Faster Than Traditional HDD | A520M Motherboard

3 x RGB RING Fans for Maximum Air Flow | Powered by 550 Watt Bronze 80 Plus Certified Power Supply | Skytech SHADOW Gaming Case with Tempered Glass

ROBUST COMPUTING HUB: Tackle any task—from basic computing to multimedia entertainment—every time you power up this beastly machine. Easily expandable and driven by a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, it has the speed, power and storage to do more—everyday.

USB Keyboard and Mouse Included | Windows 11 Pro

Intel Wireless Wi-Fi 6 AX201 802.11ax Dual-Band 2.4GHz and 5GHz featuring 2x2 MU-MIMO technology | Bluetooth 5.2 | 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet LAN

16GB 3200MHz DDR4 Memory | 512GB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD | 1TB 7200RPM SATA Hard Drive | 8X DVD-Writer Double-Layer Drive (DVD-RW)

1 - USB 3.2 Type C Gen 1 port (up to 5 Gbps) (Front) | 2 - USB 3.2 Gen 1 Ports (1 Front and 1 Rear) | 4 - USB 2.0 Ports (Rear) | 1 - HDMI Port | 1 - Display Port | 1 - DVI Port

12th Generation Intel Core i7-12700F 12-Core Processor (Up to 4.9GHz) | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER Graphics with 6GB GDDR6 Video Memory

5 ZOTAC  A5938V2 Desktop
Our Score:
9.2
ZOTAC

32GB (16GB X 2) Dual Channel ARGB 3200MHz DDR4

ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 3080 12GB GDDR6 256-bit

Quad-display ready, up to 4K Ready @ 120 Hz, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 3 x DisplayPort 1.4a

AMD Ryzen 9 5950X 3.4GHz (4.9GHz Turbo) 16-core/32-Thread Processor w/240MM EKWB Liquid Cooler

Creator ready, Game Ready, VR Ready, 4K Ready

WiFi, Bluetooth, Gigabit LAN ethernet

6 iBUYPOWER Pro Gaming PC Computer Desktop
Our Score:
9.0
IBUYPOWER

System: iBUYPOWER SlateMR 215A AMD Ryzen 5 5600G 3.9GHz (4.4 GHz Max Turbo) | 16GB DDR4 RAM | 480 GB SSD | OEM Fan Cooling | Genuine Windows 11 Home 64-bit

Connectivity: 4 x USB 3.0 | 2 x USB 2.0 | 1x RJ-45 Network Ethernet 10/100/1000 | HD Audio Jacks: Line in / Front Speaker / Microphone

Graphics: Radeon RX 6600XT 8 GB Dedicated Gaming Video Card | VR Ready | 1x HDMI | 3x Display Port

Special Add-Ons: 802.11AC Wi-Fi Included | Free iBuyPower Gaming Keyboard & RGB Gaming Mouse | No Bloatware | Warranty: 1 Year Parts & Labor + Free Lifetime US Tech Support | Assembled in the U.S.A

7 Skytech Blaze 3.0 Gaming PC Desktop
Our Score:
8.8
Skytech Gaming

802.11AC | No Bloatware | Graphic output options include 1 x HDMI, and 1 x Display Port Guaranteed, Additional Ports may vary | USB Ports Including 2.0, 3.0, and 3.2 Gen1 Ports | HD Audio and Mic | Free Gaming Keyboard and Mouse

This powerful gaming PC is capable of running all your favorite games such as Call of Duty Warzone, Fornite, Escape from Tarkov, Grand Theft Auto V, Valorant, World of Warcraft, League of Legends, Apex Legends, Roblox, PLAYERUNKNOWN’s Battlegrounds, Overwatch, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Battlefield V, New World, Minecraft, Elden Ring, Rocket League, The Division 2, and more at High to Ultra settings, crisp 1080p FHD resolution and smooth 60 plus FPS game play.

3 x RGB Dual RING Fans for Maximum Air Flow | Phantek Metallic Gear Neo Air, White Edition with Front Mesh Case | 1 Year Warranty on Parts and Labor | Lifetime Free Technical Support | Assembled in the USA

INTEL Core-i5 10400F 2.9GHz (4.3GHz Max Boost) CPU Processor | 1 TB M.2 SSD – Up to 30x Faster Than Traditional HDD

AMD Radeon RX 6600XT 8GB GDDR6 Graphics Card (Brand May Vary) | 16G DDR4 3200 Gaming Memory with Heat Spreader | Windows 10 Home 64-bit

8 HP Pavilion Desktop PC
Our Score:
8.6
HP

AMD PROCESSOR AND GRAPHICS – Whether you are playing the latest games, designing the next skyscraper, or crunching scientific data, handle it all with the powerful AMD Ryzen 5700G desktop processor (2) and AMD Radeon Graphics (3)

PROVEN-PERFORMANCE – Made for the modern family, the HP Pavilion Desktop PC brings the latest technology and reliability from a trusted brand that protects what matters to you most.

KEYBOARD AND MOUSE – Complete your home office setup with the included USB black wired keyboard and mouse combo

HP QUICKDROP – Wirelessly transfer photos, videos, documents, and more between your PC and mobile device with HP QuickDrop

MODERN ENTERTAINMENT – Elevate any movie night or gaming session as your HP desktop features all the necessary ports for immersive, 5.1 surround sound

DURABLE AND STYLISH – Ditch the dull black box with a polished silver PC that not only perfectly fits in any space, but is built to last with 230 quality tests to its name (1)

MEMORY AND STORAGE – With 16 GB of RAM, everything from multitasking to playing games gets a performance boost (4); plus, with 512 GB of PCIe NVMe M.2 Solid State Drive storage, you’ll get up to 10x faster performance than a traditional hard drive (5) (6)

WINDOWS 11 PRO AND WARRANTY – From a rejuvenated Start menu to new ways to connect, the Windows 11 Pro OS is the place to think, express, and create in a natural way (9). Start every day with confidence with a 1-year limited warranty to protect your purchase

CONSISTENT WIRELESS EXPERIENCE – Stay connected to all your wireless accessories with the reliable Wi-Fi 5 (1x1) & Bluetooth (802.11a/b/g/n/ac) combo (10) (11). Work without interruption or spotty connectivity with an MU-MIMO-supported computer tower

USB PORTS – Quickly and easily connect your devices and external storage drives with 9 front-facing USB ports; your desktop computer’s ports include 4 SuperSpeed USB Type-A, 1 SuperSpeed USB Type-C (7), and 4 USB 2.0 Type-A (8)

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Graphics with 10GB of GDDR6X Video Memory (3 x Display Ports 1.4a & 1 x HDMI 2.1 Port)

12th Generation Intel Core i7-12700K 12-Core Processor (Up to 5.0GHz) | 32GB DDR5 4400MHz Memory (expandable to 64GB) | 1TB M.2 PCIe Gen 4 SSD | 2TB 7200RPM SATA III HDD

2.5-inch USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C Hotswap Drive Bay | DTS X: Ultra Audio | Intel Wireless Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (Gig+) | Killer Ethernet E3100G 10/100/1000 2.5G Ethernet LAN

1- USB 3.2 (Type C) Gen 1 port (Up to 5Gbps) (Top) | 3 - USB 3.2 (Type-A) Gen 1 Port (Top) | 1 - USB 3.2 (Type C) Gen 2x2 port (Up to 20Gbps) (Rear) | 3 - USB 3.2 (Type-A) Gen 2 Ports (Rear) | 2 - USB 2.0 (Type A) Ports (Rear)

Windows 11 Home | Predator RGB Gaming Keyboard and Predator RGB Gaming Mouse Included

Creating the perfect PC experience demands deep customization and personalization options. A transparent glass side panel showcases the G15CE’s internal RGB lighting, while its AURA Sync support ensures you can coordinate those colors and effects across a full collection of compatible peripheral devices. With ROG Armoury Crate software, you can tweak all of your PC’s aesthetic and performance settings to your exact preferences.

Disclosure: Brand New Computer has been resealed to upgrade the Memory or SSD. One-year warranty from the manufacturer. Three-year warranty for upgraded Memory/SSD for Issaquah Highlands Tech customers; 64GB (32GB x 2) DDR4 3200MHz Memory; 2TB PCIe SSD

Windows 10 Home 64-bit, FREE upgrade to Windows 11 Home available; The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8 GB GDDR6; The Powerful and efficient Dedicated Graphics offers gameplay at max settings. Ideal for gaming enthusiasts and ensure your most AAA Gaming applications will run reliably on this Gaming laptop: The Witcher 3, Fortnite, Call of Duty, Elden Ring, Titanfall 2, APEX Legends and Cyberpunk 2077; Ultimate Ray Tracing and AI (NVIDIA DLSS and NVIDIA Broadcast); VR Ready

6 x USB 2.0, 2 x SuperSpeed USB Type-C, 1 x Ethernet port (10/100/1000 Base-T Network), 1 x HDMI, 3.5mm Headphone/Microphone Combo, Microphone jack; Wi-Fi 6 & Bluetooth 5

11th Gen Intel Rocket Lake Core i7-11700F (Dcta-core 16 threads, base clock speed 2.5GHz, max turbo to 4.9GHz, 16MB L3 Cache); NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 8 GB GDDR6-Dedicated Graphics Card, expandable to external 3 digital monitors via HDMI, Thunderbolt 4, External monitor resolution: 4K

Product Images, Product Titles, Product Highlights from Amazon Product Advertising API

What to Look For in a best affordable desktops?

Please follow the bellow points before selecting the best affordable desktops:

Storage

For most people, choosing between a hard drive (HDD) or solid state drive (SDD) will be a matter of preference when it comes to the best desktop computers. While hard drives are slower and more prone to failure, they offer more storage for the money. SSDs may be more costly, but their speed and reliability often makes them a great choice for gamers and video editors trying to squeeze every last ounce of performance out of their machines.

Monitor Size

It's important to know the size of the monitor you need to purchase in order to fit your specific needs as a desktop computer user. Monitor sizes go as low as 19 inches and up to 34 inches wide. The recommended and most popular size comes anywhere between 23 - 27 inches wide. These sizes are perfect for those users who need to write up documents, search the web, or maybe stream some movies.

Graphics Cards

For most users, the graphics cards that come with any of the best desktop computers will be fine. But gamers and creative professionals will want to spend a little extra to upgrade in this area. While a graphics card like an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 is a fine choice, jumping up to an GeForce RTX 2060 or 2080 will make a huge difference in what you can do with your computer.

Accessability/Upgradability

If you’re looking for a computer that will last you more than a few years, you’ll want to buy a desktop computer that is fixable, upgradable and/or expandable. This means that you’ll be able to open up the case of your tower and access the hard drive/SSD, GPU, RAM and optical drive. Generally speaking, components such as the CPU, motherboard and power supply are not upgradable in pre-configured computers.

RAM

Desktop computers come with a lot of memory, which is specifically for apps to run while they’re in use. Working together with the CPU, more memory enables demanding apps to run as fast as possible, or many apps to run at the same time. At minimum, you’ll want to buy a desktop computer with 4GB of RAM, but 8GB of RAM is preferable. This will ensure that your computer can handle everything from web browsing productivity software 4K video and even some light photo and video editing. For dedicated gamers, streamers and creative professionals, 16GB of RAM is more desirable.

Ports

Internal storage devices aren’t the only way to store or access files. Like any computer, desktop PCs come with a plethora of ports that provide you with plenty of expansive options, including external storage.

CPU

A powerful CPU sets the standard for the overall speed and capability of your computer. As a baseline, you should want a computer with at least a 10th Generation Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 CPU. Ideally, you’ll want a desktop computer with an 11th Generation Intel Core i5 CPU (or an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU) if you’re a gamer or a creative professional (photographer, illustrator, video editor, etc.). If you’re on a budget, a computer with a 8th Generation Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 CPU will do the trick.

Sound

Depending on the desktop model you are looking at, some desktop towers do not include a sound card or speakers. In this case, external speakers will be necessary if you plan on watching or listening to anything with audio. However, if you do not plan on doing any of these activities frequently (or at all in some cases) then the basic speaker system built-in with most computers and their corresponding monitors will work just fine.

FAQs

What are the benefits of buying an affordable desktop computer?

An affordable desktop computer can be an excellent choice for those looking to stay within a budget while still enjoying many of the benefits of a desktop computer. An affordable desktop computer will typically offer adequate performance and storage capacity while still maintaining relatively low cost. Additionally, they often come with pre-installed software that can help save you time and money on software purchases.

What should I consider when looking for an affordable desktop computer?

When looking for an affordable desktop computer, it’s important to consider the features and specs of the computer, such as processor speed, RAM, storage capacity, and graphics capabilities. Additionally, it’s important to make sure the computer’s software is up to date and compatible with the applications you plan to use. Finally, be sure to factor in the cost of accessories, such as a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, as these can add to the overall cost of the system.

What are some advantages of an affordable desktop?

An affordable desktop is a great choice for people who are looking for basic computing capabilities at a lower cost. They are also a great option for those who don’t require the most powerful components or the latest technology. With an affordable desktop, you can expect to get a computer that is capable of running basic applications and performing basic tasks.

In general, it's difficult to say who creates the best affordable desktops since each firm has unique qualities, features, and pricing points that set them apart from the competition. We only suggest products from the most outstanding manufacturers on our site, so you can rest assured about their quality.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require assistance with your problems. Wish you a happy shopping!


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About Dan Simmons

Dan Simmons

Dan Simmons is a writer who loves home theater and HiFi audio. As the editor of TheAudioInsights, he has helped countless people enjoy the best possible sound quality in their homes. He is an audiophile who takes great pleasure in helping others find the perfect audio equipment for their needs. When he's not writing or editing, Dan enjoys listening to music and spending time with his family.