Best Prebuilt Gaming PCs for Every Budget

Frankly speaking, we are not a fan of prebuilt machines. Building your own PC from scratch would save you a lot of money and give you more control over the performance. But not everyone has the time or knowledge to build their own gaming PC. So, an alternative is to shop for a prebuilt gaming PC that gives you the most value for your investment.

There are some prebuilt PC brands in the market that give the most bang for your buck when it comes to gaming. From performance-oriented prebuilt gaming PCs to wallet-friendly compact gaming desktops, there are tons of options to pick from.

The most important thing is to go for a prebuilt gaming desktop that easily fits into the price-to-performance equation. Obviously, there’s no sense in spending piles of cash on a gaming PC that doesn’t deliver the performance you expect out of it.

When it comes to prebuilt gaming builds, you have to be careful in spending your budget. You cannot rule out the performance of a pre-made gaming PC by fancy RGB lights and a transparent PC case.

The hardware that’s packed inside the desktop is more responsible for the gaming performance. In addition to that, the compatibility of the hardware (CPU, GPU, and RAM) also plays a vital role in smoother gameplay.

List of the Best Value Prebuilt Gaming PCs on the Market

Here are the best options to consider:

SkyTech Chronos Gaming Desktop – Overall Best Value Prebuilt Machine under $1500

CPU: Ryzen 5 5600X 3.7 GHz | GPU: RTX 3070 Ti 8GB | RAM: 16GB DDR4 | Storage: 1TB Gen4 NVMe SSD | Operating System: Windows 10 Home 64-bit

Reasons to Buy:

• Powered by a powerful six-core Zen 3 processor for unbeatable gaming performance.
• The Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti in this gaming PC would be enough to play any AAA game at 1440p 60fps settings.
• 240mm RGB fans at the front add aesthetics and promote high airflow inside the case.
• Neat cable management

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The SkyTech Chronos packs serious gaming performance on its end. Fueled by the latest generation Ryzen 5 5600X CPU, you can expect his desktop to give you great value in CPU-intensive workloads.

In addition to this, the Ryzen 5 5600X is paired with Nvidia RTX 3070 Ti to play any AAA game at 1440p resolution. It’s really surprising an upper mid-range card in a prebuilt desktop when the prices of GPUs are unstable all over the world.

To be honest, this is one of the best CPU and GPU combos we’ve seen in a prebuilt gaming PC under $1500. It’s because the RTX 3070 Ti still costs above $700 alone on eBay and Amazon. And if SkyTech has set this GPU in this prebuilt desktop, then it’s a win-win situation for games.

This PC itself has a very catchy look to it. If we talk about the design then SkyTech has assembled everything in a micro-ATX PC case with a side glass panel to see everything running in its full glory. There are powerful 240mm RGB fans at the front for a higher inflow of air inside the case.

If we talk about the gaming performance on SkyTech Chronos, then it gives you the best price-to-performance ratio in AAA gaming. You can play many famous titles like GTA V, Red Dead Redemption 2, Battlefield V, Valorant, PUBG, Fortnite, and Apex Legends, on this at 1440p 60fps settings.

The Ryzen 5 5600X with RTX 3070 Ti gives a stable performance in many games tested in this video.

Yes, you can also scale the resolution up to 4K settings, but you’ll suffer from getting stable frame rates in some GPU-intensive titles. Even with ray-tracing turned off, you’ll suffer to get more than 35 to 50fps in some games with RTX 3070 Ti at 4K settings.

Later on, you can easily upgrade this PC with a 4K graphics card to squeeze more gaming juice out of it. But with current specs, you can play most games at 1440p settings and stream them at the same time.

SkyTech Chronos is no doubt a decent gaming machine with all the ingredients that are needed for smoother gameplay these days. There’s plenty of room for an upgrade in this PC, you can swap the 16GB DDR4 RAM with a 32GB kit for extra performance or you can install a better graphics card or CPU later on if you want.

But for now, the 16GB RAM would be enough to handle the latest games available on the market. Also, there’s a 1TB NVMe SSD for storing your games and other important files.

AAA games these days swap a lot of storage space, so if you run out of space, you can easily swap this 1TB SSD with 2TB or 4TB SSD later on.

Overall, the SkyTech Chronos is one of the best-prebuilt gaming PC that gives you the most value for your money. It features a powerful CPU and graphics card to crush any intense workloads that you’ll throw on it. You can game and stream at the same time on this PC at 1440p 60fps.

iBUYPOWER Pro – Best Budget Prebuilt Gaming Machine

CPU: Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz | GPU: GTX 1650 4GB | RAM: 8GB DDR4 | Storage: 480GB SSD | Operating System: Windows 11 Home 64-bit

Reasons to Buy:

• The six-core Ryzen 5 3600 CPU on this desktop is a reliable CPU for gaming
• The GTX 1650 graphics card can let you play many games at 1080p settings.
• There’s 1 Year of Parts + Labor warranty with this desktop

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The iBUYPOWER PRO is fueled by our favourite six CPU, the Ryzen 5 3600. Now, this is an older generation CPU from AMD, but it still holds excellent single and multi-threaded performance to grind complex workloads of today.

In addition, we have the GTX 1650 4GB graphics card from Nvidia. The CPU and GPU combo on this machine makes it a perfect budget-friendly 1080p desktop for gamers.

Now the Ryzen 5 3600 is a six-core processor and it meets the bare minimum for gaming you need these days. Most AAA games in the market are hardly making use of more than 4 to 6 cores.

But there’s more concern about the Nvidia GTX 1650 4GB version. With a few years old titles like Far Cry 5, GTA V, Doom, PUBG, and Fornite, the GTX 1650 can deliver you a 1080p gaming experience at 60fps.

However, with more GPU-intense game titles like the Red Dead Redemption 2, CyberPunk 2077, Far Cry 6, Assasin’s Creed: Valhalla, Metro: Exodus, etc, there’s no guarantee that you’ll get more than 50fps to 60fps at ultra-high 1080p settings.

Obviously, it would be the entry-level GTX 1650 card that will limit you from getting higher fps in intense AAA games. However, with less intensive or titles that demand more from the CPU, the iBUYPOWER PRO would be a great gaming machine to go with.

If you can get the iBUYPOWER PRO with AMD RX 5500 XT, then go with that card instead of going with GTX 1650. The RX 5500 XT will give you better performance with AMD Ryzen 5 3600 than GTX 1650.

There isn’t much difference in the design of this build and the previous SkyTech Chronos. We have three powerful fans at the front for maximum airflow and a side glass panel to look at what’s going on inside the PC.

But the greenish RGB tint inside the iBUYPOWER PRO looks more appealing as compared to the inner RGB lights on SkyTech Chronos.

All in all, the iBUYPOWER PRO with Ryzen 5 3600 and GTX 1650 shows up as a great deal for someone looking for a budget-friendly 1080p prebuilt gaming rig.

Just like the SkyTech Chronos, there’s plenty of room inside this desktop for performance upgrades. There’s one upgrade that you need to make straightaway if you buy this machine and that’s the RAM and storage.

The 8GB of RAM would be enough if you are not too heavy on games. But 16GB RAM would give you better performance if you go after games that eat a lot of RAM on your computer.

Moreover, it’s better to replace the current 480GB SSD with a 1TB or 2TB capacity SSD if you want to have a big game library on your PC. There are higher chances of running out of 480GB of space if you are too aggressive in downloading AAA games.

And in the future, if you have more budget to spend, you can simply replace the GTX 1650 graphics card with a better card like the RTX 3080 or RX 6600 XT.

Apart from the tiny performance upgrades you need to make, the iBUYPOWER PRO gives you the best value for your money if you are after a prebuilt gaming machine.

HP OMEN 25L – Performance-Oriented Prebuilt Gaming Machine

CPU: Ryzen 5 5600G 3.9 GHz | GPU: RTX 3060 12GB | RAM: 16GB DDR4 | Storage: 512GB SSD | Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit

Reasons to Buy:

• This prebuilt desktop has the fastest RTX 3060 12GB graphics card
• The Ryzen 5 5600G on this desktop is the best value CPU for solid 1080p gaming
• Stunning aesthetics

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The HP Omen 25L comes with the RTX 3060 12GB graphics card and Ryzen 5 5600G to deliver solid HD gaming performance. The Ryzen 5 5600G in this computer packs a little more clock speed (3.9 GHz) as compared to its sibling the Ryzen 5 5600X (3.7 GHz).

Furthermore, the RTX 3060 12GB graphics card on this desktop gives you a glimpse to play some games at even 4K settings.

It’s worth mentioning here that a six-core processor and a mid-range card like RTX 3060 give a nice boost in frame rates as there’s a minimal bottleneck to expect in this configuration.

There isn’t much difference in performance if we compare the HP Omen 25L with the SkyTech Chronos gaming PC as both are using the same family of CPUs.

But in some titles like Red Dead Redemption 2, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Assasin’s Creed: Valhalla, Far Cry 6, etc, you can expect the HP Omen 25L to throw a bit more frame rates as compared to SkyTech Chronos at 1440p settings.

Definitely, it’s due to extra VRAM on RTX 3060 as compared to RTX 3070 Ti. And in GPU-intensive games, you can take a huge advantage of gigantic 12GB video memory on RTX 3060 graphics card.

Also, the RTX 3060 graphics card would give you more edge in attaching a higher refresh monitor to it. You can simply connect a 4K monitor with this graphics card to get more details in AAA games.

Yes, gaming on HP Omen 25L at 1440p 60fps is possible without any lags or stutters. The Ryzen 5 5600G and RTX 3060, both sit in a well-balanced equation to deliver smoother frame rates.

All in all, the HP Omen is an excellent prebuilt gaming PC with a fair price tag. We liked the decent aesthetics and design of the machine.

There’s a nice tint on the side glass panel which makes it aesthetically more appealing than other desktops on our list. The greenish light inside the case gives it a nice and cool look in darker light conditions. And we’ve found this light theme similar to what we found on iBUYPOWER Pro.

Just like the previous two desktops on our list, the HP Omen 25L gives you plenty of headroom for an upgrade. But honestly, we don’t think that you’ll ever need to upgrade this CP with a better CPU or GPU for at least a few more years.

The Ryzen 5 5600G and RTX 3060 12GB are the best combo to have. You can expect this desktop to be great for content creation and gaming. The only upgrade to go with is the storage.

Having a 512GB NVMe doesn’t make any sense when you have such powerful specs on your end. Obviously, you’ll soon run out of space if you install the latest AAA games. So we would recommend you replace the 512GB NVMe with 1TB or 2TB NVMe.

But there’s another thing that this PC really misses out on, and that’s the absence of front-case fans. Unlike the previous two desktops, the HP Omen 25L doesn’t have any fan at the front, and this might impact the airflow performance of this computer.

SkyTech Shadow 3.0 – Cheap Prebuilt Gaming PC under $1000

CPU: Ryzen 5 3600 3.6 GHz | GPU: GTX 1660 6GB | RAM: 16GB DDR4 | Storage: 1TB SSD | Operating System: Windows 10 Home 64-bit

Reasons to Buy:

• Decent CPU and graphics card for 1080p gaming
• Plenty of storage space
• Eye-catching aesthetics

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The SkyTech Shadow 3.0 is the right option to go with if you have a limited amount of budget to spend on a prebuilt gaming PC. This desktop comes with the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 CPU, the same that we have on the iBUYPOWER PRO build.

To boost up the graphics, the SkyTech Shadow 3.0 comes is backed by the Nvidia GTXX 1660 6GB version graphics card. Now, at least we can expect a solid 1080p gaming performance out of this card without caring about the “High” or “Ultra-High” settings.

Moving on, we have the 16GB DDR4 3000 MHz memory and a decent 1TB SSD storage space. By all means, this PC is a ready-to-go option for gamers who don’t want to spend more cash on buying upgrades.

If we move one with the gaming performance, then setting in mind all the current specs that this desktop holds, you’ll easily hit over 60fps in many games at 1080p settings.

Playing games like GTA V, Apex Legends, Minecraft, Age of Empire 4, PUBG, Fortnite, Overwatch, CS: GO, Battlefield V, etc would be a breeze on this prebuilt machine at 1080p ultra high settings.

But there are some titles that would limit your frame rates even at 1080p settings.

Yes, some GPU-intensive AAA titles that are released in 2021 or 2022 would definitely test the patience of Nvidia GTX 1660. But dealing with the in-game settings can help in running games smoother at 1080p medium-high settings.

You can switch the resolution up to 1440p with GTX 1660 in some games. But to do so, you’ll have to tweak a little bit with your in-game settings like Shadows and Reflections.

Overall, the SkyTech Shadow 3.0 is a great prebuilt gaming PC and gives you the most bang for your buck as compared to others on our list. This is the only prebuilt desktop that has a decent gaming CPU and graphics card sitting right under the $1000 price tag.

It has stunning look to it. The first time we saw this build, we immediately fell for its aesthetical looks.

From the side glass panel, you can have an amazing view of all the components installed inside the case. But that’s not all, you can customize the case light to match the scheme of your gaming setup as well.

The micro ATX PC case itself is durable and touching it doesn’t feel as if it is built out of a cheaper material.

All in all, the SkyTech is a cheaper prebuilt gaming machine that delivers the type of performance that you can expect at this price level. This PC is made for budget enthusiasts who need a wallet-friendly prebuilt desktop for playing AAA games at 1080p settings.

How to Get the Most Value Out of a Prebuilt Gaming PC

There are many ways to find out if the prebuilt desktop that you are buying would give you the most value or not.

First thing is to find out whether the parts that are installed on the desktop would deliver the type of performance that you need. Every hardware installed inside a PC has its own operational limits.

Graphics Card

Let’s start with the graphics card which is the most important hardware in a gaming PC. Normally, a gamer would look for a graphics card that can scale any game to at least 1080p settings if not more.

Thanks to Nvidia and AMD, we have now powerful graphics cards available at a reasonable price. In a prebuilt PC, you’ll most likely end up getting a GTX 1660 or RT 3060 graphics card. Both of these cards deliver the best value with mid-range six-core CPUs in 1080p or 1440p gaming.

Processor (CPU)

Now a CPU has nothing to do with the graphics of a game, but it will decide how your game will run. A high-end CPU will make your game look much smoother along with boosting frame rates.

Six-core CPUs are the bare minimum these days if you are stepping into the PC gaming world. Also, it’s worth looking at the generation of a CPU. The latest generation Intel and AMD CPUs offer excellent performance in gaming as compared to older generation chips.

RAM

This is the third factor that will decide the value and performance of your prebuilt gaming PC. 8GB is a good start if you have just started playing less-intensive games. But 16GB would make things future-proof for at least a few more years.

Verdict – Which One to Go With

Finally, you have gone through our list of the best value prebuilt gaming machines on market. We have selected the most budget-oriented desktop for you in this guide. But we have kept in mind the performance that someone could expect out of them.

All of these prebuilt desktops can let you play games at 1080p settings. But there’s a huge difference between just the 1080p and 1080p 60fps milestone. If we had to pick out of these four desktops, then it would be the SkyTech Chronos.

This prebuilt desktop gives you the most bang for your buck. It has a powerful AMD Ryzen 5 5600X CPU and an upper mid-range RTX 3070 Ti GPU to run any game at 1440 60fps settings. However, there’s plenty of room inside this desktop for upgrades in the future.

FAQs

Is a $500 gaming PC worth It?

It depends upon the PC parts that are included in that desktop. In a $500 gaming desktop, you’ll most likely have an entry-level CPU or GPU. So, you cannot expect a $500 gaming PC to deliver more than 720p gaming performance.

If you need 1080p gaming performance, then you’ll need to spend more than $500 on a custom or prebuilt gaming desktop.