If you suspect you need to upgrade or replace your hard drive,ask a computer technicianto diagnose your device (and request a cost estimate if the culprit is indeed the hard drive). You never pay to use Thumbtack: Get cost estimates, contact pros, and even book the joball for no cost. You'll also typically find an HDMI output (and perhaps another video output or two, such as DisplayPort or VGA), a 3.5mm audio jack, a connector for an external Wi-Fi antenna, and a receptacle for a physical lock. Not only will a $3,000 gaming tower offer immense computing power today, but it should come with so much room for expansion and potential for upgradability that its useful life will be far longer than any laptop's. Limit of 5 units per order. Intel's NUC 11 Extreme Kit packs a ton of power via its innovative Compute Element module and full-monty GPU support, giving space-minded PC gamers and content creators a shoebox-size powerhouse. Many software applications (including our performance benchmarks) actually can't take full advantage of the 7920's power. Base models are actually pretty affordable, though you can reach for the sky with a 12th Generation Intel Core i9 and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090. Desktop or laptop? Few people will see much benefit from memory amounts above 16GB, but there are exceptions. A combination of two or more 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch bays should be enough, as these can accommodate any type of traditional SSD or hard drive. Get incredibly high performance packed into an insanely petite PC. For most people in the market for an inexpensive desktop tower, there's no single best time to buy. Fan noise is also a consideration with AIOs, since their computing components will be on your desk instead of hidden underneath it. This one packs Apples amazing new M1 CPU plus 8GB of DDR4 RAM very nice specs for work, browsing, and streaming and you also get a snappy 256GB SSD for storage. Video Games, Shop all Did we just say a sharper screen would be nice? It even made room for 32GB of memory and a 1TB SSD plus 2TB hard drive. These SSDs are generally more reliable and considerably faster than old-school HDDs, although they offer less storage space per dollar. Towers tend to have a few commonly used ports on the top or front (usually a headphone jack and few USB ports). However, hourly rates can range from $45-$90. Quantity limits may apply to orders, including orders for discounted and promotional items. We found the M1 Max version underwhelming, but this one's the real deal. We don't deny that a laptop or tablet is a better pick for people who depend on business travel or whose computing consists mostly of basic surfing and typing from the living-room couch, but for small offices, families, creative pros, gamers, and tech tinkerers, desktops are often the best choice and the best value. So where does that leave that '80s relic, the desktop PC? I've appeared on CBS News, in USA Today, and at many other outlets to offer analysis on breaking technology news. Do you already have a mouse and keyboard; if not, do you want a desktop PC that comes with these included, or do you plan to buy nicer ones separately? With white-glove build quality and blissfully quiet liquid-cooled operation, the Corsair One a200 is obviously an exceptional gaming rig but also ready to serve as a powerful productivity or creative workstation. An all-in-one (AIO) desktop is quite a different animal than both of these form factors. The redesigned Alienware Aurora R13 brings the heat with Intels impressive 12th Generation Alder Lake CPUs and up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 graphics, all in a new-look chassis with a side window. Thats not quite as large as a traditional hard drive, but much faster than those HDDs of yesteryear (and you can upgrade this at extra cost, of course). 2022Sam's West, Inc. All rights reserved. On larger towers, one or two of these should support Thunderbolt over USB-C. Also a given: an Ethernet jack for wired networking, and multiple DisplayPort and HDMI jacks on the dedicated GPU (assuming there is one) for connecting one or more external monitors. If you spend your days crunching colossal datasets or doing extreme 3D rendering but let your hair down with the most demanding gaming titles after hours, look no further. It boasts a Ryzen 7 processor, a Radeon RX 6600XT GPU with 8GB of VRAM (one of our favorite graphics cards for modern gaming), and 16GB of DDR4 RAM, which all work together to deliver great gaming performance for playing the latest titles when paired with a suitable gaming monitor. Lacie V. says, "James did a thorough job troubleshooting my network issue between my computer and printer. Compare the price quotes you receive with new laptop prices, and decide which option is the most cost-effective. H SU" 2VV3sI(B$k}u(@QU]Apa,ye~/1E[O_ (""+0P^?+~~\w,W 6*YSj|~J:^r! While desktops don't come in as many distinct form factors as laptops, there's great variation in computing power and room for upgrades and expansion. Not finding anything that looks good? That is where reviews come in.). Get free cost estimates fromcomputer repair specialists near youso youll know exactly how much you should expect to pay. Multithreading (which Intel calls "Hyper-Threading") can deliver a major performance boost when engaged with suitably equipped software. Let's face it: were living in the age of the computer. Offhand, we're not sure we've ever tested a more expensive PC than the Dell Precision 7920 Towerour test system rang up at $23,289, giving nosebleeds even to the PC Labs veterans who shrug at $5,000 gaming desktops. A fourth option is to buy a desktop with no operating system at all and install an open-source one of your choosing, such as Ubuntu Linux. If your computer needs repairs, hire a technician who has experience with your computers model and brand. Too often, especially in the gaming segment, a desktop PC is really an under-the-desk or next-to-the-desk PC; full-size tower cases are just plain big. If you want power, the Apple Mac Studio with an M1 Ultra chip brings it in spades, elevating the elegant desktop PC with truly impressive processing and graphics. First, is this PC going to be primarily for work and general daily use, primarily for gaming, or a fairly even split between these? Many other manufacturers end up copyingand, sometimes, improving uponthe field-leading designs of the Apple iMac. A 4K or even 5K resolution makes for a breathtaking screen, especially one that's 27 inches or larger, but such resolutions often add significantly to the price. IT-manageable, security-conscious business desktopsmost of them nowadays made by Dell, HP, and Lenovohave their own pricing dynamic and tend to cost more, all else being equal. Quicker processors equate to faster gaming and CPU-intensive programs that do a lot of number crunching (such as modeling, video and image editing, statistics or compiling). Of course, your laptop may last longer or shorter depending on how well you take care of it. Shop desktop computers and all-in-one PCs from Dell. This is what happens when you consider only the price and dont familiarize yourself with the current state of computer hardware. High-quality 16-megapixel magnetic camera, Less-powerful, mobile-class GeForce RTX 3060 GPU. They're economical and power-efficient, and can serve as adequate web browsing or multimedia viewing platforms. Intel's NUC 11 Extreme Kit stands apart from its Next Unit of Computing siblings by being big enough to accept a full-length desktop graphics card (its footprint is 14.1 by 7.4 inches). Large corporations lease fleets of desktops for a few years at a time, after which third parties refurbish them and offer them for resale on eBay, as well as via retailers such as Best Buy, Newegg, and TigerDirect. They can be excellent values in certain circumstances. Very good CPU muscle for the price and size, Above-average connectivity for the chassis size, Supports up to four direct-connected displays, Must factor SSD, RAM, and OS costs and installation into kit version. Still, if the desktop comes with peripherals included, it can be helpful to type a few lines and move the mouse around in the store. Youre not likely to achieve 4K or even 1440p gaming with most cheap desktop computers, but that is a sacrifice you make for keeping costs down. Again, see our deep-dive on desktop CPUs to understand the nuances of these higher-end choices. If you think you'll add storage later, consider how many expansion bays your desktop has. An AIO can save you some space, since the display is built in. Velocity Micro delivers on its reputation for performance-first builds in the new "Alder Lake"-based Raptor Z55 boutique desktop PC, which beats all comers in our Core i9/GeForce RTX 3080 Ti configuration. From a full-sized keyboard and mouse to a nice big display (or multiple monitors if youre a multitasker), desktop PCs simply deliver far more utility and all-day comfort than even the best laptops can. It's an elegant all-around solution that forms an unbeatable ecosystem with your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. To find them, search or filter the product category pages for "off-lease" or refurbished systems. But when only the ultimate will do, scientists and engineers will be grateful for this monster's muscle. Windows 10 is automatically updated, which is always enabled. A graduate of Middlebury College, I also have a master's degree in journalism and French Studies from New York University. AMDs Radeon family of budget-tier graphics card includes the RX 5000 series, with GPUs like the RX 5500 offering good performance capabilities for 1080p gaming. We can quibble that the Legion Tower 5i lacks a front-mounted USB-C port and you'll likely want to upgrade its 8GB of standard RAM to 12GB or 16GB, but otherwise it's a great gaming bargain. Some desktops feature a single-drive combination of an SSD and a hard drive. A $250 Black Friday special or a steeply discounted refurbished desktop could perform just fine for basic computing, and you wouldn't need to worry about the wear and tear on cheap materials that you might with a laptop of a similar price. Available "Alder Lake" Intel Core i9, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti options, Conservative, professional design may turn gamers off. The curvaceous tower is not very compact, measuring 20 by 8 by 23 inches, but is so beautiful it belongs on instead of under your desk, with a honeycomb front panel and windowed side to show off gorgeous lighting and flawless assembly. Best High-End Tower Desktop for Power Users. Intel's NUC 11 Pro Kit combines the company's latest silicon with surprising expandability, multi-display chops, and productivity oomph in a state-of-the-art, right-priced mini desktop. One of the main benefits of a desktop tower is that it will use a desktop-grade CPU. Discounted or promotional pricing is indicated by the presence of an additional higher MSRP strike-through price, The following applies to HP systems with Intel 6th Gen and other future-generation processors on systems shipping with Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 Pro systems downgraded to Windows 7 Professional, Windows 8 Pro, or Windows 8.1: This version of Windows running with the processor or chipsets used in this system has limited support from Microsoft. We review hundreds of PCs every year, evaluating their features and testing their performance against peers in their respective categories. Find tech discounts and much more on our curated deals page. Get updates on savings events, special offers, new items, in-club events and more. Are they easily accessible? Mere 2D design apps like AutoCAD are appetizers for this Dell; it's built for near-supercomputer levels of data science, 3D rendering, and simulation modeling. HP will transfer your name and address information, IP address, products ordered and associated costs and other personal information related to processing your application to Bill Me Later. It gives you just the basics, but there's nothing wrong with that. Windows is the latest iteration of Microsoft's operating system. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag. Logitech Enhances Style, Comfort, and Gaming with the Aurora Collection, Boost Computer Performance with Crucial P3 Plus M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSDs, Create Content from Anywhere with the HP 16" ZBook Studio G9 Mobile Workstation, Pro-Level Performance Meets Mobility with the HP ZBook Firefly 14 and 16 G9, Tackle Pro-Level Tasks with the ASUS 16" ProArt StudioBook. It's also available in both preconfigured models and bare-bones kits (Intel installs the CPU, you provide the RAM, solid-state drive, and Windows license). Finally, assuming your professional software can address higher memory amounts, professional workstations should have at least 32GB of memory with error-correcting code (ECC) capabilities to keep everything running smoothly. When shopping for any sort of cheap computer, be it a laptop or desktop PC, the biggest risk youll face is ending up with something that is running on outdated hardware (or hardware that will be outdated very soon). Before you pay to extend the warranty, though, check your credit-card account benefits guideyour issuer might cover mishaps for a short period of time after you buy a new product, and possibly extend the manufacturer's warranty, too. The hardware alone is pretty good, but to sweeten this cheap desktop deal even further, the computer also comes with a wired keyboard and optical mouse (all you need is a monitor and audio output and its ready to rock). Please enter values between $519 and $11,479. Ive also covered the launches of dozens of groundbreaking technologies, from hyperloop test tracks in the desert to the latest silicon from Apple and Intel. Access to all Digital At the other end of HP's all-in-one desktop offerings, the under-$500 Chromebase 22 brings the appeal of an easy-to-use, online-friendly Chromebook to your desk or den or kitchen counter. Check them out, then read on to learn everything you need to know about finding the best desktop for you. Collectibles, Shop all Note that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, while reliably present on even the cheapest laptops and many smaller desktops, is not a given on larger towers. Thankfully, theres not too much to remember. The Falcon Northwest Tiki's footprint is tinyit takes just 4 by 14 inches of desk space and stands 13 inches tallbut it uses full-bore, industry-standard desktop components and is more upgradable than its closest rival in size, the Corsair One a200. Systems may require upgraded and/or separately purchased hardware, drivers, software or BIOS update to take full advantage of Windows 10 functionality. Use the up and down arrow keys to move through the results. A wired mouse and keyboard are included, as well. Some manufacturers and resellers offer wide ranges of extended warranties; expect to spend $100 to $300 for one of these options. These terms apply only to products sold by HP.com; reseller offers may vary. Models based on or inspired by Intel's Next Unit of Computing (NUC) platform can be as small as 5 inches square but still allow for one or two solid-state drives of your choosing, and the ability to choose and install your own RAM. This desktop gaming PC is a very solid value at this discounted price. Larger tower PCs will have many more ports, offering support for pretty much any peripheral you need to connect. Ive evaluated the performance, value, and features of hundreds of personal tech devices and services, from laptops to Wi-Fi hotspots and everything in between. Another important consideration is peripherals. In addition to having high-end CPUs and lots of RAM, they also come with graphics cards made for high resolution and silky-smooth frame rates.These gaming computers often have lots of room to add peripherals to expand their capabilities, such as joysticks and pedals. High-end workstations and gaming desktops sometimes have a second Ethernet port for doubling network bandwidth or for always-connected redundancy, while business desktops sometimes offer legacy connectors such as VGA video outputs, PS/2 peripheral ports, or serial ports. If youre running highly intensive software programs, need to manage extremely large files or play top-end games, youll want to look for a machine with the most RAM available. Make that small is mighty. PC, Shop all What monitor (or monitors) is your desktop computer going to be connected to? This will naturally determine what sort of specs youre looking at such as, for instance, whether you need a discrete graphics card or not but the good news is that in the sub-$1,000 category, you can find many good desktop PCs packing solid up-to-date hardware that wont be outdated within two years. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time. Microsoft Windows 10: Not all features are available in all editions or versions of Windows 10. But tinkerers and do-it-yourselfers who can budget for some RAM, a solid-state drive, and a game-worthy GPU will enjoy building it as much as using it. Gamers should consider the capabilities of their monitor first. lkK__. Corsair's liquid-cooled One a200 offers exceptional gaming performance in a compact, ultra-quiet tower that takes up almost no desk space. The choices can be dizzying. Technically one of HP's Z series desktop workstations, the Z2 Mini G9 outdoes even Apple's Mac mini at cramming serious computing power into a diminutive desk accessory. Taking just 8.3 by 8.6 inches of desk space (or zero if you use the optional VESA mount to stash it behind a monitor or attach it to the underside of your desk), the HP combines Intel's 12th Generation "Alder Lake" silicon (up to a blazing Core i9) with an industry-standard swappable graphics card and up to 64GB of memory and 8TB of storage. To find out exactly how much it will cost to fix your desktop, laptop, Apple or PC computer, request cost estimates fromcomputer repair specialists near you. Many towers will also have multiple audio ports, including possibly an optical output and ports for individual speaker channels in a surround-sound setup. Save up to 77% on select products, FREE shipping storewide. These refurbished PCs are often surprisingly cheap ($150 to $250 is common), and many are desktop towers, so they're easy to upgrade or service if a component goes south. Im the deputy managing editor of the hardware team at PCMag.com. There are still plenty for sale, and innovation never stops in the desktop market, especially among small-form-factor and all-in-one models. Complicated, though not impossible, to upgrade. HP's redesigned G9 version of its Z2 Mini workstation punches well above its weight, with desktop-class CPUs, replaceable graphics, and excellent connectivity. Elvin - Mac/PC help. (, Intel NUC 11 Pro Kit (NUC11TNKi5, 'Tiger Canyon'), Intel NUC 11 Extreme Kit ('Beast Canyon'), Read Great Stories Offline on Your Favorite, Alienware Aurora R10 Ryzen 7 RTX 3060 1TB Desktop, Dell Inspiron 3910 Intel i5 1TB SSD 12GB RAM Desktop, HP Victus 15L Intel i7 RTX 3060 Dual Storage Desktop, HP Pavilion Intel i5 RTX 3060 256GB SSD Desktop, Dell XPS 8950 Intel i7 RTX 3060 Dual Storage Desktop, PC Magazine Digital Edition (Opens in a new window), How to Free Up Space on Your iPhone or iPad, How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill, How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Files, How to Record the Screen on Your Windows PC or Mac, Read Our Dell Inspiron Desktop (3891) Review, Read Our Lenovo Legion Tower 5i (2021) Review, Read Our Falcon Northwest Tiki (2022) Review, Read Our Velocity Micro Raptor Z55 (2021) Review, Read Our Dell Precision 7920 Tower (2020) Review, Read Our HP Envy 34 All-in-One (2022) Review, Read Our HP Chromebase All-in-One 22 Review, Read Our Intel NUC 11 Pro Kit (NUC11TNKi5, 'Tiger Canyon') Review, Read Our Intel NUC 11 Extreme Kit ('Beast Canyon') Review, Read Our Apple Mac Studio (M1 Ultra) Review, Read Our Apple Mac mini (M1, Late 2020) Review, Intel NUC 11 Pro Kit (NUC11TNKi5, 'Tiger Canyon') Review, Intel NUC 11 Extreme Kit ('Beast Canyon') Review, What to Do When Your Computer Screen Won't Show a Picture, PC Cooling 101: How to Buy the Right Air or Water Cooler for Your Desktop CPU, The Best Laptops for College Students in 2022, The Best Laptops for Video Editing in 2022. Easily serviceable, even the graphics card. The screen and speakers are built in, and you'll likely use a wireless keyboard and mouse, anyway. Both families and small-office entrepreneurs will find the Inspiron 3891 a handy productivity and online communications station at a price low enough to buy a pair. HP Rewards qualifying and eligible products/purchases are defined as those from the following categories: Printers, Business PCs (Elite, Pro and Workstation brands), select Business Accessories and select Ink, Toner & Paper. A typical configuration in this case is one 512GB SSD and two or more hard drives with at least 1TB of space on each. Sign up for Lab Report to get the latest reviews and top product advice delivered right to your inbox. ATX) motherboards, so you can install one or more (sometimes, many more) secondary storage drives, more RAM in empty slots on the motherboard, a video card if one isn't installed, and in some remote cases, even a second graphics card for extreme gaming or graphics-accelerated tasks. You'll also want to ensure your desktop has at least one M.2 slot to accept a PCI Express SSD as the main boot drive, since that will offer the fastest throughput speeds. Then Im probably dreaming about all those cool products.) A Solid Alternative to the Falcon Northwest Tiki, Falcon Northwest has few peers in the ultra-high-end gaming space, but Alienware is one, and the Aurora R13 shows Dell's exotic subsidiary at its finest. Since you wont be lugging a desktop around nearly as much as you would a laptop, its less important to handle the chassis and test-drive its build quality in the store before you bring it home. Orders that do not comply with HP.com terms, conditions, and limitations may be cancelled. You can also find all-in-one desktops, with the display and all of the computing components built into a single device, starting at around $400. It packs an Intel Core i3 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a quick-loading 500GB SSD. If it's cheaper to fix your computer, consider doing so. Still, nearly all desktop towers have generous amounts of interior space and full-size (a.k.a. Privacy Policy. Clothing, SteelSeries Arctis 9X Wireless Gaming Headset for Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One. How much does computer repair cost per hour? subject to change, not combinable with all other offers. They should also check the maximum wattage rating of the power supply unit (PSU) and whether or not the case has the clearance for bigger coolers (or the mounting points for liquid cooling gear), if they might plan to add a more powerful CPU later on. You should consultcomputer repair experts near youto determine if replacing your laptops motherboard is worth the cost. New graphics-card releases are less frequent and depend on the vagaries of technical advancesNvidia's highly successful GeForce GTX 1000 series, for example, was the cutting edge for several years before the first GeForce RTX cards were announced. When in doubt,consult a technicianfor their expert opinion. Is the cost to fix your computer 50% or more of the cost of replacing it? Rotating display useful for some websites. Our rule of thumb is that if a warranty costs more than 15% of the desktops purchase price, you're better off spending the money on backup drives or services that minimize downtime and protect precious data that you can't replace. That inexpensive laptop would be subject to the vagaries of daily commuting and the occasional drop from a coffee table. Itcostsan average of $60 per hour for computer repair. Dell's Precision 7920 Tower workstation is a dual-CPU monster for tasks that can leverage its server-grade hardware and require maximum reliability. OptiPlex desktop and all-in-one computers now featuring versatile, space-saving form factors and up to 12th Generation Intel processors to unleash your full potential. Access our deals page and much more in the app. 1996-2022 Ziff Davis. At the top end of the market are business workstations, tricked-out gaming rigs, and magnificently engineered all-in-one PCs that cost several thousand dollars. Make sure the machine's video outputs are compatible with your display and its cabling. Dell Precision tower and rack workstations handle the most demanding applications across multiple industries. They're bigger than the "stick"-style PCs but much more flexible. These drives are very small, the size and thickness of a stick of gum. In-home warranty is available only on select customizable HP desktop PCs. But like the CPU, causal users will not need as much. The Mac vs. PC debate is one of the oldest in modern technology, and we're not going to pick a side or try to settle that particular religious war here. Times like these call for a graphics card, which will bring its own GPU to the game, and the most powerful of these are found in desktop PCs. The desktop version of a given CPU will consume more power and generate more heat than versions designed for laptops, which must be incorporated into environments that have less thermal and power-delivery leeway.