Best Desktop Computers for 2023: Apple, Dell, HP and More
Best Desktop Computers for 2023: Apple, Dell, HP and More
Looking for a new desktop computer? Here are our expert opinions on the best desktops around from Dell, Apple, HP and more.
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Modern laptops and tablets may be great for those on the move, but you just can't beat the power and efficiency of a desktop computer. Only one-fifth of computers sold these days are desktops, but once you see what the right desktop has to offer, you'll realize they're worth considering.
The best feature of most desktop PCs is their upgradability and longevity. Not only are desktops built more solidly, but they suffer far less wear and tear than a conventional laptop. You can often get a decent bit more power and expandability than you could from a laptop, including higher-end graphics cards and more storage options. That processor power and storage potential are particularly crucial if you're planning to use your personal computer as a gaming PC or a graphics-editing powerhouse.
A desktop computer is generally going to come in the form of either a tower or an all-in-one (with an integrated screen), though there are smaller designs (sometimes called "small form factor PCs") like the Mac Mini for tighter spaces.
Though laptops still occupy the majority of our editors' time and effort with CNET's hands-on reviews, we've rounded up recent products to bring you our top desktop computer options, listed below. This list starts with models we've tested, and then moves on to more general configuration suggestions that we haven't specifically tested, but the specs listed should deliver considerable value for the price, based on our experience with similarly configured PCs.
Unless otherwise indicated, the products listed below don't include a monitor , keyboard , mouse or webcam . You'll need to bring your own or buy them separately. We'll update this best desktop computer list periodically.
Desktop PCs: Tested and recommended
These are the best desktop PC models that we've recently tested and can recommend based on our hands-on experience.
Now available in a new, more powerful version, the Mac Mini desktop is one of Apple's longest-standing product lines, dating back to 2005 (in a pre-Intel version), a year before the first MacBook . All these years later, it retains the same basic shape and appeals to much of the same audience. Unlike Apple's MacBook Pro and Air laptops, or the iMac desktop, the Mini is designed to work behind the scenes, fitting into small spaces and pairing with your choice of display and input devices.
At $599 (£649, AU$999) to start, the Mini remains the least expensive way to get a MacOS computer by a large margin. The relatively ancient M1 MacBook Air from 2020 is the closest competitor price-wise, at $999. The M2 Pro version of the Mac Mini starts at $1,299.
While we like all-in-ones for their convenience, they're not easy to upgrade, if they can be at all. Dell's XPS Desktop is compact and quiet enough for a small workspace but can be loaded with a 12th-gen Core i9 processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti graphics card, up to 64GB of memory and 4TB of storage -- and there's still room inside for more. And if you have modest needs now, but want the room to add in components down the road, the base XPS starts at under $800 . However, if you do plan to upgrade down the road, spend a little extra for its 750- or 1,000-watt power supply. Want to spend a bit less? Check out the more affordable desktop computer options recommended further down the page.
Both Apple and Microsoft have discontinued their bigger-screen all-in-one desktops, so as one of the sole remaining premium big-screen options (as far as I can tell), the HP Envy 34 AIO is almost the best choice in that class by default.
It's a fine system with a nice 34-inch display and some useful features, like a magnetically attachable webcam and Qi charging pad in the base, although you're paying for pretty and not for performance (but it does have a laptop-version Nvidia 3060 GPU). We like the HP Envy 34 AIO, and it certainly feels like a nice home or traditional office system for people who need big screens in a small space.
Introduced in 2021, this fully redesigned iMac is still Apple's current go-to all-in-one (note that the larger 27-inch iMac has been discontinued as of March 2022). It's built on the same M1 chip found in many of Apple's computers, with a gorgeous 24-inch screen replacing the previous 21.5-inch version. The 1080p webcam is a big upgrade, and the rainbow of available colors -- hearkening back to the 1999 iMac G3 -- is a welcome addition. Just be prepared to spend up for the myriad storage and accessory upgrades.
If you're dissatisfied with the lack of configuration options available for prebuilt gaming desktops, going with a custom builder is the best way to sate your appetite. The $5,000-plus price of this custom-configured system fully decked out is too rich for, well, most people's blood. And many people don't need everything maxed out, even for gaming. But you can get reasonable configurations for about half the price of my evaluation unit.
Origin PC builds good, solid systems. Unless you're looking for something dirt cheap, you'll be able to put together something you like at a price you tolerate.
The Mac Pro has long been the top dog in Apple's computer lineup, but the current version is an aging Intel model that starts at a whopping $5,000. By comparison, the new-for-2022 Mac Studio is powered by the latest, greatest Apple silicon chips -- the M1 Max or M1 Ultra -- and starts at less than half that price. It's basically a Mac Mini on steroids, and -- for anyone who doesn't want to wait for the eventual Mac Pro revision -- it's your best bet for running creative-centric Mac apps, including animation, graphics, video-editing and audio-editing software.
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How we test computers
The review process for laptops, desktops, tablets and other computer-like devices consists of two parts: performance testing under controlled conditions in the CNET Labs and extensive hands-on use by our expert reviewers. This includes evaluating a device's aesthetics, ergonomics and features. A final review verdict is a combination of both those objective and subjective judgments.
The list of benchmarking software we use changes over time as the devices we test evolve. The most important core tests we're currently running on every compatible computer include: Primate Labs Geekbench 5 , Cinebench R23 , PCMark 10 and 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra .
A more detailed description of each benchmark and how we use it can be found in our How We Test Computers page.
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