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Which gaming PC brand you should buy is a question as old as the platform itself, and with so many options available on the market in 2022, it can be easy to get lost in the haze. That's where we come in. We've combined both our knowledge and hands-on experience to discern which of the best gaming PC brands are right for you. Whether you're taking your first leap into PC gaming or are after a suitable replacement rig, we've got you covered with everything you need to know.
Now, it should be known that gaming PCs are typically always going to be significantly more expensive than the likes of Xbox Series X stock or PS5 stock, and that's unlikely to change. This makes the gaming PC brand of choice particularly important, as any way you slice it, it's still a sizable investment even on the budget end of the scale. This is especially true when factoring in configurations running the likes of the best CPU for gaming and best graphics cards for gaming, as the faster and more powerful a rig is, the pricier it becomes.
Another important factor to which gaming PC brand you should buy is going to depend on the storage, especially if you've been eyeing up one of the best SSDs for gaming and best RAM for gaming. Setting your sights on the fastest respective models inside a prebuilt system is going to make for an overall smoother experience. This is why we recommend strongly considering a build with an NVMe SSD if possible. It's now rare, even in cheap gaming PCs to only feature HDDs, so you should be covered here as long as you give things a more thorough look.
Whether you've been curious about which gaming PC brand you should buy for a while or are just want to see what's available now, you'll find our top picks below.
The gaming PC brands to consider in 2022
Of all the companies making gaming PCs right now, we've managed to nail down to the best four to suit most budgets and preferences. Here's the gaming PC brands that we consider to be the best and why.
Alienware makes some of the better prebuilt gaming PCs on the market right now, and they're generally available in four configurations at the time of writing: the Alienware R10, R12, R13, and R14. The Alienware R10 and R14 are built upon the newest Ryzen processors, the Ryzen 5000 series, and the Alienware R12 and R13 feature up to both 11th and 12th-generation Intel Core processors respectively.
As a general rule, the R10 and R12 machines (being the older of their two respective generations) tend to go on sale more frequently and with deeper discounts. All Alienware Aurora gaming PCs can be bought as listed or customized to add things such as more RAM, a different graphics card, or increased storage capacity. This makes the manufacturer one of the easier choices to recommend in terms of which gaming PC you should buy, as you're getting technologically relevant parts with an extended warranty from a trusted seller.
Alienware is a go-to gaming PC brand for good reason, as Dell's craftsmanship combined with reliable customer service make for a great user experience. What's more, you're benefitting from a suite of specialist software which not only easily controls things like the cooling or the lighting, but makes such tasks easier to understand than some other brands.
Buy if...
- You want something ready to go out of the box
- You're after a PC to last several years
- A manufacturer's warranty is important to you
The Acer Predator Orion line's biggest advantage as a prebuilt is that the entry-level models are very aggressively priced, particularly the Orion 3000 models (of which many configurations are available). In the mid-range, you've got the Orion 5000, and the higher end of the scale is reserved for the Orion 7000 and Orion 9000 models.
A major benefit that the Acer Predator Orion series has over some other prebuilt machines is that they are very easy to modify, being housed inside standard mid-tower cases. This means that it's less trouble to open them up and add more RAM or swap out other key components with minimal messing around, thanks to the lack of any custom-machined housings.
As a result, this is the gaming PC brand that you'll want to buy if you are after a more traditional prebuilt with less bloatware onboard than some others. We've had a lot of good things to say about various Acer Predator Orion gaming PCs, such as our glowing write-up in our Acer Predator Orion 7000 review, where we described it as "nothing short of exceptional".
Buy if...
- You want a competitively priced rig
- Upgrading in the future is of interest to you
- You want a more traditional gaming tower
The Corsair One series is right up there with the most powerful, and most expensive, gaming PC brands on the market right now. That premium price tag is due in part to the small form-factor of the machines themselves. What makes the Corsair One stand out from other premium PC builds is the small, console-sized chassis, being not much bigger than that of an Xbox Series X.
Aside from the physical presence of the Corsair One series, there's the hardware inside which is usually always top-of-the-line as you would expect for machines that can carry price tags of $5,000 in some instances. We praised the newest of the line in our Corsair One i300 review for its outstanding thermal performance, quiet operation, and compact nature.
Corsair's foray into PC building hardware is defined by specifically engineered hardware to accommodate for proprietary components. When you buy a Corsair One PC, you're also getting some of the company's best case fans, AIO water cooling, and chassis design, too.
This is the gaming PC brand for you if you're after a rig which would be just as at home on your desk or under your TV in the living room.
The only real drawback, however, comes at the cost of the design itself, as it's virtually impossible to upgrade or get inside for upgrading/replacement purposes. This means that you're beholden to what's in the machine for the duration of its lifespan. With that in mind, though, there are so many Corsair One models on the market that finding exactly the CPU, RAM, and storage space that you want shouldn't be much of an issue at all.
Buy if...
- You want top of the line hardware
- The console-sized form factor appeals to you
- You want reliable Corsair components inside
The HP Omen series of gaming PCs are built with the ethos of being understated and surprisingly affordable for what your money gets you. Unlike some other prebuilt brands in this roundup, it is more than possible to buy a decent spec unit for well under the $1,000 mark, making the entry-level options viable for those on a budget.
You can find the HP Omen line available in many different setups, from the cheapest of the lot being the Omen 25L to the more enthusiast-marketed Omen 40L and Omen 45L. The only real downside that we can tell you about the Omen line is that the internals can be a little cramped, making upgrading a little challenging, but not as difficult as other builds.
Naturally, the more you push the components inside, the pricier things are inevitably going to get. However, we've generally seen that the scale of the price-to-performance ratio carries over very well for what's inside machines in our experience. Take our HP Omen 30L review, for example, where we said that it was "a gorgeous piece of hardware".
Buy if...
- You have a specific build in mind
- You're after a quiet gaming PC
- You are fond of the aesthetics
The best boutique gaming PC brands
If you want to get your hands on something which you can get inside to chop and change, then you might be more well suited to a boutique built gaming PC. These brands do not manufacturer their own hardware, but instead will use consumer grade components on the market, such as air coolers, AIOs, specific RAM kits, etc, for more personalized machines
Perhaps the most prolific name as far as boutique-built gaming PCs go, ABS is exclusive to Newegg and consistently delivers some of the cheapest machines featuring today's hardware. Chances are if you're searching for the likes of an RTX 3070 PC or RTX 3080 PC specifically, then an ABS built-rig is going to be significantly more affordable than some other listings.
Price aside, you can generally find the ABS line available in three key variants depending on the amount of power you want; ABS Master (entry-level), ABS Gladiator (mid-range), and ABS Legend (enthusiast). Generally speaking, prices are going to start from around the $999 range and escalate up as high as $4,999 depending on the hardware.
Basically, ABS is the boutique-built gaming PC brand that you'll want to be aiming for if you're after aggressively priced machines with no bloatware from a reputable seller. It's very much a case of what you see is what you get with them.
- ABS Master | Entry-level rigs from $999.99
- ABS Gladiator | Mid-tier machines from $1,199.99
- ABS Legend | Enthusiast models from $2,999.99
Buy if...
- You want an aggressively priced gaming PC
- Specific components are important to you
- You want an unmodified user experience free of bloatware
Skytech Gaming is one of the more well-established boutique gaming PC brands you can buy at the moment. What makes it stand out from the crowd is that you can typically find the likes of the Skytech Azure, Chronos, Prism II, Shadow 3.0, and Archangel 3.0 through not only Amazon but trusted retailers such as Best Buy, as well as going direct.
A major advantage aside from the visuals is that listings commonly detail everything that's inside of the rig. This means you're able to see exactly what wattage PSU is inside, how fast your RAM is going to be, and which motherboard the system is built on before you make a purchase. Transparency is always appreciated here.
We've been fond of Skytech Gaming PCs for some time now, especially for the more aggressively priced mid-range options. You can typically expect to find RTX 3060 and RTX 3070 enabled configurations for some of the cheapest rates online, too. This is the gaming PC brand for you if you're after something stylish that won't cost the Earth.
- Skytech Blaze II | Best Buy | Amazon
- Skytech Shiva | Best Buy | Amazon
- Skytech Shadow 3.0 | Best Buy | Amazon
- Skytech Prism II | Best Buy | Amazon
Buy if...
- You're after a stylish custom gaming PC
- You are working with modest budgets
- You have specific configurations in mind
Chances are if you've ever browsed the likes of Amazon or Best Buy then you'll no doubt be familiar with iBuyPower. The company's rigs are featured heavily in the search for custom gaming PCs and have a good reputation for delivering on what you're paying for. Perhaps most known of the brand's line-up is the Slate MR, but there's also the Trace MR, and the Gamer Xtreme lines which are perennially popular.
Due to just how expansive the coverage of iBuyPower machines are across many retailers, it's very easy to find a respectably priced rig rocking enough power to suit most budgets. While iBuyPower does deal in the higher-end of things, arguably, its biggest plus is how various models cater to the entry-level and mid-tier buyers. This makes iBuyPower's gaming PCs ideal for a first time PC gamer, or a suitable replacement to buying the parts yourself.
- iBuyPower Slate MR | Amazon | Best Buy
- iBuyPower Trace MR | Amazon | Best Buy
- iBuyPower Gamer Xtreme | Amazon | Best Buy
Buy if...
- You want a custom gaming PC from a reliable brand
- You're after something entry-level or mid tier
- You want peace of mind of buying from trusted retailers
Frequently asked questions
With PC gaming being quite the investment at the best of times, we've combined our knowledge and experience to tackle more of the internet's burning questions.
Is it worth getting a gaming PC?
PC gaming is famed for its endless backward compatibility and inclusion of genres that simply are less viable on consoles, such as RTS titles and MOBAs. If you have an interest in expanding your gaming horizons, in not just the big-budget scene but also with the indie crowd, then a gaming PC is ideal for you. We're living at a time where all the best console exclusives are eventually making their way onto the platform, too, which we've seen with Xbox Series X games dropping day-in-day on PC, and even Sony catching up with the likes of God of War and Horizon Zero Dawn making the leap over, too.
What gaming PC should I buy as a beginner?
Ideally, you'll want a capable gaming PC that's running a current-generation graphics card, such as the RTX 30 series or AMD equivalent. This means that you'll have less need to dial those sliders down and make compromises to your gaming experience, especially as you're starting out. Cheaping out on a graphics card is going to mean that your system will struggle sooner as more visually demanding games are released in the future.
How much is an okay gaming PC going to cost?
We generally advise that most modest gaming PCs should cost around the $1,000 mark, as going any cheaper than that is going to lead to corners needing to be cut in the future. Fortunately, thanks to the likes of the RTX 3050 and the RX 6500 XT, finding a decently powerful rig for this budget is easier than it has ever been, even if the components themselves are elusive. It's certainly viable to find a gaming PC in the $700 - 900 range, but you'll be restricted to 1080p and won't benefit from the likes of DLSS or ray tracing in most cases.
Make the most of your new gaming PC with the best gaming monitors, best gaming keyboards, and best gaming mouse. Plus, if you want to know whether you should overclock your PC, we have the answer.
