Discover the best PC under $1,000 for gamers and the home office

Best
PC under $1,000
Windows Central
2022

Pre-built computers can save you from the hassle of researching compatible components and troubleshooting hardware errors, focusing instead on finding a machine suited for specific games or software. PC gaming is notorious for being the more expensive choice over consoles, and home office computers are so often underpowered. Luckily, we searched for the best PC under $1,000 to get the most out of your budget.

Best overall:
CyberPowerPC Gamer Master (GMA5200BSTV6)

Staff pick

CyberPowerPC offers a Ryzen 5 5600G CPU clocked at 3.9GHz and 8GB DDR4 memory at 3000MHz with spare slots for extra RAM. Its 500GB SSD is a little small but can be easily replaced. Thankfully, the Radeon RX 6600 8GB is a capable mid-range GPU and undoubtedly makes this the best PC under $1,000 for gamers.

$1,000 at Best Buy

Runner-up:
Lenovo Legion Tower 5i (90RS0016US)

Lenovo features an Intel 11th Gen Core i5-11400 CPU clocked at 2.6GHz and a mid-range NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER 6GB GPU supporting most modern games. 8GB of DDR4 RAM clocked at 3200MHz will soon need upgrading, but the 256GB SSD and 1TB hard drive offers plenty of storage space in exchange.

$1,000 at Best Buy

Third alternative:
HP Omen 25L (GT12-0124)

HP saves a little money with an Intel 10th Gen Core i5-10400 CPU clocked at 2.9GHz and a single 8GB stick of DDR4 RAM at 2666MHz. Another PC with the capable NVIDIA GeForce 1660 GTX 6GB GPU, but with less storage space in its single 512GB SSD. Upgraded DDR4 RAM and storage would benefit this option.

$950 at Best Buy

Best for home office:
Acer Aspire 27-inch desktop (C27-962-UA91)

The Aspire all-in-one from Acer is a PC built into a 27-inch monitor. Its Intel 10th Gen Core i5-1035G1 CPU can be boosted from 1GHz to 3.6GHz, paired with 12GB of DDR4 RAM at 2666MHz. It’s the best PC under $1,000 for the home office, though consider an external hard drive to supplement the 512GB SSD.

$990 at Amazon

Budget friendly:
HP Pavilion gaming desktop (TG01-1120)

HP squeezes an Intel 10th Gen Core i5-10400F 2.9GHz CPU into this budget build. It comes with 8GB of DDR4 RAM at 2666MHz and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB, a previous-gen GPU that can still handle low-to-mid-range gaming. The 256GB SSD is tiny, so consider upgrading the internal hard drive.

$730 at Amazon

Choosing the best PC under $1,000

Approaching desktop computers as a beginner can be a daunting affair. Thousands of components with speeds, sizes, and brands make it tricky to find the perfect combination. Thankfully, there are a decent number of manufacturers putting together pre-built desktops for us, making it easier to decide based on the required specifications for our favorite software and games. Just be wary of third-party retailers listing incorrect hardware, and check the manufacturer for accurate specs.

CyberPowerPC has a decade of experience building desktops, laptops, and accessories. Their Gamer Master desktop is easily the best PC under $1,000, thanks in part to its AMD hardware squeezing maximum gaming performance out of its cost. For the home office, the Aspire AIO 27-inch desktop from Acer keeps things simple with their space-saving all-in-one PC, as long as you’re prepared to connect some external hard drives to combat the modest 512GB storage.