The best gaming PCs you can buy: Expert tested and starting at $499

My choice for the best gaming PC is the Alienware Aurora R16. It has tons of configuration options, letting you customize your build for your exact needs (as well as your budget). You can choose up to a 14th gen Intel Core i9 processor, up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 or AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX graphics card, 64GB of RAM, and up to 8TB of storage. You can also choose upgrade to a liquid cooling system for better CPU performance. 

*Lowest price at the time of writing. Please note that actual prices may vary depending on the retailer and available promotions.

The snarky answer is the one you can afford. But jokes aside, besides price, I'd say RAM, storage, and configuration are your most important considerations. You want to choose a prebuilt PC with at least 8GB of RAM and a storage drive (a solid-state or a traditional hard disk drive) with no less than 256GB of space. The graphics card model in your build isn't as important as RAM since the system memory is what actually renders game assets. 

If you're looking for a decent gaming PC at a reasonable price, a rig with at least 16GB of RAM, a 512GB storage drive, and a CPU and GPU that are within the last two tech generations will have more than enough power and storage to play most games.  

When shopping for a new, pre-built gaming PC, there are several factors to consider:

• CPU: Whether you're an Intel or AMD loyalist, you'll want to look for a gaming PC with a processor that was released within the last 5 years. This ensures that your computer will have enough power to actually play games, and by opting for a slightly older CPU, you can save a bit of money on a build.

• Graphics card: You don't have to have the latest RTX 40 series cards to get the most out of your gaming PC. When it comes to GPUs, the amount of VRAM it provides and which versions of DirectX it supports is more important than the particular chipset generation. You could buy an RTX 4070 8GB card, but if your games push that VRAM to its limits, you're getting less performance than an older card with 12GB of VRAM.

• Power supply: This is more for DIY enthusiasts, but if you ever need to replace or upgrade your power supply, you'll need to make sure it has enough power (plus a little extra) to safely run all of your components. I like to add about 20 percent more than I think I'll need to have a built-in margin in case my GPU or CPU needs to draw extra power for whatever reason. 

• Tower type: Gaming PCs come in three different flavors: full-sized, mid-size, and miniATX towers. While full and mid-sized towers can hold the same kinds of components, miniATX cases require specially designed graphics cards and motherboards to fit their exceptionally compact sizes. So keep this in mind if you plan to drop new components to your tower case later on.

• Cooling system: Not all gaming PCs are created equal, and premium-grade components draw more power than their more affordable counterparts. This means that they'll need more efficient cooling than stock and aftermarket fans can provide. If you're looking to buy a high-end gaming PC, you'll want to opt for a build that either already comes equipped with or has room for a liquid cooling system. A liquid-cooled CPU is safer to overclock and run at higher capacities for longer, making it a great option for content creators who need to run simultaneous CPU-hungry programs.

Whether I'm doing hands-on testing or researching the latest offerings from MSI and others, I keep in mind things that I personally look for when upgrading my desktop build: 

• Brand integrity: Being able to trust the brand you're buying from is a key factor in researching and shopping for any gaming desktop. I've chosen gaming desktop builds from established brands like MSI and Alienware as well as highly-rated, lesser-known brands with quality customer service. 
• End-user friendliness: I always make sure that each gaming PC that I include on this list is able to be upgraded and modified by end-users. Whether you're dropping in a new graphics card or setting up a liquid cooling system, each gaming PC on this list features full user customization. 
• Connectivity: It's important that your new gaming PC is able to connect to every peripheral you use. Whether it's Bluetooth, USB 3.0 or USB-C, each gaming PC on this list has been vetted for compatibility with a variety of connection types. 
• Double-duty tech: Not everyone has the time, space, or cash for maintaining separate work and gaming computers. Every gaming PC I test and research is ensured to be able to handle everything from spreadsheets and Zoom calls to the latest triple-A game releases. 

Yes, you can absolutely find a budget-friendly, sub-$1,000 gaming computer with the storage space and processing power for just about any game. Read here for my top selections of budget gaming PCs.You can also save money on a prebuilt or custom build by opting for an older GPU. While these aren't the newest, shiniest tech, budget gaming PCs still have plenty of juice to run a lot of triple-A titles at decent settings. 

You can also save by choosing a configuration with less RAM and storage since you can often swap them out later; this lets you take advantage of component sales that work with your overall budget. Just be sure to check that your gaming laptop doesn't have a RAM stick that can't be removed or replaced. 

8GB - 16GB of RAM is plenty to provide a smooth gaming experience. You can also find configurations with upwards of 128GB of RAM, and while this would certainly give you more system memory for very technically and graphically demanding games, this amount of RAM is geared towards animators and professional content creators.

Read also: The 5 best RAM: Top memory upgrades for your PC, Mac or server 

Yes, it can be. Gaming PCs are one of those things that you can spend as little or as much on as you want. Prebuilt gaming desktops and laptops are great for anyone who doesn't have time or isn't comfortable with building a gaming computer. They're also more expeditious since you don't have to wait for individual components to ship (and hopefully not get damaged in transit).

Read more: SSD vs HDD: What's the difference, and which should you buy? 

Liquid cooling your PC can be overkill unless you have high-end, power-hungry components like the new RTX 4090 graphics card. However, a liquid cooling system is more efficient at drawing away waste heat than traditional, air-cooling fan systems. With the advent of all-in-one cooling systems, first-time builders can liquid-cool their gaming rigs without the fear of leaks; but the AIO systems are meant to focus on single components like CPUs or graphics cards. 

If you want to liquid cool your entire rig, you'll need a custom cooling system, including a radiator, plenty of tubing, coolant pumps, and an exhaust fan. DIY PC pros can set up intricate liquid cooling systems to maintain optimal temperatures while showing off their personal style with colored coolant, RGB lights, and copper tubing.

Power supply ratings are divided into six categories: white, bronze, silver, gold, platinum, and titanium. A white rating means that the PSU has the lowest power efficiency, while a titanium rating indicates the very best power efficiency. While it's tempting to spring for a white-rated PSU, you may end up spending a lot more in the long run since it will be more prone to failure and might require frequent replacing. 

Read amore: Choosing the right PSU for your PC

But this doesn't mean you have to spring for the ultra-expensive titanium rating. An 80-plus gold rating is more than enough power efficiency for most gaming PCs, but if you're a content creator, you may want to consider a platinum or titanium-rated PSU to protect high-end components like graphics cards and processors against power fluctuations.

The word "VTuber" is a portmanteau/abbreviation of the phrase "Virtual YouTuber," and it refers to content creators that use either a 2D or 3D avatar rather than a live feed of their real selves when streaming. Some creators choose to use an avatar in order to create a fun character to play on their channel, creating a backstory and incorporating ideas and inside jokes from their audience into their channel lore. Others see it as a way to maintain better anonymity, adding another layer of security over their real identities to keep personal data safer from bad faith actors. 

Becoming a VTuber does have a bit of a steep learning curve, as well as a high-priced entry point if you're not particularly skilled with animation and modeling software. But with programs like VSeeFace and VRoid Studio, you can quickly create and animate a basic model to get you started.