Best PC computer deals: Top picks from desktops to all-in-ones

Prime Day computers

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Whether you’re looking for a productivity desktop, a gaming PC powerhouse, or a stylish all-in-one Windows machine, we’ve got you covered. The team at PCWorld sort through all of the daily computer sales and put together a curated list of the best deals available. But not all deals are really deals, so we only choose those offered by reputable companies and that include great hardware to ensure you get the best value for your money.

We’ve also included some helpful answers to common questions about buying a computer at the bottom of this article. If you’re considering a laptop instead, be sure to check out our best laptop deals, updated daily.

Note: Tech deals come and go quickly, so it’s possible some of these computer discounts will have expired before this article’s next update.

Best gaming desktop computer deals

Skytech Chronos, Core i5-12400F/RTX 4060/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $899.99 (14% off on Amazon)
Alienware Aurora R16, Core i7-14700F/RTX 4070 Super/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,499.99 (21% off on Dell)
Alienware Aurora R16, Core i9-14900KF/RTX 4090/32GB RAM/2TB SSD, $3,099.99 (16% off on Dell)
Thermaltake LCGS Quartz i460 R4, Core i5-13400F/RTX 4060/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $849.99 (6% off on Amazon)
ViprTech Overlord, Ryzen 5 5600X/RTX 4070/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,199.99 (14% off on Walmart)
iBuyPower Y40, Ryzen 7 7700/RTX 4070/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,439.00 (10% off on Walmart)
Acer Predator Orion, Core i7-13700F/RTX 4070/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,299.99 (23% off on Newegg)

My top picks:

The Skytech Chronos for $150 off on Amazon is a solid budget gaming PC deal. This is a solid budget pre-built system with a Core i5-12400F CPU and RTX 4060 GPU and it’s on sale for a price that can’t be beat right now.

Dell also has a pair of excellent deals on its Alienware Aurora R16 gaming desktop model. The first is a beefy midrange build for $400 off and the second is a higher-end build for $600 off. Both deals offer very affordable prices for these models. If I had the cash though, the higher-end build with a Core i9-14900KF CPU and RTX 4090 GPU would be hard to pass up.

Best mainstream desktop computer deals

IdeaCentre Mini, Core i5-13500H/8GB RAM/512GB SSD, $599.99 (7% off on Lenovo)
HP Slim Desktop, Core i5-14400/16GB RAM/512GB SSD, $529.99 (24% off on HP)
Inspiron Desktop, Core i7-14700/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $899.99 (18% off on Dell)
Apple Mac Mini 2023, M2/8GB RAM/256GB SSD, $499.99 (17% off on Amazon)

My top picks:

Lenovo machines are known for their design and reliability and the IdeaCentre line of desktops is no exception. Right now, Lenovo is offering the IdeaCentre Mini for $500 off on its website. With an impressively small footprint and great productivity features this mini-PC is a must-have if desktop space is in short supply.

If you’re more of a Mac fan, then there is a rare deal on an M2 Mac Mini for $100 off on Amazon. The M2 is still a solid CPU and considering that the M4 Mac Mini was just announced, it’s the perfect time to buy the older version at a discount—you’ll still get a capable mini desktop without the exorbitant price of a new-gen Apple product.

All-in-one desktop computers combine a PC’s hardware with a modern display to make a desktop computer that has both form and function. Since everything is built together, you can save precious desktop space with an all-in-one. They make capable work computers and they can also be excellent home computers with the wide range of features appealing to the whole family.

Dell Inspiron 24 AiO, Core 7-150U/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/24-inch 1080p display, $799.99 (11% off on Dell)
Lenovo Yoga AiO 9i, Core i9-13900H/RTX 4050/32GB RAM/1TB SSD/31.5-inch 4K display, $1,999.99 (13% off on Lenovo)
Asus Zen AiO 24, Ryzen 7 5825U/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/24-inch 1080p touch display, $789.00 (31% off on Amazon)
iMac M3 2023, M3/8GB RAM/512GB SSD/24-inch 5K display, $1,569.05 (8% off on Amazon with coupon)

My top picks:

The Inspiron 24 AiO is on sale for $100 on Dell’s website. It might not be the most mind-blowing AiO, but don’t let that fool you. Strong performance features and a nice display make this a standout all-in-one deal.

Alternatively, the epic Yoga AiO 9i is discounted $300 on the Lenovo website. The flagship all-in-one from Lenovo packs a dazzling 31.5-inch 4K display and its powered by a robust Core i9-13900H CPU. Plus, they even throw in an RTX 4050 GPU, just in case you want to do some light gaming as well.

Computer deals FAQ

What are good websites to find computer deals?

There are a ton of sites that sell computers, and scouring through all of them would take you a lot of time—that’s why we do it for you here and highlight the best deals we find. However, to save you some time and frustration, you need to be smart about where you look at any given time of the year.

If you’re looking for a new computer during the holidays or around popular sale periods such as Black Friday or back-to-school, then you are likely to find great deals directly through first party vendor websites. These include the retail storefronts of popular computer manufacturers such as HP, Dell, and Lenovo.

However, if you are looking in between sales periods, it’s generally a good idea to search through large third-party retailers such as Amazon, Adorama, Walmart, BestBuy, and Newegg. Oftentimes these websites will offer limited Deals of the Day type sales in hopes of getting rid of excess stock. On the upside, you can score still-decent PCs at a steep discount.

When’s the best time to shop for a PC computer?

Typically you’ll want to time your PC computer shopping around a prominent sales period. The biggest sales periods are Black Friday/Cyber Monday in late November and Amazon Prime Day in early-to-mid July. The best sales often occur leading up to and during these two events and they are great times to snag a new PC computer for cheap. Other holiday shopping periods such as the New Year sales in January, President’s Day sales in April, and the back-to-school sales event in August are also good times to find discounts on computers.

What type of desktop should I get?

You’ll see a ton of options when searching for a desktop computer, but they all mainly fit into four main categories: productivity tower PCs, gaming PCs, mini PCS, and all-in-ones (AiO). Which you should end up buying is entirely dependent upon what your needs are and what you want to do with your computer. If you are looking for something that will work in a home office or family room, then a productivity PC or AiO with a solid CPU and lots of RAM and storage is probably the way to go. If gaming is your main concern, a gaming PC can offer a lot more bang for your buck than a laptop and you should focus on getting the best GPU possible. Or if you just want something that can fit anywhere and provide basic computing then a mini PC is a good bet.

What CPU and GPU should I get?

When looking at your new computer’s CPU, get at least an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5, both of which will provide plenty of processing power for everyday computing tasks. If you don’t intend to do any PC gaming, then feel free to save some money by going with integrated graphics. However, if you are looking to get your game on, we recommend at least an Nvidia GeForce 3060 or AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT, as these are the least expensive discrete graphics cards that can handle ray tracing well. If you aren’t interested in those cutting-edge lighting effects, however, the RTX 3050 and Radeon RX 6600 also provide good 1080p gaming performance at even lower prices.

How much memory and storage does my PC need?

As for RAM, we think its best to shoot for 16GB at the minimum for productivity and gaming, but for family computers and internet browsing, 8GB should suffice.

Storage size is dependent upon your personal needs, but it is generally a good idea to opt for an SSD over an standard HDD as they are much faster and don’t significantly affect the price of a desktop. Before deciding, it’s best to consider what your intended use of the computer will be. Are you just doing work or web browsing? Then something like 512GB will be plenty. If you want to load up a lot of large files such as games or content creation projects, then you’ll need at least 1 or 2TB or storage. However, just remember that even if your computer doesn’t have enough storage built-in you can always upgrade your SSD or go with an external drive to increase your available storage options.

Is it a good idea to buy a refurbished computer?

Refurbished computers are used machines that have been repaired, upgraded, and cleaned for the purpose of reselling. They’re usually open-box returns, overstock, or models with minor cosmetic damage (scratches, scuffs, etc). Refurbished computers can be a bargain hunter’s dream as they’re likely still in good (or great) condition and you can save a lot of money. That being said, refurbished computers can have their downsides as well. In addition to cosmetic blemishes, some of the internal components might be a little older or outdated and they might not be in peak condition due to previous usage.

If you do consider buying a refurbished computer I recommend looking at eBay as they offer a one-year warranty. You can also check out manufacturer’s retail storefronts like Dell’s Outlet Store and Apple’s Refurbished Store—just be sure to look at the terms of warranty offered before purchasing.

Author: Sam Singleton, Assistant Editor, PCWorld

Sam Singleton is PCWorld’s VPN beat reporter and jack of all trades. When he’s not on the hunt for the best computer deals he’s covering VPNs, productivity software, laptops, and a wide gamut of consumer-grade hardware and software.

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