If you’re in the market for a new gaming PC and you don’t have a huge budget, in this guide, we’ve covered a handful of the best prebuilt gaming PCs under $1,000 to help you find an affordable and powerful system.
We are a big proponent of building your own gaming PC. On a dollar-for-dollar basis, building your own PC will give you more performance for your money and it is a rewarding experience as well. (Check out our guide on budget-friendly gaming PC builds.)
However, not everyone wants to build their own system. Fortunately, there are plenty of excellent prebuilt gaming desktops that can be had for under $1,000. And, in this post, we’ve put together a list of five excellent prebuilt desktops that are not only affordable, but that will give you high-end performance as well. So, if you’re looking for a new moderately-priced gaming PC and you don’t want to build it yourself, check out our recommendations below.
A Look at the Best Prebuilt Gaming Desktops Under $1,000
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NAME | SPECS | RATING | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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MORE GPU
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 |
CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme |
|
/10 | |
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MORE CPU
|
 |
HP Envy TE01 (Renewed) |
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/10 | |
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STORAGE
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 |
CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Master |
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/10 | |
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VALUE
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 |
HP Pavilion |
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/10 | |
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OVER $1K
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 |
Skytech Archangel |
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/10 |
*For more information on the prebuilt desktops above, click the “Read Review »” link to go to our overview of that PC.
1. CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme
Best prebuilt gaming desktop under $1,000
There are a lot of good gaming desktops for under $1,000, but we think the CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme is the one of the best options right now. It doesn’t have a ton of storage or memory, but it has a solid CPU/GPU combo and it probably offers the best price-to-performance ratio out of all of the options on this list.
Along with the Intel Core i5-10400f and the GTX 1660 Super, this build comes with 8GB of DDR4 memory, a 500GB SSD, a tempered glass PC case, and a couple of RGB fans as well.
Overall, the combination of the i5-10400f and the GTX 1660 Super is going to deliver more performance than any other prebuilt desktop currently under $1,000. And, for that reason, we’ve chosen it as our top pick. (For a comparison of the type of hardware you can get if you build your own system, check out our $1,000 gaming PC build guide.)
2. HP Envy TE01 (Renewed)
More money, but more CPU power
If you’d prefer a better balance between the CPU performance you get and the GPU performance you get, you might want to check out HP’s Envy TE01 gaming desktop. In fact, out of all of the prebuilt gaming PCs on this list, the HP Envy TE01 offers the best hardware. However, there are two downsides to this system…
First, it comes in at slightly over $1,000. And, second, it is a refurbished machine. So, you’re going to pay more, and it isn’t a brand new system.
However, if you’re willing to go a little over $1,000 and opt for a used computer, you will get a much better hardware configuration. This HP Envy TE01 comes with an Intel Core i7-10700f processor, a GTX 1660 Super graphics card, a 500GB SSD, a secondary 1TB hard drive, and 32GB of RAM.
So, while it comes with the same GPU as both the CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme and the Skytech Archangle, it offers a better CPU, more memory, and more storage than those options, making it a better overall system.
But, ultimately, whether or not this system will be right for you will come down to whether or not you can stomach the extra cost and the fact that it is a refurbished system and not a brand new one. If you don’t mind those two factors, then the HP Envy TE01 is probably the right choice for you.
3. CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Master
A solid option with extra storage
One slightly more affordable option that comes with more storage (but won’t provide as much in-game performance as the options listed above) is the CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Master.
The CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Master comes with a weaker Ryzen 3 3100 processor, a much weaker GT 1030 graphics card, and 8GB of DDR4 memory. For storage, this CYBERPOWERPC desktop comes with both a 240GB SSD and a 2TB hard drive.
So, you get more storage, but a much lower-end CPU/GPU combination. If you’re only planning on playing non-demanding games like Rocket League or League of Legends, this system will work just fine. However, if you want to play more demanding titles, this machine is going to struggle to provide good performance.
However, the CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Master is the cheapest option on this list, coming in at just under $700. So, if you want to save some money and you aren’t planning on playing more demanding games, this system might be what you’re looking for.
4. HP Pavilion
Solid 1080P gaming performance for less
If your goal is to spend as little as possible but still get a prebuilt desktop that can easily max out anything you throw at it on a 1080P monitor, then this HP Pavilion might be the best option for you.
This HP Pavilion comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 3500 processor, an NVIDIA GTX 1650 Super graphics card, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, a 256GB SSD, and a micro-ATX case.
The best part about the HP Pavilion is the fact that it comes in at about ~$750, making it quite a bit cheaper than the two options listed at the top of this list. And, while it won’t offer quite the same in-game performance as those two options, the combination of the Ryzen 5 3500 and the GTX 1650 Super will be powerful enough to run anything on a 1080P monitor on higher settings.
Ultimately, if you’re looking for a solid prebuilt gaming desktop under $1,000 that will give you ideal performance on a 1080P monitor, and you’d like to save as much money as possible, then the HP Envy would be worth checking out.
5. Skytech Archangel
Extra performance for a little more money
If you’re like me, then setting a budget of $1,000 doesn’t really mean you’ll only spend $1,000 or less. Sometimes it means that you can be enticed to spend a little more if the bump in price seems worth it. And, while the CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme is an excellent option for ~$1,000, this Skytech Archangel prebuilt desktop might just have the hardware combination that will get you to spend a little more.
The Skytech Archangle comes with a newer AMD Ryzen 5 3600 processor, an NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super graphics card, 16GB of RAM, and a 500GB SSD. So, when compared to the CYBERPOWERPC Gamer Xtreme, you get more memory, a better CPU, and a fancier looking case.
The GPU/CPU combination will be good enough to allow you to get excellent performance on a 1440P 144Hz monitor and it will even allow you to max out most games on a 4K monitor with a playable framerate as well.
So, if you’re willing to spend some extra money and you don’t want to opt for a refurbished option like the HP Envy TE01, then the Skytech Archangel would be another option worth considering.
Which sub-$1,000 prebuilt gaming PC is best?
With a budget of ~$1,000, you have quite a few solid prebuilt desktop options to choose from. All of the gaming PCs listed above will easily max out any game you run on them on a 1080P monitor. And, in fact, they are also all powerful enough to where they should be paired with a higher refresh rate monitor.
So, the desktop that is best for you will really all come down to how much you want to spend and what games you’re playing (if you’re playing non-demanding games like League of Legends or Rocket League, you can get away with spending less). And, regardless of how much you have to spend and the types of games you’re playing, one of the options listed above should meet your needs.
Bradley Rice says
Hi, I don’t know a lot about computers, but need to get a new one since the one I’ve had is over 10 years old and is really slow and dying.
I’m looking for something under $1,000. Some of those like the first one are over $1,000 ($1,800) and not sure if they fit what I need. But thought I’d see if you might help.
I don’t do a lot of gaming, but plan to get The Sims 5 when it comes out. Otherwise, I like to have lots of tabs open (Firefox/Chrome), and watch Netflix/Youtube & other video stuff on mine.
Hoping it will load videos/pages fast. And I want a CD disc drive (can’t tell if those have them). And have never done any “upgrades” so want a good computer that will last a while how it comes.
Thanks for any help/suggestions on a good PC for me!
Olando says
Is the Dell G5 Gaming Desktop 10th Generation Intel Core i5 – 10400F Processor a good Gaming PC ? Do you have a review of it ?
Sarah says
Hey, please answer me as soon as possible. I’m trying to build my first PC ever. I want your recommendation for a budget PC and plays everything. And I am from the middle east.
patrick says
uh if you dont need a gaming pc i dont think you have to buy something for 1000$
David L says
Looking to buy or build a multipurpose desktop for the family use – including high school homeschooling applications/projects and assignments, graphic design/graphic novel art production, architectural design, etc.
The box appearance is not important and gaming is not currently an issue but memory capacities, speed, compatibility, longevity, ports, expandability and fan noise are.
Trying to balance those concerns and use objectives with our meager budget of $1,000 +/-
Any advice or recommendation will be helpful and appreciated. Thanks Brent.