The Best Affordable Gaming Desktop That Is A Must-Try in 2024

The best affordable gaming desktop doesn't necessarily own the most potent hardware in the world to give you solid gaming performance since money is your major issue.  

Speaking of the best graphics card, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Ti certainly can't be on par with something like the RTX 3090 Ti regarding performance, but fortunately, it doesn’t need to. Generally, the high-class 1440p graphics cards, such as the RTX 3060 Ti, can support vigorous gaming for a really attractive price tag. 

And the good news is that this is precisely the type of hardware available in the best affordable gaming desktop in 2024. Therefore, you can have some fantastic gaming for less than you think if you can moderate your expectations. The best affordable gaming desktop can even give you enough room to add some fantastic add-ons for your new gaming setup, such as the finest gaming keyboard or the most affordable gaming chair.

But figuring out where to start might be challenging. Thankfully, we've already done a lot of the tedious work for you. We have evaluated all of the top-tier processors and graphics cards that are typically found in low-cost gaming PCs, so we can recognize quality when we see it. To help you choose the best gaming PC for your demands and budget, our specialists have also examined many of the finest affordable gaming PCs available from well-known manufacturers such as HP and Lenovo.

1. Acer Predator Orion 3000 - Best Affordable Gaming Desktop Overall

There are many different configurations available for the Acer Predator Orion 3000, the most powerful of which will be beyond the price range of most budgeted gamers. The cheapest setup, which costs less than $1,000 and includes a GTX 1660 graphics card, Intel Core i5 processor, and 16GB of RAM, is substantially more affordable. Even in a post-RTX 3000 era, this model should still be accessible from shops and should offer more than enough graphical power for gaming at 1080p without the need to make significant concessions in the graphical options menu.

The Predator Orion 3000's chassis isn't too big like some gaming rigs; it's been thoughtfully designed to fit beside a monitor or beneath a desk, and the vented front and side panels mean that thermal performance is excellent despite being a powerful gaming PC with good potential for piecemeal upgrades in the future. The RGB lighting and a large, satisfying-to-press triangle power button give it the much-desired "gaming style."

SPECIFICATIONS

• GPU: 11th-gen Intel Core i5

• CPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660

• Storage: 512GB SSD

• RAM: 16GB DDR4

TODAY'S BEST DEALS

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PROS

• Nice cooling solution 

• Cool gamer design

• Great selection of various models

CONS

• Higher configurations are expensive

2. HP Omen 25L - The best affording gaming desktop for AMD fans

Although the Omen 25L’s black metal design with a rectangular shape might look a bit plain, this is one of the best affordable gaming desktops in 2024 that won’t break the bank. 

With plenty of AMD configurations available, this is a perfect choice for game geeks who opt for Team Red. But loyal users of the RTX line from Nvidia can participate as well, as it can be configured to achieve up to a superb RTX 2070 GPU. The Omen 25L costs just about the same as a lot of the high-end gaming desktops in the mid-range configuration. And HP’s lineup provides more memory and storage due to its multi-drive setup. 

SPECIFICATIONS

• GPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3500, 7 3700X or 9 3900

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 3500, 7 3700X or 9 3900

• Storage: 256GB SSD – 1TB + 2TB + 2TB

• RAM: 16GB – 32B DDR4

TODAY'S BEST DEALS

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PROS

• Low cost

• Accessible without any tools

• Great cooling

CONS

• Lackluster design

3. MSI Trident 3 10th - Best gaming desktop with compact form

If appearance is equally important to you as power, then the MSI Trident 3 10th might be a great choice to you, especially if you are the type of gamer who leans more towards aesthetics. The angular tower's size is similar to a home console, so it won't take up much space on your desk and may even fit into a TV stand if you'd rather play on the couch with a controller. If you'd prefer to put it upright, a removable base is also supplied with it.

Apart from its beautiful looks, this small gaming PC is extremely powerful but costs less than its competitors, with 10th-gen Intel Core CPUs and the best RTX and GTX graphics cards from Nvidia. This one is even more inexpensive than many of the other options available on this list. Its Intel Core i7 + 16GB RAM + RTX 2060 Super configuration helps save more money than an HP Omen 25L with similar specs. If you’re trying to optimize your limited budget and space, this is the best affordable gaming desktop for you. 

SPECIFICATIONS

• GPU: up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Super

• CPU: up to 10th-generation Intel Core i7

• Storage: up to 1TB

• RAM: Up to 16GB

TODAY'S BEST DEALS

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PROS

• Plenty of power

• Small form

CONS

• Arrive with overly complex software

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• Best Gaming Desktop

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4. HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop - Best for Both Work and Play

The HP Pavilion Gaming Desktop keeps the gamer aesthetic to a bare minimum, fitting equally well in an office setting as it does in a person's gaming space thanks to its small chassis and tasteful LED base lighting. Therefore, if you're looking for a device on which you can both play and work, this is the perfect option because it kills two birds with one stone and allows you to make even more savings.

It won't be a super-equipped computer, but if you spend a little more for the higher configurations, you can get one with an RTX 3060 that will give you more graphical power for playing the newest games. However, if you're prepared to adjust your graphics settings a little, its lower configurations should be able to get you through 1080p gaming.

SPECIFICATIONS

• GPU: Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 Super

• CPU: Up to AMD Ryzen 7

• Storage: Up to 1TB HDD + 512GB SSD

• RAM: Up to 16GB

TODAY'S BEST DEALS

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PROS

• Brilliant value

• Aesthetics is productivity-friendly

CONS

• Specifications are not future-proofing

5. Dell G5 - Best affordable gaming desktop with super-budget configurations

With a distinctive chassis and an unbeatable price, Dell's newest G-series gaming PC is a strong candidate for the title of best low-cost gaming PC. The base edition of the Dell G5 ships with an i3 processor and the Nvidia GTX 1650 to play many of the newest PC games without burning a hole in your wallet, but the Dell G5 also has the most potent gaming GTX and RTX graphics cards from Nvidia.

Of course, its VR-ready configurations are also available if you have a little extra money to spare, but even those are still quite reasonably priced. The Dell G5 is among the most inexpensive gaming PCs on this list with a windowed side panel, which is useful if you like to showcase your PC's internal parts. It's also a breeze to open up this gaming setup and upgrade your components thanks to the simple case design.

SPECIFICATIONS

• GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 – RTX 2070

• CPU: 9th Gen Intel Core i3-9100 – i9 9900K

• Storage: 1TBSSD – 1TB SSD + 2TB HDD

• RAM: 8GB – 64GB

TODAY'S BEST DEALS

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PROS

• Inexpensive

• VR-ready configurations

CONS

• The most demanding games can’t be played smoothly with the base models 

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• Best Gaming Desktop under $1500

• Best Gaming PCs under $500

• Best Gaming PCs under $800

Since there are so many brands to choose from, it might be challenging to find the best affordable gaming desktop that fits your budget. We examine all types and contrast them with other PCs in their category, taking into account factors like cost, performance, and build quality.

When it comes to playing games on a PC, be sure to take your own needs into account. You probably won't need a super-powerful computer if you're intending on primarily playing 2D independent games or esports games (like League of Legends and Valorant), as these games are typically well-optimized to run on lower-end hardware. On the other hand, you'll need to invest a little more to obtain the greatest performance if you want to play triple-A games, which are graphically demanding.

Another essential consideration is resolution: will you be using a 4K 120Hz display or a 1080p full HD monitor? A more powerful GPU is required if you want to maintain stable framerates while playing games at higher resolutions without making substantial graphical settings sacrifices.