Best Prebuilt Gaming PC Under $1000 in 2020 & 2021
We scour the web to find only the best prebuilt gaming PCs under $1000
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Charlie Noon - Updated Jan 18, 2021
- Prebuilt Gaming PC, Systems
We concluded that the Skytech Shiva Gaming Computer is the best-prebuilt gaming computer in the under $1,000 category. This is equipped with an AMD Ryzen 5 2600 and an RTX 2060! It also features 16GB of DDR4 RAM, a 500GB SSD, and RGB fans.
If you want to get the best value for money, this is it. But don’t worry if this isn’t to your liking since the rest of this list are also strong picks for gaming.
If you still feel unsure about which system to pick, then keep reading. We covered everything you need to know so that you have a clear idea of which PC is best for your needs.
Our Top Picks
Editor's Pick
The Best Prebuilt Gaming PC Under $1000
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Runner Up
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Our 5 Best Prebuilt Gaming PCs Under $1,000
Editor's Pick
With the AMD Ryzen 5 3600, GTX 1660 Super, and 500GB SSD, you get yourself a powerful PC capable of running games in max settings and destroying VR games. Great value!
With the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 processor and the GTX 1660 GPU; don’t underestimate this pre-built computer. These specs should keep most happy with this gaming rig able to handle anything you chuck at it. A solid gaming computer that is bang within budget!
Runner Up
This prebuilt option comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 2600, which is an outstanding chip for gaming and multitasking. Not only does this have awesome processing power but it features an RTX 2060. A solid choice for any gamer!
This pre-built is capable of handling AAA-title games in high settings. The CPU and mid-tier GPU combine to produce some incredible results for gaming. With the included SSD, loading and boot times will also feel snappy. This stylish build will not disappoint and is worth consideration.
Value Pick
The CyberpowerPC Gamer Supreme Liquid Cool Gaming PC offers some of the best value on this list thanks to its powerful CPU/ GPU combination. Not only does it feature a powerful AMD Ryzen 7 3800X, but also a Radeon RX 5700XT GPU. This isn’t just a looker with performance specs like that.
Falling just above budget, this pick does not compromise on performance. Pairing the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X with a Radeon RX 5700XT should be more than enough to give you satisfying results in any game you desire.
All-round Pick
This gaming PC, for the price, is a beast. With an AMD Ryzen 7 2700 and an RTX 2060, this rig will blast through any game.
This runner up is an excellent choice. It has components that can easily take down AAA title games, with no compromises thanks to its latest hardware. This is a powerful build and comes with a great storage solution too!
Budget Pick
This prebuilt gaming PC offers some fantastic value for gamers. It features a powerful Intel Core i5-10400F and Nvidia’s GTX 1660 Super GPU!
The processor in this gaming prebuilt will give most CPUs a run for their money when it comes to gaming performance and the GTX 1660 Super is not to be sniffed at either. Not only is this PC capable of 1080p gaming in high settings but it will handle VR with ease!
How We Choose
We scoured popular and reputable prebuilt gaming PC manufacturers such as Dell, HP, iBuyPower, CyberPowerPC, and even the latest prebuilt gaming desktop PCs from companies that specialize in upgrades and customizations such as CUK (Computer Upgrade King).
After an extensive search, we came up with a long list of potential candidates, we then: examined the specs, compared them, and came up with the 5 best gaming PCs under $1,000.
How We Test
Unlike our best prebuilt gaming PC under $800 and our $500 prebuilt article, we didn’t test games at 1080p/ultra settings.
Let’s face it: a computer that costs $1,000 should be able to handle these presets without breaking a sweat. It’s time to up your expectations! We’re testing these PCs at 2K (1440p) and even 4K resolutions.
If you don’t have a 1440p resolution monitor, then you should eventually invest in a 2K monitor, or get one of the best gaming monitors that can handle 2K or 4K resolution. Well, assuming you want to get the most out of these prebuilt PCs, which I assume you do.
On average, these 5 prebuilt computers can handle the following games in both 1440p and 2160p resolutions:
- Fortnite
- PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
- Monster Hunter: World – MHW
- League of Legends
- Dota 2
- Overwatch
- Rainbow Six: Siege
- Warframe
- Grand Theft Auto V
- Team Fortress 2
With the right preset, you can experience over 60FPS on all of these titles. Ideally, you’d want to tone the graphics down to high but it still boils down to personal preference as competitive players would prefer a lower preset over fine-tuned graphics output.
NOTE: Due to the ongoing effects of the global coronavirus pandemic, some retailers are experiencing stock issues. WePC constantly updates our pages to reflect current availability, so if the PC you want shows as out of stock, check back later or check out these alternatives.
Below are the 5 best gaming desktops under $1,000.
Things To Consider
We know buying a prebuilt gaming PC is the go-to option for many gamers that can’t yet build the best gaming PC under $1,000.
But when buying a prebuilt gaming PC, it’s important that you choose according to the following criteria to get the best out of the money you’re investing in:
Graphics Card
Whether it’s a prebuilt or a custom-built gaming computer, the graphics card is the most important component. It’s the powerhouse of any gaming computer.
This is what renders the image in real-time and most strongly influences your graphical quality. In fact, a computer with an average graphics card like a GTX 1660 paired with a slower i5 processor performs can produce some brilliant results.
Of course, the performance also depends on other factors such as how CPU/GPU intensive the game in question is, how well-optimized it is, however, most games tend to be more GPU intensive than CPU intensive.
As a rule of thumb: Higher quality graphics cards are better for gaming. As such, we went with prebuilt computers with at least a GTX 1660 TI graphics card in this roundup to justify the price you’ll be paying.
If you wish to game at 1440p and higher, then every pick in this list should be more than capable.
Processor
Processors matter in gaming, too. But they don’t push frames as much as graphics cards do since they focus on processing tasks in general rather than merely rendering images really fast.
On the list, you’ll find several different processors. We’ve listed them below with their respective core and thread count:
| Processor (CPU) | Core/Thread Count | Base/Max Clock Speed |
|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 7 2700X | 8 cores/16 threads | 3.7GHz/4.3GHz |
| Intel i7-9700K | 8 cores/8 threads | 3.6GHz/4.9GHz |
| Intel i5-9400F | 6 cores/6 threads | 2.9GHz/4.1GHz |
| Intel i7-8700K | 6 cores/12 threads | 3.7GHz/4.7GHz |
Since all the processors on the list are more than capable of high FPS on most AAA games at high resolutions, we didn’t really focus on this department.
If you are considering streaming then the first two picks are solid choices however if not don’t worry every CPU in this list has a very good price to performance.
RAM
We specifically went with at least 8GB of DDR4 memory in this roundup because, quite frankly, anything less than 8GB of RAM is unacceptable in this price range. In fact, 3 of 5 of the builds have 16GB of DDR4 RAM.
Storage
An SSD + HDD combo isn’t necessary at this price point, but it is somewhat common. And of course, it’s pretty nice to have an SSD.
Unless you just fall in love with a build that doesn’t have both, you should definitely stick with an SSD + HDD combination to get the best of both worlds. SSDs are significantly faster than HDDs and offer the biggest performance improvement per dollar compared to any other hardware upgrade. But the sheer bulk storage space of HDDs makes them extremely useful in their own right.
Other Features And Freebies
Prebuilt desktop computers in this price range should have at least a keyboard and mouse freebie. But seeing as how you can spend this much on a prebuilt computer, chances are you’re likely to have one of the best keyboards already.
But even so, it still is worth, especially if you’re pushing your budget to the limit.
Related Gaming PC Guides
If you are still unsure, then check out some of our related guides below.
- Best Custom Gaming PC under $1000
- Best Prebuilt Gaming PC Under $500
- Best Prebuilt Gaming PC Under $800
- Custom PC Builders
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Recommended Custom Build
- Jan 18, 2021
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The Best 5 Prebuilt Gaming PCs Under $1000
Editor's Pick
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Runner Up
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Value Pick
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All-round Pick
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Budget Pick
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Editor's Pick
Pros
Cons
When picking out a new PC, we all want to make sure we’re putting our money towards something great. Budget or high-end, most computers tend to make a dent in our savings. It’s easier to find overpriced models than to score a good computer for cheap, but SkyTech defies the odds with the Archangel.
With the trademark white case and a rainbow of colors inside, SkyTech’s Archangel may catch your eye with its pleasing aesthetic, but it’s the performance that will make you really stop and consider it.
For the relatively affordable price, we found that this computer was able to deliver surprisingly outstanding results in our testing. The AMD Ryzen 5 3600 CPU (3.6GHz that you can turbo boost to 4.2GHz) stood its ground compared to competitors. Even during stress tests, this PC maintained smooth performance and correct temperatures. The RGB fans that light up the case offer great ventilation and keep your PC safe from burning up.
The downside here is, like with the previous models, a lack of storage. You will get a 500GB SSD to start with, which is up to 30x faster than a traditional HDD, but we wouldn’t mind if the SSD was bigger.
Despite being rather short on storage space, Shiva covers the most important points: it’s fast, reliable, well-ventilated, and a real multitasker. If you’re not aiming for absolute high-end PCs, we can fully recommend this one as a good choice.
Runner Up
Pros
Cons
This prebuilt gaming PC from SkyTech features some of the best components in this roundup, smashing AAA game titles in 1080p with ease and not doing too badly in 144op either.
The AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is viewed as a very efficient 2nd-gen CPU, which can deliver some fantastic results. The CPU is paired with the GeForce RTX 2060 which is highly regarded as one of the best price/performance cards available and it will handle a variety of titles quite easily in both 1080P and 1440P.
The case is sleek and brings RGB, plus a viewing window to the table, giving you an out of the box stylish setup.
This pre built gaming PC is perfect for those on the hunt for value where performance isn’t compromised.
Value Pick
Pros
Cons
The Asus ROG Strix GL10DH gaming PC may not be the monster of a PC that you would find in the $2000 price range, but it still manages to blow many of its competitors out of the water. Thanks to its sheer power and performance, it has truly earned its spot at the very top of our list.
This is a versatile and well-designed desktop PC that will suit both animators and gamers alike, providing superior results in both of those activities. It sports a wide range of features that most PC users aim for and it delivers excellent results in all of its benchmarks. However, before we get down to the details, let’s talk about the design.
While not the most important part of any computer, the case in this model follows the latest trends and is sure to shine in every office space. RGB lights adorn the front of the case and also light up the inside of it, allowing you to see the components in all of their glory — and they’re truly nothing to turn your nose up at.
This desktop features, among others, a Ryzen 7 3700X CPU with 8 cores and 16 threads, offering a maximum overclocking capability of 4.4GHz in turbo mode. This makes it very well suited to animation, as a lot of the things you do will rely on the power of your processor.
Aside from 16GB RAM, you will also find an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti 6GB dedicated graphics card, which is yet another staple for animation computers. As far as disk space goes, this model has enough for most people: a 512GB SSD for the operating system, essential programs, and favorite games.
If you’re looking for a PC that is powerful on its own, capable of aiding you in every single task, and also has room for expansion — we firmly believe that you can’t go wrong with the Rog Strix GL10DH.
The Skytech Blaze II Gaming PC is more than capable of taking care of all your gaming needs for the foreseeable future. The performance is excellent for the price and you can be sure that has something to do with the powerful CPU/GPU combination inside.
The CPU is the Ryzen 7 2700, which is highly regarded as one of the best 2nd-gen AMD processors. The single-core performance on this processor good enough, however, the multi-threading performance is top drawer. The CPUs clock speed can be boosted to 4.1GHz in the BIOS, giving this eight-core CPU incredible power and making your day to day tasks feel speedy. The CPU is backed up by the Nvidia RTX 206o graphics card, giving you entry level RTX performance and a card that can handle any game in max settings.
The RTX 2060 is a monster for 1080p gaming and even has decent benchmarking results in the 1440p resolutions too. With this card, you can be sure to play on a wide range of games in high settings or enjoy high FPS counts in your favorite competitive games.
This machine features a speedy SSD storage solution and while the SSD is only 500GB, it is more than enough to hold your operating system and a couple of your favorite games.
This would make an excellent PC for beginners and hardcore gamers alike, with strong gaming features at the heart of this build. Aside from the components, you get a PC case with pre-installed RGB fans, a PSU shroud, and a window to see inside.
Budget Pick
Pros
Cons
The Gamer Xtreme VR Gaming PC from CyberPowerPC is more than capable of taking care of your gaming needs for some time. The performance is excellent for the price and you can be sure that has something to do with the powerful CPU/GPU combination inside.
The CPU is the i5-10400F, which is considered budget but this comes highly regarded is reliable for gaming. The single-core performance on this processor is top-level and it features a base clock speed of 2.9GHz which can be boosted to 4.3GHz in the BIOS. This six-core CPU is the “F” version which basically means it doesn’t come with onboard graphics. Not to worry though as it’s backed up by the GTX 1660 Super graphics card from Nvidia.
The GTX 1660 Super is a monster for 1080p gaming and even has decent benchmarking results in the 1440p resolutions too. With this card, you can be sure to play on a wide range of games in high settings or enjoy high FPS counts in your favorite competitive games.
This machine features an SSD and while the SSD is only 500GB, it is more than enough to hold your operating system and a couple of your favorite games.
This would make an excellent PC for beginners and hardcore gamers alike, with strong gaming features at the heart of this build. Aside from the components, you get a PC case with pre-installed RGB fans, a PSU shroud, and a window to see inside. Lastly, you also receive a CyberPowerPC keyboard and mouse so you can jump straight into those games when it arrives.
Final Word
While we obviously have Our Top Pick, there is a surprisingly small difference between the PCs on this list. Some have slightly better GPUs or some extra RAM that set them apart. As such, it is largely left up to you as to what matters most.
With all of that being laid out, chances are you already have a pick on your mind but if you’re still unsure, here’s a quick summary:
- If you’re looking for the best option in this price range, the Skytech Shiva Gaming PC features an RTX 2060 and the respectable AMD Ryzen 5 2600 CPU. This PC will handle anything you throw at it.
- This all-round option may be more expensive but it is a beast. The Skytech Archangel Gaming PC features the reliable AMD Ryzen 5 3600 CPU. This great CPU is paired with the RTX 2070 GPU for excellent gaming performance.
- Another powerful machine on the list is the CyberpowerPC Gamer Xtreme VR Gaming PC. As its name implies it features an elite setup and excellent gaming performance. It features an Intel Core i5-9400F CPU and a GTX 1660 graphics card.
- Go with the HP Pavilion Gaming PC if you want something more affordable that still games like a champ. This may be one of the more expensive options but the gaming performance and top-class value mean it must be considered.
- Last but certainly not least is the OMEN 25L gaming PC. This features a great set of mid-tier components working together in a small form factor case to provide you with an excellent gaming experience for less.
If you’re having problems choosing from the options on this list, or there is another option you have found and are interested in, then let us know down in the comments and we’ll gladly help you out.
