With January sales around the corner, it’s the perfect time to consider upgrading your desktop set-up for 2023. Desktop computers are often much more powerful than laptops and allow a wealth of customisation options, so whether you’re considering a desktop computer for the first time or upgrading your old-faithful, there is a huge variety of options to choose from this year. Whatever you use your desktop for, whether it’s work, play, social media or even playing PayPal casinos the good news is that there will be something to suit both your needs and your budget.
How Much Should you Spend on a Desktop Computer?
One of the reasons that desktop computers are so popular is that you get more for your money. A £700 desktop computer will be much more powerful than a £700 laptop, which makes it great for anyone on a budget. The more you can afford to spend now the better, as you’ll benefit from an enhancer processor, increased RAM or even a better GPU, but you’ll get a lot more for your budget in a desktop computer than a laptop.
The Best on a Budget – Acer Aspire TC-895-UA91
Coming in at just under £500, the Acer Aspire TC-895-UA91 packs a powerful punch. Inside you’ll find a 10th Generation Intel Core i3 CPU which offers incredible performance for the money and with 512GB SSD as standard, a full range of ports, a great compact design and a whole host of extras it’s an ideal affordable PC option that will handle most demands of an everyday computer. PC Mag named the Acer Aspire TC-895-UA91 their favourite budget computer of 2021, and a year later it’s still a much-loved machine and with these specs, it really is no surprise!
Arriving with a generous CPU and storage as standard, this machine really is a plug-and-play option so DIY upgrades weren’t given much thought when designing it, although there is some room for expansion. The TC-895-UA91 comes with 8GB RAM as standard, although there is one spare slot and you can boost the RAM up to 32GB.
The Acer Aspire TC-895-UA91 isn’t an option for hardcore gamers – straight out of the box the PC struggles to run even a basic 3D game, and inside there’s very little space to upgrade to a more enhanced GPU, but for the money, it’s an incredible everyday machine.
The Best for Gamers- MSI Aegis RS 11th Gen
When choosing the right desktop computer for gaming, there are a few things to consider; power, the resolution you want to play at, and storage – luckily the MSI Aegis RS 11th Gen has everything you need in one brilliant mainstream plug-and-play option.
Featuring an Intel Core i7 CPU, MSI’s own GeForce RTX Ventus 3X OC GPU and 16GB of RAM, alongside an impressive 1TB of storage as standard (or splash the cash for the 2TB model), this PC is perfect for anyone who wants to skip the build process and get straight to playing. Being a mainstream PC with off-the-shelf parts, everything is standardised and much easier to come by, and there are still some upgrade options for anyone who is looking to dabble in DIY mods, rather than starting from scratch.
Online PC magazine Tom’s Hardware called the MSI Aegis RS 11th Gen the top-of-the-line pre-built gaming PC and the best mainstream option, and at around £1000 it’s easy to understand why. The MSI Aegis RS 11th Gen offers a huge amount of value for the money, making it the ideal purchase for an up-and-coming e-sports player.
The Best Big-Budget Machine – Corsair One a200
For the ultimate desktop computer regardless of price, look no further than the Corsair One a200. Powerful, easy to set up, and full of top-spec components, it’s easy to understand why every major PC and Gaming magazine has given this machine 4/5 stars at a minimum.
The impressive AMD Ryzen 9 5900X CPU, 12-core chip and highly-rated Zen 3 architecture packs a punch. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU makes for beautiful rendering in-game, while the 32GB RAM ensures you never experience lag at a crucial moment. The Corsair One a200 is also one of the most well-designed machines; at less than 1ft in all directions, this PC is small but perfectly formed and ideal for small spaces.
At £3300 it’s a definite budget-stretcher, but it’s the PC that will tackle anything you throw at it, from everyday life admin to intense gaming sessions.
Choosing The Right Desktop PC For Your Needs
With so many options on the market, there is most definitely something for everyone. The best thing you can do is do a little research into what is available and what would best suit your needs. Consider what you are most likely to be using your desktop PC for and what sort of capabilities it is going to need. For example, if you’re a gamer then something with decent graphics is probably going to be high on your list. Whereas, if you are using your desktop PC for work then you might want something that has plenty of hard drive space.
There aren’t any hard and fast right or wrongs when it comes to purchasing a desktop PC, but it is important to get one that caters to your needs. Thankfully, looking online and doing a little research is easy enough. Lots of bloggers and influencers talk about their favourite pieces of technology which helps & most computer stores detail what PCs are recommended for within their website pages. Combine this with asking the retailer any questions that you have and you’re soon well on your way to buying the perfect desktop PC for your needs.
There is a huge range of PCs on the market to suit your needs and budget. 2022 has seen PC technology evolve massively so you’re sure to find the right machine for you in 2023, just take a little time to research your purchase rather than rushing in and you should be fine.