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Run, don't walk: These PC deals include a $500 savings on an HP Omen rig
Getting your hands on a great new desktop PC doesn't have to cost a fortune. Brands like HP, Lenovo, and Dell have awesome employee pricing events, inventory clearance sales, and regular markdowns that you can take advantage of to save a bit of cash on a new computer. I've scoured the web to find the very best deals available, including steep discounts and accessory bundles, to help you find the one that best fits your budget and your needs.
Also: Best laptop deals available right now: For users on the go
CPU: Intel Core i7-12700K | RAM: 32GB | Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD & 2TB HHD | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080
- Current Price: $2,499
- Original Price: $2,999
If you're wanting the absolute best graphics on the market without breaking into another four digits, the RTX 3080 in this model is the one for you. In addition to the great graphics, the Predator Orion comes packed with the best specs, including 32GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage. That's in conjunction with an additional 2TB of HDD storage, making this the best desktop for gaming, working, and everything in between.
CPU: Intel Core i7 11700KF | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
- Current Price: $1,099
- Original Price: $2,099
For $1,000 savings on a prebuilt machine, this ZOTAC MEK HERO G1 gaming desktop. With 16GB of dedicated memory and VR capabilities, you can game with a monitor or an Occulus headset. The possibilities are endless.
CPU: INTEL Core i7 11700F | RAM: 16GB DDR4 3200 MHz | Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
- Current Price: $1,299
- Original Price: $1,649
For lighter gamers, this Skytech pre-built option boosts up to 4.9 GHz max while you're gaming, giving you a speedy processor while you're battling against foes with friends. The memory cards also use a special Heat Spreader to keep the interior from overheating while you're gaming.
- Current Price: $1,849
- Original Price: $2,199
CPU: Intel i7 12700KF | RAM: 16GB DDR4 3200 MHz | Storage: 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070
Want a great PC gaming desktop? This ABS model comes with 1TB of storage to hold all of your Steam, Epic, and Origin games, plus have room left over for building up your Twitch streaming fan base. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 is a great graphics card contender for beautiful, lifelike imagery on the latest games.
CPU: Intel Core i5-12400F | RAM: 16GB DDR4 | Storage: 1TB SSD | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
- Current Price: $1,049
- Original Price: $1,449
A more budget-friendly option, this HP Omen model still delivers 1TB of SSD storage and a RTX 3060 for your heaviest gaming needs. It also will deliver spatial audio through any headset with DTS: X Ultra Technology.
Are PCs and desktops the same thing?
Yes! A desktop is a computer that is meant to be set up and used in a single location (as opposed to a laptop that you can basically take with you anywhere), and "PC" stands for "personal computer." A personal computer can be either a laptop or a desktop, since you can use either as a personal machine; "PC" also has become a sort of shorthand to help differentiate Windows and ChromeOS machines from macOS desktops.
Which is better: laptops or desktops?
The best computer is the one that fits your budget and your needs. Desktops are great because they often have more powerful components than laptops, and you can swap out components at will if you decide later on that you want more RAM, a bigger storage drive, or a better GPU. Laptops tend to have integrated or weaker components, but they're much more mobile; so if you go to a lot of off-site meetings or travel for work, it's easier to keep up with your tasks than if you had tried to lug around a full-sized desktop tower, a monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse.
Do desktops last longer than laptops?
Since desktops often have components that you can swap out yourself, it's easier to make one last longer than a laptop might. Though there are laptops out there that are user-upgradeable. For example: if you buy a pre-built desktop or build a computer yourself, but you can only afford mid-grade components, you can expect maybe three to four years of use at most before you need to upgrade. But you can extend that a bit by replacing components as you go (i.e., switching out GPUs, adding more RAM or storage drives, or upgrading your power supply). Due to the nature of tech advancement, you're never going to be able to buy or build a desktop that never needs updating or replacing. But if you play your cards right, you can find ways to get more mileage out of mid-tier builds.
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Amazon Prime Day October
- Live blog: The 140+ best 'Amazon Prime Early Access Sale' deals
- What is Amazon Prime Early Access Sale and when is it in October?
- How to turn your old devices into Amazon gift cards
- Buy Google's new Pixel 7 Pro and get a $200 Amazon or Best Buy gift card
- The Bose 700 ANC headphones are 29% off
- MyQ Chamberlain makes your garage door smart, and it just hit $16 on Amazon
- Samsung dropped the price of its new Z Flip 4 by $200
- Drone deal: Save $105 on Holy Stone's foldable drone
- 23andMe's DNA test kit is $100 off
- Sony's gorgeous A80J 77-inch smart TV is $1,500 off
- Samsung's 49-inch curved gaming monitor is $400 off
- Save $210 on WD Elements' 16TB external hard drive