There are many prebuilt gaming PCs available under the $2000 price bracket, but which one should you choose as your next PC? If you have been looking for the best gaming PC under $2000, you have come to the right article.
This article will tell you about the top five prebuilt gaming PCs that are currently superior to any other PCs available in the market. Also, this article will contain an in-depth buyer’s guide to brief you on the different aspects of prebuilt gaming PCs.
$2000 is a lot of money. You can get a very high-end gaming PC at this price or an absolute lemon whose capabilities go only as far as playing Minecraft. Therefore, all the PCs in this article have been selected after stringent testing. Only the prebuilt gaming PCs that provided top-notch value to gamers are selected for this list.
Excited yet! So, let’s dive straight into the article without wasting any time.
In a Hurry? These are the Best Prebuilt Gaming PCs Under $2000
Want to know which PCs are going to be reviewed in this article? The following is a quick glance at all of them.
*For more info on the gaming PCs below, click the “Jump to review” button to go to our review of that PC.
Best Overall
Best Aesthetics
Best Performance
The $2000 Gaming PC Buyer’s Guide
Although I have made it easy for you by picking the best prebuilt gaming PCs under $2000, you also need to put some thought into buying the ideal gaming PC for yourself.
PCs differ from one another; therefore, each person will have their own preference on which PC works the best.
The buyer’s guide section will provide you a complete rundown on all the different buying aspects you need to know to get yourself the prebuilt gaming PC suited to your needs.
Why the Best PC May Not Be Suited for You?
Perhaps the best gaming PC on this list, i.e., the MSI Aegis R, may or may not be suitable for your gaming needs. Still, you won’t be able to tell that unless you know the different aspects that this PC is good at and not so good at.
I need you to focus your attention on your gaming needs and not the individual ranking of the PCs.
This is how you make a smarter decision by keeping in view your needs. Imagine how disappointed you will be if you get an expensive gaming PC that does not fit your gaming use.
Therefore, If you don’t want to be disappointed, I recommend buying a gaming PC that is suitable for you and don’t stress too much about the ranking of the PC.
Important Consideration: Set Your PC Budget and Stick With It
You can easily overspend on a gaming PC. Although it may seem bogus to you why I am even telling you this but believe me, when you begin your search for a gaming PC, you will be overwhelmed.
There are so many different PCs available in the market, each with a varying price tag which will confuse you. It is also easy to get distracted if your budget is not fixed. Having a fixed budget is one thing but staying consistent is also important.
In the $2000 price bracket, you can get tons of different PC options.
Either in this budget, you can find a no-compromise high-end gaming PC that will be able to play any game you want.
Or also, in this budget, people can try to rip you off by upselling you gaming PCs that are not even worth half the price.
While in this article, I have solved that problem for you by selecting only the best PCs, but what happens next time?
Therefore, before you go, I want you to learn how to differentiate between good and bad gaming PCs from this article.
$2000 Custom-built vs Prebuilt Gaming PC: How Different Are They?
You can undoubtedly build a better custom gaming PC for $2000 than any off-the-shelf prebuilt gaming PC. Still, I am more interested in how big a difference there is.
To test this, let’s factor in two gaming PCs. One consists of a custom build costing $2000, while the other is the best gaming PC on this list (MSI Aegis R).
For $2000, you can build yourself a custom gaming PC containing an Nvidia RTX 3080 and a Ryzen 9 5900X or Core i7-12700K. You would also have enough cash to drop in a 1TB NVMe SSD and add extra HDD storage.
With $2000, you can also pick yourself a beautiful case and adorn it with RGB lighting. If we leave the customization and the ability to choose selected brand items out of the equation for a second. Then the prebuilt gaming PC is not significantly worse than a custom gaming PC.
Sure, you might get a slightly worse GPU, i.e., the RTX 3070 Ti, and maybe the power supply used in a prebuilt gaming PC will not be up to the mark. The CPU might also be the non-overclock variant but the performance is more or less the same.
Besides, these subtle differences the rest of the specs will be closely related or similar in most cases.
Therefore, you are not losing a whole lot. Compared to a custom gaming PC, you only compromise on customization, the ability to choose branded hardware, and maybe on the thrill of building a gaming PC yourself.
Buying a prebuilt gaming PC is a win in my book because you get to save a lot of time and energy in the process, which is more valuable for some gamers.
Factors You Need to Know to Get an Ideal Gaming PC
Ok, so now you know that prebuilt gaming PCs are not that bad of a proposition. In order to get a good gaming PC, you will need to keep the following factors in mind.
Gaming Experience Is the Number One Priority
The main thing that any gaming PC has going for is the joy of using that machine. If a user likes playing games on it, it is a win for the gaming PC, irrespective of whether it comes with good specs.
Therefore, I give the gaming experience the utmost priority in my reviews. As a result, my PC reviews are more inclined towards how the PC feels to use rather than what specs it has.
This will give you a better picture of what you are in for when buying that particular gaming PC.
Convenience Is Key
The whole point of buying a prebuilt gaming PC boils down to convenience. A prebuilt gaming PC has to be hassle-free from the get-go.
The obvious advantage of the prebuilt PC is that it comes pre-assembled to your doorstep. Not every PC gamer knows how to build a gaming PC or has the time to invest in building a gaming PC, therefore getting a pre-assembled PC to your doorstep is a great sigh of relief.
However, this is not the only added convenience factor of a prebuilt gaming PC. With a prebuilt gaming PC, you are almost guaranteed that the manufacturer you are buying the PC from has taken the precautionary measure and all the hardware on that PC is compatible with one another.
Also, reputable brands like MSI, Dell, etc, test all the components of the PC prior to shipping it to you. Rest assured, it is highly unlikely that you will get a faulty PC.
In order to provide users a plug-and-play gaming experience, most prebuilt gaming PCs also come with pre-installed Windows and drivers. This is a big plus because it almost takes a day to install Windows and drivers, but with a prebuilt gaming PC, you won’t have to do that and can get straight to gaming.
A prebuilt gaming PC should have the necessary software like Windows and drivers pre-installed.
Reputable manufacturers also throw in at least a 1-year warranty with their gaming PCs. Some even go as far as bundling with a 2 or even 3-year warranty, which is quite reassuring.
If anything goes wrong you know that you can get the PC easily replaced or repaired.
Add-on Features Can Enhance the Usability of the PC
If a prebuilt gaming PC comes with gaming-centric features, then that is always a good thing. Features can enhance the enjoyment of using the PC on a daily basis.
Certain features such as Wi-Fi provide ease and convenience to the users. They can also provide extra functionality to the PC. Therefore, be on the lookout for such features that can enhance your gaming experience.
The Ideal Specifications You Should Be on the Lookout for in a $2000 Gaming PC
If you are looking to get the ideal gaming PC for your needs, you need to pay close attention to the following specs and make sure your PC comes with them.
- Get a CPU with at least 8 cores and 16 threads
When looking for a prebuilt gaming PC, you will encounter many options with different CPUs. If you want optimal performance buy a computer with at least 8 cores and 16 threads.
I see a $2000 as a multitasking gaming PC. If you are spending this much money, then your PC should be able to do more than just play games. It should be able to handle streaming, rendering, VR, and all other demanding stuff.
Your PC should have at least an 8-core 16-thread CPU to get these applications to run smoothly. As far as choosing between Intel and AMD goes, we should be glad that we live in a time where the products of both manufacturers are highly competitive.
AMD Ryzen CPUs perform slightly better in multitasking applications. The Intel CPUs deliver marginally better gaming performance, so the choice is yours. If it were for me, I would get an AMD processor.
The best AMD product is the Ryzen 7 and upwards, while it is Core i7 or upwards for Intel.
- Get a PC with a high-end Nvidia RTX GPU
A gaming PC is defined by its GPU. If the GPU of a gaming PC is good, then the gaming PC will be able to play games. Otherwise, PCs with bad GPUs struggle with playing the latest games.
A $2000 gaming PC should have at least an Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti graphics card, the bare minimum. The ideal GPU in a $2000 gaming PC is the Nvidia RTX 3070.
The RTX 3070 is a powerhouse and will be able to play games at 1440p easily. You will also be able to use its RTX capabilities to enjoy dynamic lighting and realistic graphic.
If you are getting a GPU better than the Nvidia RTX 3070, consider that a steal.
- Make sure the PC comes with 16GB RAM
16GB RAM is the bare minimum a gaming PC in 2024 should have. Gone are the times when 8GB was enough for gaming. These days games can take upwards of 10GB RAM; therefore, having 16GB RAM on your PC has become necessary.
Also, consider getting RAM with faster clock speeds. For example, a 16GB DDR4 RAM with a 3200MHz clock speed is better than the same capacity DDR4 RAM with a 3000MHz clock speed.
Having a faster RAM allows the data to be transmitted faster, which results in slightly better performance. Since we are already spending $2000, why not spend a little more and go with the best RAM spec.
- Be on the lookout for a quality power supply.
Power Supply is the quintessential part of the gaming PC that determines the longevity of your PC. A power supply is tasked with delivering power to all the essential hardware components of the PC like the motherboard, RAM, CPU, etc.
If a PC does not have a high-quality power supply, then faults can occur. Any fault can have a cascade effect that can damage the PSU and the rest of the PC components.
- Ensure the PC has ample storage
Without ample storage capacity, you won’t be able to store a lot of games. I know some gamers don’t like to store a lot of games on their PC, but even then, a high amount of storage space does not hurt.
To have the best experience, make sure that the PC has at least 1TB of storage space. 2TB is ideal, while anything over 2TB is excessive.
Also, try to get a PC with an NVMe SSD rather than the traditional HDD. NVMe SSDs are much faster than HDDs and provide better data transfer speeds. This results in a much smoother and snappy user experience.
- Get a PC with an AIO liquid cooler
AIO liquid coolers use a water-based cooling system to dissipate CPU heat. These coolers are much more effective than traditional air coolers. They can cool the CPU with 30% better efficiency.
Since a $2000 gaming PC already comes with CPUs with a high core count, it generates a lot of heat. This heat can not only degrade the performance of the CPU but also cause long-term harm.
AIO liquid coolers are the best solution for this excessive heat problem; therefore, be on the lookout for an AIO liquid cooler in a $2000 prebuilt gaming PC.
In-Depth Review
I am confident that after reading the buyer’s guide you know how to pick the ideal gaming PC for your needs, so now let’s dive into the in-depth reviews of the top five gaming PCs.
Before I proceed, let me remind you that every PC on this list has passed a stringent test to qualify. We don’t only base our reviews on the specs but also on what the PC is to use like on day to day basis.
Each PC is scored on user experience and technical ability. For the final score, the results for both of these are combined into the final ranking.
Best Overall
1. MSI Aegis R 12TE-270US
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Pros
Cons
Bottom Line:
There isn’t anything like the MSI Aegis R available in the market. This PC has a stunningly gorgeous PC case that hides very powerful hardware inside. Due to this PC providing such a complete package, I have ranked this very high on the list.
Gaming Experience
From the gaming performance to the connectivity and the looks, everything about this PC is as good as it gets for $2000.
This PC can play any modern game with ease, and the enjoyment and excitement you get from this PC are unmatched.
Due to this PC being such a joy to use, it was among the few gaming PCs that I spent quite a bit of time on after I was done with the review. To test the gaming ability of this PC, I played the same games on this PC that I subjected the rest of the other PCs to.
This PC is so powerful that I kept the graphic settings on ultra in all games with the following average FPS.
Average FPS on 1080p resolution:
- 88 FPS in Microsoft Flight Simulator, 122 FPS in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, 145 FPS in Red Dead Redemption 2, 180 FPS in Forza Horizon 5, 200 FPS in Fortnite, 220 FPS in CoD Warzone, and 400 FPS in CS: GO.
Average FPS on 1440p resolution:
- 70 FPS in Microsoft Flight Simulator, 91 FPS in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, 112 FPS in Red Dead Redemption 2, 130 FPS in Forza Horizon 5, 90 FPS in Fortnite, 175 FPS in CoD Warzone, and 280 FPS in CS: GO.
The gaming benchmarks show that this PC can easily max out games on 1080p and 1440p resolution. It easily scores 60+ FPS without much effort; therefore, I believe this PC can easily be used for 4K gaming.
It will be able to handle most if not all of the games at 4K resolution on 60+ FPS. However, you might need to drop the graphics quality to medium or high in certain games.
Still, though, 4K gaming is on the cards with the MSI Aegis R, which is a remarkable feat for any gaming PC.
Specifications
The MSI Aegis R puts forth a very strong set of specifications for its competitors to beat. The PC is powered by the latest 12th generation Intel Core i7-12700F processor. This 12-core 20-thread processor delivers best-in-class performance at the expense of running hotter.
MSI has got that sorted out as well. This PC has a 240mm AIO liquid cooler for the CPU. Suffice to say, the AIO liquid cooler maintains the temperature of this beastly CPU quite well. It keeps it under 85°C when gaming.
The GPU chosen to be paired with this CPU is none other than the RTX 3070 Ti, an 8GB GDDR6X VRAM graphics card. Being the latest offering from Nvidia, the RTX 3070 Ti is a fine performer that can handle anything you throw at it.
To ensure that the other specs keep up with the CPU and the GPU, this PC has 32GB DDR4 RAM running at the clock speed of 3200Mhz. This is the highest capacity of RAM offered on any gaming PC in the sub $2000 budget.
The mighty specs of this PC will allow gamers to play all sorts of games, so to install them, gamers are given 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD. I recommend that you add another 1TB NVMe SSD later down the line to increase PC storage.
Case Design and Connectivity
The MSI Aegis R comes with one of the best PC cases in the industry. The case of this PC has a unique layout that makes it very interesting to look at.
The front panel of the case is divided into two sections. The left section consists of a see-through glass insert, while the right side is finished with rubberized matte plastic.
Between the two panels, a mesh grill directs air into the PC. You will also find a similar grill on the bottom and the top of the front panel in a triangular shape.
A lot is going on with just the front of this PC case, but it all comes together cohesively.
Aside from that, the rest of the PC case is shaped in the same old manner. The side panel consists of a large glass window that we have been seeing on PC cases for a while now.
This PC case is quite large, giving MSI room to play with. One advantage of the large case is that you get excellent connectivity.
The front I/O of this PC is the most complete I have seen on any gaming PC in this list. It has 2x USB-A ports, USB-C port, reset button, led button, power button, and separate 3.5mm audio and mic ports.
Having a USB-C port on the front is a game-changer for connectivity. It facilitates so much in day-to-day use that there is no going back after using it.
You will get plenty of other ports on the backside of the PC. These include more of your power and display ports like HDMI, DisplayPort, ethernet LAN, etc. There are also additional USB-A and USB-C ports on the back of the PC if you need more.
Aesthetics and Salient Features
If you are after aesthetics, then the MSI Aegis R should hit a home run. This is one good-looking machine, especially because of its unique case design.
The unique shape of the case contains different cuts and body lines integrated into the design, making for a striking look.
The implementation of RGB lighting is also done in a subtle yet effective manner. Rather than loading the PC with RGB lighting, the RGB here does not overwhelm all of the other design characteristics of this PC.
Moving on to the salient features next, this PC contains many practical features that will enhance your gaming experience with the PC.
Firstly, this PC comes equipped with Wi-Fi 6 connectivity right out of the box. The Wi-Fi of this PC works flawlessly, and throughout my time with the PC, I never encountered any signal loss. I even played fast-paced FPS games like Valorant without facing any lag.
Secondly, with the Wi-Fi, you are also getting built-in Bluetooth connectivity. The Bluetooth also functions as it should. I connected a pair of Sony Bluetooth headphones without any trouble.
Also, this PC is running Windows 11 out of the box, which relieves users from the hassle of going through the tedious Windows update process.
To start you in your gaming PC journey, you get a gaming keyboard and mouse bundled with this PC.
Last but not least, you are getting full 1-year warranty coverage with this PC. Knowing that it is MSI, the after-sales support of this PC is also very good.
Best Aesthetics
2. Velztorm Pilum CTO
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Pros
Cons
Bottom Line:
The Velztorm Pilum CTO is the best-looking gaming PC on this list. However, this PC is not just about the looks and has very good specs to back up its looks. There are also many useful features in this PC as well making it a great overall package.
Gaming Experience
The Velztorm Pilum CTO is one of the best gaming PCs on this list to use. Therefore, I spend most of the time playing games on this PC.
It provided a perfect balance of power and thermals, making playing games highly enjoyable. As a result, this PC provided a great gaming experience.
I played many games on this PC during my gameplay and got the following average framerate.
Average FPS on 1080p resolution:
- 70 FPS in Microsoft Flight Simulator, 113 FPS in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, 120 FPS in Red Dead Redemption 2, 135 FPS in Forza Horizon 5, 200 FPS in Fortnite, 160 FPS in CoD Warzone, and 340 FPS in CS: GO.
Average FPS on 1440p resolution:
- 58 FPS in Microsoft Flight Simulator, 102 FPS in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, 110 FPS in Red Dead Redemption 2, 100 FPS in Forza Horizon 5, 150 FPS in Fortnite, 125 FPS in CoD Warzone, and 275 FPS in CS: GO.
All the games, irrespective of the resolution, were played at the highest graphic preset, so all the FPS figures you are seeing represent the worst-case scenario for the PC.
Specifications
Apart from the outdated CPU, the rest of the specs of the Velztorm Pilum CTO are top-notch for the price of $2000.
At the heart of this PC is a Ryzen 7 3700X CPU. Despite being a generation older, this 8-core 16-thread processor delivers a fantastic performance. It was the first AMD CPU to beat its Intel counterpart in frame rate. Therefore, it is still a wonderful gaming processor.
The Ryzen 7 3700X also benefits from great multitasking and productivity performance. This CPU is a powerhouse and can allow you to stream to Twitch and play games simultaneously.
The Ryzen 7 3700X is known to run hot, so to take care of that, this PC uses a 120mm AIO liquid cooler, which helps to keep the CPU below 75°C when gaming.
Paired with the Ryzen 7 3700X is the RTX 3070 Ti. The RTX 3070 Ti contains blazing-fast GDDR6X with a capacity of 8GB. The performance of this GPU is more than enough to play any game you want.
The combination of the Ryzen 7 3700X and the RTX 3070 Ti puts this PC behind the Alienware R10 and MSI Aegis R, in terms of specs. Still, unlike the Alienware, this PC has proper cooling.
As for the RAM, this PC used 16GB of DDR4 RAM, which is ample for playing modern games smoothly.
I might be nitpicking, but the use of 512GB PCIe NVMe storage is underwhelming. Although the PCIe NVMe drive delivers very good speeds, the capacity is less. This is, however, the only negative I have to report in the specs segment of this PC.
To combat the low capacity of the PCIe NVMe drive, this PC also comes with a 1TB HDD storage drive, which can be used as a secondary drive for storing less important data such as media files and music.
Case Design and Connectivity
Blingy, striking and fancy are the words I would use to describe the Velztorm Pilum CTO.
This PC certainly gets stares because of its eye-catching characteristics, so be prepared for that.
The front panel of the case is made from mesh. Mesh is a great composite material because it does not restrict airflow. Proper airflow is very important for these high-end gaming PCs because they produce a lot of heat.
Anyhow, back to the design. This is a big case, and there is no mistaking that. It is heavy, so handling it can be a hassle.
Moving onto the connectivity and I have to say this case thoroughly impressed me in this regard. The front buttons are positioned perfectly in an ergonomic manner.
They are also RGB backlit, which I don’t usually come across. As for the front I/O itself, the ports included here are 3x USB-A ports, a separate 3.5mm jack for audio and mic, a led button, and a power button.
The LED button is used to quickly cycle through the different RGB lighting colors so having it on the front is convenient.
The rest of the PC ports are found on the backside and include Ethernet LAN, HDMI, DisplayPort, and 6x USB-A ports. The Wi-Fi antenna screw pins are also located on the backside of the PC as well.
Aesthetics and Salient Features
There is no denying that the Velztorm Pilum CTO looks stunning. The RGB lighting of this PC hooks the people around it and makes this PC stand out from the rest of the crowd.
Predominantly, the RGB lighting of this PC comes from the 4 RGB case fans, 3 of which are attached to the front of the case, and one is attached at the back of the case.
The large case size of this PC also helps it to have a prominent and tough look. The cherry on top, however, is the RGB-lit AIO liquid cooler.
The RGB Velztorm logo on the AIO liquid cooler is quite striking and makes the look of the PC pop. Normally, AIO liquid coolers have simple RGB illumination; therefore, the logo RGB effect here looks much cooler than generic RGB illumination.
If you fear the RGB lighting breaking down, then don’t worry; this PC comes with a 1-year warranty, which is quite reassuring.
Apart from that, there is nothing notable to report in the feature segment, so I would say this PC is a little light on the features.
Best Performance
3. Dell Alienware Aurora R10
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Pros
Cons
Bottom Line:
The Alienware PCs from Dell have long stood at the top of the mainstream gaming PC throne. This new iteration of the Dell Alienware features top-notch specs and features; however, the only caveat of this PC is the lack of airflow, which greatly affects the performance.
Gaming Experience
The Alienware Aurora R10 comes with the best specs for any gaming PC on this list. Unfortunately, the gaming experience of this PC does not translate through to its specs.
This is mainly because the airflow of this PC is not very good, which restricts the Ryzen 7 5800 and the RTX 3080 from operating at their maximum potential.
This reduces the performance of the PC and results in a subpar framerate. I certainly felt that this PC could not reach its potential performance during my use. The games I played on this PC gave the following frame rate.
Average FPS on 1080p resolution:
- 80 FPS in Microsoft Flight Simulator, 120 FPS in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, 125 FPS in Red Dead Redemption 2, 140 FPS in Forza Horizon 5, 190 FPS in Fortnite, 166 FPS in CoD Warzone, and 400 FPS in CS: GO.
Average FPS on 1440p resolution:
- 60 FPS in Microsoft Flight Simulator, 100 FPS in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, 115 FPS in Red Dead Redemption 2, 122 FPS in Forza Horizon 5, 161 FPS in Fortnite, 130 FPS in CoD Warzone, and 310 FPS in CS: GO.
All the games, irrespective of the resolution, were played at the highest graphic preset.
While the performance of this PC is great, and the FPS it gives are better than any other gaming PC on this list, the performance is not sustainable.
The RTX 3080 in this PC throttles heavily due to heat, resulting in subpar performance.
This underperformance hurts the gaming experience of this PC. While the games may play smoothly on this PC, gamers will always have to live with the fact that the performance of their PC could have been better with the same PC hardware.
Specifications
Dell Alienware series has always been a crown jewel of the mainstream PC gaming industry, which means that this PC gets all the latest and the greatest specs.
Powering the PC is a Ryzen 7 5800 processor. This 8-core 16-thread CPU from AMD has almost the same gaming performance despite not containing as many cores as its big brother Ryzen 9 5900X. Therefore, this CPU is perfectly viable and a very good option for gaming.
Despite having fewer cores, the Ryzen 7 5800 produces more heat. The AIO liquid cooler of this PC does a decent job at keeping the temperature of this PC low. Still, some thermal throttling can be experienced when playing games for a very long time due to the lack of airflow.
The Ryzen 7 5800 is paired with the RTX 3080 10GB graphics card. The RTX 3080 is one of Nvidia’s finest GPUs with excellent Ray Tracing performance.
The combination of the Ryzen 7 5800 and the RTX 3080 can obliterate any game you throw at them.
The Alienware Aurora R10 comes with 16GB DDR4 RAM, which is more than enough for your gaming and multitasking needs. However, since the RAM is not running in dual channel, expect 5% less performance.
As for the storage, this PC comes with a 1TB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD. However, the speed of the NVMe here is less than other PCs on this list which is a testament that Alienware uses low-quality NVMe drives.
Case Design and Connectivity
All Alienware products have a distinct design formula that sets them apart from other brands and makes them eerily recognizable in the sea of mainstream gaming PCs.
This PC carries the same old Alienware design language with a modern twist. The case’s front panel has a piano black finish, which, although looks nice when new, will get scratched up over time.
The rest of the PC case has a clean and simple design. There is nothing of interest besides the yellow strip surrounding the front I/O panel and the Alienware logo.
The only area I would like to critique Dell on is the lack of airflow ventilation holes. Physically, I don’t see any airflow vents, which will cause this PC’s temperature to rise exponentially when under load.
While the case is familiar and monotonous, I have to appreciate Dell’s design team for the placement of the ports. The front ports are positioned dead center to the front panel.
This makes the ports easily accessible. Also, the port selection in itself is very good. You get 3x USB-A, 1x USB-C, separate 3.5mm ports for Mic and audio, and a power button,
The rest of the ports are found on the back of the PC. These include HDMI, DisplayPort, Ethernet LAN, and additional USB-A ports. On the whole, the Alienware Aurora R10 contains all the ports that gamers are expected to use frequently.
Aesthetics and Salient Features
The Alienware Aurora R10 is certainly not a flashy-looking gaming PC. It sticks to a more business-oriented look that most gamers are not going to like.
However, the advantage of a simple and clean design is that it is versatile and blends in easily with any environment.
Also, the lack of a side glass window is a missed opportunity. Dell uses such high-end hardware, so having a glass window to look at the hardware would have been nice.
Without a glass window, this PC looks like a boring old regular PC to the people who don’t know what this PC is rocking on the inside.
As for the salient features, despite this PC being a very high-end gaming PC machine, it focuses on the functional aspect rather than the opposite side of the coin. Therefore, there aren’t any noteworthy features in this gaming PC.
You do, however, get built-in Wi-Fi 6. The Wi-Fi works great and can be used without any signal drops. The speeds over the Wi-Fi are also good, and I had no problem downloading an over 15GB game on Wi-Fi.
This PC also comes with Windows 11 out of the box. This eliminates the need to go through the hassle of updating Windows when you get the PC, which saves a lot of valuable gaming time.
4. CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme
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Pros
Cons
Bottom Line:
The CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme comes with beefy specs, which ensure great performance. Besides its performance, this PC also ticks the features and aesthetics box. The only slight negative of this PC is the lackluster connectivity, but that is only a minor shortcoming. Overall, this PC is a good all-rounder.
Gaming Experience
The CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme is a highly enjoyable gaming PC. You won’t be disappointed with your purchase for a second.
This PC can pretty much play any game you want at 1080p and 1440p resolution. The Ryzen 9 5900X processor in this PC and the RTX 3070 can push out exceptional framerate.
With this PC, you can breeze through productivity tasks like video rendering, game streaming, and content creation. This makes PCs like the CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme a very compelling all-purpose system.
For testing, I played all sorts of various games on this PC. Ranging from Story games to battle royal games and even competitive FPS games. This PC was able to satisfy me in all games that I played. The average framerate in games was as follows.
Average FPS On 1440p resolution:
- 57 FPS in Microsoft Flight Simulator, 71 FPS in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, 93 FPS in Forza Horizon 5, 92 FPS in Fortnite, 115 FPS in CoD Warzone, and 240 FPS in CS: GO.
Average FPS on 4K resolution:
- 42 FPS in Microsoft Flight Simulator, 63 FPS in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, 60 FPS in Forza Horizon 5, 62 FPS in Fortnite, 80 FPS in CoD Warzone, and 178 FPS in CS: GO.
All the games, irrespective of the resolution, were played at the highest graphic preset, so all the FPS figures you are seeing represent the worst-case scenario for the PC.
Dropping the graphic quality only 1 point will net you an increase of 10-30fps in most games if you are not content with playing games on just 60FPS.
Specifications
CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme is here to rule the specification department. It has top-level specs that you can get in the $2000 price bracket.
Powering the PC is a Ryzen 9 5900X CPU from AMD. AMD’s 12-core 24-thread processor has enormous power to play any game you want. Not only can it play games, but due to having 12 cores, this CPU is great for productivity tasks as well.
As a result, if you are looking to play and stream simultaneously, the Ryzen 9 5900X can do that for you.
Since the Ryzen 9 5900X has 12 cores, it is not an easy processor to cool, so this PC has a 120mm AIO liquid cooler. The AIO liquid cooler works great in keeping the temperatures of the CPU below 80°C when gaming.
This beastly processor is paired with the RTX 3070 GPU. The RTX 3070 is a great performer and one of the better GPUs that you can get in a sub $2000 gaming PC. With RTX 3070, you can also get Nvidia’s ray tracing and DLSS 2.0 features, which are very nice to have.
Gaming with such a heavy CPU and GPU requires ample RAM. I am glad CyberPowerPC offers 16GB DDR4 RAM in this PC, which should be more than enough for games and other multitasking applications. The RAM is also RGB, like the AIO liquid cooler for anyone interested.
This PC also comes with 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD storage. I appreciate CyberPowerPC for using a 1TB PCIe NVMe drive. Still, I believe another 1 or 2TB HDD should have been included as a secondary low-priority storage drive for dumping non-essential data such as media files and game recordings.
Case Design and Connectivity
The case of the CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme is a looker. It is tall, and the entire front panel of the case is covered with mesh material. However, unlike general mesh panels, this one has a certain repeating pattern to it.
The pattern, I have to say, looks very good and unique. I also like the gunmetal grey finish of the PC case. It stands out from the numerous black gaming PCs without being overly shouty like a white PC case.
The mesh grill is semi-transparent; as a result, it allows for two things. Firstly, it enables the RGB fans behind the grill to be seen through the front. Secondly, it allows for air circulation into the PC, hence increasing airflow.
To aid airflow, the top panel of the PC case also has ventilation holes. This attention to design makes for a PC case with decent airflow, which helps to keep the temperature down of the high-end components installed on this PC.
The side panel of the case has a large glass window through which you can look at the RAM and AIO liquid cooler radiating RGB lighting on other PC components.
Moving onto the connectivity. It was quite disappointing to see the state of the connectivity of this gaming PC.
Having only 2 USB-A ports at the front is unacceptable for a $2000 gaming PC. CyberPowerPC wants to maintain a clean case profile, but what would the consumer do if he wants to connect a USB pen drive and PC peripherals such as a keyboard and mouse simultaneously to the PC.
Granted, there are additional USB ports at the back of the PC, but accessing them is not convenient. On the topic of backports, this PC includes 6x USB-A, 1GBps Ethernet LAN, 2x DisplayPort, and HDMI.
Aesthetics and Salient Features
The CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme is a good-looking gaming PC. While not being as flashy as some other gaming PCs, the CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme holds its own as a PC with an elegant and refined aesthetic.
While the RGB lighting is the star of the show due to the semi-transparent nature of the front panel, the effect of RGB is numbed down a bit. This experience is different from other gaming PCs.
Another aesthetic feature of this PC that makes it unique is its gunmetal grey finish. This color scheme is eye-catching and also makes the PC look very tough and functional.
Overall, the subtle use of RGB, the unique color and case finish, and the right proportions make this PC aesthetically pleasing.
As far as the features are concerned, this PC provides all that is necessary. It comes with a Wi-Fi 6 out of the box. For Wi-Fi, CyberPowerPC uses a proper PCIe Wi-Fi network card which ensures a fast and stable connection.
With this PC, I didn’t need to use the ethernet cable even when playing competitive games like CS: GO, Valorant, and Rainbow Six Siege because the lag was non-existent.
$2000 is a lot of money; therefore, to safeguard your money; this PC also comes with a 1-year warranty, which is quite reassuring. Given the track record of CyberPowerPC, claiming the warranty will be a hassle-free process.
5. CUK MSI MPG Velox
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Pros
Cons
Bottom Line:
The MSI MPG Velox is a unique-looking gaming PC that you can get for under $2000. This PC comes with a great set of specifications, making it a very compelling choice for gamers looking to try something different and unique.
Gaming Experience
This PC is able to handle games very well. It can play all the latest games at ultra graphic quality, which results in a very good gaming experience with this PC.
I thoroughly enjoyed playing any game on this PC and had it not been for the loud fan noise, I would have rated this PC very highly.
For testing, this PC underwent the same procedure. This PC was used to play all sorts of various story, online and multiplayer games, and the average frame rate was as follows.
Average FPS on 1080p resolution:
- 53 FPS in Microsoft Flight Simulator, 62 FPS in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, 67 FPS in Red Dead Redemption 2, 123 FPS in GTA V, 100 FPS in Forza Horizon 5, 140 FPS in Fortnite, 115 FPS in CoD Warzone, and 260 FPS in CS: GO.
Average FPS on 1440p resolution:
- 40 FPS in Microsoft Flight Simulator, 54 FPS in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, 55 FPS in Red Dead Redemption 2, 60 FPS in Forza Horizon 5, 88 FPS in Fortnite, 91 FPS in CoD Warzone, and 220 FPS in CS: GO.
From the above FPS figures, we can see that this PC blows any game out of the water on 1080p resolution at the highest graphic preset. However, at 1440p, this PC struggles to get 60 FPS in some demanding games.
The solution to this is to lower the graphic settings down to medium, which will result in a stable 60 FPS in games like Microsoft Flight Simulator, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and Red Dead Redemption 2 at 1440p resolution.
All things considered, I was quite content with the gaming experience of this PC, and despite it not falling short of the 60 FPS mark in some games, I still enjoyed smooth gaming.
Specifications
The MSI MPG Velox provides decent specs. The specs are not outstanding or downright best, but they are quite respectable for the price.
Powering the PC is a Ryzen 7 5800X processor. This 8-core 16-thread processor from AMD is considered one of the best mid-range CPUs present in the market. The advantage of this CPU is that it provides excellent performance with great efficiency.
Therefore, the Ryzen 7 5800X generates less heat than its Intel counterpart. Still, though, the Ryzen 7 5800X is the amount most heat-generating CPU in the Ryzen lineup. An air cooler, therefore, does not suffice. Although it gets the job done, some thermal throttling is present under full load.
The GPU used on this PC is the RTX 3060 Ti. The RTX 3060 Ti is a very capable GPU, but in the $2000 price tag, maybe they could have used Nvidia RTX 3070 for some extra performance.
That being said, though, the combination of the Ryzen 7 5800X and the RTX 3060 Ti is more than capable of playing all modern games with ease.
For smooth gaming, this PC comes with 16GB DDR4 RAM. Gamers can rejoice because you are getting a very good amount of storage with this PC. It comes with a 512GB NVMe SSD for primary use and a 2TB HDD for added storage.
One thing I particularly like about this PC is the use of a 650W gold-rated power supply. Having a gold-rated power supply is quite reassuring, and a 650W capacity is more than enough for the specifications of this PC. Therefore, power delivery will be smooth and interrupted on this PC.
Case Design and Connectivity
The case of the MSI MPG Velox is unique. The design is exclusive to this PC and is not something I have seen in other gaming PCs under the $2000 price range.
Although there is nothing out of the ordinary in the construction of this case, the way it is shaped makes it unique. Unlike other PC cases, the entire front panel of the case is not glass but rather just a section of it.
The front glass is surrounded by black borders, giving the glass panel a unique appearance. Also, the sharp angles and cuts of the case make the design of this PC case pop.
MSI has utilized the large size of the case very well. You will see plenty of air ventilation channels throughout the PC case. Also, the large size allows MSI to install 7 case fans on this PC to boost airflow.
The large size of the case has its disadvantages as well. For starters, the ports of the PC are placed in a very hard-to-reach spot, making it a stretch to even get to the power button to turn on the PC.
Positioning aside, you do, however, get all the latest ports. So connecting all sorts of different peripherals and gadgets to this PC won’t be an issue.
Aesthetics and Salient Features
This PC is a looker, and it will catch the attention of others due to its striking design. Therefore, this PC is more suitable for a separate gaming room setup than a bedroom or a living room setup.
The RGB lighting of this PC is very bright and flashy. This PC has the highest number of RGB fans out of any PC on this list which is why it has the brightest RGB lighting.
If you are a fan of RGB lighting, this PC is for you because its aesthetic is dominated by RGB lighting.
In terms of the salient features, this PC comes with a 3-year warranty from CUK, which is fantastic and provides peace of mind to the consumers.
Also, this PC comes with a Wi-F USB adapter. Although USB Wi-Fi adapters are not as good as onboard or built-in Wi-Fi, the one used here is high quality.
It is quite reliable and speedy to use. It uses the Wi-Fi 6 protocol, which results in a very stable connection on which you can even play competitive games like Valorant without any lag.
Related Guides
Check out our price-focused prebuilt PC guides below.
Check out our GPU-focused prebuilt PC guides below.
Check out our aesthetics-focused gaming PC guides below.
Final Word
Now that we are done with the reviews of all the five amazing prebuilt gaming PCs, it is time to wrap up the article.
In this article, I brought you those gaming PCs that I believe can add value to your day-to-day gaming needs. At the end of the day, it is all about enjoying the games we play, and if a gaming PC can deliver that, then it is money well spent.
Due to our varying needs, I again want to iterate the importance of getting the right PC according to your preference.
If all you want to do is game casually, then the CUK MSI MPG Veloxwith the Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti will be fine. However, if you want to play demanding games on your PC, get the Velztorm Pilum CTO or the MSI Aegis R because they come with high-end hardware that will provide maximum FPS.
Alienware Aurora R10 on paper has the best specs, but that PC gets very hot under constant load, which results in thermal throttling. Therefore, gamers who want maximum FPS in esports games should get the Dell Alienware Aurora R10.
Before you go, let me know which PC you ended up going with. Also, I am interested in knowing which is the first game you will install on your new gaming PC.
