With that said, however, difficult is not the same as impossible. As long as you're not trying to play games on a huge 24"+ monitor, and you don't want to play super-demanding games like Crysis and Metro 2023, you can indeed buy a nice budget gaming PC. So what can $1000 buy? Let's find out.
Why it's best: If you're simply looking for maximum performance at minimal cost the iBuyPower Gamer Extreme 962i is probably the gaming desktop for you. Crammed inside this mid-sized desktop you'll find an Intel Core i5 750 quad-core processor, a Radeon HD 5770 graphics card, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive. Combined, this hardware should provide a very impressive overall experience at resolutions of up to 1080p, although very demanding games (such as the mentioned Crysis) may be too much to handle at high detail settings.
Obtaining this much hardware at a low price doesn't come without sacrifices. The case used for this PC is on the cheap side, and iBuyPower isn't known for using the best motherboards and power supplies in inexpensive models. However, these flaws don't overcome the incredible bang-for-buck this budget gaming PC offers. See more reviews, photos, prices, and specs
Why it's a best pick: While the iBuyPower Gamer Extreme 962i ranks highly because it offers incredible hardware at a low price, the Maingear Vybe is a better choice for buyers who want to purchase a solid overall system that offers a great platform for future upgrades. Maingear sweats the details, and as a result the Vybe offers a very nice aluminum case and Gigabyte motherboard.
The base model Vybe offers a 3.1 GHz tri-core AMD processor and 4GB of RAM, but only has integrated graphics. However, an upgrade to a Radeon HD 5770 is available within the $1000 budget. When so equipped, the Maingear Vybe can handle most games up to 1080p just like the Gamer Extreme 962i.
The Vybe is more expensive, however – when equipped with the Radeon HD 5770 it will set you back $975. This is the price you pay for Maingear's well-known commitment to quality. The choice between the iBuyPower and the Maingear is one of value vs. quality – and honestly, both choices are completely valid. See more reviews, photos, prices, and specs
Why it's a best pick: As you might have noticed from their incredibly similar websites, naming schemes and overall approach to system building, iBuyPower and CyberPower are essentially the same company. CyberPower, just like iBuyPower, is committed to offers the most bang for the buck – and this is displayed in the Gamer Ultra 2053.
This small budget gaming PC is only $600. For that price you receive a 2.8 GHz dual-core AMD processor, 4GB of RAM, a Radeon HD 5670 graphics card and a 500GB hard drive. This is system is, overall, the least powerful gaming PC we recommend – but just look at that price! The Gamer Ultra 2053 is not the best choice if you like to play graphically demanding shooters, but gamers who just want to play games like World of Warcraft or Dragon Age should be more than happy with this budget minded system. See more reviews, photos, prices, and specs
Why it's a best pick: Alienware is not generally known as a value-minded company, and for good reason. Many of its systems – particularly the ones most advertised – are very expensive. The basic Alienware Aurora does slip into our budget with a price of $999, however, and it is worth consideration.
What will $999 buy you from Alienware? You'll receive a Core i3, 3GB of RAM, a Radeon HD 5670 graphics card and a 500GB hard drive. In other words, you receive less hardware for your money than you would from most other companies. However, Alienware's build quality is very high and the Alienware Aurora case is spacious and well designed. If you tend to buy a brand new system every three years this is probably not the gaming PC for you. If you intend to upgrade your budget gaming PC in the future, however, the Aurora isn't a bad option. See more reviews, photos, prices, and specs
Why it's a best pick: HP isn't generally known for building gaming PCs, but the HP Pavilion Elite line of desktops are usually equipped with powerful processors and a decent mid-range graphics card. The HP Pavilion Elite HPE-430f is one example.
This HP desktop comes equipped with an Intel Core i5-650 processor, 8GB of RAM, a Radeon HD 5570 graphics card and a 1TB hard drive. You may be wondering, considering the specifications, why the HP Pavilion Elite doesn't rank higher. Remember – the graphics card is by far the most important specification. The Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM is nice, but the slightly slower video card relative to some competitors knocks this desktop down a bit.
With this said, however, this HP Elite will be an excellent choice if you need a good family computer that will serve as a part-time gaming machine. See more reviews, photos, prices, and specs
