(Design: Lily Yeh | Image Credit: Trevor Williams/ Getty Images)
These days, when it comes to personal computing, you most likely think of laptops or mobile devices. But don't sleep on the tried-and-true desktop computer. According to Statista, the market for desktops worldwide will hit $10.1 billion this year, and nowhere is it more lucrative than in the US, where desktops will generate revenue of $3 billion.
While most take up space that laptops don't, a desktop PC boasts undeniable versatility and power. Desktops provide access to just about anything possible on a screen and come in sizes and shapes that fit any desk. They can be expanded and upgraded with ease compared with more compact devices. Desktops deliver savings on the low end, and if you're willing to pay more, they provide superb performance for complex computation and high-octane gaming.
If you're so inclined, you can even build one yourself. Plenty of our readers take this route, and they rate their DIY creations in this survey. Of course, screwing in motherboards and attaching heatsinks to CPUs isn't for everyone. Most people shopping for desktops want to go with a trusted brand. This survey can help make this critical choice.
Check out our Business Choice Awards for Desktops for this year’s recommended desktop PC brands for the office. Look for our Readers’ Choice results for PC peripherals and components—including monitors, keyboards, mice, graphics cards, cases, motherboards, and CPUs—in the coming weeks.
The Top Overall Desktop PC Brands for 2025
Apple’s desktop systems take a backseat to the MacBook line of laptops in terms of sales—Consumer Intelligence Research Partners data from 2023 shows that desktop Macs account for just 10% of total macOS computers sold. But that doesn’t change how the users of desktop Macs feel about their machines. Our readers see them as the easiest to set up and most reliable desktops on the market. They also have the best tech support, according to our survey.
Across all desktop types and brands, Apple scores the highest on almost every mark. The proliferation of new M4 silicon in the latest iMac, Mac Studio, and Mac mini models probably helps. (The giant Mac Pro tower still uses the M2 Ultra.) The iMac, one reader says, "just works." They add, "No drama. I would never go back to a [Windows] PC unless Apple went out of business." Apple once again snags the Readers’ Choice award.
"I'd honestly be surprised to see anyone but Apple take the top spot in this ranking," PCMag lead analyst Brian Westover says. "Apple consistently makes some of the best devices you can buy. From the superb design to the tightly integrated hardware and software, the user experience is top-notch. There's a reason we've given so many Apple desktops our Editors’ Choice award over the years."
But that's not the end of the story: Something unprecedented happened in our survey this year. While in the past, many Windows-based desktop PC brands have come close to equaling the overall satisfaction score that Apple earns—its highest was last year’s 9.3 out of 10—this time around, another brand ties Apple. MSI, maker of gaming PCs—some of which are assembled in the US—and productivity PCs, equals Apple in overall satisfaction. Plus, MSI scores better than Apple in terms of cost and rates even slightly higher on ease of use. In the end, MSI ties with Apple for the Readers’ Choice award.
(Note: Click the arrows in our interactive charts to view various elements of our survey results.)
As for MSI, our survey respondents love the machines' gaming ability (read more on that below). Another reader says that after owning other brands for years, they are "seriously impressed with how flawless the MSI operates so far."
"MSI has been committed to the prebuilt desktop market for years, and it seems their dedication paid off with readers," says PCMag gaming PC expert Matthew Buzzi.
Other standouts in this year’s results include a high-score tie for best ease of use between MSI and its direct competitor, the gaming-centric Alienware. This is a surprise since gaming PCs, with their high-end graphics capabilities, are well known for their complexity. Meanwhile, Alienware ties Lenovo and HP for best graphics capability.
Acer, Asus, CyberPower, and HP are the brands that come in last in almost every other category.
As we point out every year, a good-size cohort of PCMag readers—about 26% of the respondents to this survey—prefer building their own desktop PC over purchasing one from a manufacturer. The scores people give their self-built rigs typically rival those awarded to the top brands. This year is no exception, with satisfaction ratings for self-built desktops coming in only slightly behind those of Apple and MSI, and ahead of everyone else. As to why they opt for the DIY route, one reader says it's "cheaper, better, and I got what I wanted." Another values building "the computer exactly to my specs."
The PC builders we surveyed recognize that the DIY route is not for everyone, giving their self-built desktop PCs only middling scores as to whether they'd recommend their machines to a friend. Of course, anyone with the funds and the guts can build their own desktop PC for well under $1,500.
"As the year goes on, the current tariff situation may well leave a mark on building your own desktop on the cheap," notes PCMag executive editor John Burek. "But if you shop around, a $1,500 or even $1,000 DIY PC, with a modest 1080p-gaming graphics card, is still eminently achievable." You can learn how to build your own system, with reviews and ranked lists of the latest PC components, in our Rigged Up section. (Newbies should start with our beginner's guide to building a PC.)
Another option that 2.6% of readers opt for is a “clone” desktop system put together by a local, no-name builder right in their hometown; such PCs score about as well as the brands in the middle of the pack, like Asus and Lenovo.
To see which desktop PCs currently lead in our lab testing, according to our editors, read The Best Desktop Computers for 2025.
The Top Gaming Desktop PC Brands for 2025
Unsurprisingly, MSI leads the charge in gaming-specific desktops, ahead of Alienware again in key measures like overall satisfaction, cost, ease of use, and likelihood to recommend. In the few categories where MSI didn't get enough responses to earn a score, such as gaming performance and graphics capabilities, Alienware takes up the mantle.
But MSI’s overall satisfaction levels take precedence, helping the company again nab the gaming PC Readers' Choice award. Readers hail MSI's gaming systems as "solid and stable," "well-made," "easy to assemble," and "smoothly powerful."
"MSI's repeat win as the best gaming desktop maker is not a surprise—this is the company's bread and butter—but years of iteration has seen MSI make inroads in the general and productivity PC space," our gaming PC expert, Matthew Buzzi says. "Some of MSI’s powerful gaming desktops can double as media editors or content creator desktops, and we’ve positively reviewed several professional-focused systems in the Pro and Cubi lines that deliver for customers outside of MSI’s traditional user base."
Alienware, HP, and Lenovo tie for graphics capabilities, all with respectable 9.2 ratings. Meanwhile, Lenovo scores a win for reliability, which no gamer should ignore, as no one wants their PC to break down while in a frag-fest.
Dell has owned the Alienware brand for almost two decades, marketing those PCs separately. Despite that, Dell also appears in this list—in fact, survey respondents rated more Dell gaming PCs than any other brand. But quantity doesn't help: Dell earns the lowest scores almost across the board.
To see which gaming desktop PCs currently lead in our lab testing, according to our editors, read The Best Gaming PCs for 2025.
The Top All-in-One Desktop PC Brands for 2025
An All-in-one (AIO) desktop is essentially just a monitor attached to a keyboard and mouse—no separate tower or cube is involved. What AIOs lack in expansion and upgradability, they make up for in aesthetics. This year, the two top brands in the AIO desktop race are the same as last year: Apple rules this category again, while Dell is the top pick for those who prefer Windows.
Apple’s only current AIO is the iMac. The latest model has a 23.5-inch, 4.5K display and the latest M4 chip; the upgrade to that chip helped the device snag an Editors’ Choice award. To earn the Readers' Choice award, Apple's AIO scores top marks in everything except price (HP leads in cost). Notably, Apple earns a 9.4 for display quality, an all-important rating when the entire PC is basically a screen.
Dell’s many AIOs (some still under the Inspiron name of yore) receive respectable scores—solid Bs. They don’t match Apple's almost straight As. Still, Dell stands out amongst the other Windows vendors here (HP and Lenovo) when it comes to tech support, reliability, and likelihood to recommend. HP beats out Dell for cost and ease of use yet comes in behind even last-place-overall Lenovo for reliability and display quality.
To see which AIO desktop PCs currently lead in our lab testing, read The Best All-in-One Computers for 2025.
The PCMag Readers’ Choice survey for Desktop PCs was in the field from Jan. 8, 2025, to April 7, 2025. For more information on how we conduct surveys, read the survey methodology.