What are the best gaming PCs under $800? There are plenty of options on the market these days for reliable prebuilt PCs. If you don’t find yourself too handy with an antistatic strap and a screwdriver, then a prebuilt PC is definitely the way to go.
There are also gaming PCs that can fit a wide variety of budgets. Now, the $800 being imposed on today’s selections can be considered to be on the lower side in terms of budget. That said, you can get quite a bit of power without having to break $1,000.
Most of these PCs are geared towards running the latest games but might feature some more outdated hardware overall.
Just take a look at our roundup of the 8 Best Gaming PCs Under $800:
- Best Overall: STGAubron Gaming Desktop with i5-10400F
- Best Runner-Up: Lenovo IdeaCentre Gaming 5i
- Best Budget Choice: STGAubron Gaming Desktop with i3-10100F
- Best Value: MXZ Gaming PC with Ryzen 5 5500
- Best for Smaller Spaces: Empowered PC Stratos Micro Desktop
- Best for Minimalism: Empowered PC Mantis V2
- Best for Warranty: iBUYPOWER Pro SlateMR 2140
- Best for Future Upgrades: Skytech Nebula
#1 Best Overall: STGAubron Gaming Desktop with i5-10400F
- Windows 11 Home
- 2 TB memory storage capacity
- 32 GB DDR4 RAM
- 2.90 GHz CPU speed
The STGAubron Gaming Desktop with i5-10400F comes with some rather compelling specs, making it one of the best gaming PCs under $800. You’ve got access to 32GB of DDR4 RAM and a 2TB SSD, and it also comes with an RTX 2070. The PC itself runs with an i5-10400F, which is an older CPU.
You won’t find many games that’ll push this PC to its limits at 1080p or 1440p. While it would be nice to see a slightly more recent CPU, at this price point there are certainly compromises to be made. The PC also comes with a keyboard, mouse, soundbar, headphones, and mousepad. All you’ll need is a monitor of your choice.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This PC has great specs for the price. | Customers have complained about the method of shipping. |
| STGAubron has packed tons of extras in the package. | STGAubron isn’t as well known as other brands. |
Check out the STGAubron Gaming Desktop with i5-10400F on Amazon.
Best Runner-Up: Lenovo IdeaCentre Gaming 5i
- Windows 11
- 12th Gen Intel 6-Core i5-12400
- 2.50 GHz CPU speed
- 8 GB RAM
- Max Turbo Frequency: up to 4.4 GHz
The Lenovo IdeaCentre Gaming 5i isn’t going to wow you with looks or fancy RGB lighting, but it does pack a fair bit of power behind a rather unassuming facade. Lenovo has a long history in computing, and its gaming PCs are no slouches.
The IdeaCentre comes with an i5-12400, RTX 3050, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 512GB SSD. There isn’t much in the way of extras; you’ll get a basic keyboard and mouse. Lenovo has also packaged together three months of Xbox Game Pass access for free, so you’ve got something to play right away.
This is a cool running PC, so it could run quite well as a traditional desktop or as a gaming console replacement.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This Lenovo has great performance in an unassuming package. | 8GB of RAM isn’t very much in 2023. |
| It comes with free access to Xbox Game Pass. | 512GB SSD doesn’t leave much room for games and your important files. |
Check out the Lenovo IdeaCentre Gaming 5i on Amazon.
Best Budget Choice: STGAubron Gaming Desktop with i3-10100F
- Windows 11 Home
- 16 GB RAM
- 3.60 GHz CPU speed
- 1 TB memory storage capacity
STGAubron is back again, this time with a more budget-friendly choice. STGAubron Gaming Desktop with i3-10100F is one of the best gaming PCs under $800 you can find, and it retails at about $549. As you can imagine, it does have more budget-conscious hardware, but it games with the best of them.
You’ve got an i3-10100F as the main processor, GTX 1660 Super, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 1TB SSD. Even though it’s well under $600 as configured, you’ve got quite a bit of power for the price. This PC will handle most games with ease at 1080p, but you might have to lower settings for more intense titles.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| STGAubron has put great hardware in this PC for the price. | The i3 can prove to be a bottleneck for some games. |
| It comes with plenty of extras like a soundbar, mouse, and keyboard. | The GTX 1660 might struggle with demanding titles like Starfield. |
Check out the STGAubron Gaming Desktop with i3-10100F on Amazon.
Best Value: MXZ Gaming PC with Ryzen 5 5500
- Windows 11
- 16 GB RAM
- 500 GB memory storage capacity
- 3.60 MHz CPU speed
The MXZ Gaming PC with Ryzen 5 5500 comes with plenty to love. What makes this one of the best gaming PCs under $800 is the wonderful combination of components in an attractive case. You’ve got access to a Ryzen 5 5500, RTX 2060 Super, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 500GB NVMe SSD.
This is a PC built for speed despite the older components. Using an NVMe drive as the primary means of storage is a great choice, as it’ll give an extra speed boost for booting your operating system and games. There is plenty of room in the case of expanding with additional storage, as well.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| MXZ has packed plenty of power in an affordable package. | It is lacking in output ports for hooking up multiple displays. |
| The NVMe SSD included has plenty of speed for booting and loading software. | It doesn’t come with Windows 11 installed by default. |
Check out the MXZ Gaming PC with Ryzen 5 5500 on Amazon.
Best for Smaller Spaces: Empowered PC Stratos Micro Desktop
- Windows 11 Home
- 16 GB RAM
- 512 GB hard disk size
- 2.90 GHz CPU speed
Looking for the best gaming PC under $800, but you’ve got minimal space to use? The Empowered PC Stratos Micro Desktop has you covered. The Stratos is a mini PC, so it has a far smaller footprint than some of the other desktops mentioned.
You aren’t lacking in power despite the smaller size. This little beast comes with a Ryzen 5 5500, RTX 2060, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 512GB NVMe SSD. You’re getting power to spare in a neat and tidy package.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| This PC comes with great specs in a tiny package. | Empowered hasn’t packed any extra accessories in the package. |
| Extremely affordable with a retail price of $699. | The smaller size makes it a bit more difficult to upgrade memory and storage as needed. |
Check out the Empowered PC Stratos Micro Desktop on Amazon.
Best for Minimalism: Empowered PC Mantis V2
Do you want a gaming PC but don’t want the room illuminated by RGB lighting when you power it up? The Empowered PC Mantis V2 might be the best gaming PC under $800 for you, then. This desktop has a sleek brushed black metallic look with understated green accent lighting.
You’ll have plenty of power on tap, as well, with AMD R Series, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and 512GB NVMe SSD. This a great choice for users on a budget. You can routinely find this PC for under $700, with bigger discounts near Black Friday.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It comes with a great-looking minimalist case. | The Intel ARC A750 has received mixed reviews. |
| The Mantis has great specs for around $700. |
Check out the Empowered PC Mantis V2 on Amazon.
Best for Warranty: iBUYPOWER Pro SlateMR 2140
- Windows 11 Home
- 8 GB RAM
- 500 GB memory storage capacity
- 3.6 GHz CPU speed
If you’re looking for a PC with a great warranty and customer support, then the iBUYPOWER Pro SlateMR 2140 is one of the best gaming PCs under $800 you can choose. iBUYPOWER has been making gaming PCs for years now and has one of the best reputations in the business.
Now, the SlateMR 2140 is arguably one of the more underpowered PCs on this list but still has plenty of room for gaming prowess. You’ve got access to a Ryzen 5 5600, GTX 1650, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 500GB NVMe SSD. This isn’t going to run Starfield, but you have room for upgrades later on.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| iBUYPOWER has a great warranty and customer service. | 8GB of RAM is the bare minimum in 2023. |
| The roomy case has plenty of space for upgrading RAM and storage as needed. | The GTX 1650 won’t support more graphically intense modern releases. |
Check out the iBUYPOWER Pro SlateMR 2140 on Amazon.
Best for Future Upgrades: Skytech Nebula
- Windows 11 Home
- 16 GB RAM
- 500 GB memory storage capacity
- 3.6 GHz CPU speed
The Skytech Nebula isn’t going to win benchmark tests, but it doesn’t have plenty of extra room for upgrades down the road. What makes this one of the best gaming PCs under $800 is that you’ve got access to a good set of bones to plan future upgrades.
This PC comes with access to a Ryzen 5 3600, GTX 1650, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 500GB NVMe SSD. What sets this apart from the rest is you’ve got a gold-rated 600-watt power supply. Effectively, you could upgrade to an RTX 4070 Ti and not break a sweat.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It comes packaged with a stellar power supply. | The GTX 1650 is very underpowered in 2023. |
| The NVMe is a wonderful inclusion for the main drive. | Customers have reported mediocre customer support. |
Check out the Skytech Nebula on Amazon.
How to Pick the Best Gaming PC Under $800: What to Know
Before you go purchasing a brand-new PC, there are some criteria you should definitely keep in mind. Buying a gaming PC isn’t about getting the most expensive computer, after all. There are numerous specs to keep an eye out for to make sure you’re getting the best bang for your buck.
Processor
©Nor Gal/Shutterstock.com
The processor is a crucial element of any gaming PC. While the GPU might do most of the heavy lifting when it comes to visual processing, it works closely with your CPU to make sure things move smoothly.
As such, you’ll want to keep an Intel i3, i5, Ryzen 5, or better as your bare minimum to accept. These will give you plenty of power to handle your day-to-day tasks while also providing ample speed for gaming.
Memory
When it comes to a computer’s memory, more is simply better. 8GB of RAM is the bare minimum these days and can be a drawback when looking at some of the more expensive PCs in this price range. 16GB of RAM or higher is ideal, as that gives you plenty of room for modern games and web browsing.
More and more modern games are requiring 12GB of RAM as a minimum condition, so you might as well make sure you have room to play some of these newer titles.
Graphics Card
©Zoomik/Shutterstock.com
The GPU is one of the more vital components in any build. This is what drives your displays, handles the actual processing of the visuals, and much more. As such, a GPU with 6GB of VRAM is the absolute minimum you should be willing to accept.
Discrete GPUs like the GTX 1650 are fine if you play older games, but they definitely aren’t going to pass the grade when it comes to playing the likes of Starfield.
Power Supply Unit
One of the most important parts of your PC, and arguably one of the most underlooked, is the PSU. You want a good quality one, with a minimum of a bronze rating. This means any fluctuation of voltage from the wall is handled internally by the PSU without running the risk of frying your PC.
In an ideal world, a gold-rated PSU would be the default in every PC, but that isn’t usually the case. Staying away from white-rated PSUs is recommended if you’re a heavy gamer, as these are usually extreme budget choices and might not handle loads very well.
Using the Best Gaming PC Under $800: What It’s Like
So, what is it actually like to use a prebuilt gaming PC? A prebuilt gaming PC and one you build from scratch are functionally identical. You’re going to be running the same software, using the same operating system, and enjoying the same games.
Where a prebuilt one does have some advantages is that you have a central source to make warranty claims, instead of having to go through every piece of your hardware and send out requests. For some, the extra attention to detail for cable management is also a great benefit.
Prebuilt gaming PCs can be more expensive than just building one on your own, but that is always subject to change with market trends.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Alberto Garcia Guillen/Shutterstock.com.
