Ready-made budget desktop computers are the most straightforward option for picking up an affordable PC. Whether you're setting up an office area for working at home, building a creative space, or needing something for the whole family to share, I've found the best picks to fit a tighter spending limit.
With more than 30 desktop computer reviews and hundreds of hours of testing to consider, the Acer Aspire TC-1775 is my top pick with everything from overall CPU and GPU performance, RAM, storage, design, build quality, and pricing considered.
Depending on your existing knowledge, most of my options have the potential for manual upgrades if you eventually want to squeeze in some extra performance for light PC gaming. I've also included budget PCs for office use, tiny PCs to save space, and all-in-one models that don't require a separate monitor.
Recent updates
March 26, 2025: I've updated this list with new pricing and retailer info, as well as some new details regarding how we test desktop computers. Acer's Aspire TC-1775 remains the top budget desktop computer so far in 2025. — Cale Hunt
The quick list
Acer's TC-1775 usually costs between $500 and $700 for a 14th Gen Intel Core i5 desktop CPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 512GB SSD. It's a PC I personally tested, with a price well within the budget range for anyone who needs a system that can easily handle productivity, homework, web browsing, and streaming.
Best all-in-one
The HP Envy Move is the ultimate family PC that's often steeply discounted at HP. It has kickstand feet and a built-in handle for easy transportation, and the included keyboard even has a touchpad for wireless control. The 23.8-inch QHD touch display is joined by up to a Core i5 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD.
This tiny PC doesn't take up much space, but it offers strong AMD Ryzen 9 performance with lots of RAM and storage for less than $500. It's currently our favorite mini PC out of all that we've tested, receiving high marks in our review.
Load the next products ↴
Lenovo offers a bunch of configuration options for its IdeaCentre Mini (Gen 8), and prices start at about $660 for a capable PC, thanks to permanent discounts. It's a capable PC from a performance standpoint, it has lots of ports, and Lenovo even includes a little stand to prop it up vertically for extra space saving.
I've been building PCs for 20 years, and while I still prefer to put something together myself, I recognize the perks that come with a pre-built system. I've personally tested some of the PCs in this guide, with my colleagues picking up the other reviews.
My favorite budget desktop computers in 2025
Why you can trust Windows Central Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Best overall budget desktop computer
Acer is a brand synonymous with budget PCs, and it doesn't just make laptops. Its Aspire lineup of desktop PCs has been through many revisions over the years, with the TC-1775 featured here being one of the more recent models. I favorably reviewed the Aspire TC-895 in 2021, and I still use it connected to my living room TV today. For a PC that only costs about $500, that's not bad at all in terms of durability.
I've now reviewed the TC-1775, which has been completely redesigned with a modified look. It might only have one USB-C port, but it otherwise has a good selection with six USB-A, dual HDMI, Ethernet, SD card reader, and more. In my review, I stated:
"The Aspire TC-1775 isn't the PC to buy if you're an enthusiast or if you're interested in upgrading it yourself in the future. I view it as the desktop equivalent of a cheap laptop; it's a PC that you set up once and let run until it dies."
The model I recommend for most users currently costs about $680, though it's often on sale at Amazon. It has a Core i5-14400 CPU, 16GB DDR5 RAM, and 512GB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD.
This combination will easily handle productivity tasks like homework, email, streaming, and web browsing. It even has Wi-Fi 6E for fast and reliable wireless internet. If you'd like to spend less, the last-gen Aspire TC-1770 with 13th Gen Core i5, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD costs about $529. There's not much of a performance difference in the CPUs, and the difference you'll likely notice is the lower amount of RAM when multitasking.
Acer throws in a mouse and keyboard with the package, but you might want to check out some of our favorite desktop PC accessories for some higher-quality peripherals. Unless you're really looking to save space or focus on gaming, the Acer Aspire TC-1775 should be a great budget PC for a lot of users.
👀 Read our full Acer Aspire TC-1775 review
Best budget All-in-One
The HP Envy Move is our favorite AIO PC on the market today, all thanks to a capable mix of mobility, display, and performance. In our HP Envy Move review, Windows Central Editor Ben Wilson said:
"I'd never have anticipated that a portable all-in-one PC designed for family use would be one of the most fascinating computers to land on my desk this year, but HP has thoroughly impressed me with the Envy Move."
It's a sleek all-in-one with a 23.8-inch touch IPS display with 99% sRGB color and up to 361 nits brightness, as tested. The 2560x1440 (QHD) is plenty crisp at this size. Above the display is a 5MP webcam with IR for facial recognition through Windows Hello, and below are quality dual integrated speakers with 5W output each.
The PC's feet can swivel in and out, and there's a carrying handle on the back. With about four hours of battery life from the built-in battery, you can use the Envy Move practically anywhere.
HP has a bunch of configuration options available, and frequent discounts at the official retailer have dropped it as low as about $650. Best Buy also has a model with an Intel Core i5-1335U CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD that's often on sale.
The Core i5 model is great if you often multitask or want to enjoy some lighter gaming on the integrated graphics. Considering this is the full package, monitor included, the price is very competitive compared to budget tower PCs.
👀 Read our full HP Envy Move review
Best budget mini PC
Beelink's EQR6 is a recent addition to this list, and it's perfect for anyone who wants strong desktop performance in a case that can easily go unnoticed on your desk. It's currently our favorite mini PC. Windows Central Senior Editor Zac Bowden reviewed the Beelink EQR6, stating:
"Overall, the Beelink EQR6 is an excellent all-rounder mini PC that's very capable when it comes to productivity workflows and light video and photo editing. It features a clean design and is small and quiet enough to fit on pretty much any desk in any environment and not be an ear or eyesore."
It might only have one USB-C port, but it otherwise has dual LAN, dual HDMI (with support for multiple external monitors), four USB-A, and a 3.5mm audio jack. It has a built-in PSU to keep the back of your desk from getting crowded, and it keeps its cool thanks to a beefy cooling unit.
A model with an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX CPU, 24GB of DDR5 RAM, 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, and integrated Radeon 680M graphics usually costs about $500. At the time of my latest update, it's down to $389. That's a lot of PC for the cost, and you can always upgrade the RAM and storage after purchase.
👀 Read our full Beelink EQR6 review
Best office mini PC
Lenovo's IdeaCentre Mini (Gen 8) is a sleek little mini PC with a steel frame and plastic top. Lenovo throws in a stand to prop the PC up vertically, further reducing the space it takes up on your desk. Ports are rather plentiful with Thunderbolt 4, USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2), four USB-A, HDMI 2.1, 2.5GbE LAN, DisplayPort 1.4b, and a 3.5mm audio jack, allowing you to achieve a multi-monitor setup without additional hubs or dongles.
The most affordable configuration is often discounted to about $510; it has a 13th Gen Intel Core i5-13500H CPU, 8GB of DDR4 RAM, and a 512GB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD. As Editor Ben Wilson mentions in his IdeaCentre Mini (Gen 8) review:
"The power supply and air cooler are connected via small cables, but if you remove both, you can access the SODIMM memory modules and M.2 2280 solid-state drive hidden underneath."
Lenovo offers up to a Core i7-13700H CPU, but we recommend sticking with the Core i5 to reduce the chances of thermal throttling. It's still going to tackle productivity work and streaming with ease. If you're worried about memory, the jump to 16GB only adds about $30 to the cost from the factory.
👀 Read our full Lenovo IdeaCentre Mini (Gen 8) review
I've been writing about PCs at Windows Central since 2016, with countless hours of testing and reviewing done on myriad systems. My decades of experience building PCs on the side, as well as the in-depth reviews by the Windows Central team, contribute to the buying advice here.
How we test budget desktop computers
Every PC that the Windows Central team receives to test and review goes through a similar process. Because we "adopt" each system to use as a standard PC, we can get a good idea right away of what works well and what doesn't.
In the case of desktop computers, it's also a matter of getting inside to see the internal layout (important for future DIY upgrades) and cable management, testing heat management with a FLIR camera, and measuring noise with a decibel meter. Port selection, size, and build quality are all taken into account.
👉 Related: How we test and review PCs at Windows Central
In the case of all-in-one PCs, the display is tested for brightness and color accuracy using a colorimeter.
On to performance, a full range of synthetic benchmarking performance is employed. PCMark, 3DMark, Geekbench, Cinebench, CrystalDiskMark, CrossMark, and more are used to measure CPU, GPU, SSD, and overall system performance.
How to choose the best budget desktop computer for you
A tight budget can make finding a desktop computer that isn't a potential dud particularly difficult, especially if you don't know where to look for the best options.
Pre-built desktop PCs generally contain standard parts, all of which appear in various computers we test individually. If you're confident in upgrading parts manually, most towers can have their components swapped out for more storage, memory, and more. The only downside to the top picks is the lack of a monitor, something the HP Envy Move all-in-one PC solves by keeping everything built into its screen.
Acer's Aspire TC-1775 won't blow you away with its build quality, but it's perfectly capable of handling home and office work as long as you aren't getting into any specialized areas. I've been using a predecessor for years to great effect, and it's yet to let me down despite the budget pricing.
If you're interested in maximizing performance, something like Beelink's EQR6 offers some impressive hardware for the asking price. It's a truly compact PC with a ton of ports, and it's easy to recommend to anyone who isn't looking for a full-size tower.
What about budget desktop gaming computers?
The best pre-built desktop gaming PCs don't come cheap, at least not the ones we're comfortable recommending. You can easily spend more than $1,000 even on an entry-level gaming PC, which is a lot more than most people want to drop.
If you're interested in gaming on the cheap, we recommend a great gaming handheld. While handhelds are not PCs in the traditional sense, they do have all the right components and can even run Windows 11.
The ASUS ROG Ally we reviewed is our current favorite handheld thanks to its strong gaming performance, killer display, and Windows 11 OS, and it starts at about $500. The ROG Ally X successor is also on the way with some notable improvements, though it costs more.
Budget desktop computer FAQ
Not sure if a budget desktop computer is right for you? Answers to these frequently asked questions might have the key to getting the right PC.
How much should I budget for a "good" PC?
Budget desktop computers have risen in price a bit in 2025 due to global market tensions, and it's now harder to find anything worth your money that's under $500.
If you do want to shop under $500, a great mini PC is probably your best bet. It has everything that a regular desktop PC has, but it takes up far less space and can still be upgraded down the line.
For full-size budget desktop computers, Acer's Aspire TC-1775 with a Core i5 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD comes in at about $680. That's a decent baseline, as it has plenty of memory and a capable chip for productivity, streaming, homework, office work, etc.
Is it still worth buying a desktop computer?
Absolutely — desktop computers are still plenty popular.
Laptops with similar performance hardware inside generally cost more due to the battery, screen, keyboard, and everything else you need to compute on the move.
Full-size desktop PCs take up more space, but they're the right choice for those who don't foresee taking their computer with them.
The rise in popularity of mini PCs presents a new solution. You can get a capable desktop computer that's hardly larger than a bagel, perfect for those with offices that are already cramped.
How much RAM and storage should my PC have?
Although Windows 11 only officially requires 4GB of RAM, I recommend buying a budget desktop computer with at least 8GB of memory.
For better future-proofing or multitasking capabilities, 16GB will serve you better.
Most desktop PCs — all-in-one models like the HP Envy Move excluded — allow for relatively easy hardware upgrades. In the case of the Acer Aspire, you might be able to find an 8GB model and add RAM later on the cheap.
The same goes for storage. Unless you're completely reliant on cloud storage, I recommend at least 512GB of hard drive space to get you started.
