Alienware Aurora Gaming PC

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Compact yet capable gaming rig with enough oomph to tackle 1440p gaming.

Alienware is basically the last stop before you get to high-end boutique PC builders like Maingear and Digital Storm, but if you know where to look, you can still get a pretty solid deal on a gaming system. While you can configure the Alienware R16 to be absolutely ridiculous, this configuration nets you an Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU and an RTX 4060 for under $1,500. You can still get a similar config for cheaper with another manufacturer, but if it fits in your budget, why look anywhere else?

The Alienware Aurora R16 is Dell’s flagship gaming PC, but that doesn’t mean you get an imposing tower that’ll take up all the room on your desk. Instead, this is a compact gaming rig that’ll fit nicely on any desk, while still having enough internal space for a high-end graphics card. But there’s a catch: In order to fit into this small chassis, Dell opted for a proprietary motherboard and power supply. This won’t be a big deal for most people, but if you’re looking for a budget gaming PC to buy as a starter rig to upgrade over time, it’s definitely something to be aware of.

It’s very likely that this configuration will be updated in the next month or so, now that the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 Ti is out and the 5060 is right around the corner. But even with the technically last-generation RTX 4060, you’re going to be able to get incredible 1080p performance – or you can upgrade to the RTX 5070 for an extra $250 to stretch it to a 1440p gaming machine.

HP Omen 25L Gaming Desktop

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With an Intel Core i5 processor and Nvidia GTX 1660 Super graphics, this PC is ready for 1080p gaming and is easily upgradeable.

Let’s get one thing out of the way right off the bat: The HP Omen 25L with current-generation hardware is going to cost you about $1,200 just to get in the door, and that’s with a GPU that’s technically two generations old. That might seem like too much to be considered a “budget” gaming PC, but gaming rigs have gone through some huge price jumps over the last couple of years, especially if they’re using current-gen CPUs and GPUs. What you get here is a solid little gaming PC with an Intel Core i5-14400F and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Super, which should be more than capable of running any game at 1080p, although without ray tracing or DLSS.

It is kind of a bummer that this gaming PC is using what is essentially a 4-year-old graphics card, but it’s because there’s not really another choice for a budget GPU in 2025. Nvidia didn’t release a single budget card to follow it up in the RTX 3000 or 4000 generation and now that the RTX 5080 is out, it’s increasingly looking like we won’t get one any time soon. Don’t despair! If you don’t care about gimmicky features like ray tracing, you won’t actually lose out on much, and the GTX 1660 Super is still an excellent graphics card for 1080p casual gaming, though it is definitely getting a little long in the tooth.

What helps elevate the rest of this package is the premium chassis. HP has come a long way in the last few years and this 25-liter (that’s where the L comes from) PC case allows for a ton of airflow, keeping your components nice and cool. Plus, unlike older gaming PCs, this PC case uses standard mounts for the motherboard and power supply, which means you can easily keep it upgraded over the years – once you pay that up-front cost, at least.

MSI Codex R2

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Great gaming PC for 1080p gaming with a roomy chassis for upgrades down the road.

When you’re looking for a gaming PC under $1,000, there are certain compromises you’ll need to start making, especially if you’re not building your own rig. With the MSI Codex R2 the biggest compromise is its cooling. You get a very simple air cooler over the CPU that’s reminiscent of the lackluster coolers that used to come bundled with off-the-shelf processors. These are the coolers that I’d always toss in favor of aftermarket coolers. With the Intel Core i5-14400F this cooler should be fine, but if you ever want to upgrade to a more powerful chip, this cooler should be the first thing you replace.

Luckily, the chassis gives you plenty of room to add whatever components you want later down the line. Because this case is so easy to work with, the MSI Codex R2 is the perfect budget gaming PC for anyone looking for a starter system. Building your own PC is intimidating, but upgrading a rig like this one piece at a time is a much more approachable way to get into PC building.

This version of the MSI Codex R2 has an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060. It’s not the most powerful graphics card on the market, but it’s perfect for 1080p gaming. So, while one of the biggest selling points of this PC is its upgradability, you don’t need to upgrade this rig for a while, especially if you’re not playing at 1440p or 4K anyway.

CLX Set

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Grab this gaming PC with powerful internals, including a 6-core processor, respectable graphics, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB storage capacity.

The CLX Set makes it an absolute breeze to customize your gaming PC, but even the base configuration is perfect for anyone looking to do some 1080p gaming for an absolute steal, costing only $599. With it comes a 6-core AMD Ryzen 5 5600G processor and AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 graphics. Yes, this build has integrated graphics with no ray tracing or DLSS to be found. Even still, it can hit about 80fps in Fortnite and 95fps in Apex Legends when playing at a 1080p resolution, according to CLX’s handy configuration tool. So, action should feel buttery smooth in most games. Just don’t expect it to shine in more demanding titles like Red Dead Redemption 2 or Cyberpunk 2077.

Paring its processors with 16GB of DDR4 RAM, the CLX Set will have no problem keeping top performance even with several applications running, ensuring ultra-responsive action. The 1TB of storage is average and plenty of space to save a few games natively. Of course, it’s always possible to upgrade any of these components when configuring your PC on CLX, but be prepared for the price to jump quickly.

Upgrading down the road is also an option, as the CLX Set has a roomy, toolless case for easy tinkering when the itch for a more powerful PC arises. So, have no fear, you won’t have to live with your initial components forever. Given how spacious the chassis is, there’s plenty of airflow and a few fans to keep things frosty and running smoothly. However, adding RGB lighting on the fans for a little pizzazz to your setup will cost a bit extra. And like many CLX builds, the Set comes with a lifetime labor warranty and lifetime support for added peace of mind.

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