From PCMAG · Joe Osborne · · 3m
Best Desktops for 2026
PCMag tests top desktops for 2026, highlighting Acer, Apple, Dell and more.
In brief
PCMag tests top desktops for 2026, highlighting Acer, Apple, Dell and more. PCMag's 2026 desktop picks include Acer Aspire TC-1775-UR11 for budget, Apple Mac mini (2026, M6) for Mac users, and Dell 24 All-in-One for families. Originally reported by PCMAG.
PCMag's 2026 Desktop Picks
PCMag tested thousands of desktops since 1982 using standardized methods for CPU, graphics, design, usability, upgradability, and value.
“PCMag editors select and review products independently”
Best Basic Windows Desktop
Acer Aspire TC-1775-UR11 offers solid value with 14th Gen Intel Core i7, Wi-Fi 6E, USB-C, and dual HDMI ports for two monitors.
“Acer Aspire TC-1775-UR11 is a solid-value budget desktop packing a 14th Gen Core i7 processor, Wi-Fi 6E, USB-C, and a compact design that tucks under your desk.”
Best Mac Desktop
Apple Mac mini (2026, M6) delivers dominant CPU and GPU performance with 24GB RAM and 512GB SSD for AI tasks.
“Apple's new midrange take on its tiny desktop is a good-value powerhouse for most everything you'll want to do on a Mac short of workstation tasks.”
Best All-in-One Windows Desktop
Dell 24 All-in-One provides compelling value with a colorful touch screen, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and bundled wireless peripherals.
“The 2026 Dell 24 All-in-One delivers the right mix of performance, features, and value to make it the everyday all-in-one desktop most families should consider first.”
Best Midrange Windows Desktop
Dell Tower Plus (EBT2250) offers high configurability, broad port selection, and solid performance for productivity and gaming.
“The Dell Tower Plus EBT2250 delivers solid midrange performance, with speedy graphics, high configurability, and room to grow.”
Best Budget Gaming Desktop
CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme provides impressive price-to-performance ratio with sleek glass design and strong budget-tier gaming performance.
“The CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme pairs a sharp-looking chassis with strong budget-tier performance and generous RAM and storage.”
Best Midrange Gaming Desktop
CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme MA-01 features a wraparound-glass case, fast 1080p and 1440p gaming, and highly configurable components.
“A head-turning wraparound-glass case, easy parts upgrades, and tactile RGB knobs distinguish CyberPowerPC's Gamer Xtreme MA-01 gaming desktop.”
Best High-End Gaming Desktop
Velocity Micro Raptor Z55i (2026) delivers blistering performance and surprising value for serious gamers with raw muscle.
“Don't let Velocity Micro's sensible, workstation-style chassis fool you, the Raptor Z55i delivers raw muscle for serious gamers in understated style.”
Best Mini Desktop
Asus NUC 16 Pro Mini offers compact chassis design with punchy CPU performance, fast DDR5 memory, and quiet operation.
“The Asus NUC 16 Pro Mini is an exceptionally small, fast, and quiet desktop with enough processor punch to meet almost any of your business needs.”
Best All-in-One Business Desktop
Lenovo ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 (27-Inch) provides excellent productivity performance with sharp display and three M.2 SSD slots for storage.
“The ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6 builds on Lenovo's previous-generation AIO for offices, offering faster performance, broad configuration options, and an excellent screen.”
Best Mainstream Business Workstation
Dell Pro Max Tower T2 starts modestly but has elite upgrade headroom for transforming into a full-blown pro powerhouse.
“Dell’s worthy mainstay desktop workstation starts modestly but has elite upgrade headroom, capable of transforming into a full-blown pro powerhouse with an Intel Core Ultra K-series CPU and Nvidia RTX Pro 6000 graphics.”
Best Compact Business Workstation
HP Z2 Mini G1a packs powerful Ryzen AI Max+ processor and 128GB unified memory for AI development and workstation tasks.
“HP’s Z2 Mini G1a compact desktop is a tiny powerhouse, packing a serious wallop for workstation tasks and AI dev work with AMD’s Ryzen AI Max+ processor and 128GB of unified memory.”
2026 Desktop Deals
Early Prime Day desktop deals include Dell Tower Intel Ultra 5 512GB SSD 8GB RAM at $849 and HP OmniDesk Intel i5 512GB SSD 16GB RAM at $974.
“Dell Tower Intel Ultra 5 512GB SSD 8GB RAM Desktop — $849 ($999) Save $150.00”
2026 Desktop Updates
PCMag added Asus NUC 16 Pro Mini as Best Mini Desktop and Apple Mac mini (2026, M6) as Best Mac Desktop after last update.
“Sept. 24, 2026: With this update, we added the Asus NUC 16 Pro Mini as our latest Best Mini Desktop, replacing the Geekom A9 Max.”
Why PCMag Picks
PCMag uses standardized methodologies to measure CPU and graphics performance, design, usability, upgradability, connectivity, and value for all desktop types.
“We use standardized methodologies to measure CPU and graphics performance, and we assess all models on design, usability, upgradability, connectivity, and value.”
What Happens Next
PCMag will review and evaluate seven new desktop PCs for potential inclusion in future guides and testing.
“Since our last update, we reviewed and evaluated seven new desktop PCs for potential inclusion in this story and our other desktop guides.”
The takeaway
PCMag's 2026 desktop picks include Acer Aspire TC-1775-UR11 for budget, Apple Mac mini (2026, M6) for Mac users, and Dell 24 All-in-One for families.
