A gaming PC is a big expense, but the holiday season provides an opportunity to either add one to your wishlist and hope someone buys it for you or go through guides to perhaps find an excuse to splurge on someone you love. Going into 2024, there are a ton of different options available. We’ve put together a very narrow list to show some Windows and Mac options out there.
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Best of the Best Gaming PC: Corsair Vengeance i7500 Series
Sometimes, you might want to include a “dream” gaming PC on your wishlist, and the Corsair Vengeance i7500 is that sort of setup. It’s one of the absolute best Windows models you can get. There’s a 32GB RAM, Intel i7 14700 KF CPU, 2TB SSD, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 built into it, meaning you are all set and any game you throw at it will run beautifully.
Of course, there’s a price for that type of power. This one… is going to get expensive. But then, if you add this to your wishlist or buy it for someone else, you’re probably ensuring that no new PC is needed for years. It’s essentially $3,299.99, but sometimes Amazon has it for around $2,900. Best Buy has a model for $2,899.99, but at time of writing sold it for $2,299.99.
Gaming PC That Lets You Show Off: iBuyPower AMD VCTA with HYTE Y70 Case
This is a fun one because it is both a gaming PC and a bit of a showcase. That’s because the HYTE Y70 Strawberry Milk Case is clear, allowing you to see all the components on display. (I’ve also known some people to actually put figures inside of the case as well.) The base setup gives you 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, a GeForce RTX 4070 Super 12GB video card, and the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X CPU. It’s a really powerful rig that also lets you enjoy the RGB lightshow elements and display your hardware.
You can customize this PC to meet your needs, but the base version will run you $1,789. If Strawberry Milk pink isn’t your color, you can also go with other models that use the Y70 like the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K CPU with NIVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super for $2349.99.
PC That’s Actually a Mac: MacBook Pro
If you’re looking for something that might be more for your creative work and you’re fine with limited gaming library options, the MacBook Pro with M3 chip might be a solid choice. It’ll give you an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU, the M3 chip is great for programs for work, there’s the Liquid Retina XDR screen, and you’ll be able to use it for almost a full day straight, actively working, before needing to charge it.
The most affordable 14.2 inch model with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD will cost you about $1,599. If you go for a best-of-the-best version with 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD, that’s $1,999. At time of writing, Best Buy had the 1TB variant for $1,699.
Best Gaming Laptop: ASUS ROG Strix G16
I mean, not being locked into a single place with your gaming PC is also a good idea, so a laptop might be a good gift or wishlist item for 2024. The ASUS ROG line has always been a popular one, and the 16 inch RPG Strix G16 could be a solid option. Will it give you as much RAM and as large of a hard drive as some desktops? No. It’s 16GB with 1TB SSD. But you are still getting an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 and Intel Core i7 13650HX built into it. That ensures quality compatibility.
This 2024 model will typically cost you $1,399.99, but it’s $1,250 at Amazon as of time of writing.
Best Handheld Gaming PC: Lenovo Legion Go
We’ve already talked a bit about this one in our guide to possible Steam Deck and handheld gaming PC gift guide, but figured I’d bring it up here. The Lenovo Legion Go is the device I use, and I highly recommend it for PC gaming. You have the portability, but you also can remove the controllers for a more Switch-like and stationary experience. It’s really capable and able to handle most Windows games, and even MMORPGs, due to the Ryzen Z1 Extreme. Plus, you’re still getting between 512GB and 1TB built-in before taking advantage of the MicroSD card.
Amazon and Best Buy sell this one, with the smaller model at $699.99 and larger one at $749.99.
Best Custom Gaming PC: Maingear
This one, I’m not going to do any special specs or recommendations. That’s because Maingear’s customization section doesn’t work like that. You go through the company’s site and choose the Custom MG-1, North, or Zero. You then pick your graphics card, processor, processor cooling system, fans, motherboard, memory, NVMe SSD, operating system, power supply, and power supply cables. (The slot 2 NVMe SSD and HDD are optional.) While the company does have quick-ship ones, it’s more of an experience.
The MG-1 might begin at $1,399, the North starts around $1,529, and the Zero tends to be available around $1,469.
Published: Oct 30, 2024 03:15 pm