The best home PCs 2023

A desktop PC delivers more performance power, wider customisation and better longevity for those working from home. With some excellent deals on powerful tech this year, shoppers can pick up a home PC that'll outcompete even some of the most expensive laptops with ease.

Due to their size, a desktop PC is far more effective at temperature regulation, whereas most laptops eventually falter after years of constant use. There's really not much you can do once the fans of a laptop give out, aside from forking out a good chunk of cash to have it repaired.

Of course, PCs aren't invulnerable, sometimes components give out unexpectedly - but herein lies the major advantage of a PC tower, replacing a component is incredibly simple and cheap, meaning a proper desktop can last for years to come.

The best home PCs at a glance:

• Best home PC: Lenovo ThinkStation P360 Tower Desktop - View at Amazon
• Best budget home PC: ADMI | Desktop PC - View at Amazon
• Best micro home PC: HP S01-aF1015na Slim Desktop PC - View at Amazon
• Best performance home PC: Beelink Ryzen Mini PC - View at Amazon

Even if components aren't broken, but you feel like a hardware upgrade might be a good idea, then you can very simply swap out any component for something with a little more heft, without needing to replace the entire PC.

We've scoured the internet far and wide, and have found ten of the very best PCs that are absolutely perfect for the home office, from HP, Dell, Acer, Lenovo and more of the leading brands in the UK, all of our choices take value into consideration, so you're getting the best performance at your budget.

All of our PC picks are below £800, so you'll still be able to afford a solid monitor, keyboard and mouse to go along with your new rig.

If our picks don't quite scratch your itch, we've got yet another brand-new selection of the best budget PCs and laptops of the year - problem solved.

The best home PCs

Tech Glossary: All jargon explained

RAM - Random Access Memory, or RAM, is a short-term storage used by the computer for temporary files which are especially useful for web surfing and heavy-duty programs such as games or video editing.

CPU - The CPU (or, Central Processing Unit) are commonly referred to as the 'brain' of the computer, its role is essentially to direct data to the correct hardware for execution.

GPU - The Graphics Processing Unit is the part of your PC reserved entirely for your computer's graphical needs - it renders the images you see on your screen, which is especially important with gaming and editing.

SSD - The Solid State Drive is essentially the same storage technology you'd find on a USB, they use electrical circuitry to transport data rather than HDD's more traditional writing method.

HDD - HDD storage (or, Hard Disk Drive) uses a physical disk which the storage drive physically writes upon to store and transmit data, making it much slower than SSD.

USB - Universal Serial bus or USB is a technology used to connect peripheral devices to your PC, but not all USB ports are equal. There are many types of USB ports - Type-A, Type-C, and some PCs mention the USB port's generation, but why does it matter?

Generally speaking a USB port with a later generation has a faster data transfer speed, making it better for quickly accessing and transferring data, the latest generation being USB 3.2, which can transfer data at a maximum speed of 20Gbps.

Security tips for your PC:

Strong one-of-a-kind passwords:

Create strong passwords for all your accounts using letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid using common words or quickly guessable information. Consider using a password manager to keep track of your passwords securely.

Use Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Enable 2FA for your accounts whenever possible. It adds an extra layer of security by requiring you to provide a second piece of information, such as a code sent to your phone.

Keep updated: Regularly update your operating system, web browsers, antivirus software, and other applications. Software updates often include security patches that help protect your PC from known vulnerabilities.

Use Antivirus: Install reputable antivirus and anti-malware software to scan and protect your PC from viruses, malware, and other malicious software.

Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN): A VPN encrypts your internet connection and masks your IP address, adding an extra layer of privacy and security when browsing the web. It's handy when using public Wi-Fi networks, as it prevents unauthorised access to your data. Make sure you grab one of the most secure VPN providers.

Be careful with email attachments and links: Avoid opening email attachments or clicking on links from unknown or suspicious sources. Cybercriminals often use phishing emails to trick users into downloading malware or revealing sensitive information.

Backup: Regularly back up your important data to an external hard drive or cloud storage. In case of a security breach or hardware failure, you'll have a copy of your data to restore.

Have a secure Wi-Fi network: Set a strong, unique password for your Wi-Fi network to prevent unauthorized access and use WPA3 encryption if available. Also, consider hiding your network's SSID (service set identifier) to make it less visible to potential attackers.

Don't use public Wi-Fi unprotected: Public Wi-Fi networks can be insecure. If you must use them, consider using a VPN to encrypt your internet traffic and avoid accessing sensitive information or logging into accounts.

Use a Firewall: Enable your computer's built-in firewall or install a reputable third-party firewall to monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic.

Be vigilant: Be cautious of the websites you visit. Stick to reputable and secure websites, especially when entering personal or financial information.

FAQs:

Are PC prices going down?

Since the beginning of the year, the prices of silicon microchips have considerably dropped because manufacturers have begun to produce them once more, meaning that lucrative scalpers can no longer buy up heaps of hardware to sell for profit and cause artificial scarcity.

As such, because of the recent influx of silicon microchips, we've seen a big price drop in hardware recently, so PCs have become much more affordable this year compared to during the pandemic.

When are the best PC deals?

You can find the ultimate PC deals during special event sales such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday or Boxing Day when most tech companies have some sort of deal on most of their tech.

Where are the best PC deals?

The best deals aren't exclusive to one site, but a brilliant space to find some lucrative deals is on Amazon, simply because of the sheer size of their catalogue.

Currys also has a huge amount of deals on their website all year round, but especially on Black Friday.

What are the most important components of a PC?

Each and every component of your PC is extremely crucial for the overall functioning of the PC, but when you're deciding between a strong CPU or a powerful GPU, it can sometimes be tough to know what to pick.

The best way to figure out what's best for you is by considering what you'll be using your PC for, are you gaming? Then a GPU is going to be crucial for great performance, are you looking for a great office PC with plenty of storage? Then RAM and storage are going to be essential for working with lots of documents simultaneously.

If it's GPU heft you're looking for, check out our picks for the best graphics cards of the year so far.

Laptop vs PC - what's the best?

Both laptops and PCs have their own advantages and disadvantages - laptops are extremely light, and modern laptops are incredibly quick, with plenty of storage, so why choose a desktop?

Well firstly, you generally get better performance from a desktop PC - components aren't condensed into a slim case, with only a small fan to keep them cool. PCs often have a multitude of built-in fans that can keep components cooler much more efficiently, which significantly improves the component's longevity.

And then, there's the issue of hardware failure, if a laptop component breaks, consider your laptop kaput. PCs, however, are easily repaired - users can swap out any faulty or slow hardware with ease, so they'll last you a lifetime.

Ryan Houghton is a tech writer and reviewer for What's The Best, specialising in PCs and gaming. He is a keen PC gamer and an avid reader.

Subscribe to the What’s The Best Newsletter to keep up to date with more of the latest reviews and recommendations from the rest of the What’s The Best team.