Based on our pick list, we've reviewed an impressive variety of the best desktops, right? We don't deny that a laptop or tablet is a better choice for people who engage in business travel or whose computing consists mostly of basic surfing and typing from the living room couch. However, desktops are often the best choice and provide the best value for small offices, families, creative professionals, gamers, and tech enthusiasts.

While desktops don't come in as many distinct forms as laptops, you'll find lots of variation in computing power and room for upgrades and expansion. The key is to spend as little as possible to get exactly what you want from your next desktop computer, whether that's a budget buy or a high-performance PC.

For many buyers, absolutely yes. One of the most alluring promises of the best desktops is the value they deliver. With desktop PCs and their components, your money simply goes further. Instead of buying a $700 laptop with a competent Intel Core i5 or Ultra 5 processor, you might get a $700 desktop with a more powerful Core i7 or Ultra 7 CPU and maybe even a dedicated graphics card.

You can find complete mini PCs for super light work and display-signage tasks for less than $400, and perfectly serviceable small towers for $300 to $600. Gaming desktops with dedicated graphics cards start at around $700. You can also find all-in-one desktops, with the display and all of the computing components built into a single device, starting at around $400.

The thing with desktops is that opting for a cheap one does not carry some of the same risks you'd face with a like-priced laptop. A $250 Black Friday special or a steeply discounted refurbished desktop could perform just fine for basic computing, and you wouldn't need to worry about the wear and tear on cheap materials that you might with a laptop of a similar price. That inexpensive laptop would be subject to the vagaries of daily commuting and the occasional drop from a coffee table. The desktop, in contrast, would need to remain stationary and simply function.

At the top end of the market are business workstations, tricked-out gaming rigs, and magnificently engineered all-in-one PCs that cost several thousand dollars. Not only will a $3,000 gaming tower provide immense computing power today, but it should also come with ample room for expansion and potential upgrades. And then, of course, there's the world of custom PCs, complete with automotive-grade paint jobs, liquid cooling, and fanciful lighting and wiring. 

IT-manageable, security-conscious business desktops—most of which are now manufactured by Dell, HP, and Lenovo—have their own pricing dynamics and tend to cost more. That's because of their premium warranty or support plans, as well as the possible addition of enterprise-specific silicon focused on manageability or security. Sometimes, part of the cost premium of business desktops reflects the PC maker’s guarantee that it will stock replacement components and upgrades for that line of machines for a fixed future period. That allows IT pros to count on the ability to continue servicing a fleet of a given business machine over that period.

Since you won’t be lugging a desktop around nearly as much as you would a laptop, it’s less important to handle the chassis and test-drive its build quality in the store before you bring it home. Still, if the desktop comes with peripherals included, it can be helpful to type a few lines and move the mouse around in the store. Setting eyes on an all-in-one desktop is more crucial than with a typical tower desktop or mini PC. The screen is an integral part of what you are buying, and eyes-on time matters, especially if you’re not well-versed, say, in the differences between a 24-inch and 27-inch panel or a 1080p screen versus a 4K one. 

If you limit yourself only to the selection at your local electronics outlet, though, you’ll miss out on many excellent desktops. Some configurations can be exclusive to a single reseller, such as Best Buy, Costco, or Walmart. Other merchants, such as Micro Center, frequently have in-store-only deals that aren't available anywhere online.

This is where return policies come in handy. If you find the best desktop for you online but can't test drive it locally, a seller with a liberal return policy is your best friend. Just make sure you've got adequate time to return it if it doesn't work out.