If youre thinking of buying a new desktop, then you may want to consider Dell, which makes some of the best desktops on the market, whether youre looking for a work desktop or a gaming desktop. In fact, it probably has one of the widest lineups of desktops you can pick from, including the XPS lineup, which is the same sub-brand Dell uses for its XPS laptops, the same ones that compete with the MacBook Air. So, when you buy a Dell, you know that youre buying something of solid quality, which is why weve gone ahead and picked out the best Dell desktop PCs to save you the trouble.

Contents The Best Dell Desktop PCs in 2024Inspiron 27 All-in-OneInspiron Small DesktopOptiPlex Micro Form FactorAlienware Aurora R16 Gaming Desktop with RTX 4080Alienware Aurora R16 Gaming Desktop with RTX 4060How We Chose These Dell Desktop PCsShow 2 more items

　　The Best Dell Desktop PCs in 2024

Buy the if you want the best all-in-one Dell Desktop Buy the if you want the best budget Dell desktop Buy the if you want the best small form factor Dell desktop Buy the if you want the best Dell desktop for gaming Buy the if you want the best budget Dell gaming desktop

　　Inspiron 27 All-in-One

　　Best all-in-one Dell Desktop

Pros	Cons
Great performance for the price	Included mouse and keyboard could be better
Has a touch-screen

Going for an all-in-one solution makes sense if you are on a tight budget and dont want to worry about buying a monitor, keyboard, and mouse; it also makes it relatively easier to move things around. Luckily, Dells Inspiron 27 All-in-One is a really good middle ground in terms of price vs performance and should be more than enough for most folks out there. For example, it comes with a 27-inch FHD screen thats touch-enabled, so you can use it without even needing the mouse and keyboard.

Related In terms of internal specs, it comes with an Intel Core i7-1355U processor, which is an excellent mid-to-high-end CPU that will handle productivity tasks without any issues. Luckily, it also comes with a very entry-level GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce MX550 so it should also let you get some more complex tasks done, such as some graphical editing and maybe even gaming. That said, it only has 2GB of video RAM and is about equivalent to an older GTX 1050; we wouldnt push it too hard if we were you.

Besides that, it has 16GB of RAM, so more than enough to give you a smooth day-to-day experience, and it comes loaded with Windows 11 Home. It has 1TB of storage, which is also quite a bit and it even has a 1080p webcam for any meetings you need to do digitally. One thing to note, though, is that the included mouse and keyboard are quite generic, so you may want to spring for a proper set in the long term; theyll work fine to get you started, but you probably wont enjoy them for too long.

Specifications
Processor	Intel Core i7-1355U
RAM	16 GB DDR4
Storage	1TB SSD
Weight	16.23 pounds

　　Inspiron Small Desktop

　　Best budget Dell desktop

Pros	Cons
Excellent price	Performance isnt that great
Great size for tight spaces

If you need something basic for work and dont want to spend a ton of money, then youll be happy to know that the Inspiron Small Desktop is an excellent option. Not only does it have a great price tag attached to it, but its also relatively small and easy to move around or place in tight spaces. That said, you are giving up something in the process when it comes to performance, which may not be a dealbreaker for you if you need a work desktop and something that will let you get online.

Under the hood, youll find an Intel Core i3-13100m, which is a very entry-level processor that will still let you run things like Microsoft Word or other Microsoft suite products, although it may struggle a bit if you have an Excel sheet with hundreds of tables. You could, in theory, upgrade to an Intel Core i5-13400 for an extra $100, which also nets you a larger 512GB SSD, and it might well be worth it for the sake of general quality of life, but if performance isnt an issue for you, then the Intel Core i3-13100m should be fine. Either way, you can always look online to see if the Intel Core i3-13100m will be enough for the apps and needs you have before making the decision.

As for RAM, youre getting 8GB of the older DDR4, which, again, isnt excellent, but its good enough for most basic uses. You could upgrade it to 16GB, but that would require an upgrade of the CPU to an i5 and the storage to 512GB, all of which will run you an extra $250 or so. Ultimately, its probably not worth it if you dont need the extra processing power since you can always just add an extra 8GB stick of RAM to the machine sometime in the future if you feel the 8GB you have is not enough for you. Either way, you have a lot of options in how you can set up the Inspiron Small Desktop, so be sure to properly consider your needs vs your budget.

Specifications
Processor	Intel Core i3-13100
RAM	8 GB DDR4
Storage	256 GB
Weight	8.02 pounds

　　OptiPlex Micro Form Factor

　　Best small form factor Dell desktop

　　

Pros	Cons
Small size	Can get pricey if you want to upgrade to better performance
Great value for the specs	Mouse and keyboard are generic
Included mouse and keyboard

With so many folks working from home, its very likely that you dont really have the space to stick in a large desktop computer, and if you dont want to grab a laptop, then there arent a ton of options left. Luckily, Dell does have the OptiPlex Micro Form Factor, which, as the name suggests, is pretty small and can probably fit into a tight nook, at least within reason. Obviously, all computers need some space to breathe so that they can expel heat using the fans, but at least with the small size, you could also just put it under your monitor to save space.

This OptiPlex runs an Intel Core i5-13500T, which is actually a pretty solid mid-range CPU and has the additional benefit of not running too hot compared to something a bit higher-end. In terms of what you can do with it, most productivity tasks should be handled fine, and you could, in theory, get some graphical editing work done as well. Luckily, you do get 16GB of RAM to work with, although its the older DDR4 standard, so its not as fast as it could if you went with the more recent DDR5.

If you dont really need anything powerful, then the specs are perfectly fine as they are, but you can always upgrade, and even quite significantly if you go for the Micro Plus range, which bumps you up to DDR5 RAM and more DisplayPorts to work with, as well as a USB-C. Of course, the switch will run you an extra $370, and youll still be running the Intel Core i5-13500T processor, so if you arent programming or using CAD apps, then its probably not worth the upgrade. Either way, both options include a mouse and keyboard, although they are quite generic so youll probably want to buy nicer ones down the line.

Specifications
Processor	Intel Core i5-13500T
RAM	16GB DDR4
Storage	512 GB
Weight	4.8 pounds

　　Alienware Aurora R16 Gaming Desktop with RTX 4080

　　Best Dell desktop for gaming

Pros	Cons
Excellent performance	Is quite expensive
A ton of RAM to work with
Looks great

You may not be aware, but Dell also owns the Alienware gaming brand and makes some pretty excellent gaming desktops that you can grab, and a lot of them even look really excellent to boot. For example, this Aurora R16 comes in a sleek black case with a half-window side panel and an LED ring running along one side of it, so it looks really sleek and minimalist and will fit in almost any environment. Of course, that does mean that you pay a premium, and its quite an expensive PC if you buy it at MSRP, although its not a ton cheaper when on sale either, although thats the price for top-tier performance.

For gaming, you get an RTX 4080, which is currently one of the top five GPUs on the market. So youll be able to play many games across the board at a high resolution. While you may not necessarily be able to push 4K at 144 fps on the ultra setting, youll get close to at least 4K resolutions at around 100 fps, especially with a few graphical compromises here and there. On the other hand, if youre planning on using something like a 2K resolution gaming monitor, youll have more freedom to run higher graphical settings and framerates, so really, you have quite a few options in terms of what you want to prioritize.

As for processing power, you get the Intel Core i9-14900KF, which is one of the most powerful CPUs on the market and will not only easily handle any game you want to run on it, but it should also let you stream to Twitch or YouTube if you want to give that a shot. It also has a whopping 32GB of DDR5 RAM, so its going to handle strategy and sim games well, and if youre a programmer or use CAD apps, then youll also be very happy with that amount of RAM. Youll also be very happy with the 2TB of storage, and while that may start getting tight given how large modern AAA games are, you wont be bumping into that issue to much, especially with some smart storage management.

Specifications
Processor	Intel Core i9-14900KF
RAM	32 GB DDR5
Storage	2 TB
Weight	33.89 pounds

　　Alienware Aurora R16 Gaming Desktop with RTX 4060

　　Best budget Dell gaming desktop

Pros	Cons
Good 1080p gaming performance	Only has an RTX 4060
Much more affordable
Looks great

If you still want a gaming laptop but cant really spend upwards of $3,000, then youll be happy to know that Alienware has some budget options that are much more affordable while also having great performance. While you dont get a powerful GPU like the RTX 4080, you do get the RTX 4060, which is a very solid 1080p gaming GPU. That means you should be able to reach just about 90 fps or so on ultra settings, and potentially higher if youre willing to compromise a little on the graphical fidelity.

Another good thing about the RTX 4060 is that it gives you cost-effective access to DLSS 3.0, which is Nvidias AI-driven frame-addition technology. It can help increase the number of framerates a game has without too much of an impact on performance, although not all games run it, so it can be a hit-and-miss. Either way, its not a bad option, and while this configuration has an MSRP of $1,400, youll likely find it on sale from time to time, which makes it an even better option for those who want a budget gaming desktop from Dell.

As for the rest of the specs, the Intel Core i7 14700F is a solid mid-to-high-end CPU, so you wont get any bottlenecks there, and it will handle productivity and editing tasks without an issue. The 16GB of DDR5 RAM is also more than enough for most folks, so you wont likely bump into issues with opening many tabs and apps at the same time. Youll also be happy with the 1TB SSD, at least for the first year or two, and you can always upgrade your case with an additional SSD down the line if you feel up to it.

Specifications
Processor	Intel Core i7 14700F
RAM	16 GB DDR5
Storage	1 TB
Weight	33.89 pounds

　　How We Chose These Dell Desktop PCs

　　Overall Value

Dell has one of the widest ranges of desktops of any brand out there, and it includes the Inspiron, XPS, Alienware, OptiPlex, and Precision lineups, so there is a massive amount of choice to pick from. Of course, that doesnt mean that everything Dell has to offer is going to give you the best bang for your buck, and sometimes, things are a little bit overpriced, especially if theyre made for more business-focused applications. That can include something like the Precision lineup, which is sold and marketed as workstations, and will often include high-end components that an average consumer would have no use for, or the XPS lineup, which is Dells high-end line of both desktops and laptops.

To that end, we did our best to find desktops that arent incredibly expensive yet still have great performance and are at least on par with other brands in the same price bracket. Even better, Dell often has sales and deals on its gear, so if you find any of these on sale, youre getting an even better return on your money than if you bought it at MSRP. Either way, know that the picks above are going to give you the best bang for your buck in their respective categories when it comes to Dell.

　　Performance

There are a lot of different reasons why one might want to buy a desktop, but pretty much everybody is looking for solid performance that will let them get the basics done. Luckily, Dell has a very good selection of mid-range products, and in this case, were especially thinking of processors. As such, weve mostly picked desktops that run with an Intel i5 or higher since the extra cost over the i3 is usually worth it for the extra performance, and most apps are tuned to work great on an i5.

The only exemption from that is the budget pick, which does have an i3, and we picked that for the folks who really just need the cheapest and most basic thing possible. Thats not to say that the i3 doesnt perform well or is a terrible CPU; quite the contrary, youll get productivity work done without issue, and getting online for meetings or accessing content on the cloud is easily doable. You just wont be able to do more complex things like graphical editing or any form of simulations since that would usually stress the CPU too much.

　　RAM

While most modern desktops dont really have any issues when it comes to RAM, its important to address the fact that Windows 11 tends to bite quite a substantial chunk of RAM to run smoothly, usually around 3-4 GBs. That may not seem like a lot, but if youre running a computer with only 8GB of RAM, thats nearly half of it going just to run the OS, which can be problematic, especially if you like to have lots of browser tabs open. Thats why we did our best to aim for desktops that have at least 16GBs since that gives you a lot more leeway to have lots of apps and tabs open at the same time without constantly bumping into issues.

The only real exemption to this is, again, the budget option, which was picked to give the best possible price while still offering a good level of performance. That said, the big advantage of desktops is that you can upgrade them, so even if they dont have the perfect amount of RAM that you need, you can always add another stick or replace the RAM altogether if youre so inclined and the motherboard can handle it.

This article is managed and created separately from the Digital Trends Editorial team.