Which gaming PC should you buy on Prime Day 2022?

Prime Day deals are coming down the pike, and that means it’s time to start shopping for a gaming PC. The best gaming PC you can buy on Prime Day 2022 is the Origin Neuron, but the Dell XPS Desktop (8950) and HP Omen 30L are great alternatives depending on your budget. We’re focused exclusively on desktops here, so make sure to keep our roundup of Prime Day gaming laptop deals handy if you’re a mobile gamer.

Which gaming PC should you buy on Prime Day 2022?

Amazon is stuffed to the brim with gaming PCs that offer a terrible value. Most use dated and low-powered components to save money while gouging the price with a fancy case or extra RGB lighting. Don’t get persuaded by these deals on Prime Day, and instead focus on the few gaming PCs that actually offer a good value.

Origin Neuron

The Origin Neuron sits near the top of our list of the best gaming desktops, and it’s no surprise. Corsair owns Origin, which means the vast majority of components inside the Neuron come from Corsair. That’s a good thing in this case, as Corsair makes some of the best RAM, power supplies, and SSDs that you can buy right now.

As you can read in our Origin Neuron 2021 review, though, this PC doesn’t just stand out with its specs. Top-notch build quality and endless potential for upgrades push it beyond most other gaming PCs you can buy. Origin doesn’t bog down the experience with excessive bloatware, either, and an Origin PC guarantees you 24/7 lifetime support.

Although Origin is mainly known for building custom PCs, it offers several prebuilt configurations, too (usually at a discount). The models on Amazon are packed with the latest generations from Intel and Nvidia, sporting RTX 30-series graphics cards, Intel 12th-gen Alder Lake CPUs, and critically, DDR5 memory.

Dell XPS Desktop (8950)

The Dell XPS Desktop sitting on a table. — Jacob Roach / Pro Well Tech

The latest Dell XPS Desktop doesn’t look like a gaming PC, but as you can read in our Dell XPS Desktop (8950) review, it can play that role well. You can pick up a model with the latest 12th-gen Intel processors, RTX 30-series graphics cards, and DDR5 memory, and usually for less than the RGB-ridden behemoths you find from brands like Asus and MSI.

This is a desktop that prefers function over form, with a redesigned case that promotes better airflow and optional liquid cooling for the processor. It still looks great, available in sleek black or white, but you won’t get to peer into the side panel or customize any lights like you might be able to with more pricey gaming PCs.

Be careful when shopping on Prime Day for the XPS Desktop, though. You want the 8950 model for the redesigns and latest components, and you want to make sure it comes with a dedicated graphics card. Dell offers versions with integrated graphics for less, but a dedicated GPU like the RTX 3060 or RTX 3070 is what you should look out for when it comes to gaming.

HP Omen 30L

In our HP Omen 30L gaming desktop review, we gave the desktop almost perfect marks. It’s a couple of years old now, but the 30L is still a great desktop. It uses the older 10th-gen Intel processors, but it still packs Nvidia’s newest RTX 30-series GPUs — and that’s what makes the big difference for gaming.

It’s a gorgeous PC with tempered glass on the front and side, allowing you to view your components and the included LED fan. Upgrades are dead simple, too, which isn’t common among mainstream gaming PCs. The case has a tool-less design, and HP uses all standard-sized components to make sure any future upgrades will work.

There are at least a dozen configurations available, but we’d recommend keeping an eye out for one with an RTX 3070 or RTX 3080. For the processor, there are a few different options. Intel’s 10th-gen and 11th-gen processors are largely the same for gaming, so we’d recommend sticking with a 10th-gen option to save some money. Your best bet is a Ryzen 5000 CPU, though. HP offers a few configurations, so look out for the Ryzen 5 5600X or Ryzen 7 5800X.

The newer HP Omen 45L is an option, too, if you don’t mind its massive size and price tag. It comes with the newer 12th-gen Intel processors, but its extravagant case design means you spend more for the design than you do for the hardware inside.