Some people use older PCs as a media server to store and stream videos. There are several ways you can recycle your old PC. However, be aware that external storage is much slower. You can always add more internal drives if your PC has the space for them, and if not, then external hard drives or Network Attached Storage (NAS) is an option. Ensure the primary storage is solid-state (SSD) rather than a hard drive (HDD), as an SSD is much faster than an HDD. Make sure you get a PC with enough storage space to hold everything you want to store on it. If you're going to do more multitasking, content creation, or gaming, then you want a minimum of 16GB. Typically, you want to have at least 8GB unless you’re considering a low-power Chrome OS device. It’s important to have enough Random Access Memory (RAM) on your PC. If you’re on a tight budget, it’s fine to settle for an older, less powerful GPU. Nvidia makes the best GPUs now, and most people will find that any of their latest 30-series GPUs provide excellent performance. While some people can get by with a more basic PC for web browsing and simple productivity tasks, if you do anything like video editing or play the latest games, you’re going to want a dedicated graphics card (GPU). What to Look for in a Desktop PC Graphics For something more affordable that can still tackle the heavy-duty tasks that a desktop PC performs, we recommend the ASUS ROG G10CE. If you’re looking for a powerful and customizable desktop PC, the Alienware Aurora R12 is our best overall pick. But overall, this computer will happily take on any demands you care to throw at it.ĬPU: Intel Core i7-11700F | GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 | RAM: 64GB | Storage: 1TB SSD, 2TB SSD It's important to make sure this PC is in a place with good ventilation and airflow.

Put all that under a load, and this computer will spit out quite a bit of heat and fan noise, but that's consistent with a lot of gaming PCs. That means you can store basically anything and access it very quickly. The hardware is capable, with an 11th generation Core-i7 processor, a solid NVidia GeForce RTX 3080 Super GPU, 64GB of RAM, and two SSDs for a combined total of 3TB. We haven't had the chance to go hands-on with the Alienware R12, but we did look at the R11, and we're confident enough in the Alienware brand to conclude the R12 is a beast. Shortly after Intel announced its 11th generation processors, Dell upgraded its Alienware to take advantage of them. Dell's Alienware desktop comes from a long legacy of top-quality gaming hardware.

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