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Best HP Gaming PCs for Every Budget: From Entry-Level to High-End

Harry Stewart
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The best budget gaming PCs offer ample horsepower for casual players at a wallet-friendly price. Hardcore gamers, on the other hand, need more “oomph” to run demanding Triple A (AAA) games with butter-smooth frame rates. Then there are the in-betweeners, who prefer affordable mid-range machines to play recent big-name titles on medium-to-low resolutions.
No matter which camp you fall into, there’s an HP gaming PC for you. Whether you’re an indie gaming fan or a fervent first-person shooter fiend, you’ll find a suitable computer on the HP UK Store.
In this post, we’ll cover the key gaming PC considerations and present the top HP desktops at varying price points.

What to look for in a gaming PC

Not sure what to look for in a gaming PC? Then don’t scroll past this bit. From GPUs to CPUs and everything in between, we’re covering the top considerations when shopping for a shiny new gaming machine.

Budget versus needs

The first step is to weigh your budget and needs.
Snagged a juicy bonus and yearning to invest in your passion? Treat yourself to a potent HP OMEN gaming PC. But if money is tight and you only play older titles, get an entry-level alternative like the HP Essential instead. Avid gamers with a little more coin could grab a mid-range option like the HP Victus. That way, you can still play all the latest titles, just not on max resolution.

Form Factor

The size and shape of your new desktop PC is another consideration. Casual players looking for an entry-level option could consider an all-in-one, which combines the monitor and hardware into a streamlined, space-saving design.
However, all-in-ones have cooling and hardware limitations. A roomier tower PC is the form factor of choice for heavy-duty gaming computers with a heat-emitting GPU.

Central Processing Unit

As the most essential PC component, the CPU uses tiny electronic circuitry to execute complex computational instructions. Higher-level CPUs run commands more rapidly, leading to better in-game performance. But don’t get wooed by the processor class alone. A late-generation Intel® Core™ i5, for example, might perform better than an older i7. Furthermore, the cores, cache size, and clock speed can make a massive difference.
For entry-level gaming (older or simple games), consider the following minimum benchmarks:
· Class: Intel Core i3 or i5 or AMD Ryzen™ 3 or 5
· Cores: 4 cores with 8 threads
· Clock speed: 4.0 GHz max boost clock
· Cache size: 4 MB L3 +
Mid-range machines for playing modern AAA titles on moderate-to-low settings should have the following specs or better:
· Class: Intel Core i5 or i7 or AMD Ryzen 5 or 7
· Cores: 8 cores, 16 threads
· Clock speed: 4.6 GHz max boost clock
· Cache size: 16 MB L3 cache
Premium gaming machines capable of running demanding modern games on high settings should have:
· Class: Intel Core i7 or i9 (13 or 14th generation)
· Cores: 20 cores, 28 threads
· Clock speed: 5.4 GHz max boost clock
· Cache size: 33 MB L3 cache

Graphics processing unit

While the CPU is the most critical component overall, the GPU is arguably more important for gaming. A graphics card contains specialised electronic circuitry that works parallel to the CPU to accelerate image rendering. An integrated CPU will do for simple or older titles such as Stardew Valley, Fallout New Vegas, and Cuphead. Modern, graphically intensive games, including most recent AAA titles, need a dedicated card such as an NVIDIA® GeForce or AMD Radeon™.
Consider the following benchmarks:
· Entry-level gaming: AMD Radeon Graphics or Intel Iris® Xe Graphics
· Mid-range gaming: NVIDIA GeForce GTX™ 970 (4 GB) or AMD Radeon 470 (4 GB)
· High-end gaming: NVIDIA GeForce RTX™ 3060 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 7600

Random Access Memory

RAM provides temporary storage within your operating system, allowing the CPU to rapidly read and alter data in any order. When gaming, this extra memory improves responsiveness, enhances frame rates, and affords smoother multi-tasking. The more recent DDR5 RAM offers more memory bandwidth and capacity than DDR4 RAM, though the latter is far from obsolete. Once you have enough RAM (the sweet spot depends on the game and your CPU/GPU), adding more won’t affect performance.
· Entry-level gaming: 8GB
· Mid-range gaming: 8GB-16GB
· High-end gaming: 16GB-32GB

Storage

A suitable amount of storage depends on the games you play and how many titles you have installed at once. Modern big-budget games can stretch over 100 GB, so you’ll need a spacious storage drive to hold a decent-sized collection. Conversely, indie and school games might only require a few gigs. Insist on at least one SSD, as these speedier drive types provide faster load times.
· Entry-level gaming: 128GB
· Mid-range gaming: 256-512GB
· High-end gaming: 512GB-1TB

Display

Lastly, consider your gaming monitor’s resolution, response times, and refresh rate. These factors depend on the hardware in your PC. For example, there’s no point in buying a top-of-the-line 4K display if your GPU/CPU can’t keep up. As a rule of thumb, aim for the best resolution your PC can comfortably run. Larger screen sizes—think 32 inches or bigger—offer a more immersive experience without affecting performance.
High refresh rates make a big difference for competitive online players in fast-paced games (e.g., first-person shooters). But they’re hardly noticeable for single-player gamers. Either way, aim to match your refresh rate with your frame rate for best results.

The best entry-level HP gaming PCs

Keen to crush old-school classics or non-resource-intensive indie games? You don’t need a state-of-the-art gaming PC. An entry-level desktop like an HP Pavilion or HP Essentials packs plenty of punch. While these PCs aren’t designed for gaming (they lack dedicated GPUs), they’re speedy enough to keep casuals happy.
The best bit? You’ll spend a few hundred pounds rather than a few thousand.

HP Slim Desktop (S01-pF3002na)

HP Slim Desktop S01
Petite, cost-effective, and capable, the HP Slim Desktop (S01-pF3002na) moonlights as a respectable casual gaming machine. Its CPU/GPU/RAM combo packs plenty of grunt for basic or archaic titles, and the slimline case fits neatly onto a small desk.
· Processor: Intel Core i3 13100 (13th Generation)
· Memory: 8GB RAM
· Storage: 256GB SSD
· Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 730

HP Pavilion (24-ca0010na)

HP Pavilion 24-ca0010na All-in-One
Like the idea of an all-in-one? The HP Pavilion (24-ca0010na) provides casual gaming-ready performance in a slick, streamlined case. An improved processor and extra RAM make a big difference, especially when multi-tasking.
· Processor: AMD Ryzen 5 5500U
· Memory: 16GB RAM
· Storage: 512GB SSD
· Graphics: AMD Radeon™ Graphics

The best mid-range HP gaming PCs

A few hundred quid more gets you a built-for-purpose gaming rig with a dedicated GPU, such as the HP Victus. Custom-designed with cost-conscious gamers in mind, this affordable option strikes the perfect balance between power and price. Don’t worry about missing out. Every Victus will run all the latest AAA titles, though you might have to tone down the settings a smidgen.

Victus by HP (15L TG02-0007na)

Victus by HP 15L TG02-0007na Gaming Desktop
As one of our best affordable gaming PCs, the Victus by HP (15L TG02-0007na) is a top option for low-budget PC players. Its NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER™ and AMD Ryzen 5 5600G offer impressive in-game performance, backed by a generous 16GB RAM. Need more power? This model has numerous customizable configurations.
· Processor: AMD Ryzen™ 5 5600G
· Memory: 16 GB RAM
· Storage: 512 GB SSD
· Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER (6 GB)

Victus by HP (TG02-0039na)

Victus TG02-0039na Gaming Desktop
Keen to crank up the graphics settings a notch? Enjoy smooth, high-resolution performance with the Victus by HP (TG02-0039na). An 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 plus a speedy 8GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti ensure faster frame rates and a superior gaming experience.
· Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 5700G
· Memory: 16GB RAM
· Storage: 512GB SSD + 1TB HDD
· Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti (8GB)

The best high-end HP gaming PCs

Passionate PC Master Race-types will stoically save a few thousand quid to splurge on a high-octane gaming PC. After all, a chunky beast like the HP OMEN is the ultimate toy. Not only does an HP OMEN offer superior specs, but you also get a transparent RGB-lit case and a best-in-class cooling system.

OMEN 40L Desktop GT21-2000na

OMEN 40L Desktop GT21
Led by a 14th Generation Intel Core i7 with 20 cores and 28 threads, the OMEN 40L Desktop GT21-2000na is no slouch. Its in-game prowess, however, stems from an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER, which sports a whopping 12GB of VRAM. What does that all mean? Fast framerates on modern titles with high-resolution settings.
· Processor: Intel Core i7 14700F (14th Generation)
· Memory: 16GB RAM
· Storage: 1TB SSD
· Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER (12 GB)

OMEN 45L Gaming Desktop GT22-1002na

OMEN 45L Gaming Desktop GT22-1002na
Want the best gaming PC money can buy? You’d be hard-pressed to find something speedier than the OMEN 45L Gaming Desktop GT22-1002na. Its Intel Core i9-13900K runs up to 5.8 GHz with turbo boost, while 64GB of RAM is more than enough to stream, multi-task, and play. But the jaw-dropping drawcard to this beast is its 24GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090. With the best GPU on earth (at the time of print), you’ll have no trouble playing resource-intensive titles on 4K at 120 FPS.
· Processor: Intel Core i9 13900K (13th Generation)
· Memory: 64GB RAM
· Storage: 1TB SSD + 2TB HDD
· Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 (24 GB)

Summary

HP has a gaming PC for every player, from basic casual-friendly devices to high-end workhorses with industry-leading hardware. Once you’ve worked out your budget and requirements, take another look at our top entry-level, mid-range, and premium gaming PCs. With some digging, you’ll find the perfect rig to match your preferences at the right price point.

About the Author

Harry Stewart is a Tech Takes contributor covering everything from how-to guides to laptop reviews.

Disclosure: Our site may get a share of revenue from the sale of the products featured on this page.

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