A whole new generation of new PC hardware is just around the corner. We've got new CPUs and GPUs on the way very soon from both AMD and Intel, as well as NVIDIA's purportedly-power-thirsty next GPU generation. For the more frugal folks in our audience, well, we probably don't need to tell you what that means: killer deals on outgoing current-generation hardware.
If you're hankering for some new (to you) hardware, we've dug through the dirt of Amazon's product listings to come up with a few solid deals on powerful gaming desktops and laptops. Take a look for yourself:
Skytech is a smaller US-based system builder who puts their PCs together just like you would, from the same parts you would use. The company will sell you a "Shiva" gaming desktop with a Ryzen 5 5600X, a GeForce RTX 3070, 16GB of DDR4 memory at 3200 MT/s, and a 1TB NVMe SSD, all wrapped up in a stylish NZXT case
for $1440.
If you'd prefer something a bit more potent, Alienware's Aurora R10 desktop upgrades the CPU to an eight-core Ryzen 7 5800, and replaces the GeForce RTX 3070 with a 10GB RTX 3080. This machine is liquid-cooled, so it's sure to be relatively quiet even under load, and it also comes with a custom chassis with that Alienware visual flair.
It's $1673, with free Prime shipping.
It wasn't that long ago that your author here would sneer at gaming laptops due to their poor performance and mediocre value proposition compared to gaming desktops. With advancements in process technology and hardware design over the last few years, that is no longer the case. Check out this GIGABYTE A5 K1 machine: a 15.6" laptop with a 240 Hz IPS LCD, an 8-core Ryzen 7 5800H CPU, and a GeForce RTX 3060 6GB GPU. It packs 16GB of RAM, a 1TB PCIe SSD, and it's yours for
just a grand.
Too rich for your blood? Step the CPU back to Zen 2, swap the GPU out for an RTX 3050 Ti, and enjoy a liquid-smooth 300 Hz IPS LCD
for just $900 with this ASUS ROG Strix G15. You won't find that kind of value in desktop machines.
If you're a member of (or would like to join) the Dragon Army, we've got two MSI models for you to muse. First up is this Pulse GL66: a 15.6" model with a 144 Hz display, a Core i7-11800H, a GeForce RTX 3070, and a completely slick black-and-red visual design. You can pick it up
for just $1299. The 12th-gen model is available for $1450, but they have the same specifications otherwise, so the gaming performance is likely to be near-identical.
Alternatively, you can take a small hit to both CPU and GPU performance with this Stealth 15M. Doing so nets you a significant size reduction, as well as Thunderbolt 4 ports for robust external connectivity. It's almost the same price as the Pulse above (
$1229), but on-the-go content creators will appreciate the trim dimensions and fast external ports.
Finally, if you've got some dosh to dole out on a surprisingly svelte desktop-replacement-class machine, check out this Alienware X15 R1. It's got a 360-Hz display and plenty of grunt to drive it, with an 8GB GeForce RTX 3070 hooked up to an eight-core Core i7-11800H. Naturally, you get all the other goodies you expect from a laptop like this, including 16GB of memory, a 1TB NVMe SSD, and Wi-Fi 6. It's marked down
to just $1890.
Did we miss any killer deals? Let us know in the comments if you find a fantastic price we overlooked.
