The Best Desktop Computer Deals This Week*
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- iBUYPOWER TraceMesh Ryzen 7 RTX 4060 1TB SSD Desktop — $949.99 (List Price $1,299.99)
- Lenovo Legion Tower 5i Intel i7 RTX 4070 Super 1TB Desktop — $1,655.99 (List Price $2,249.99)
*Deals are selected by our commerce team
Almost everyone needs a desktop PC, especially at work. Email, Twitter, chat apps, the web: All these technologies keep today's businesses humming. It might be tempting to buy a simple consumer PC from a big-box store like Best Buy or Walmart for your startup, but you'll be doing yourself and your customers a disservice if you do. Specialized business PCs have extra features that make them better suited to the office than the $300 sales-circular special.
For one, business desktops are built to last longer and are easier to service than consumer PCs. After all, the longer a business PC is down, the more money it costs you in lost earning time. Business PC makers may have specialized tech-support lines to help you troubleshoot your hardware meltdown or QuickBooks problem. At least you can add a service contract to your business PC so onsite support calls are handled by techs who respond in hours rather than in the days or weeks of most consumer tech-support turnaround.
Read on for our picks of the best business desktops for 2023 across a variety of categories, followed by a buying guide to assist your business PC shopping.
Table of Contents
Lenovo ThinkStation P360 Ultra
Best Compact Business Desktop for Power Users
Why We Picked It
This tiny Lenovo box is loaded with connectivity, clever design features, and (crucially) power potential. You can't argue with its compact size, and the beefy Intel Core i9-12900 processor and professional-grade Nvidia RTX A2000 GPU in our review unit delivered on the promise of workstation-class performance. Of course, larger systems can tackle even tougher tasks and have more room for expansion, but there's a lot to like in this small package.
Who It's For
If you seek space savings in the professional realm, you will enjoy this robust system. If raw power is your main concern, you can likely find a better fit elsewhere (HP's Z2 Mini G9 is our favorite compact workstation overall), but this ThinkStation has plenty going for it. Ports, storage, and performance—it's all here, and it fits on the smallest desk.
PROS
- Workstation performance in a small form factor design
- Easy internal access with clever slide-out design
- Generous port selection
CONS
- Limited upgrade options
- External power brick
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Desktop Class | Small Form Factor (SFF), Workstation |
| Processor | Intel Core i9-12900 |
| Processor Speed | |
| RAM (as Tested) | 32 GB |
| Boot Drive Type | SSD |
| Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) | 1 TB |
| Secondary Drive Type | |
| Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested) | |
| Optical Drive | |
| All-in-One Screen Size | |
| All-in-One Screen Native Resolution | |
| All-in-One Screen Type | |
| Graphics Card | Nvidia RTX A2000 |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Pro |
Apple Mac mini (2023, M2 Pro)
Best Mac Desktop for Business Power Users
Why We Picked It
The base-model Mac mini is a great value for business productivity if you work in a macOS-friendly environ, but a ticked-up M2 Pro model is a fine alternative if what you need is blistering power from a small Mac. Despite the classic, compact design, the M2 Pro chip delivers scorching desktop performance, plenty of ports, and support for advanced monitors. It's a fantastic deal, and a powerful Mac experience.
Who It's For
Mac shoppers seeking more power can copy our amped-up review configuration for a wonderfully effective package. You'll find two CPU options, but either delivers quick performance in a petite package for home-office productivity and creative apps in any kind of office.
PROS
- Classic Mac mini design
- Snappy performance in either configuration
- Extra Thunderbolt ports with M2 Pro model
- M2 Pro adds peak 8K-resolution, 240Hz-refresh-rate display options
CONS
- Memory and storage are not upgradable (and upticks at time of purchase are pricey)
- True value pricing only on lowest-end model
- No accessories or peripherals included
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Desktop Class | Small Form Factor (SFF) |
| Processor | Apple M2 Pro (12-core) |
| Processor Speed | |
| RAM (as Tested) | 16 GB |
| Boot Drive Type | SSD |
| Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) | 1 TB |
| Secondary Drive Type | |
| Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested) | |
| Optical Drive | |
| All-in-One Screen Size | |
| All-in-One Screen Native Resolution | |
| All-in-One Screen Type | |
| Graphics Card | Apple M2 Pro (19-core) |
| Operating System | Apple macOS Ventura |
MSI Pro DP21
Best Compact Business Desktop for Productivity Use
Why We Picked It
Alongside our picks for brute-force compact workstations, this MSI is a more modest space-saver. Starting at just $329, the Pro DP21 is excellent for general productivity use with Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, with a fast-enough Core i3 CPU, easy upgradability, and plenty of connectivity. A decent price gets you a small, peppy system for everyday work.
Who It's For
Value-oriented shoppers will find the Pro DP21 a space-saving bargain that's quick enough for everyday computing tasks. It can even be VESA-mounted on a wall, behind a monitor, or beneath a desk for those with a specific setup in mind. If you're on a tight budget but need an effective desktop for work, start your search here.
PROS
- Compact, VESA-mountable design
- Well-priced
- Peppy Core i3 processor
- Ample connectivity including Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth
- Easily upgradable
CONS
- Not the smallest mini PC
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Desktop Class | Business |
| Processor | Intel Core i3-12100 |
| Processor Speed | 3.3 GHz |
| RAM (as Tested) | 8 GB |
| Boot Drive Type | SSD |
| Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) | 256 GB |
| Secondary Drive Type | |
| Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested) | |
| Optical Drive | |
| All-in-One Screen Size | |
| All-in-One Screen Native Resolution | |
| All-in-One Screen Type | |
| Graphics Card | Intel UHD Graphics 730 |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Home |
Asus ExpertCenter PN52
A Solid Alternative to the MSI Pro DP21
Why We Picked It
A truly compact work-desktop alternative powered by mobile Ryzen silicon, the ExpertCenter PN52 affords easy access to its internals for upgrades. (The PN52 uses laptop-style SO-DIMMs, and you can expand the storage via one of two unoccupied M.2 slots and a 2.5-inch SATA drive bay.) It measures 4.7 by 5.1 inches square and less than 3 pounds, yet comes stacked with physical connections, and the performance of the Ryzen 7 chip in our review unit was a pleasant surprise. (You can opt for a Ryzen 5 or 9 instead.) This little machine can drive a whole brace of monitors, too, making it useful for digital signage or a spread of productivity monitors.
Who It's For
Space-constrained offices, home offices, or cube farms can all benefit from the ExpertCenter. You get a VESA mount in the box, to fasten the PC to the back of a compliant monitor and create a homebrew AIO desktop that's easier to upgrade than your typical AIO. Asus also bundles a keyboard and mouse in the box, so assuming you have a fleet of monitors on hand, you're ready to go right out of the box.
PROS
- Compact, port-packed design
- Robust mobile H-series Ryzen CPU
- Easy access to storage slots and bays
- Reasonable pricing
- Keyboard and mouse included
CONS
- No SD card slot
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Desktop Class | Small Form Factor (SFF) |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5800H |
| Processor Speed | 3.2 GHz |
| RAM (as Tested) | 16 GB |
| Boot Drive Type | SSD |
| Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) | 512 GB |
| Secondary Drive Type | |
| Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested) | |
| Optical Drive | |
| All-in-One Screen Size | |
| All-in-One Screen Native Resolution | |
| All-in-One Screen Type | |
| Graphics Card | Integrated AMD Radeon |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Pro |
HP EliteOne 870 G9
Best All-in-One Business Desktop
Why We Picked It
You won't find a huge swath of business-focused AIOs, but HP's EliteOne 870 G9 is the best in class right now. Its sharp professional design and quiet operation are an ideal fit for an office, while its excellent performance and clear webcam can produce what you need to work effectively. Its speakers are loud, and the base stand features wireless charging, as a bonus. A hearty collection of ports rounds out this well-balanced machine.
Who It's For
AIOs are not always the most cost-effective solution versus more traditional PCs, so from that perspective, you may consider towers and standalone monitors for fleet deployment. You can service the tower separately from the monitor, should one go bad, while everything is tied together here. If this design still makes more sense for your business, though, the included 1080p webcam is a big plus for home or office workers, as is the support for Windows Hello logins.
PROS
- Excellent, near-silent performance
- Sharp webcam
- Classy design
- Wireless charging in base stand
- Loud speakers
- Three-year warranty
CONS
- Screen could be brighter
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Desktop Class | All-in-one |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-13500 |
| Processor Speed | 2.5 GHz |
| RAM (as Tested) | 16 GB |
| Boot Drive Type | SSD |
| Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) | 512 GB |
| Secondary Drive Type | |
| Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested) | |
| Optical Drive | |
| All-in-One Screen Size | 27 inches |
| All-in-One Screen Native Resolution | 2560 by 1440 |
| All-in-One Screen Type | Touch Screen |
| Graphics Card | Intel UHD Graphics 770 |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Pro |
HP Z2 Tower G9
Best Mainstream Business Workstation
Why We Picked It
It's not difficult to pack a desktop workstation full of expensive parts and ship it at a high price for hardcore users, but providing a fair value to more mainstream (but still demanding) shoppers is a finer balancing act. HP's Z2 Tower G9 accomplishes that goal better than any rival tower at the moment, starting at a low price but scaling as high as you need. Configuring a powerful loadout that won't bust your budget is easily achievable, and no matter which parts you pick, you'll get an easily serviceable PC that runs quietly. Our $2,479 review configuration packed an Intel Core i7-12700K and an Nvidia RTX A4000 GPU for serious professional workloads.
Who It's For
With its wide-ranging scalability, the HP Z2 can be configured for most mainstream workstation users, which is part of its beauty. If you're buying a fleet of machines for business use it can scale as needed, though we do class the Z2 as more of an entry-level workstation so those seeking top-end power will need to go a tier beyond this system.
PROS
- Versatile performance
- Easy to service
- Quiet operation
- ISV certified
- Ample security features
CONS
- Doesn't offer liquid CPU cooling
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Desktop Class | Workstation |
| Processor | Intel Core i7-12700K |
| Processor Speed | 3.6 GHz |
| RAM (as Tested) | 64 GB |
| Boot Drive Type | SSD |
| Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) | 1 TB |
| Secondary Drive Type | |
| Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested) | |
| Optical Drive | |
| All-in-One Screen Size | |
| All-in-One Screen Native Resolution | |
| All-in-One Screen Type | |
| Graphics Card | Nvidia RTX A4000 |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Pro |
HP Z6 G5 A Workstation
Best High-End Business Workstation (Single-CPU)
Why We Picked It
This system represents the fastest traditional desktop workstation we've tested lately, pure and simple. While its Intel-based counterpart is perhaps a better deal overall when it comes to pricing structure, this chart-leading AMD version is a roaring performer. The Ryzen Threadripper Pro 7995WX chip and its 96 CPU cores made easy work of our benchmark tests, and performance is the chief concern in this category. It's not the only thing high-end pros need out of their workstation, though, and its easy serviceability and accessible internals are additional pluses. For whatever your workflow needs, you'll find a wide array of customization options, so long as your budget can match.
Who It's For
Workstations in this tier are strictly for those of you who need as much power as possible; our loaded test system rang up at an eye-watering $18,000. Needless to say, even strenuous everyday tasks don't call for remotely this much muscle, but the most demanding workflows—such as movie-grade CGI rendering, top-end 3D design, data science, and machine learning—in turn call for this much power to ensure quality results.
PROS
- Customization options aplenty
- Incredibly powerful Threadripper Pro (or Xeon) CPU options
- Easily serviceable and accessible internals
CONS
- Costly storage upgrades
- Space-demanding tower chassis
- Scaling is generally expensive
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Desktop Class | Workstation |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 7995WX |
| Processor Speed | 2.5 GHz |
| RAM (as Tested) | 128 GB |
| Boot Drive Type | SSD |
| Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) | 1 TB |
| Secondary Drive Type | SSD |
| Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested) | 1 TB |
| Optical Drive | |
| All-in-One Screen Size | |
| All-in-One Screen Native Resolution | |
| All-in-One Screen Type | |
| Graphics Card | Nvidia RTX A4000 |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Pro |
Dell Precision 7920 Tower (2020)
Best High-End Business Workstation (Dual-CPU)
Why We Picked It
If a single-processor powerhouse isn't enough for you, we hereby present the nuclear option. Dell's Precision 7920 Tower packs two Intel Xeon processors for mind-boggling performance potential (and unimaginable overkill for most PC uisers). If you're not convinced, consider the $23,289 price of our test system. You'll find countless configuration options, near-limitless expandability, and more processing threads than you can shake a stick at (48 per processor, to be exact). The 7920's power and potential is unmatched among systems we've tested.
Who It's For
Those of you in the market for this machine know who you are. This is the all-out dual-CPU pick for the most demanding professional workloads on Earth, rendering, animation, or dataset analysis where reducing wait and processing time makes a big-dollar difference.
PROS
- Sky-high performance potential.
- Countless configuration options.
- ISV certified.
- Highly serviceable and expandable.
- Standard three-year onsite warranty.
CONS
- Options quickly raise the price.
- Usefulness of dual processors depends on software.
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Desktop Class | Tower, Workstation |
| Processor | Dual Intel Xeon Platinum 8260 |
| Processor Speed | 2.4 GHz |
| RAM (as Tested) | 96 GB |
| Boot Drive Type | SSD |
| Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) | 512 GB |
| Secondary Drive Type | Hard Drive |
| Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested) | 4 TB |
| Optical Drive | DVD Writer |
| All-in-One Screen Size | |
| All-in-One Screen Native Resolution | |
| All-in-One Screen Type | |
| Graphics Card | Nvidia Quadro RTX 8000 |
| Operating System | Windows 10 for Workstations |
HP Z2 Mini G9
Best Compact Business Workstation
Why We Picked It
A miniature version of its mainstream counterpart, the HP Z2 Mini G9 packs a lot of luster into a fraction of the size. Naturally some raw performance is lost in translation, but our review model's Intel Core i9-12900K CPU and Nvidia RTX A2000 GPU still delivered plenty of power. The Z2 Mini G9 isn't cheap, but it's not out of line with many other professional workstations, and easily serviceable despite its size. A smart compact design, loads of connectivity, and serious muscle easily make it our top pick in this class.
Who It's For
If you want to save space but still need ample power for specialized professional applications, look no further. You'll find traditional systems dubbed minitowers, but they can't come close to the compactness of this workstation. Expandability is predictably limited, but if you have any reason to want a tiny workstation, this is the one to beat.
PROS
- Compact VESA-compatible design
- Impressive performance
- Easily serviceable, even the graphics card
- Ample connectivity
- Modular I/O ports
CONS
- Can get louder than expected
- External power brick
SPECS
| Name | Value |
|---|---|
| Desktop Class | Workstation |
| Processor | Intel Core i9-12900K |
| Processor Speed | 3.2 GHz |
| RAM (as Tested) | 64 GB |
| Boot Drive Type | SSD |
| Boot Drive Capacity (as Tested) | 1 TB |
| Secondary Drive Type | |
| Secondary Drive Capacity (as Tested) | |
| Optical Drive | |
| All-in-One Screen Size | |
| All-in-One Screen Native Resolution | |
| All-in-One Screen Type | |
| Graphics Card | Nvidia RTX A2000 |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Pro |
Assessing CPUs: Intel Core, Xeon, or AMD Ryzen?
Multicore processors, particularly in the Intel Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 lines, are the norm in business PCs. Celeron and Pentium CPUs are found in lower-priced desktops and use technology trickled down from the higher-end Intel Core processor line, but we'd look to the higher-spec Core chips instead of these.
Consider buying a more powerful processor if you're concerned about keeping your system for a lengthy useful life. Faster CPUs are a must for today's attention-challenged, multitasking PC users. Core i7, Core i9, or Intel's workstation-oriented Xeon CPUs are prime options for users like graphic artists, hardcore number crunchers, and other gearheads who stress over the speed of their PCs.
Much less common among business machines, but also viable options, are desktops based on AMD's Ryzen, Ryzen Pro, and Threadripper CPUs. (See our guide to today's desktop processors.)
As for memory, insist on at least 8GB of RAM. In general, the more memory you can get the better, especially for people who work in graphic design and web development—they will need no less than 16GB. More memory lets you do two things: open up more programs and windows at a time and perform multimedia processes (like editing photos) faster. Anything less than 8GB is suitable only for an occasional-use desktop that won't be tasked with running more than one program at a time.
Storage: Solid-State Drive Over Hard Drives
You'll always see exceptions, but business PCs often require less storage than consumer PCs, since you're less likely to use them to sync your iPhone or to house your personal video and photo collections. Unless you're a professional content creator, many of the day-to-day files you or your users access will tend to be housed on common servers, and business folks may well spend much of their time in cloud services for key operations.
Even so, since storage is so inexpensive these days, you might be tempted to think that a hard drive with around 500GB of space strikes a decent balance between economy and space. (Unlike in consumer PCs, hard drives are still an option in a few business desktop configurations.) Frankly, 128GB of available storage could be enough for just about all the PowerPoint, Word, and Excel documents you use on a daily basis, especially if your office uses a network to house (and thus back up) files. And that leads us to why you should opt for a solid-state boot drive instead, in most cases.
Compared with traditional hard drives, solid-state drives (SSDs) deliver less capacity per dollar. But an SSD-only system will boot and launch programs much quicker than a hard drive, almost as quickly as your phone does. A 256GB SSD should be sufficient for office workers' needs today and for the near future, even if it costs a little more than a machine with a traditional hard drive.
Larger SSDs, 512GB or 1TB in capacity, are speedy options for power users, but these upgrades will boost your per-unit purchase price. That said, a small-capacity SSD is far preferable to a large, slower hard drive whose capacity your office users will never fill.
Optical disc drives are less critical for consumer PCs these days, but a DVD burner still may be a useful addition to a small-business PC. You may need it to burn copies of projects for your clients, or to read the occasional recordable CD or DVD that's either sent by a supplier or customer or that contains important records or files from years back.
Most PCs don't come with these drives anymore, but watch for models that include them if you need them. It will probably be a checkbox item, not standard.
Business Desktop Graphics: The Basics Usually Suffice
Most business PCs come with an integrated graphics processor (IGP)—that is, they rely on the video capabilities built into the central processor. Most of the time, integrated graphics will be just fine, since you won't be playing games on your work desktop. You can spot an IGP solution in an Intel-based system by the names HD or UHD Graphics, Iris Plus Graphics, or Iris Xe Graphics.
Most workers who require a PC with a discrete or dedicated graphics processor or card need it for specialized tasks, such as GPU acceleration in a content creation app or 3D graphics visualization for architectural drawings, or for displaying to more than two or three monitors. Ultra-small or ultra-slim desktop PCs will likely have only integrated graphics and no expansion card slots. These systems are best suited to general productivity tasks (i.e., most business work).
Check out our guide to the best graphics cards for much more on assessing discrete graphics.
Business Desktop Expansion: Slots and Bays
Most minitower and some small-form-factor (SFF) budget desktops will have a measure of expansion. You'll find space for at least one extra internal hard or solid-state drive, a PCI Express (PCIe) x16 graphics card slot, a selection of PCIe x1 expansion slots, perhaps a legacy PCI slot or two, and maybe space for a second optical drive or other "big bay" device (seldom needed nowadays). You may also find extra DIMM slots, which will let you upgrade your memory later.
Nowadays, most desktop PCs have motherboard slots for what are called M.2 drives, small stick-of-gum SSDs (or sometimes Wi-Fi cards) that let you mount a drive straight onto the board. (See our guide to the best M.2 SSDs.) Usually in a prebuilt business PC the M.2 slot is occupied by the boot drive, but some systems may have an extra slot.
Eventual upgrades in a business PC are likely to be modest, however, by tendency and necessity. Why the latter? The 125-to-350-watt power supplies typical in these PCs won't be able to power more than a low-end graphics card. Memory or storage upgrades will have only a trivial effect on power consumption, so this is not a concern if you're adding those kinds of hardware.
All-in-One Business Desktops: Space Savers
Don't need multiple hard drives or dedicated graphics cards for your users? Consider deploying all-in-ones instead of traditional tower PCs. All-in-one desktops have the benefit of a built-in screen without the theft and travel breakage risks that business laptops face every day. While many come with high-performance processors (such as Intel's Core i5 or Core i7) for demanding users, you'll find models available with energy-saving processors for everyone else. Some all-in-ones use Intel's power-thrifty mobile processors (with U or G suffixes) built for laptop PCs.
If you choose an all-in-one PC with DisplayPort or HDMI inputs, the screen will still be usable even after the internal CPU and storage become obsolete. Touch screens are useful for certain applications (kiosk, point of sale, and information retrieval come to mind), and the all-in-one form factor lends itself to touch-screen computing. Touch is not yet as essential (nor remotely as common) on desktop PCs as it is on tablets and laptops, but if you're launching touch-optimized apps on Windows, you'll probably want to go with an all-in-one desktop PC that offers touch support.
Mini PCs and Sticks: Bringing It Really Small
Most mini PCs run on the same basic components as laptops: low-power processors, non-upgradable integrated graphics, 4GB or 8GB of RAM, smaller hard drives or flash storage, no optical drives, and Windows or Linux—assuming it has an operating system at all.
They're built to surf the web, run productivity apps, and perform other light computing duties. Unlike larger systems, mini PCs have almost no capacity for internal expansion. This means they're best suited for applications where they can sit unattended in a locked cabinet or behind a screen, serving as point-of-sale terminals in a retail environment, for digital signage, or in kiosk use.
We wouldn't recommend running a business on a mini PC, unless you just need an email terminal and are planning to buy a whole new system in a year or two. The extra speed and upgradability of a larger desktop PC will pay off if you ever have to recalculate a spreadsheet in the 10 minutes before the client arrives, or quickly retouch a photo or document layout.
The most portable type of computer that still technically counts as a desktop is the "stick PC." It's exactly what it sounds like: a computer in a tiny, skinny form factor that's easy to carry with you anywhere. These work by taking advantage of the HDMI input ports that are built into almost every modern monitor and TV set by turning that screen into your display. Just plug the stick PC into one of those ports, connect the power cable, add a keyboard and mouse, and you're raring to go.
You'll be extremely limited in terms of output ports (the stick only has so much space, after all), and you won't get a lot of storage (usually only about 32GB to 64GB). But if you're a frequent business traveler, especially one who makes a lot of presentations, a stick PC can be a handy supplement to your laptop. Or you can use it around the office to power a common-area big-screen display, such as in the break room or reception area, with content you simply can't serve from a smart TV. (See a guide to all of our favorite mini PCs.)
Which IT-Friendly Features to Look For?
The more corporate-oriented a PC is, the more likely it will have security features (like Kensington or Noble lock cable security ports, TPM, and vPro); easy-to-access, IT-friendly components; and remote desktop management tools. You'll need these features only if you're a rapidly growing business or already have more than a dozen employees.
Once a business expands beyond half a dozen workers with PCs, it will likely need a dedicated IT staffer or subcontractor and PCs with corporate IT manageability features to make deployment and troubleshooting easier. If you run a startup or small partnership with just a few staff members, then buying a budget business PC is fine—just be prepared to face longer waits on tech-support phone lines when things go wrong. With a small-business desktop, you usually have access to dedicated sales and technical support personnel who can help you tailor your purchase and support to your business' needs.
Beware Bloatware
Often one of the reasons a PC is inexpensive is that, as with broadcast TV and "free" cell phones, some other entity is subsidizing the price. Bloatware consists of all those trial software applications that are designed to tempt you into buying programs that didn't come with your PC. (It's worth noting that Macs don't have this issue.) It can be hard to remove bloatware completely from your system, and leaving it in place can even compromise performance. Although many desktops come with some bloatware, manufacturers tend to put more of it into lower-end consumer models.
Fortunately, PCs targeted specifically at business usually have minimal bloatware. On Windows desktops, a trial version of Microsoft 365 or Office is almost always included, but in a small-business context that can be a good thing. You can upgrade to a fully functional version with all the suite apps including Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint simply by clicking a link and entering your credit-card number.
You usually get an antivirus suite, as well, but be wary of trial packages that stop updating after 30 to 90 days. You don't want to get a virus on the PC you depend on to make a living. Again, this is one case where you might consider upgrading to the full version of the software over the internet (assuming your company doesn't have its own antimalware strategy, of course).
Assessing Warranties, and Future-Proofing
For consumer electronics, most experts recommend avoiding extended warranties, but for a business PC, an extended warranty can mean the difference between getting your work done or being forced to close shop early. Most business PCs come with a one-, three-, or five-year warranty. Usually this means that you tell the PC manufacturer what's wrong, and they'll either ship you a replacement part or send over a repair tech in a timely manner (say, within 24 to 36 hours during the work week).
If you need a faster response, you can buy warranties from some manufacturers for eight- or two-hour response or even onsite on-call help depending on your needs. Other options include "keep-your-drive" plans so your data never leaves your premises, accidental damage protection, data recovery, and even end-of-life data destruction services. These all come at an added cost, but like any insurance, whether such options are worth it depends on what you need to protect.
These days, it may be tempting to grab the cheapest system you can find and call it your business PC, but don't do it. Keep in mind that what you buy must last at least as long as it takes for you to amortize the capital investment (usually three to five years, but the exact length depends on your company's accounting practices). Paying a little extra for more power or capabilities now will save you headaches down the road. The added value of a longer warranty, specialized tech support, and/or the elimination of bloatware are among the extra benefits you may get.
So, Which Business Desktop Should I Buy?
We refresh this list often to include the newest systems, but because of the large number of desktops we review every year, not every top-rated product makes the cut. For now, our top picks are below. If your employees need portability, also check out our top picks for business laptops.
Need to add peripherals to your work space? We've also rounded up the best business monitors we've tested, along with our favorite keyboards and printers.
