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Building a new PC or buying a pre-built one in 2026 is a bit more expensive than it was a couple of years ago. If you search on Amazon for PCs under $1000 right now, you'll be met with low-spec machines from brands you've never heard of. The RAM shortage in 2026 has bumped up the prices of various gadgets, and PCs are no different. As a result, gaming PCs under $1000 don't offer the same value anymore, but you can still get a pretty reasonable PC for around $1500.

Pre-builts are a particularly good option right now, as sourcing parts on your own is expensive and difficult these days. If your primary concern is gaming at 1080p, or even at 1440p for less graphically intensive games, there are great pre-built PCs out there that can deliver good frame rates in the latest games. This list rounds up six strong gaming PCs that balance price, performance, thermals, and future-proofing.

For $1,499.99, the Alienware Aurora Gaming Desktop (ACT1250) is a solid mid-range gaming PC with reasonable specs. This PC comes with an Intel Core Ultra 7 265F CPU, 16GB of DDR5 running at 5200 MT/s, an RTX 5060 Ti 8GB graphics card, and a 1TB SSD. While the 8GB RTX 5060 Ti is slightly limited in the VRAM department (16GB provides for higher resolutions), it still comfortably manages gaming at 1080p. If you use Multi Frame Generation, you'll also get decent performance at 1440p in a lot of games.

The Intel Core Ultra 265F pairs nicely with the graphics card, as Alienware pairs the same CPU with an RTX 5070 in a different configuration, where it still manages to keep up. In TechPowerUp's review, the 5060 Ti managed 107 FPS on average at 1080p across a wide variety of games, so you can expect performance in the same ballpark.

All these components sit inside a custom Alienware case, which features RGB lighting and an Alienware badge at the front. It features a glass side panel that lets you peer into the PC. Although it comes with a basic CPU air cooler, the 265F does not draw much power, so it is adequate. The only real knock here is the 500W power supply. While it's enough for the current configuration, upgrading to more power-hungry GPUs in the future may be difficult with only 500W of power available.

The iBuyPower RDY Scale is an all-AMD gaming PC, and it features the excellent pairing of the Ryzen 5 9600F CPU and the Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB graphics card. The RX 9060 XT 8GB rivals the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 (8GB) in a lot of games, and the 9500F delivers performance that's very close to the 9600X. With the 9060 XT averaging over 60FPS at high settings in a wide variety of games (at 1080p), you should have a very comfortable gaming experience overall.

As for the rest of the internals, you get 16GB of DDR5 RAM running at 5200 MT/s, a 1TB NVMe SSD, an RGB-enabled air cooler, and a 600W power supply. Much like other PCs in this same price bracket, the power supply is enough for the current configuration, but 600 watts will still limit GPU upgrades. The best part about the RDY Scale R03 is that it comes with a mesh front panel and four RGB fans. It both looks and runs cool. It's a bit cheaper than the competitors like the Alienware Aurora, but then again, the 9060 XT is slower than the RTX 5060 Ti.

As this PC is built around AMD's AM5 socket, CPU upgrades will be easy, as you won't need a new motherboard for several years. If you end up buying this one, remember to enable Resizable BAR to get the most out of your PC.

The CyberPowerPC Gamer Master is a capable mid-range gaming PC, and it differentiates itself from the competition by offering an 850W power supply. This will allow you to comfortably upgrade the graphics card in the future, as 850W is enough for even the RTX 5080. It's also very generous for the current configuration: a Ryzen 5 8400F CPU, GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD.

The caveat here is that compared to similar PCs from iBuyPower and Alienware, the Gamer Master is equipped with a weaker CPU. AMD's Ryzen 5 8400F is weaker than AMD's own CPUs around the same price, but it can still handle gaming at 1080p in games like Cyberpunk 2077 without many issues. Of course, the 5060 Ti will be pulling much of the weight here, as it's highly capable at 1080p gaming.

The Gamer Master is equipped with a custom CyberPowerPC Prism case, which features a tempered glass side panel and three pre-installed RGB fans. It also comes with a custom CyberPower air cooler with RGB lighting.

The MSI Codex R2 is a relatively cheap PC that makes the right compromises. At $1249 at the time of writing, it's below our $1500 ceiling. Instead of the latest AMD or Intel CPUs, MSI is using an Intel Core i5 14400F in this configuration. While it lags behind AMD CPUs in the same price bracket, it still has good efficiency and gaming performance. Similarly, the RTX 5060 8GB is no doubt slower than the 5060 Ti and 9060 XT in slightly more expensive PCs, but it still manages well over 60 FPS in many games at 1080p.

For the rest of the components, you're looking at 16GB of DDR5 RAM running at 6000 MT/s, a 650W power supply, and a 1TB SSD. The Codex R2 comes with a custom MSI-branded case with subtle RGB lighting, four RGB fans, and a spacious interior. It also features an LED button on top, allowing you to quickly turn off the RGB lighting if you don't fancy it. The 650W power supply is quite reasonable here, as it will allow you to upgrade the GPU to something like a GeForce RTX 5070 or Radeon RX 9070.

A gaming PC around $1000 is still possible, but stock will always remain an issue. Currently, the ASUS TUF Gaming T500 is available for $1279.99 on Amazon (32GB RAM) at the time of writing, but it was also available at around $1000 at one point at Best Buy (16GB RAM). The T500 is a decent gaming PC for 1080p, but it all depends on what price you can get for it when you actually want to buy it.

With that said, the 32GB RAM version on Amazon is still worth considering for the price, as RAM does not come cheap these days. If you do any sort of photo or video editing, the extra memory will prove its worth. One strange aspect about this PC is that it's using an Intel Core i5 13420H for the CPU, which is technically a laptop CPU. With the RTX 5060 8GB, it will deliver around 60 FPS in most games at 1080p, but upgrading the CPU is impossible, as it's using a smaller motherboard.

The benefit is the fact that the T500 has a reduced footprint. It's the perfect size for a home theater PC, as you should be able to find a spot for it in your living room with relative ease.

In terms of specs, the HP Omen 35L is very similar to a PC like the CyberPowerPC Game Master. However, it differs by having a smaller microATX form factor and a boxy metal-and-glass case with a mesh front panel. Inside, it features a Ryzen 5 8400F, an RTX 5060 with 8GB of memory, a 1TB SSD, and 16GB of DDR5 RAM running at 6000 MT/s. The graphics card is slower than the 5060 Ti 8GB seen in Game Master from CyberPower, but it still performs well for 1080p gaming.

With the Omen 35L, you get a 500W power supply. While this does suffice for the 8400F and the RTX 5060, you won't be able to upgrade to higher-end graphics cards without upgrading the power supply first. Despite the compact mid-tower case, the three included fans never get loud during load. If you buy the white version, you get a white keyboard and mouse to match the case. This one is worth considering for the smaller footprint, as not everyone will have the room for a full ATX tower case.

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To create this list of the best gaming PCs under $1500 in 2026, we focused on systems that deliver strong 1080p (and in some cases light 1440p) gaming performance while offering decent future-proofing through modern platforms — including the use of DDR5 memory, PCIe Gen 4 SSDs, and recent CPUs and graphics cards. We prioritized machines with a good balance of CPU and GPU performance, at least 16GB of DDR5 RAM, 1TB SSD storage, and power supplies reliable enough to support the rig in the long-term. It was also important that each PC had a case with good airflow and easy access to parts for upgrading.

All PCs were evaluated based on current pricing under or very close to $1500, real-world review performance, build quality, thermals, and upgrade potential. The roundup cross-references expert reviews and component benchmarks to ensure each recommendation offers strong value. And while Mini PCs are increasingly getting better, we strictly stuck to traditional desktop towers due to easier upgrade options.