Alienware Alpha R2 review
The initial Alienware Alpha impressed by packing gaming hardware into a tiny box, but left much to be desired. Now the dry run is over, and the revised version of the compact gaming PC is ready to prove there’s still air left in the Alpha’s tires.
Acer Predator G1 review
Sitting on a desk, the G1 cuts a slim figure with gaming written all over it -- but inside, things aren’t as they seem. Acer has made some compromises in search of a smaller footprint.
Lenovo Ideacentre Y900 review
Lenovo’s mid-tower gaming desktop isn’t flashy, and many aspects of its design follow conventional rules. But the system’s attention to detail, and awesome performance, put it a cut above most.
Cybertron CLX Ra review
Cybertron PC’s new CLX Ra gaming desktop can’t escape some notable missteps that are strong points for its competitors. Can it compensate by saving you some cash?
Digital Storm Velox (Kaby Lake) review
Digital Storm’s Velox is the first desktop to reach us with Intel’s Core i7-7700K processor, the latest in enthusiast-grade computing. Better still, Digital Storm has overclocked the snot out of it, hitting a stable 5GHz in the configuration we received. That’s the highest clock speed of any PC we’ve ever reviewed. It’s easy to fixate […]
MSI Trident 3 review
With fast components and compact design, the Trident 3 has a lot to offer, but it’s MSI’s system to screw up. Can the popular system builder avoid its previous pitfalls?
AVADirect Avant Midsize Gaming Desktop review
The AVADirect Avant promises high-end power on a mid-range budget, but does its off-the-peg pedigree hold it back against more carefully crafted machines?
Alienware Area 51 (2017): Our first take
Alienware will soon release an update to its veteran Area 51 desktop that adds support for AMD Threadripper and Intel Core X processors. Don’t let the looks fool you. Practical, clever design hides beneath the boisterous case.
Origin Neuron review
As our Origin Neuron review shows, the right builder and the right case can elevate off-the-shelf parts into an amazing gaming desktop.
Velocity Micro Raptor M60 Gaming Desktop Review
With off-the-shelf components, and a mid-range price tag, the Velocity Micro M60 faces stiff competition from both ends of the price spectrum.
Asus ROG Strix GD30CI gaming desktop review
Our Asus ROG Strix GD30CI review reveals a PC with plenty of performance, but there’s more to it than the right GPU. The Asus GD30CI falls behind on details
Dell Inspiron 27 7000 (2017) review
Our Dell Inspiron 27 7000 review unit, powered by AMD’s new Ryzen processor, should interest you.
Asus G11DF gaming desktop review
Inexpensive PC gaming used to mean bad PC gaming, but not anymore. Our Asus G11DF review shows just how far you can get on a shoestring budget.
Origin Millennium gaming desktop review
Origin has made some of our favorite high-end gaming rigs in the past. Let’s find out if the 2018 Origin Millennium puts another feather in its cap.
Intel ‘Hades Canyon’ NUC hands-on review
The first version, Skull Canyon, faltered at the starting line, but this year Intel is back with AMD Radeon RX Vega M graphics. Find out more in our hands-on.
Maingear F131 hands-on review
If you want a custom gaming rig, you probably want it to look special – and Maingear’s F131 might catch your eye. We went hands-on.
Intel Hades Canyon NUC8i7HVK
The latest NUC, or Next Unit of Computing, from Intel’s lab once gain tries to make headway in the always competitive, and skeptical, world of PC gaming. Skull Canyon, the company’s last effort, was less than perfect – but the new backs up its cutting-edge Intel processor with AMD Radeon Vega graphics.
Dell Inspiron 5680 Gaming Desktop review
If you aren't interested in building your computer, PC gaming can get expensive, but not so with the Dell Inspiron 5680 Gaming Desktop. Starting at just $600, it provides nearly everything you’d want in a cheap gaming PC. It has enough power to play modern games at reasonable framerates without breaking the bank.
Falcon Northwest Tiki 2018 review
The original Falcon Northwest Tiki was one of our all-time favorite gaming PCs. We loved its compact form factor, powerful internals, and unique exterior design. That means the 2018 model has some big shoes to fill, let’s see how it stacks up to the latest and greatest gaming rigs.
Lenovo Legion C730 Cube review
Though the Legion C730 Cube may look like a cooler with its carry handle, and it does a good job keeping its “six pack” -- in the form of Intel’s hexa-core Core i7 CPU – cool, Lenovo designed this desktop for you to take to your next LAN party. With AMD or Nvidia graphics options, the C730 is also a VR-ready system.
Microsoft Surface Studio 2 review
Most creative pros are Apple users, but with the Surface Studio 2, Microsoft makes a serious attempt to win them over. There aren't a lot of new features on the outside, but the internal updates are significant. Despite its niche appeal, you’ll wish you had a few grand to drop on this beauty.
Intel ‘Bean Canyon’ NUC Review
Intel’s Next Unit of Computing, or NUC, offers tiny desktops with performance that keeps up with much larger systems, and they’re even affordable. But there’s a catch. You must install your own RAM and hard drive. Our Intel NUC ‘Bean Canyon’ review considers whether it’s worth the trouble.
Origin Chronos (2019) review
The Chronos is Origin’s smallest PC, but while it occupies less space than most A/V receivers, it delivers the power of a much larger desktop. Its dull exterior design does the system a disservice. Once you turn it on, you won’t be bored. Our Origin Chronos Review tests the desktop in multiple benchmarks and games.
HP Omen Obelisk review
Equipped with Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 2080 graphics in an attractive desktop tower with internal space for future upgrades, HP’s compact Omen Obelisk is a competitively priced mainstream gaming desktop with enough power to appeal to enthusiasts who don’t want to build their own rigs.
Origin Millennium (2019) review
The massive Origin Millennium gaming PC is a flagship desktop with serious hardware and a price tag to match. It’s no bargain, but its quality and handsome design make a gaming battlestation you’ll want to own. Check out our Origin Millennium desktop review to learn more.
Digital Storm Lynx review
Digital Storm’s Lynx provides an excellent alternative to gamers who don’t want to build their own gaming PCs. Equipped with powerful hardware, support for ray tracing, and the space to house up to two graphics cards, the Lynx is a PC that’s capable of growing with your needs.
Asus ProArt PA90 review
Because of its compact size, the Asus ProArt PA90 makes use of an innovative motorized lid design to keep its liquid-cooled 9th-gen Intel Core i9 processor and Nvidia Quadro graphics inside cool. But this isn’t just a design gimmick – the ProArt PA90 is a very capable workstation designed for creatives.
Acer Predator Orion 3000 review
Acer’s Predator Orion 3000 delivers the kind of gaming performance that’s more typical of larger desktop towers. Equipped with Intel’s 9th-Gen processor and Nvidia’s RTX 2080 graphics, the Orion 3000 delivers solid gaming performance in a compact and stylish case design.
Hands on: Alienware Area-51 (2014 edition)
The otherworldly Alienware Area 51 combines eye-grabbing looks with practical design, and supremely powerful hardware options.
Hands on: Tango PC
The Tango PC is a truly pocket-able desktop computer, but does it deserve a place in your bag (and your life)?
Hands on: HP enters the supersized tablet fray with the Envy Rove 20
The world of giant Windows 8 tablets just got bigger with the introduction of the HP Envy Rove, a 20-inch all-in-one PC set to go on sale in July.
Dell’s new Inspiron computers focus on family entertainment
Yesterday, Dell released the new Inspiron One and Inspiron Zino HD desktops. The Inspiron One offers Stage, a new Dell-designed interface which, delivers one-touch access to music, photos, videos and more.
Senior Editor, Computing
Luke Larsen is a Senior Editor at Digital Trends and manages all content covering laptops, Macs, monitors, PC hardware, and peripherals. Around here we call it “computing,” but here’s a good rule of thumb: If it’s a computer or something that plugs into a computer, you found your guy. Oh, and these days, AI too. So much AI.
After getting a degree in music from the University of Oregon, Luke started his career in media hoping to get into music journalism. But when the opportunity arose, he landed in tech and hasn’t looked back since. He has over a decade of tech journalism experience, first joining Digital Trends in 2017 as a native Portlander, happy to join a tech media company that called his city home. Before working at DT, he worked as Tech Editor at Paste Magazine for over four years and has bylines at publications such as IGN, TouchArcade (RIP), and The Oregonian.
In his years at Digital Trends so far, Luke has covered high-profile industry events such as CES, IFA, and Microsoft Build, delivering on-the-ground coverage, breaking news, and first-hand reporting. He’s hosted countless YouTube videos, made podcast appearances, and written over 600 articles.
Some of his earliest tech memories include learning HTML through his MySpace account and trying to play Baldur’s Gate II on his parents’ dusty old beige box. These days, his obsession with technology is in telling stories with tech — in finding the narratives that ebb and flow through both technological advancement and product design, trickling right on down to our day-to-day experience of it. He is convinced that we all spend too much of our time using technology and not enough time thinking about it — cue a healthy dose of navel-gazing and philosophizing.
When he’s not endlessly debating what the best laptop is, Luke spends his days being a dad and a husband. Oh, and when there’s time (which there isn’t), he’s an avid fiction writer, player of designer board games, and still occasionally makes some music.