Best desktop PC 2017: The BEST Windows 10 PC

2016 has come to a close and what a year it's been. With fancy new graphics cards such as Nvidia's GTX 10-Series chips and Skylake processors starting to show up, now is a perfect time to pick up a desktop PC. Here are the best Windows 10 desktops PCs you can buy in 2017.

Find out the best Windows 10 laptops you can buy this year

Each year Expert Reviews sees hundreds of desktop PCs pass through our doors, all so we can help you decide which is best for you. We can sort out the naff from best, so you get the best value for money. Our best desktop PC guide contains all of our award winners, as well as lets you know some handy tips and tricks when buying you PC in-store and online.
That being said, here are the best Windows 10 desktop PCs you can buy in 2017 as well as our useful buying guide.

Best Windows 10 desktop PC: Buying guide

A PC's processor defines how well it handles the most basic of tasks. The faster your processor, the snappier the operating system will feel and the faster you'll be able to perform complex tasks such as photo and video editing. The more cores a processor has, the better it will be at performing multiple tasks at the same time without feeling the strain. It'll also dramatically improve performance in programs that support multiple cores.

Whatever you're using your PC for, you'll want somewhere to store all your data. The ideal scenario will see you having your operating system installed on an SSD, which provide super-quick read and write speeds making your computer feel more responsive. SSDs can be pricey when it comes to capacity, however, so it's best to pair these with a secondary hard disk where you can store your media and documents.

PC Case and PSU

If your PC is a long term investment that you want to upgrade in the future, you should carefully inspect both the case and the motherboard. Some smaller cases don't leave much room for big graphics cards and don't have many extra bays for hard disks or optical drives.

The motherboard might not have enough spare ports for extra components. Look out for PCI-E slots if you want to install an extra graphics card or wireless adapter, and check how many SATA ports are free if you're planning on investing in extra storage. If you're installing high-performance storage such as an SSD, you'll need to make sure there are spare SATA3 ports, as slower SATA2 ports won't be able to take advantage of the higher speeds offered by solid-state storage.

Display

If you're starting from scratch with a brand-new PC,  you shouldn't settle for a poor monitor. There are many quality screens available at extremely competitive prices. All the monitors in this test measure at least 23 inches diagonally, with some stretching to 24 inches. We look at colour coverage, accuracy and contrast levels, and you should also pay attention to the what screen technology a monitor is using.

IPS panels offer the richest and most vibrant experience, but they are more expensive. TN panels, meanwhile, vary wildly in quality and are typically cheaper than IPS screens. They have fast response times but the cheapest of them have narrow viewing angles and disappointing colour coverage.

Windows 10

Until the end of July 2016, any PC running a legitimate copy of Windows 7, 8 or 8.1 was eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 10, Microsoft's latest operating system, but that window has now passed. Pretty much every system listed here will ship with Windows 10 pre-installed (we reviewed some of them with Windows 8.1 installed), but depending on how old the stock is, you may sometimes find yourself with a Windows 8.1 or older PC instead.

Now that you've missed the cut-off date to upgrade to Windows 10, you'll either have to fork out for a standalone copy priced at £84 for Home or £150 for Pro. Obviously at that price, you might be better just sticking it out and waiting for your next PC upgrade. Some of the custom PC builders listed here will also supply your PC with Windows 7 or 8.1 if you'd prefer; this is something you have to choose during the customisation process.