LAS VEGAS—With giant TVs, triple-folding phones, slim laptops, and robots galore hogging up all the attention, it’s easy to overlook the bazaar of desktop-PC gear that flies under the radar at CES. Fresh and flashy desktops, graphics cards, processors, and other PC components had a banner year at 2026’s show.
Below, you’ll find a modern mini PC design that draws inspiration from the 1980s, some clever all-in-one PCs, a wildly powerful new version of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, and more to sate your appetite for new bits for your battlestation. These are the best desktops and PC components we found at CES 2026.
Best Productivity Desktop
HP EliteBoard G1a
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
One of the more surprising desktop designs of the past several years is actually a way-back throwback, reviving a PC form factor we haven’t seen much of in decades: the keyboard computer. HP’s EliteBoard G1a utilizes mini PC hardware and build techniques to revive the keyboard PC, incorporating an entire desktop into a thin, portable keyboard, akin to a super-slim Commodore 64 or VIC-20. The keyboard comes in either hardwired or battery-powered varieties, and beneath the keys are AMD’s Ryzen AI 300-series processors, up to 64GB of memory, and as much as 2TB of storage. An effective and comfortable keyboard in its own right, the EliteBoard’s approach to work desktops could start a trend, depending on how it performs. (See our hands on with the HP EliteBoard G1a.) —Joe Osborne
Best AIO Desktop
Lenovo Yoga AIO i Aura Edition
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Lenovo’s Yoga AIO i Aura Edition is the company’s newest high-end all-in-one PC, designed for professional and home creatives. It stands out for its Intel “Panther Lake” CPU, as well as its shiny, premium LED-lit transparent bar that serves as the front stand. This AIO features a 31.5-inch 4K (2160p) OLED display with a 165Hz refresh rate, which is a sweet mix for virtually any type of user. Lenovo tops it off with a high-end Intel Core Ultra X7 processor, 32GB of memory, and up to 2TB of storage. The flashy light bar can display flashing or glowing lights that sync up with what’s shown on the screen (for added immersion with your movies or games), or it can serve as a notification system that you cannot miss. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more premium AIO this year. (See our hands on with the Lenovo Yoga AIO i.) —Joe Osborne
Best Gaming Desktop
Asus ROG G1000
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
This is no gaming system for the faint of heart. It’s a massive tower with plenty of RGB flair. The Asus ROG G1000’s marquee feature, though, goes way beyond mere RGB: the ROG AniMe Holo technology behind its side and front glass panels is a desktop-tower first. AniMe Holo consists of fast-spinning LED light bars mounted to the inside of each glass panel; as they rotate, they issue a hologram-in-motion effect under the glass. You can program these fashionable features to display anything you wish, whether that’s still images or moving content such as videos or GIFs. It’s a cool effect, and it stands apart in a world of generic RGB-laden gear. The rig’s three-zone cooling system, with a massive 420mm CPU-cooler radiator, is also a standout. We can’t wait to see what this power tower can do in a full review, and watch it dance. (See our hands on with the Asus ROG G1000.) —Joe Osborne
Best Business Desktop
Lenovo ThinkCentre X AIO Aura Edition
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
This desktop, tailor-made for specific types of productivity work, is the cleverest business PC we saw showcased at CES 2026. Lenovo’s ThinkCentre X AIO Aura Edition makes a major impact with its display: a 27.6-inch screen with a unique 16:18 aspect ratio. This near-square panel is particularly effective for working with giant spreadsheets or vertically oriented content, such as coding environments and reviewing documents side by side. The resolution is a super-sharp 2,560 by 2,880 pixels, and the screen has a helpful Share Zone feature. With it, you can divide the panel, separating what you see between the AIO’s own system and a connected laptop. For being a rare square while thinking of just about everything, this ThinkCentre earned this spot. (See our hands on with the Lenovo ThinkCentre X AIO Aura Edition.) —Joe Osborne
Best Graphics Card
MSI GeForce RTX 5090 32G Lightning Z
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Designed to push overclocked graphics workloads at up to 1,000 watts, the MSI GeForce RTX 5090 32G Lightning Z is one of the most overpowered graphics cards we’ve ever seen. In addition to robust power hardware (a 40-phase power delivery system!), this card also features a separately mounted liquid cooling system with a 360mm radiator and a heavy copper water block that gives it exceptional thermal management, especially compared with the air cooler Nvidia uses on its RTX 5090 Founders Edition. The actual card comes with a riser cable for vertical mounting and has a large 8-inch screen that covers the front of the card for displaying PC vital stats or custom animations. While this card will be pure gluttony for most gamers, it’s poised to be one of the best options for overclockers looking to push an RTX 5090 as far as it can go. Just know that you’ll need two Nvidia 16-pin power connectors, and at least a 1600W power supply. Not to mention: a pile of greenbacks. (It’s a limited edition of 1,300 pieces.) —Michael Justin Allen Sexton
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Best Processor
AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D
(Credit: John Burek)
The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D has been one of the most popular processors for gaming PCs over the last year, so AMD’s follow-up should be an instant success. The Ryzen 7 9850X3D is essentially the same CPU, with a modest-looking increase in clock speed, allowing it to outperform the 9800X3D by about 8% and slightly improve overall performance, according to AMD. We’ll need to thoroughly test the new 9850X3D to know how much more performance it delivers over the 9800X3D, and we still don’t know its price. But so long as it is well-positioned and shows some performance improvement, the 9850X3D is due to usurp the 9800X3D’s position as AMD’s fan-favorite gaming CPU. —Michael Justin Allen Sexton
Best Storage Product
Micron 3610
(Credit: Micron)
PCI Express 5 internal SSDs are renowned for their blistering throughput speeds, but until recently, they required bulky heatsinks, relegating them to high-end desktops and daring DIY builds. Improvements in energy efficiency have made Gen 5 drives more viable, and Micron will help further democratize them with its 3610, a DRAM-less PCIe 5 SSD with QLC NAND flash capable of sequential read speeds up to 11,000MBps and sequential write speeds up to 9,300MBps. The Micron 3610’s single-sided architecture even lets it fit in tight spaces. This is not an SSD that will be sold directly to consumers; you won’t see SSDs from Micron or its now-defunct retail brand, Crucial, in stores. Instead, it will be sold to system makers in capacities up to 4TB, for inclusion in their desktops and laptops with Gen 5 M.2 slots, putting the promise of PCI Express 5 speed into the hands of more consumers. (Learn more about the Micron 3610.) —Tony Hoffman
Recommended by Our Editors
Best Motherboard
Gigabyte X870E Aero X3D Wood
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Motherboard manufacturers try to make their products stand out in myriad ways, but Gigabyte opted for something we’ve never seen before with this one. The name’s no lie: The Gigabyte X870E Aero X3D Wood ships with a few pieces of timber carefully sculpted and set over the rear I/O panel and along its back edge. The rest of the motherboard has a pristine look, with a polished silver matte finish that complements the natural light tones of the wood. The X870E chipset serves the recent AMD Ryzen AM5 socket, and this board is made specially for owners of the company’s popular 3D V-Cache chips (like the upcoming Ryzen 7 9850X3D referenced above). Under the surface, this board supports a special boost function that works with AMD Ryzen X3D processors to accelerate game performance with AI’s on-the-fly help. —Michael Justin Allen Sexton
Best PC Case
Cyberpower MA-01
(Credit: John Burek)
Cyberpower is a rare entrant in the field of PC cases, but this thoughtful tower chassis looks like a home run from its feet to its top vent. Every square inch of the MA-01 interior is designed with intention. Instead of leaving its PC case fans exposed to view, they’re all housed behind panels that use air-directing slits to focus airflow intelligently while creating a subtle-looking glow inside the case. Additionally, three analog dials (“MA” stands for “Modern Analog”) located on the lower right corner of one side panel allow you to manually fine-tune the individual R, G, and B values for the case lighting, as well as switch lighting pulse patterns. Curved glass with a substantive surround frame and a nifty slide-in panel that covers the unused PCI Express slot positions express a superb attention to detail. The case comes in dark silver, beige, and black, and to “top” it off, you can get versions with the top vent covered by a superbly curved grille made of hard, shaped stainless steel wire, much like the steel mesh you see on high-end microphones. —John Burek
Best Power Product
Cooler Master GPU Shield Adapter Cable
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Over the last few years, reports of the Nvidia 12VHPWR GPU power connector failing in hardware-fatal ways left photos of burnt and melted cables littering social media. User error, or something else? Either way, Cooler Master hopes to mitigate this issue with its new GPU Shield Adapter Cable, which simply monitors the power flowing over the various wires of the 12VHPWR connection, warning you if it detects an issue. Since no one has come to a conclusive explanation for these fire-prone cables, Cooler Master clearly saw an opportunity to serve a concerned audience. While not widespread, there have been enough grumbling Reddit threads to make people worried. (After all, these cards are expensive!) Though not essential, Cooler Master’s GPU Shield Adapter Cable promises peace of mind if you own a high-end video card. —Michael Justin Allen Sexton
Best Cooling Product
Cooler Master V8 Ace 3DHP
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
Cooler Master’s new V8 Ace 3DHP is a large air cooler with a unique design that the company claims should enhance heat transfer by more than 30%, providing your CPU with improved cooling in the process. The cooler features four heat pipes utilizing a patented design, referred to by Cooler Master as “3DHP” heat pipes. The cooler also features two large fans with long-lasting bearings, and it boasts a solid-copper mounting plate to enhance heat transfer from the CPU. Cooler Master showed off two models of the V8 Ace 3DHP, in black and white, to fit different system build color schemes. —Michael Justin Allen Sexton
About Our Experts
Michael Justin Allen Sexton
Senior Writer, Hardware
Experience
I have been interested in science and technology for as long as I can remember, spurred on by a fondness for video games. I learned to work in Windows and manipulate files to get buggy games to work, and I learned to build and upgrade PCs for better performance.
In my role at PCMag for the past four years, I’ve deeply enjoyed the opportunity to share my knowledge and expertise. Before PCMag, I wrote for Tom’s Hardware for three years, where I covered tech news, deals, and wrote some hands-on reviews. After working as a PCMag contributor for a time reviewing desktops, PC cases, budget processors, and motherboards, I now focus on testing and reviewing processors and graphics cards and sharing my insights on the industry.
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Joe Osborne
Deputy Managing Editor, Hardware
Experience
After starting my career at PCMag as an intern more than a decade ago, I’m back as one of its editors, focused on managing laptops, desktops, and components coverage. With 15 years of experience, I have been on staff and published in technology review publications, including PCMag (of course!), Laptop Magazine, Tom’s Guide, TechRadar, and IGN. Along the way, I’ve tested and reviewed hundreds of laptops and helped develop testing protocols. I have expertise in testing all forms of laptops and desktops using the latest tools. I’m also well-versed in video game hardware and software coverage.
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