Desktops

There are plenty of fun and useful things you can do with the right desktop computer. You can surf the web, stay in touch with family and friends, run a business, watch movies and play an array of games. There are also many options when it comes to buying a new desktop PC, and at Sam's Club® you’ll find systems at members-only prices to fit your needs from brands such as Dell and HP.

Processor and RAM

The processor of any new desktop computer, even if it is an all-in-one computer, is the very heart of the machine. It is essentially the brain that's making all of the computer’s decisions. Quicker processors equate to faster gaming and CPU-intensive programs that do a lot of number crunching (such as modeling, video and image editing, statistics or compiling). On the other hand if you’re looking mainly to use social media, send emails, do word processing or are a casual gamer, a slower CPU will easily suit your needs and be less expensive.

How much RAM the computer has works the same way. If you’re running highly intensive software programs, need to manage extremely large files or play top-end games, you’ll want to look for a machine with the most RAM available. But like the CPU, causal users will not need as much.

Be sure to check what software you are using or want to use for the minimum requirements for both.

Gaming PCs

Gaming desktop computers are machines designed specifically for playing games. In addition to having high-end CPUs and lots of RAM, they also come with graphics cards made for high resolution and silky-smooth frame rates.These gaming computers often have lots of room to add peripherals to expand their capabilities, such as joysticks and pedals.

Tower or All-In-One

You might also want to think about whether or not you want a stand-alone tower or an all-in-one computer. The tower is separate from the monitor in the stand-alone version and at times that monitor needs to be purchased separately if it is not part of a desktop with monitor package, while the all-in-one combines the two together for convenience. Towers are generally easier to upgrade, but usually take up more space.