The best business desktops of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

Mar 14, 2025 - 00:30

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The best business desktops of 2025: Expert tested and reviewed

It's been a huge year in laptop developments, but there are plenty of reasons to opt for a desktop or all-in-one, especially if you're looking for a reliable business computer for your home office.

Also: The best laptops you can buy

The desktops we've selected here are designed for the consumer who needs strong multitasking performance, solid hardware, and robust connectivity. These are computers designed to help you get down to business, complete work-related tasks, and hit your professional goals -- whatever they may be.

What's the best business desktop right now?

Of all the business desktops we've tested this year, the Dell XPS 8960 Desktop is our top pick for its combination of solid hardware, versatile feature set, and competitive price point. Like most Dell PCs, it comes in a handful of different configurations, making it highly customizable based on what you want to use it for.

While all five business desktops here can handle most workflows, some are stronger in certain areas than others. For example, the Apple iMac M4 is a fantastic option for creatives with Apple's high-performing M4 processor. The 32-inch screen and 1440p webcam on the HP OmniStudio X 31.5 makes a high-quality videoconferencing experience.

The best business desktops of 2025

Dell's XPS 8960 Desktop is the company's flagship consumer-focused desktop PC, and the sheer amount of versatility packed into this device supports that label. It covers a wide range of price points and configurations but is a capable desktop no matter how you look at it.

Physically, the PC's case is professional and modern, with a clean aesthetic bereft of any RGB lighting or design elements that would look out of place in an office. Our review unit had 32GB of memory, a 14th-Gen Intel Core i7-14700K processor, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super GPU--this is the configuration I recommend to most consumers looking for a capable business desktop.

Review: Dell XPS 8960 Desktop

While it isn't ready-to-go out of the box like the iMac M4, the XPS 8960 Desktop allows for a greater degree of customization, particularly when paired with a high-end display. The Nvidia GPU handily supports a multi-display setup, and generous port connectivity includes an HDMI, DisplayPort monitor output, one USB-A, and four USB Type-A ports.

This combination of customizability and hardware results in a powerful productivity workstation geared toward business consumers who have diverse workflows. The beefy memory ensures solid performance, the graphics card enables creative work (and won't freeze up when you share your screen on a call), and there's plenty of local storage for all your files and documents.

Dell XPS 8960 Desktop tech specs: | RAM: From 16GB to 64GB | Storage: From 1TB SSD to 4TB Dual-SSD | CPU: From Intel Core i7-14700K to Intel Core i9-14900K | GPU: From Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 to RTX 4070 Super

Like the Dell XPS 8960 Desktop, Lenovo's ThinkCentre m90 is highly customizable down to the ports, wireless capabilities, and even the stand. But unlike the XPS, the fifth-gen ThinkCentre m90 comes with everything you need to hit the ground running right out of the box. That means a display, peripherals like a keyboard and mouse, and even software like Adobe Creative Cloud, plus antivirus protection.

From the rotating touch display to even the most obscure hardware options (optical drives... in 2025?), the ThinkCentre m90 offers an unrivaled amount of customization for a diverse range of business users., but in an approachable package, particularly for work-from-home business owners.

Also: The best Lenovo laptops you can buy

It comes with an Intel Core i3-14100 processor but can be upgraded to the i7-14700, with memory options that range from 8GB to 32GB. While the ThinkCentre m90 can certainly be stacked with high-end hardware, all the upgrades will quickly inflate the cost of the device well above the $2,000 mark.

For that reason, I'd suggest this business desktop for consumers who don't require the cutting-edge of technology, and instead are willing to trade the convenience of an all-in-one package for mid-range -- but no less capable -- hardware.

Lenovo ThinkCentre m90 Gen 5 tech specs: Display: 23.8-inch LED | Display resolution: Full HD, touch or non-touch | RAM: From 8GB to 32GB | Storage: From 256GB SSD to 4TB Dual-SSD | CPU: From Intel Core i3-14100 to Intel Core i7-14700 | GPU: From Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 to RTX 4070 Super

Apple's M4 iMac looks as slick as ever with new colors, updated displays, and a host of helpful features. Apple says the new chips are built to take AI-powered workflows to the next level, but the M4 processors are powerful enough in their own right, handily outperforming the previous model's M3 chip.

The 16GB of RAM expands multitasking and productivity workflows, and the memory boost applies to the top end of the new iMac M4 line as well, with a 32GB configuration. In previous models, this amount of memory was relegated to the high-end iMac Studio.

Review: Apple iMac M4

As for performance, this thing is fast. Web browsing is snappy, working with dozens of tabs across different apps feels responsive and lightweight, and more demanding workflows like 4K video editing feel natural. Paired with the display and dual display, this is a device that is made for creative tasks.

The iMac M4 is a solid jack-of-all-trades desktop, but the ease of use and reliable performance in industry-standard creative apps make it our pick for the best desktop for creatives in business.

If you're looking for a business desktop with a big, brilliant display, I recommend HP's OmniStudio X 31.5. Out of the box, it comes with everything you need to hit the ground running -- including a keyboard and a mouse -- powered by a single cord.

However, the best part about this device is the 4K, 31.5-inch IPS display. It offers up to 550 nits of brightness with crisp and smooth video playback thanks to the Nvidia 4050 GPU. The big screen provides plenty of room for multitasking and creative projects, and videoconferencing is a breeze with the built-in 1440p webcam.

Review: HP OmniStudio X 31.5

It's powered by an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and the previously-mentioned Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU to keep things looking smooth. This is a well-rounded, nicely powered setup that is diverse enough to handle a variety of workflows.

All in all, the OmniStudio is geared up to handle a variety of use cases and, despite its rather corporate-looking design, even works well as a TV during off-hours. That being said, the downward-firing speakers are fine, but a soundbar or pair of desktop speakers would drastically improve the experience.

If you're looking to install a computer in your place of business, studio, or office, you might want to consider a mini desktop option. These diminutive desktops take up less room than a laptop, but come with powerful hardware that rivals their larger cousins.

For business-minded consumers, Lenovo's ThinkStation P3 Tiny is our top pick. Measuring around 7" x 7", the device can easily fit onto even the most crowded workstations, and is versatile enough to handle a variety of workflows.

Also: The best mini PCs you can buy

Like most of Lenovo's products, the ThinkStation P3 Tiny comes in various configurations, supporting up to 96GB of RAM across two 48GB DDR5 SO-DIMM slots, and dual-1TB SSD storage. This hardware enables the small-but-mighty PC to tackle demanding workflows for power users across fields as diverse as media, entertainment, design, and finance.

The ThinkStation P3 Tiny also comes with ThinkShield, an end-to-end suite of security solutions that IT teams will appreciate for added security and overarching service and monitoring features. All of these features combine to make this device one of the most customizable and the most powerful on this list.

Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Tiny tech specs: | RAM: 32GB, up to dual-48GB DDR5 SO-DIMM slots | Storage: Up to 4TB Dual-SSD | CPU: Intel Core i7-14700 to Intel Core i9-14900 | GPU: Nvidia RTX T1000

The Dell XPS 8960 is our pick for the best business desktop overall, but it won't be the best pick for everyone, especially if you're looking for an all-in-one or a non-Windows machine. A desktop's memory, storage, and what kind of form factor it comes in are the three biggest factors when it comes to comparing devices. What all that in mind, I broke down the three most important metrics on our top picks to see how they compare.

Best business desktop	Cost	RAM	Storage
Dell XPS 8960 Desktop	$1,299	16GB to 64GB	1TB to 4TB Dual-SSD
Lenovo ThinkCentre m90	$1,496	8GB to 32GB	256GB to 4TB Dual-SSD
Apple iMac M4	$1,299	16GB to 32GB	256GB to 2TB
HP OmniStudio X 31.5	$1,979	32GB	1TB
Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Tiny	$1,799	32GB	1TB to 4TB Dual-SSD

Choose this business desktop...	If you want...
Dell XPS 8960 Desktop	A powerful desktop with excellent hardware at a competitive price. If you have your own monitor(s) and accessories, this desktop provides the power and versatility for whatever tasks you can throw at it.
Lenovo ThinkCentre m90 Gen 5	The best all-in-one desktop for working from home. The ThinkCentre offers the full package with a wide array of customizable options.
Apple iMac M4	An all-in-one desktop that's ready to go out of the box and packed with Apple's latest features like Center Stage for videoconferencing and Apple Intelligence for creative tasks.
HP OmniStudio X 31.5	An all-in-one business desktop with a massive 32-inch display. If you like the all-in-one design but don't want to compromise on the display, this is your best pick.
Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Tiny	A space-saving mini PC that can fit in any workspace. Opting for a mini allows for computing access in places you might typically not want to put a larger desktop.

There are multiple factors to consider when picking out a desktop for business or productivity, but here are the most important:

All-in-one or classic desktop?: The all-in-one format comes with everything you need right out of the box. Computers like the Apple iMac M4 and HP OmniStudio X 31.5 are basically big monitors with all the hardware inside. Classic desktops typically have a bit more power, but are bulkier and require your own monitor(s), keyboard, mouse, and speakers.
Memory: The more memory (or RAM) you have, the faster your device and better it will be able to multitask. For business machines, you'll probably want to prioritize RAM over a powerful GPU. Of course, the more RAM, the higher the cost.
Storage: If you live in the cloud, like many modern professionals, you probably won't use too much storage on your device. But if you need to install large programs or need to save large amounts of data locally, you might want a device with lots of storage. 1TB is the baseline for consumer machines, anything more than that is considered to be above average.
Display: All-in-ones come with displays of their own, which is very convenient, but might not be good enough for those who want 4K screens or vibrant OLEDs. If you're looking for a machine for multitasking with industry-standard office software, you may not need a top-tier display. But if you're a creative working with extensive visuals, you may want to invest in a higher quality screen.

We use a combination of methods to test desktops laptops here at ZDNET. First, we acquire data from benchmarking software to analyze a system's metrics under the hood and compare those to advertised numbers. Then, we spend an extended amount of time with the laptop -- usually a week or two -- using it the same way a normal consumer would, to assess its portability, form factor, and how well the battery actually holds up. For an extensive breakdown, check out our comprehensive laptop testing methodology.

Benchmarking: First, we run a series of tests to put the computer's hardware through the wringer in order to see what it's capable of. Cinebench is one of the most commonly used hardware testing suites, which tests the laptop's rendering performance on single and multiple central processing unit (CPU) cores. PCMark 10 is another powerful program that covers a wide variety of tasks performed in the workplace, and there are many others that we use in tandem to gather as much data as we can. Some components we run tests on include:
Processor: The "brain" of the laptop and one of the most important factors that determines performance. The four biggest manufacturers that make most of the CPUs found in laptops today are Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, and Apple -- in Apple machines only. This is tested in benchmarking software.
The display: The size of the display -- measured diagonally from corner to corner -- is also what dictates the laptop's overall size and plays a big role in the device's cost. Brightness is measured in "nits," and color spectrums are tested in benchmarking software.
The graphics processor (GPU): Whether it's integrated into the CPU or a dedicated graphics card, how well the machine handles graphics is a key factor when it comes to demanding tasks like video editing, rendering, and of course, gaming. We test the GPU with a combination of benchmarking software, gaming, and media playback.
Physical form factor: Finally, the laptop's overall appearance and physical form factor encompasses its weight, thickness, how the keyboard and trackpad feel, and whether it has a display that can be folded back to form a tablet. We carry the laptop around for at least a week and note how well it commutes.
Battery testing: We test a unit's battery in a few ways. A handful of benchmarking programs have their own battery testing components, but we also will just let the laptop run for as long as it can under a medium load. We ensure screensavers and hibernation mode are turned off, set the display's brightness and audio at 50%, load up a livestream on YouTube in Chrome, and wait 'til the end.
The human element: As we mentioned earlier, metrics and system data is important, but numbers alone don't give you the full picture. This is where we weave in our personal experience with the device and tap into the practical use cases that consumers actually care about.

Ultimately, our goal is to break down the capabilities of each and every laptop we test into digestible terms that real people find useful. There is a lot of noise and confusion when it comes to navigating the laptop and computer consumer market, so we hope to bring an intuitive element to the whole process by leveraging our team's decades of experience.

A new desktop is an investment, and making it last is essential to maximizing its value. To care for your new computer, you'll want to choose a location that makes sense in your home or office. Depending on the size of the device, a desk or workspace that's close to an outlet (with a connected power strip!) makes the most sense.

Besides these obvious factors, you'll want to keep the software and drivers up to date, and make sure your display is positioned away from windows and light sources in a way that minimizes glare.

If you want a computer you can just plug in and fire up, an all-in-one is the way to go. These computers couldn't be easier to put together, and have very little in the way of setup. Apple's iMac, the Lenovo ThinkCentre m90, and the HP OmniStudio X 31.5 all connect to power with a single cable and have either wireless or single-cord peripherals that can easily be connected.

Also: HP shows off three next-gen laptops and revamps its desktops at CES 2025

Not everyone needs to hand select a suite of accessories for a computer you'll be using for work, and if you just want something powerful that can handle productivity software and office applications, you might consider an all-in-one desktop to get the job done.

HP's lineup of laptops may not be known as the most heavy-duty on the market, but the company has been making computers for decades and certainly knows a thing or two about durability. As such, consumers can be confident that any HP laptop is going to come with industry-standard components and be able to handle the wear and tear of everyday use.

Of the laptops on this list, the EliteBook x360 1040 and the OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 are among the most durable thanks to their slightly more premium builds.

You can game on most computers, but you'll get the best performance from a computer designed for gaming, like the Alienware Aurora R16. Hardware is also a factor, and computers designed for business and productivity will lack the graphics power needed for high-end gaming.

Also: The best gaming PCs you can buy

Most business desktops are fine for casual or entry-level gaming, but once you start running graphically-intense games, you're going to run into performance issues, and the computer will not be able to compensate for the heat generated by the hardware.

On this list, the Dell XPS 8960 Desktop has powerful enough hardware to be able to run most games, and Apple's iMac M4 has some great gaming performance that I've tried first-hand.

Restart your computer, and when the startup screen appears, you'll want to press either F1, F2, Del, or Enter, depending on your model. It will often specify on the screen but note that this screen may only appear for a second or two before Windows starts up.

Business desktops come with good hardware and lots of storage, so they are typically a little pricier than base-level consumer machines. That being said, their price points can vary greatly, as there are often extensive lists of customizations possible. Adding additional features can double the starting price or more.

Most business desktops start around $1,200, but that price can easily go up to $2,500 or more. Depending on the features you require, you should expect to pay around $1,500 as a baseline average.

On this list, the Dell XPS 8960 Desktop has the lowest starting price at $1,300, but adding additional features will quickly increase that number. It's still a very competitive price for this machine, however, and that is one of the reasons why it's our top pick for a business desktop overall.