Build an awesome all-AMD gaming PC for cheap with Newegg's killer deals

Newegg is making it easy to build an awesome all-AMD gaming PC, with a fancy monitor to boot. Right now, the retailer has a great deal on a Ryzen 5 2600 processor and X470 motherboard combo, as well as two 27-inch 1440p FreeSync HDR displays. And you can pick up a killer Radeon graphics card for cheap, too. 

Today, you can pick up a Ryzen 5 2600 processor and MSI's Performance X470 Gaming Plus motherboardRemove non-product link bundled together for $250. The Ryzen 5 2600 usually sells for about $160 and the motherboard is around $130, which gives you a savings of just over $40. The Ryzen 5 2600 is a 6-core, 12-thread processor that can shred through heavy productivity tasks and gaming chores alike. Bonus: It comes with a CPU cooler in the box, and MSI's motherboard supports overclocking the Ryzen chip if you feel like getting your hands dirty to achieve even more performance.

Gigabyte

Rear view of the Gigabyte Aorus AD27QD.

If you need a display to go with your new PC, Newegg is selling two luxurious 27-inch HDR 1440p FreeSync displays at relative discounts. The Acer Nitro Gaming VG271UP is $320Remove non-product link with the checkout code EMCTAUY36. It features a 144Hz refresh rate, a 1ms response time, and 1440p resolution. The second display is the Gigabyte Aorus AD27QD for $540Remove non-product link with the checkout code EMCTAUY55. It offers the same basic specifications as the Acer Nitro, but also has RGB LED lighting on the rear of the display, active noise cancellation, and 95 percent fidelity with the DCI-P3 RGB color space. The Aorus is also a G-Sync compatible FreeSync monitor if you've got an Nvidia GeForce graphics card already.

If you want an AMD Radeon graphics card for native FreeSync action, however, check out yesterday's highlight deal on a $200 Radeon RX 590 with two free games, which is available until Sunday. The card offers no-compromises 1080p and solid 1440p gaming, especially when paired with the stutter- and tear-killing capabilities of a FreeSync display. Adaptive sync monitors provide buttery-smooth gaming experiences you'll never want to give up. 

To comment on this article and other PCWorld content, visit our Facebook page or our Twitter feed.

Ian is an independent writer based in Israel who has never met a tech subject he didn't like. He primarily covers Windows, PC and gaming hardware, video and music streaming services, social networks, and browsers. When he's not covering the news he's working on how-to tips for PC users, or tuning his eGPU setup.

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Best Gaming PCs 2019: Prebuilt Desktop PCs Made to Game

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Pay, Plug, and Play. By Kevin Lee

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Building a gaming PC will almost always get you the most bang for your buck—not to mention teach you a lot about PCs in the process. But as someone who has built and bought countless PCs (for myself, family friends), I know the build it yourself route isn't for everyone.

Sometimes you'd rather have something that works right out of the box, with a number you can call if your system doesn't boot properly. Not to mention when you go with a prebuilt system, you usually get components guaranteed to work, an interesting and/or unique chassis, and warranty support too. If this is what you're looking for, then here is my list of the best gaming PCs you can buy right now.

TL;DR – These are the Best Gaming PCs 1. Asus ROG Strix GL12 Best Gaming PC CPU: Intel Core i7-9700K ● GPU: Nvidia RTX 2080 (8GB GDDR6 VRAM) ● RAM: 16GB DDR4 (2,666MHz) ● Storage: 256GB NVMe SSD, 2TB HDD (7,200rpm) ● Weight: 24.25 pounds ● Size: 7" x 15.7" x 18"

The Asus ROG Strix GL12 features practically all the modern accoutrements you see from a modern gaming PC such as integrated RGB lighting, a tempered glass side panel, and even a PSU shroud to cover up the power supply. One of the more unique features of the Asus ROG Strix GL12 is it includes hot swapable 2.5" drive, making it easy to add a new SSD or hard drive to expand this system's storage.

Beyond its appearance, this is a wholly modern gaming PC packing a 9th Gen Intel Core i7 processor with a Nvidia RTX 2080. All that power tucked inside allows you to play modern, ray traced games for years to come. And thanks to a heavy discount, this compact gaming PC is actually reasonable priced for the hardware included.

2. CyberPower Gamer Xtreme Best Budget Gaming PC CPU: Intel Core i5-9400 ● GPU: Nvidia GTX 1660 (6GB GDDR5 VRAM) ● RAM: 8GB DDR4 ● Storage: 120GB SSD, 1TB HDD ● Weight: 24.25 pounds ● Size: 7.9" x 18.5" x 17.9"

We get it, PC gaming is expensive. Not everyone has the budget for a balls-to-the-wall gaming monstrosity, and that's okay. There are some decent budget-friendly gaming PC options out there. Right now, I think the CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme is a tough option to beat, with a six-core Intel Core i5-9400 CPU and Nvidia GTX 1660, all for only $800.

It won't play everything maxed out at 4K, but for 1080p gaming at medium to high settings, it'll do the job—and it comes with a gaming mouse and gaming keyboard to boot. There's even a small SSD included on the base model, which you could always upgrade down the road or buy a more powerful versions of the Gamer Xtreme VR with a bigger drive. Also, since CyberPowerPC's rigs tend to use lots of off-the-shelf parts and tool-less installation methods, swapping in better parts down the line is a breeze.

3. Corsair One i40 Best Compact Gaming PC CPU: Intel Core i7-9700K ● GPU: Nvidia RTX 2080 (8GB GDDR6 VRAM) ● RAM: 32GB DDR4 (2,666MHz) ● Storage: 480GB NVMe SSD, 2TB HDD (5,400rpm) ● Weight: 16.27 pounds ● Size: 7.87" x 6.79" x 14.96"

The Corsair One isn't the smallest PC on the market, but its power-to-size ratio is as good as it gets from a desktop with this footprint. And while it isn't cheap, it's actually a decent value, considering the parts inside, and how compact it is.

The design of this prebuilt PC is cool without being too flashy, as it sports some subtle lighting and small triangular vents along the side. Meanwhile, processor and graphics card are liquid cooled for cool and quiet performance, and it comes with six USB ports, four of which are USB 3.1.

There are three models and the lower-end variant featured above comes with an Intel Core i7-9700K processor and Nvidia RTX 2080. If you need even more power consider the One i160, which has a more powerful i9-9900K CPU and RTX 2080 Ti GPU than the i140 model linked above. For the most out-of-this-world performance, you might want the One i180 model, which ups the power again with an 12-core Intel Core X CPU.

Even the base model can handle VR like a champ and 4K gaming at playable frame rates, and while it isn't as upgradeable as a larger system, it's a solid contender for any gamer looking for a compact, quiet, and powerful rig.

4. Alienware Aurora Best Upgradeable Gaming PC CPU: Intel Core i7-9700K ● GPU: Nvidia RTX 2080 (8GB GDDR6 VRAM) ● RAM: 16GB DDR4 (2,666MHz) ● Storage: 256GB NVMe SSD, 1TB HDD (7,200rpm) ● Weight: 32.67 pounds ● Size: 8.35" x 14.19" x 18.6"

Alienware likes to promote its lavish Area 51 PC, but the more subdued Aurora line is more affordable and has something for everybody. Models range from basic to burly, with the base model packing a six-core Intel Core i5-8400 CPU and an AMD Radeon RX 560 graphics card. That's a pretty basic system, but you can customize a PC to be as bad as you want it to be. Dell has options for the RTX 2080 or RTX 2080 Ti, as well.

One of the main reasons that this is on our list is Alienware has designed the entire chassis to be tool-less, so upgrades or swapping hardware are literally just plug-and-play affairs. That's a very handy feature to have for anyone who likes fiddling inside their PCs, and though you won't need to upgrade for awhile, it'll be a cake walk when you do.

5. Dell XPS Tower Special Edition Best Sleeper Gaming PC CPU: Intel Core i7-8700K ● GPU: Nvidia GTX 1660 Ti (6GB GDDR6 VRAM) ● RAM: 8GB DDR4 (2,666MHz) ● Storage: 256GB NVMe SSD, 2TB HDD (7,200rpm) ● Weight: 22 pounds ● Size: 7.09" x 14.02" x 5.22"

If you prefer a gaming PC with a more unassuming design, the Dell XPS Tower Special Edition puts powerful gaming hardware into a sleek-but-plain chassis, so no one will know you're not using it for work. The base model come with a six-core Intel i5-8400 CPU and Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti. That'll handle basic gaming just fine, but Dell also lets you customize your rig to include up to an i7-9900K and GTX 1080. That version will run you around $3,000 but there's a lot of options in between, including 4K and VR-ready configurations.

The case is surprisingly compact, but it still boasts four USB 3.1 ports on the front and seven USB ports around the back. What's more, you get the same tool-less design as the Alienware Aurora for super easy upgrades. If you want a gaming PC that doesn't look like a typical gaming PC, the reserved Dell XPS Tower line is a great option.

6. Zotac Mek Mini Best Mini Gaming PC CPU: Intel Core i7-8700 ● GPU: Nvidia RTX 2070 (8GB GDDR6 VRAM) ● RAM: 16GB DDR4 (2,666MHz) ● Storage: 240GB NVMe SSD, 2TB HDD (7,200 rpm) ● Weight: 15.7 pounds ● Size: 5.35" x 10.27" x 10.19"

Smaller than any other gaming PC on this list, the Zotac Mek Mini is the tiniest PC we've seen. Despite its small size, it still packs a wallop with an Intel Core i7 processor and Nvidia RTX 2070. These two powerhouse parts make this a very capable machine for 1440p and even 4K gaming—depending on the title.

The Zotac Mek Mini is the perfect desktop to take on the road, and thanks to its incredibly small size, it can fit basically anywhere. While you might think upgrading such a tiny thing will be a pain, flipping a single switch grants access to the system's memory and storage. Best of all, it's priced at a very agreeable price of $1,600.

7. MSI Trident 3 Best Console-Style Prebuilt PC for Your Living Room CPU: Intel Core i7-8700 ● GPU: Nvidia GTX 1060 (3GB GDDR5 VRAM) ● RAM: 8GB DDR4 (2,133MHz) ● Storage: 1TB HDD (7,200rpm) ● Weight: 6.9 pounds ● Size: 2.83" x 9.15" x 13.63"

Let's say you're a big fan of PC gaming, but you like the couch-friendly experience of the Xbox One S or PS4 Slim. Nothing quite beats kicking back with a gamepad at the end of the day, but consoles still can't beat the PC's do-anything nature, high level of configurability, or cheap Steam Sale games. Enter the MSI Trident Mini PC, which proudly boasts its console-sized dimensions.

It's available in a few different versions, with prices ranging from $800 to $1,200 depending on the CPU and GPU you select. The above model is right in the middle of the lineup with a Core i7-8700 and GTX 1060, so it would be great for 1080p gameplay. It's VR-ready, too, so if you want to explore the virtual worlds from the confines of your living room, the MSI Trident 3 is, well, great.

8. Origin PC Genesis Gaming Desktop The Most Customizable Gaming PC CPU: Intel Core i9-9900K ● GPU: Nvidia Titan RTX (24GB GDDR6 VRAM) ● RAM: 64GB DDR4 (3,000MHz) ● Storage: 2TB NVMe SSD, 10TB HDD (7,200rpm) ● Weight: 40 pounds ● Size: 9.75" x 24.8" x 23.82"

This Origin Genesis gaming PC can be tricked out in countless, insanely awesome ways. If a single RTX 2080 card isn't enough, why not 2? Or how about a pair of "Origin Cryogenic Liquid Cooled 11GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti" cards? That option is a few extra thousand dollars, but the sky's the limit with an Origin PC. The sheer volume of customization options make this a great choice for your next PC.

What to look for in a Gaming PC

Below I go over the basic specifications you should prioritize when buying a gaming PC and how to get the most of your purchase of a prebuilt rig. I also explain a few alternative prebuilt gaming PC options you might find of interest as well.

Prebuilt gaming PCs are the most surefire way of getting into gaming and arguably the most cost effective hardware you can buy. When buying a system, you're not only getting the hardware inside, but time savings of having to track down the best processor to best RAM for your system and putting it all together yourself and praying it actually boots.

That said, just like building your own PC you want to make sure you're spending your money where it's needed most. Firstly, you should prioritize you're getting the graphics card you need for the gaming monitor or the 4K TV you're gaming on. There's no need for anything better than a Nvidia GTX 1660 if you're just playing games on a 1080p display.

Likewise, you should only need an Intel Core i5 processor with at least four cores to play most modern games comfortably at any resolution.

System memory and solid-state drives can be the biggest money sink for any system. Those comfortable with upgrading their system after it arrives, should choose a configuration with the smallest storage and RAM capacities possible, as buying these components yourself can often be more cost effective.

If that last suggestion resonates with you, perhaps a barebones system is what you seek. Barebones PCs can be much cheaper since they come with all the major hardware—such as the CPU and GPU—installed, but they usually lack storage, memory and an operating system as a trade-off.

Lastly, if you want more control over what exactly is going into your build, go with a boutique PC builder. Origin, Maingear, DigitalStorm, Falcon Northwest, PC Specalist, and many more companies offer excellent PC building services that let you pick exactly which components go into your gaming PC. From there, the build your system with the sort of cable management some can only dream of while ensuring it all works properly.

In case this all sounds a little overwhelming to you, NZXT rolled out its own PC building service called BLD. Instead of picking each and every part that will go into your PC, you chose the games you'll actually play and the service gives you several configuration options that will be able to run the games for a smooth experience.

More Expert Tech Roundups

Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam

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Mordhau is the best new PC game of 2019 that you haven't heard of

For years, the only quality multiplayer medieval game on the market has been Chivalry: Medieval Warfare. While Chivalry is undoubtedly a good game, it's also one that has aged rather poorly. Many of its mechanics are vulnerable to exploits, the overall feel of the game is sluggish, and the presentation is quite dated in terms of both visuals and audio.

Fear not, however. A spiritual successor has arrived: Mordhau, a title that masterfully combines a Battlefield-style sandbox with deep, nuanced mechanics systems, and then wraps it all up with solid graphics and some of the best sound design in gaming. And while Mordhau isn't perfect, it has an incredible foundation to build upon.

For glory!

Mordhau

The next big hit

Mordhau combines a Battlefield-style sandbox with nuanced, deep combat mechanics, resulting in an addictive and engaging multiplayer experience.

Blood, bone, and steel

At its core, Mordhau is a melee title with a wide array of different weapons to choose from. Everything from a two-handed greatsword to a dagger is viable in combat, provided you understand the strengths and weaknesses of your weapon; speed, reach, and damage is different across the game's various spears, maces, and blades.

In Mordhau, the way you use a weapon is just as important as the weapon itself.

The type of weapon you're using is only half of the equation, though, because how you use it matters as well. All weapons can be used to parry, riposte, feint, or chamber with, and you can even drag your mouse towards or away from your enemies in order to accelerate or delay the speed of your attacks. In addition, weapons often have an alternate mode of use; The longsword, for example, can be wielded upside-down in order to hit enemies with the pommel, which does more damage to armored opponents. All of these mechanics come together in the end to form a core combat system that's beautifully rich and full of depth.

Equally excellent is the game's point-based class building system, which allows you to create your own character to take into the fray. Everything from a heavily-armored knight with one large sword to a lightly-armored soldier equipped with several small weapons on his belt can be created with this system, giving you an awesome amount of freedom. Also, there are tons of customization items available in the game's shop, which you earn currency for by playing and leveling up.

Ways to play

When it comes to game modes, Mordhau has three: Frontline, Horde, and Battle Royale. Frontline is Mordhau's main experience, offering 24-versus-24 (custom servers can go up to 64 players per team!) experiences in huge, objective-filled battlefields. In this mode, teams will clash together in large groups, with archery, cavalry, catapults, and siege engineering all adding a twist to the flow of combat, just like vehicles and aircraft do in Battlefield titles. These gameplay systems have plenty of depth and can be challenging to use, but they're rewarding, and can often be the difference maker in a match, especially if you're using a custom-built specialized character for filling these support roles.

Next up is Horde, which is arguably the weakest of Mordhau's offerings. Horde is your typical player-versus-enemy (PvE) horde mode, throwing lots of low-skilled opponents at you and allowing you to purchase equipment for yourself as you clear more waves. Horde is fun, but it's impossible to play solo due to how many enemies attack at once even in the earlier waves. With a large group, the experience is better, but even then it often feels impossible to get far. In my experience, Horde is best used as a practice mode.

The last of Mordhau's gameplay experiences is Battle Royale, which I have a lot more fun with than I thought I would. I've never really been a fan of battle royale, but Mordhau's take on it is unique and interesting. Because the game is melee-focused, the maps are very small, which keeps the pace consistently fast. In addition, there are only 30 players in a match, so things don't drag on. I think the way the item spawning works needs tweaking, but aside from that, the Battle Royale mode is surprisingly great.

It simply feels good

At the end of the day, Mordhau's combat feels incredible. Movement is fluid and animations are smooth, but the best part of the fighting is how it feels to successfully land blows and kill opponents. Mordhau doesn't hold back when it comes to blood and gore spatters, and the combination of metallic grinding, meaty thwacks, and pained screaming make up the sound of cutting or smashing into armored bodies.

Mordhau's combat feels absolutely incredible.

When it comes to visual fidelity, Mordhau isn't amazing, but it looks pretty good overall. There's a great amount of detail on both character models and the maps themselves, with the lighting, in particular, standing out as excellent. The game's musical score is even better, consisting of battle music that does an awesome job of getting your blood boiling for war.

What does the future hold for Mordhau?

With such an incredible foundation to build from, Mordhau's future looks bright. While the game only has a relatively small following now, it's quickly rising on the Steam charts and is one of Steam's current top sellers. In addition, the developers are sure to update and tweak things like the structure of Battle Royale as the community provides feedback over time, and when we reached out to them to ask about an Xbox version, we were told that they are considering it. Without a doubt, Mordhau is one of the best games so far in 2019, and I can't wait to see where it goes next.

For glory!

Mordhau

The next big hit

Mordhau combines a Battlefield-style sandbox with nuanced, deep combat mechanics, resulting in an addictive and engaging multiplayer experience.

Cheap PC accessories we love

Take a gander at these awesome PC accessories, all of which will enhance your Windows experience.

Anker 4 port USB 3.0 hub ($10 at Amazon)

Whether on a desktop or laptop PC, you always need more ports to connect things to. This hub gives you an additional four USB 3.0 Type A ports.

Ikea Fixa Cable Management System ($11 at Amazon)

This IKEA cable management kit is your ticket to a clean setup. It's simple and functional.

NZXT Puck ($20 at Amazon)

This clever little accessory has powerful magnets on the rear to make it stick to any of the metal panels on your PC case or anything else. It's great for hanging accessories like headsets.

This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for more details.

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Best Gaming Desktop PC of 2019

If you thought you had to build a gaming PC to get the most out of it, you'd be wrong. There are amazing pre-built rigs out there, like the Alienware Aurora, that give you all the fun without any of the fuss.

Best overall - Alienware Aurora R8

Just like its parent Dell brand, Alienware has been making some amazing hardware recently. The Aurora is one such example, revived and reborn with a whole new design that's both striking and clever.

Thanks to touches like the swing-out vertically mounted power supply, you get more space for peripherals. You can squeeze in a pair of graphics cards as well as a liquid cooler for the CPU. You also get plenty of space for additional drive bays, with two on the bottom and a 3.5-inch HDD bay mounted behind the front panel. It's a little awkward to work in, but there's still a big opportunity for user upgrades.

It isn't even that expensive, either. While you're not getting the most powerful parts at the entry level, the ease of upgrade means you're not limited by what you can initially afford. Adding more RAM or a new graphics card is completely tool free and takes just a couple of minutes.

What the Aurora offers is something for everyone: those on a tighter budget, those looking for ridiculous power, those hoping to upgrade in the future, and everyone else in between.

Reasons to buy

Lots of configurations

User upgradeable

Powerful

Fairly compact

Inexpensive

Reasons not to buy

No optical drive

Awkward internal design

Best overall

Alienware Aurora R8

The latest Alienware Aurora is an incredible thing

Not only does it have room for incredible gaming power, it does so in a relatively compact, well-designed case. You get options galore, too, with the latest 9th-generation Intel Core i7 processors, RTX graphics cards, and 64GB of RAM. You even have it liquid cooled if you wish.

Best small form - Zotac MEK Mini

There is a fashion for large gaming PCs with mad cases and more RGB lights than a Vegas hotel, but not everyone wants or has the space for a colossal rig. It's also not necessary any more, with some truly amazing and small gaming PCs like the MEK Mini.

It's small enough to fit inside a backpack, and yet has a six-core i7 processor and an NVIDIA RTX 2070 GPU inside it. That's pretty remarkable, and when you add 16GB of RAM and a mixture of SSD and HDD storage, you wonder why you'd ever want a large PC again. If you often take your PC on the go to LAN parties, this is the perfect option.

The RAM and storage are also upgradeable if you ever need more (although the space is, of course, limited). Even though it's tiny, there are all the ports you could ever want on the MEK Mini to connect all of your additional hardware.

Reasons to buy

Incredibly small

Lots of gaming power

Good price

Lots of ports

Reasons not to buy

Limited upgrades to make

Still on previous gen processor

Best small form

Zotac MEK Mini

Despite its tiny size, this PC still packs a punch

The form factor means it's a fraction of the size of a regular gaming rig, while still packing an RTX 2070 graphics card and 6-core Intel Core i7 processor.

Best budget - HP Pavilion Desktop

PC gaming can be very expensive, but if you were worried that you couldn't engage without spending a fortune, worry no longer. For not a lot of money, you can get this excellent desktop PC from HP that serves as both a solid entry point to gaming as well as keeping your budget firmly in check.

With a combination of a Ryzen 5 and 8GB RX 580 GPU, both from AMD, you're well placed for 1080p gaming, and the RX 580 in particular is a very good piece of kit to get at this price point. The only real drawback to it is that you're limited to a single HDMI output, the only other option is DisplayPort which isn't all that common on budget gaming monitors right now.

The Pavilion also serves well as a workhorse, with an understated design, a whole bundle of ports for connecting additional hardware and displays, and even an optical drive. The latter isn't that common any more, so this is also a great shout if you're looking for a home media PC, too.

Reasons to buy

Amazing price

Excellent graphics card

Optical drive

Plenty of ports

Reasons not to buy

Not future upgradeable

Limited display outputs

Best budget

HP Pavilion Desktop

Spending a little can still get you a lot

Not all PC gamers want to spend thousands or need the power from the top-of-the-line GPUs. For not a lot you can get a HP Pavilion Desktop with a Ryzen 5 processor and 8GB AMD RX 580 graphics card.

Best for work and play - Dell XPS 8930

While RGB is all the rage these days in gaming PCs, such a thing isn't really suited to an office environment, at home or at work. Some just want a powerful PC that can game without it screaming "I'm a gamer." That's where the superb Dell XPS 8930 comes in.

It's pretty stylish to look at, although it's a bit boring by the standard of most gaming PCs, anyway. XPS is Dell's professional brand, and the 8930 fits right into that, except it's also packing some serious horsepower for gaming.

Dell has a whole host of configurations to choose from, all of which offer dedicated graphics from NVIDIA, including the RTX 2060 or the GTX 1080. It has also been updated to offer 9th Gen Intel processors, and since it uses standard parts, much is upgradeable. Dell also uses superfast NVMe SSD storage, so this is a desktop PC that can hang with the best of them.

Reasons to buy

Lots of configurations

Easy to upgrade

Powerful

Optical drive

Reasons not to buy

Can get expensive

Entry level a little underpowered

Best for work and play

Dell XPS 8930

Looks like an office PC, games like a champion

If you want a PC to game on that doesn't look like a teenager designed it, here it is. The Dell XPS tower is sleek and sophisticated looking while still packing some serious horsepower inside.

Best barebones - Intel Hades Canyon NUC

The beauty of a barebones gaming PC is that you get to build most of it yourself while still, at least in this case, getting a really small package to start with. The Hades Canyon is Intel's top of the line NUC (Next Unit of Computing) and it's pretty special for a number of reasons.

For one, it uses one of Intel's special Core i7 processors that also contain a 4GB dedicated AMD Vega M GPU. So out of the box, there's some gaming you can do with the Hades Canyon. How much storage and RAM you want, though, is up to you. That means, of course, that the price is going to rise fast.

One of the best parts of the Hades Canyon is the freedom it gives you to build the gaming PC you want without having to start from scratch. It also has a Thunderbolt 3 connection so if you want to hook it up to a full desktop graphics card with an eGPU, you can.

Reasons to buy

Add your own storage and RAM

Extremely compact

eGPU over Thunderbolt 3

Lots of ports

Reasons not to buy

Only two CPU options

Can get expensive

Not a stylish PC

Best barebones

Intel Hades Canyon NUC

A devilishly good barebones gaming PC

Intel continues to push the boundaries and its latest high-end Next Unit of Computing the Hades Canyon, is easily the most impressive to date. You now get a choice of quad-core 8th Gen Core i7 processor, both with 4GB Radeon Vega M dedicated graphics.

Concusion

There are a lot of great pre-built gaming PCs out there but it's hard to do better than the Alienware Aurora right now. You can either save money now and upgrade it down the line or spec it up out of the box with an insane amount of hardware. There's something for everyone in this cleverly designed PC.

What's also very apparent right now is that there's a good selection of both small, and budget PCs for people who just don't want a massive rig full of RGB and the most amount of hardware you can possibly lay your hands on.

You can have a good time for $600, likewise you can have a powerful PC that can fit in your bag. LAN parties are still very much a thing, and when you can get such a small PC as a Zotac MEK Mini, why would you bother with a gaming laptop?

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Richard Devine Richard Devine is an Editor at Windows Central. A former Project Manager and long-term tech addict, he joined Mobile Nations in 2011 and has been found on Android Central and iMore as well as Windows Central. Currently you'll find him covering all manner of PC hardware and gaming.

Rich Edmonds is a staff reviewer at Windows Central, which means he tests out more software and hardware than he cares to remember. Joining Mobile Nations in 2010, you can usually find him inside a PC case tinkering around when not at a screen fighting with Grammarly to use British words. Hit him up on Twitter: @RichEdmonds.

This post may contain affiliate links. See our disclosure policy for more details.

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Best PC cases in 2019

The best PC cases are often overlooked when it comes to building a new rig. Why spend cash on a fancy box when you could use that money for a better GPU? However, they should be one of the first things you consider for 3 important reasons. To begin with, they dictate which components you'll be able to use. To an extent, anyway; a huge graphics card may not fit into a smaller case, for instance. Secondly, they control air-flow through your rig to make sure it doesn't overheat. Your pride and joy catching fire kinda takes the fun out of it. Finally, they look damn cool. Alright, so that last bit isn't strictly relevant. But the point is, you don't want an eyesore on your desk if you're going to be spending lots of time with it.

Jargon buster

Full tower: Large, roomy goliaths built for the best kit.Mid-tower: A good all-rounder that ticks all the boxes.Mini-ITX: Small and compact. No space is wasted.Quiet: Championing silence over everything else.

Luckily, the best PC cases can be divided into 4 categories for easy browsing: full tower, quiet, mid-tower, and mini-ITX. As such, the ideal choice for you will depend on what you want it to do. Full towers are the biggest and give a lot of room for bulky components or cable management. Mid-towers are a little smaller, while mini-ITX cases stuff as much horsepower as possible into the smallest space. As for quiet cases… well, you can probably figure that one out for yourself.

No matter what you're after, you'll find something to suit you here. Our experts have thoroughly tested the best PC cases, and only the cream of the crop are available below. To save you a bit of money along the way, we've also included the top bargains and savings on each one.

Best CPU for gaming | Best graphics card | Best gaming motherboardsBest SSD for gaming | Best DDR4 RAM | Best gaming monitors

1. Cooler Master Cosmos C700P

The best full tower PC case in 2019

Form Factor: Full tower | Motherboard Support: Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX, E-ATX (Support 12" x 11") | Dimensions: 639 x 306 x 651mm | Weight: 22.2 kg | Radiator Support: 120mm; 140mm; 240mm; 280mm | I/O Ports: 1 x Audio/Mic, 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C, 4 x USB 3.0 | Drive Bays: 2.5": 2, 3.5": 8

Integrated RGB lighting system

Adjustable motherboard layout

May require PSU extension cables

Lots of plastic

Much like the original Cooler Master Cosmos, the C700P is a hefty beast with a similarly large price-tag. However, we'd argue that it's worth the expense. A beautiful handlebar design, curved glass panel, and sleek color-scheme are matched by features that'll support even the most high-end components (including E-ATX motherboards and oversized GPUs). A larger footprint mean that you won't be pushed for space either. What's more, understated RGB lighting also means it's not going to distract you while you game. Yes, this is a lot to spend on an enclosure. However, those who are willing to go all out on a build will get a case with every tool they need to create a stunning PC.

Want more full tower recommendations? See our guide to the best full tower case.

2. NZXT H700i

The best mid-tower PC case

Form Factor: Mid tower | Motherboard Support: Mini-ITX, MicroATX, ATX and EATX(Up to 272mm or 10.7-inches) | Dimensions: W: 230mm H: 516mm D: 494mm | Weight: 12.27 kg | Radiator Support: Front: 2 x 140mm or 3 x 120mm with Push/Pull, Top: 2 x 140mm or 3 x 120mm, Rear: 1 x 120mm | I/O Ports: 2 x USB 2.0, 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 1 x Audio/Mic | Drive Bays: 2.5": 7, 3.5": 2+1

Integrated addressable LED lighting

CAM powered "smart device"

No USB Type-C

Cramped HDD space

One of our latest favorites is NZXT's H700i, released in 2017. The ease of building in it and the satisfaction it provides are second to none. NZXT markets the H700i as a "smart" case thanks to the inclusion of a new smart hub powered by the company's CAM software. 

This hub acts as both a digital fan controller and a RGB LED controller that uses machine learning to find the perfect balance between noise and cooling for your fan speeds in real-time. The H700i generously includes four pre-installed fans and two RGB strips to make full use of the smart hub out of the box. 

These features already set the H700i apart from the crowd, but the cable management on the backside is the star of the show. Four different cable routing channels with integrated cable tie downs made the process effortless and extremely satisfying. Priced at $200, the H700i is one of the more expensive cases we've recommended but it's about as premium as it gets.

Fancy more cases like this? Check out our list of the best mid-tower cases.

3. NZXT H200i

The best mini-ITX PC case

Form Factor: Mini-ITX tower | Motherboard Support: Mini-ITX and microATX | Dimensions: W: 210mm H: 349mm D: 372mm | Weight: 6.0 kg | Radiator Support: 120mm, 240mm | I/O Ports: 1 x Audio/Mic, 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1 | Drive Bays: 2.5": 4, 3.5": 1

Excellent cooling support

Pre-installed addressable RGB lighting

Integrated CAM smart device

Airflow isn't too great

NZXT's H200i is essentially a miniaturized version of our favorite mid tower, the H700i. Built to support mini-ITX builds, the H200i is all about packing a high end system into a compact, minimalistic package.

Like its bigger brother, the case comes equipped with NZXT's smart hub and also includes two fans and one RGB LED strip. With plentiful support for liquid cooling and full sized components, the H200i is the perfect compromise between smaller ITX builds and larger mid-sized towers.

If mini-ITX is your thing, see more recommendations in this guide to the best mini-ITX cases.

4. Nanoxia Deep Silence 3

Form Factor: Mid Tower | Motherboard Support: Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX | Dimensions: 456 x 207 x 520mm | Weight: 9.3 kg | Radiator Support: 120mm; 140mm; 240mm; 280mm | I/O Ports: 1 x Audio/Mic, 2 x USB, 3.0 1 x USB 2.0 | Drive Bays: 2.5": 3 3.5": 5

Silent

Affordable

Solid build

Generic appearance

Sometimes having a quiet PC case is more important than anything else. Whether you're playing some PC games, or just trying to chill and watch some Netflix, having a quiet PC can be a game changer. And, that's why we love the Nanoxia Deep Silence 3. 

Now, this PC case isn't much to look at. It's a plain, black metal box, and that might not be too exciting. But, it's what's beneath the surface that counts. Behind the closed front of the case is noise isolating foam that'll stop any noise dead in its tracks. That means even if you have an extremely loud Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti like we do, it won't be too obnoxious. 

And, there's plenty of room for expansion, too. You can fit up to five 3.5mm hard drives, and if you have an extra-long graphics card you can remove one of the hard drive bays to fit even the longest graphics cards.

5. Corsair Carbide 275R

Form Factor: Mid tower | Motherboard Support: Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX | Dimensions: 460mm x 211mm x 455mm | Weight: 10.14 kg | Radiator Support: 120mm; 140mm; 240mm; 280mm; 360mm | I/O Ports: 1 x Audio/Mic, 2 x USB 3.0 | Drive Bays: 2.5": 3 3.5": 2

Minimal branding

Full-length dust filters

Great cooling support

Lacking cable management space

One of Corsair's newest cases, the Carbide 275R might just be the ultimate minimalist's case. Aside from a small "sail" logo on the front panel, the 275R ditches additional branding for the sake of a clean design that anyone can respect. While the design may be minimal, the functionality is anything but.

Unlike NZXT's minimal S340, the Carbide 275R can support a 360mm radiator in the front and up to a whopping six 120mm fans. With a modest $80 price tag, the 275R is a great case for beginners as well as advanced users looking to create a sleek custom loop.

6. Corsair Obsidian 1000D

The best high-end PC case

Form Factor: Super tower | Motherboard Support: ATX, Extended ATX, Mini-ITX, SSI EEB, microATX | Dimensions: 27.4 x 12.1 x 27.3 inches | Weight: 29.5kg | Radiator Support: 120mm; 140mm; 240mm; 280mm; 360mm; 420mm; 480mm | I/O Ports: 1 x Audio/Mic, 4 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 3.1 Type-C | Drive Bays: 2.5": 6 3.5": 5

Supports just about any crazy build

Can house an E-ATX and Mini-ITX build at the same time

Supports dual 480mm front radiators

Expensive

Speaking of roomy builds, the Corsair Obsidian Series 1000D is a behemoth of a PC case ready to house the biggest and baddest systems. Standing tall at a staggering 27.3", this "super tower" features enough space to house 18 fans and up to four massive radiators installed simultaneously.

In addition to the insane cooling support, the 1000D features a unique triple-chamber design with convenient french-door-styled storage compartments and telescoping radiator trays for easy installation. Because it is 2019 of course there is also an RGB lit front panel I/O with built-in smart lighting and fan control courtesy of Corsair's built-in Commander Pro controller. The Obsidian 900D has long been a top choice for massive, over-the-top builds and it's only fitting that the 1000D was designed to knock it off its throne.

7. Corsair Obsidian 500D SE

Form Factor: Mid tower | Motherboard Support: Mini-ITX, MicroATX, ATX | Dimensions: 500mm x 237mm x 507mm | Weight: 11.75 kg | Radiator Support: 120mm, 140mm, 240mm, 280mm, 360mm | I/O Ports: 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C, 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x Audio/Mic | Drive Bays: 2.5": 3 3.5": 2

Brilliant RGB lighting

Easy cooling installation

Not much cable management space

Corsair's Obsidian 500D took everything we loved about the 900D added a ton of modern updates and brought it to a smaller more accessible mid tower. Like its predecessors, the 500D offers an elegant blend of smoked tempered glass and brushed aluminum for a truly premium look and feel.

As expected from a modern Corsair case, the 500D and the newer 500D SE offers plentiful support for liquid cooling and convenient cable management options. The latter replaces the aluminum front panel with more smoked tempered glass and features a built in version of Corsair's RGB LED/fan controller along with three pre-installed addressable RGB LED fans. The end result is an iconic enclosure that is as beautiful as it is functional.

Look to buy either the 500D or the 500D SE to suit whatever you really need. The regular model is brilliant, and widely available, but the SE adds some lovely RGB lighting and costs significantly more.

8. be quiet! Dark Base Pro 900

The best case for modders

Form Factor: Full tower | Motherboard Support: E-ATX, XL-ATX, ATX, M-ATX, Mini-ITX | Dimensions: 577 x 243 x 586 mm | Weight: 14.39 kg | Radiator Support: 120mm, 140mm, 240mm, 280mm, 360mm, 420mm | I/O Ports: 1 x Audio/Mic, 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C, Qi Wireless Charger | Drive Bays: 2.5": 10 3.5": 5

Highly modular

Wireless Qi charger

Extensive cooling support

Expensive

Originally known for their silent power supplies and fans, be quiet! entered the case market with a big splash and has done quite well in the short period of time since their first case launch in 2014. One of their newer cases, the Dark Base Pro 900 remains one of our highly recommended full towers thanks to its sleek design and enthusiast-friendly interior.

The Dark Base Pro 900 is large enough to support the biggest motherboards and radiators up to 420mm in size. The case also features total modularity with options for an inverted motherboard layout and even some nifty features like wireless qi charging and preinstalled LED lighting.

9. Lian-Li PC-011 Dynamic

The best case for Razer cultists

Form factor: Mid tower | Motherboard Support: E-ATX, ATX, M-ATX, mini-ITX | Dimensions: 446 x 272 x 445mm | Weight: 9.7kg | Radiator Support: 120mm, 240mm, 280mm, 360mm | I/O Ports: 2 x USB 3.0, 2 x HD audio, 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C | Drive bays: 2.5": 6 3.5": 3

Synapse 3-compatible lighting

Plenty of headroom for upgrades

Poor instructions

The worst we can say about the Lian-Li PC-011 Dynamic is that its instruction manual is incomprehensible. If you already know how to build a PC, however, piecing it together shouldn't prove too difficult. 

For the most part, it's a standard tempered glass mid-tower case with a few bells and whistles to make it all worth the enduring trial and error of the PC building experience. For one, it has three removable panels—one on the front and one on each side. Naturally, this makes for an easy installation. Incorporating a liquid cooler in its exposed ceiling area is an effortless undertaking. 

Once everything is in place, assuming you have the coveted Razer Edition of the PC-011 Dynamic, you can get started customizing lighting schemes in the tri-snake compnay's Synapse 3 software, coordinating it with your other Razer peripherals along the way.

10. Cooler Master MasterCase H500M

Form Factor: Mid tower | Motherboard Support: Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX, E-ATX (support upto 12" x 10.7") | Dimensions: 544 x 248 x 546mm | Weight: 14.2 kg | Radiator Support: 120mm, 140mm, 240mm, 280mm, 360mm | I/O Ports: 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C, 2 x USB 3.0, 1 x Audio/Mic | Drive Bays: 2.5": 3 3.5": 2

It's massive (supports E-ATX)

High airflow with 2x 200mm RGB fans

No magnetic dust filters

Expensive

Cooler Master's H500M is the company's latest flagship mid tower, but we'd really rather it be called a full-sized tower. Measuring 21.4 x 9.8 x 21.5 inches, the H500M is the biggest mid tower on this list. Thanks to its large size and internal layout, it's really easy to build in and supports a huge variety of components and custom cooling options.

The H500M comes with two massive 200mm RGB LED fans installed which do a fantastic job of increasing airflow out of the box. Other modern touches include a USB 3.1 Type-C connector and tons of modularity including the option to choose between mesh and tempered glass.

Our only major issue with the case is the lack of easily removable magnetic dust filters for the front fan intake. Luckily, all of the mesh in the entire H500 line features a secondary filter layer that'll help keep dust out of your build.

Some online stores give us a small cut if you buy something through one of our links. Read our affiliate policy for more info.  

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Top 10 Best PC Games in India

By Digit | Updated 27-May-2019

Our list of the Top 10 Best PC Games that are highly recommended for their gameplay, graphics and experience. Click on the individual Best Computer Games listed to read detailed reviews and know more about them.

Apex Legends can safely be called one of the best Battle royale Games available today. The game has introduced a new non-verbal communicate system with which players can actually co-operate with strangers who aren't using mic. If you are already playing PUBG or Fortnite and want a much needed change then you should definitely give Apex Legnds a try. Moreover, the game is fully free-to-play and you can download it from the Origin store.

Specifications

This is the game that actually started all the hustle and bustle of Battle Royale games and it is the reason this genre has reached a phenomenon that it is today. The entire concept of 100 players land on an island and grab whatever weapons and ammo they can find, and aim to survive and fight to death, sounded pretty similar to a Battlegrounds/hunger games style. PUBG is a more realistic FPS game as opposed to the more cartoony and arcadey Fortnite by Epic Games. If you are one of those who like to get their survival instincts triggered with some thrilling and realistic action then PUBG is the way to go.

Specifications

While the formula is the same, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare is the best PC game to play right now, thanks to excellent graphics, engaging (though linear) game play and a gripping story line. Kevin Spacey does add to the drama!

Specifications

Available At

:

amazon |flipkart

The game that started off as a straight up imitation of PUBG has now evolved into a Minecraft generation arena shooter. Since Epic Games launched Fortnite back in July 2017, the developer has changed the overall concept of the game that gives it a steep learning curve. There's more to Fortinite than just blatant survival based battle royale game like PUBG. Unlike PUBG, Fortnite players can also instantaneously build their own buildings for their defence. Fortnite offers you everything that PUBG has plus the building system with the exception being a realistic game play that Fortnite fails to offer.

Specifications

Available At

:

amazon |flipkart

Assassin's Creed Odyssey is actually a really good Action RPG game. Like Black Flag, it no longer feels like an Assassin's Creed game (You're literally a misthios, or mercenary in the game), but it does retain certain elements. So if you were hoping for an Assassin's Creed game that is true to the older formula, you might end up disappointed, but if you enjoy ARPGs, such as the Witcher, you will enjoy Assassin's Creed Odyssey.

Specifications

Available At

:

amazon |flipkart

Frostpunk brings in several interesting gameplay mechanics ensuring that you keep going back to it. If you're a city simulator fan, you should definitely get this one. A post-apocalyptic frozen world where your hope begins with a barely functioning generator in the middle of nowhere, clinging to the mercy of scarce resources and survivors taking refuge in your city, is certainly an enticing portrayal of a dystopia.

Specifications

Available At

:

amazon |flipkart

This action RPG is good enough to make it to some "greatest of all time" lists. Yoko Taro and Platinum Games have outdone themselves with this one. It's got fluid gameplay, an amazing and emotional story, interesting characters, different types of gameplay, great combat, a vast open world to explore and a beautiful soundtrack. The game only loses some points for the horrible PC port which however can be taken care of with a fan mod that smooths out a few performance issues

Specifications

Available At

:

amazon |flipkart

Divinity: Original Sin II is one of the most fascinating role-playing games ever made in both its original and Definitive incarnations.The entire game is voice acted. There's apparently over 80,000 lines of dialogue in the game! This makes the experience all the more enjoyable, especially for those experiencing the genre for the first time.The game features fantasy world driven by emotions topped with brilliant tactical combats making it one of the finest RPGs ever.

Specifications

Available At

:

amazon |flipkart

Dirt Ralley 2.0 is a confident rally racer for serious revheads. Owing to better graphics than its predecessor the rally simulation game now looks more real, feels great and sounds fabulous at the same time. However, it retains the tricky car handling and requires some practice to master. Not for those who expect smooth and steady rides.

Specifications

Available At

:

amazon |flipkart

Metro Exodus is the third game in post apocalyptic FPS series based on the novels of Dmitry Glukhovsky. The Survival horror game provides you with an exhilerating experience. The game provides you the opportunity to delve deep into the shattered ruins of dead Moscow and embark on an epic, continent-spanning journey across post-apocalyptic Russia.

Specifications

Available At

:

amazon |flipkart

Product Seller Price

Apex Legends

Not Avaliable Not Avaliable

PUBG

Not Avaliable Not Avaliable

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

amazon ₹ 840

ASSASSIN'S CREED ODYSSEY

amazon ₹ 840

NIER AUTOMATA

amazon ₹ 840

Divinity: Original Sin II

amazon ₹ 840

Dirt Rally 2.0

amazon ₹ 840

Metro Exodus

amazon ₹ 840

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44 best Skyrim mods you should download on Xbox One, PS4 and PC

It's been around for the best part of a decade, so to inject some life into Bethesda's fantasy epic, you need to download some of the best Skyrim mods. The Elder Scrolls Skyrim hasn't aged particularly well, but you can transform it into a stellar RPG with these best Skyrim mods, from graphic enhancements and quality of life improvements to huge new quest lines and even brand new companions. In our list of the best Skyrim mods below, we've listed what platform each mod is available on, along with a respective link to either the NexusMods page for PC or the Bethesda mod site for console.

Quests

Read more

Elder Scrolls 6: release date, trailer, news, and everything else we know

FalskaarAvailable on:  Xbox One, PC

Those of you who have finished Skyrim should head immediately to Falskaar. Considering it's the size of a DLC and that it landed its creator a job at Bungie, the fact that it's on this list shouldn't be that surprising. As the harbinger of an ancient prophecy (minus any special powers), you have to bring peace back to Falskaar - but nothing is ever as simple as it seems...

Forgotten CityAvailable on:  Xbox One, PC

This is the best story mod out there, in my honest opinion. Stuck in an underground town overseen by old automated Dwemer moral police system, you just have to find a way out. Sounds simple, doesn't it? Oh, just you wait...

ClockworkAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

The Dwemer don't really get enough time dedicated to them in Skyrim, despite being the most enigmatic race to ever grace Nirn. Yet this strange mansion you stumble upon is run by two of their contraptions...and their master is missing. Guess you'd better find out what's gone on!

Moonpath to Elsweyr

Available on: Xbox One, PC

Moonpath to Elsweyr connects Skyrim to the vast deserts of the feline Khajiit. Here, you can bask under azure skies and hunt ferocious raptors in wild tangles of bush and jungle. This was actually one of the first quest mods ever made for Skyrim, but has recently started receiving regular updates again, making it one of the best mods around at the moment.

Beyond Bruma Available on: Xbox One, PC

Do you remember the days you spent wandering around Bruma back when Mehrunes Dagon threatened to destroy Tamriel in Oblivion? Well, now you can go back to Bruma from Skyrim. With over 70 residents, Bruma looks better and feels more alive than ever before.

Markers: No more wandering aimlessly 

Stones of Barenziah markersAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

The bloody Stones of Barenziah. This quest sat in my tray for the time it took me to complete all the major quests and a chunk of the sidequests, and I had only found about six. This mod is essential if you want to get all of the stones and find out what mysterious item they make in the end. 

Impatience of a Saint markersAvailable on: PS4,  Xbox One, PC(Not on Nexus, so it's on Bethesda's mod website)

I was running around the hellish Soul Cairn in circles for a good hour trying to find all of the pages to Jiub's opus, and this mod cut that time down to about ten minutes. Completely worth it. 

Travelling around Skyrim

A Quality world map and Solstheim mapAvailable on: Xbox One,  PC

My god, I cannot emphasise enough how much better this mod made Skyrim. If you're like me and you don't like to fast-travel the vanilla map, whilst pretty, is almost useless when you're trying to find a road which will take you from Riften to Solitude. This mod overhauls the map so it's easy to find routes between cities and picks out most of the paths you could easily miss otherwise.

Diverse dragons collectionAvailable on: Xbox One, PC, and try Splendor: Dragon Variants on PS4

As soon as you unlock your dragonborn blood, appearances of these winged reptiles will start becoming as regular as rain. So why not spice up the sight of them appearing on the horizon with this mod, which introduces 28 news dragons, each with a different model and texture. As well as the typical frost and fire breath, some even have a drain vitality attack, and thanks to their unmistakable appearances you'll be able to tell which one is swooping towards you on the horizon. Gnarly. 

Rain and Snow FXAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

A small addition but one that makes a bucketload of difference: makes you look wet in rain, and frost tints you body when you're walking through a blizzard.Note: The PC link leads to the 'Wet and Cold' mod, which has a very similar effect. 

Better horsesAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Among other things, this equine mod has a new horse AI so your mount will flee combat, more stamina (so more galloping), invulnerability (especially useful for me as I tend to Leeroy Jenkins in every fight), plus they're faster.Note: The PC link leads to the Bethesda.net website, as the NexusMods file is no longer supported.

Open Cities SkyrimAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

This means that you don't have to endure loading screens when you enter cities, which makes for a beautifully seamless transition between shooting deer in the wilds and selling your haul from raiding dungeons to merchants. 

Castle Volkihar reduxAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

For those bloodsuckers amongst you this mod is sure to be a favourite, as it turns Castle Volkihar into a small town, finally making it feel like you're really part of the night-walking, bat-loving elite.Note: The PC link leads to the Bethesda.net website.

Really useful dragons Available on: PC

Have you ever gotten bored of dragons? Although the diverse dragons mod makes the colossal beasts far more interesting, they're still the same serpentine monsters you've been slaying since 2011. Cue really useful dragons, which changes all the dragons in Skyrim into Thomas the Tank Engine trains. You're welcome.

Improving gameplay

Skyrim Special Edition Unofficial PatchAvailable on: Xbox One, PS4, PC

I'll keep this brief: download it. It fixes a ton of bugs and is compatible with the vast majority of mods. Win-win.

The Choice is YoursAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

Have you ever been seriously annoyed about the fact that unfinished quests just sit in your journal forever? Well, thanks to The Choice is Yours, you can just straight up reject quests. Sorry, I'm the Dragonborn. I haven't got time to fetch you a mammoth's tusk. 

Static Mesh ImprovementAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

This mod adds vast, very visible improvements to the 3D models for most objects in Skyrim. It replaces the low-polygon meshes for most banal objects in the game, and trust me - you'll notice the difference. If you're still unconvinced, head over to their page on Bethesda or Nexus and see the screenshots for yourself.

Skyrim graphic overhaulAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

It's simple: this mod makes Skyrim look a ton better. It adds textures to objects in-game such as more plants and grasses, fur looks like fur and not sheets of grey, as well as smoke. Expect in-game immersion to shoot up after installing this mod.Note: The PC link leads to Osmodius' SSE Texture pack, which livens up the textures to the same degree as the mod on Bethesda's site.  

Alternate start - live another lifeAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

Fed up with being the Dragonborn? I don't blame you, and this mod lets you start as almost anything from a necromancer's assistant to a shipwrecked sailor. For those of you who love to replay Skyrim, it lets you roleplay to your heart's content.

Become a BardAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

As if the title wasn't self-explanatory enough, I'll spell it out for you: this mod lets you become a proper bard, not just a travelling Dragonborn who occasionally helps out the Bard College in Solitude. You can pick your preferred instrument, decide which songbooks you want to specialise in, choose bard followers, and play songs anywhere including in taverns where you'll earn tips for your musical endeavours. Become a Bard gives the Bard's College a purpose, letting it stand tall alongside the Thieves' Guild, the Companions and the College of Winterhold.

Dragon souls to perksAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

By the time you've sunken about 50 hours into Skyrim, you've probably got a heap of dragon souls sitting beside your Thu'ums, useless. If you don't use shouts particularly often, this mod makes sure the souls don't go to waste. They let you 'buy' perks, with the ones higher up the skill trees costing more souls to purchase. Get out there and slay some dragons!

Ordinator - Perks Of SkyrimAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

An almighty overhaul of Skyrim's perk tree, this adds 400 new perks, bulking out each basic skill to give a ton more options to spend your precious perk points on. From 'Fog of War' in the stealth tree to 'Flee Fool' in the two-handed tree, there's plenty of new abilities to master!

Left hand ringsAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

Pretty simple, but somehow overlooked by Bethesda - after all, rings aren't restricted to your right hand in real life, so why should they be in Skyrim?

Sounds of Skyrim: Civilisation; Dungeons; The WildsAvailable on: PC

The immersion will jump once you install this mod, as it means that dungeons, towns, and the countryside will sound different each time you venture out. That means no more hearing the same birdsong no matter where you are, no more repetitive dripping from Ancient Norse obelisks, or certainly a rediction in that dratted clanging sound of the blacksmith's hammer in every city you go to.  

Unread books glowAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

The completionist in me loves this mod. Make sure to make this one of the first mods you download though, as if you download it mid-game all the books you've read to that point will be marked as unread. The feeling of reading the last glowing book before you add it to your collection is so satisfying.

Newmiller's spell books retextures 2 Available on: PC

To build on that last mod, you can actually download a texture pack that turns Skyrim's ordinary spell books into leather-bound tomes that look as if they'd smell musty. These are arcane texts, after all — they've probably been around for hundreds of years!

Useful Alteration Available on: Xbox One, PC

This mod will change your life. Although Alteration is often seen as the ugly duckling of the arcane arts, installing Useful Alteration will provide the College of Winterhold's Tolfdir with a whole new range of Alteration tomes. Described by the modder as "annoyance removal" spells, these are generally used to make playing Skyrim less mundane. "Solve" solves a nearby pillar puzzle immediately, while "Unlock" automatically unlocks a locked chest or door. Who knew that Alteration was the best magic school? 

Fixing NPCs

Realistic conversation overhaulAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

Ever been walking through one of Skyrim's cities when five citizens are suddenly simultaneously clamouring for your attention? Of course you have. The people roaming through Windhelm, Riften, and Falkreath just love to chat and this mod lets them do it to their heart's content. Just, to other NPCs - not you. This means strolling through a village is suddenly much more immersive with its inhabitants having a chat outside the Inn or as a break from harvesting wheat. Small change, but a big difference.

Immersive citizens AI overhaulAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

NPCs in Skyrim are interesting beings to say the least, as they'll try to pick a fight with any dragons swooping around their village. This mod means that they won't try to fight you (or any other overpowered creature) if you're a higher level than them; instead they'll run and hide in a hideout, which will be assigned randomly and could be a home, temple, Jarl's stronghold, or anything similar.

Immersive PatrolsAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

If the sight of golden skin of the Thalmor looming over the horizon, or the sound of the self-righteous Stormcloaks as they tramp by deafens you, this mod is what you're looking for. No longer do just the two civil war factions patrol round Skyrim: Immersive Patrols adds scheduled Dawnguard, caravan, and guard patrols to Skyrim and Reaver, Skaal, Redoran, and Riekling patrols to Solstheim, as well as making existing patrols regular. It also adds moderately-sized civil war fort battles so you can sink your axe, arrow, or destruction magic of choice into even more heads. 

Run for your livesAvailable on: PC

NPCs in Skyrim are surprisingly ballsy. They'll take on bandits and even dragons. That's fun to watch, but it will sometimes result in quest-givers getting roasted a bit too badly, and expiring before your very eyes. This mod changes that, and makes NPCs run for cover when enemies approach, which saves you the trouble of running around trying to save the brave, valiant idiots.

Relationship dialogue overhaulAvailable on: PC

No more hearing about arrows in knees. NPCs get more dialogue options with this mod, and they even address you with over 50 different voice times. There's nothing like the thousandth hearing of not-Schwarzenegger's 'Let me guess. Somebody stole your sweetroll?' for breaking immersion. 

The Paarthurnax dilemmaAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

I got quite irritated at the quest Delphine gives you to kill Paarthurnax, as there's no option to quite simply say no. If you decline, the quest has to litter your journal for eternity. That's all changed in this mod, so you can spare your scaly friend and let him fly free. 

Combat: make things more deader

Phenderix: magic evolvedAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

For those who love the sight of lightning crackling from their fingertips, you're spoilt for choice with this mod as it adds over 370 new spells. There are new spell archetypes, including bombs, growth, and plus you can summon any creature in Skyrim! 

Better combat AIAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

With this mod NPCs fighting styles drastically change. Now they'll try to block, bash, and stagger, as well as disengage from melee combat when they get too far away from ranged characters. Genius!Note: the PC link leads to 'Combat Evolved' mod, which does a very similar thing. 

Enhanced blood texturesAvailable on: Xbox One, PC, and try Increase Blood Amount on PS4It's simple and the title says it all. Gore never looked better. 

VioLens: A Killmove modAvailable on: PS4, Xbox One, PC

I love seeing my character execute a badass kill-move to take down enemies, and this mod makes fighting a joy. Flourishes when you're about to kill somewhen while dual-wielding, brutal finishers, executions for dragons - it really has it all.

Wounds Available on: PC

So you've been absolutely wrecked by a Draugr Deathlord, barely escaping with your life. However, all you have to do is down a health potion or two before you're back to normal. With Wounds, you can actually pick up debilitating injuries that take days, weeks, or even months to heal properly. Smashed femur? That's going to be an issue for two whole months.

Voice of Madness: A Wabbajack ShoutAvailable on: PS4

Unfortunately, this mod is only on PS4 at the moment. However, if you're lucky enough to own a copy of Skyrim on PS4, and unlucky enough to have yet to experience the wonder of this mod, you should download it immediately. Everybody knows Sheogorath is the Daedric Prince of Madness, but what happens when you harness his chaotic energy and channel it into your Thu'um? Prepare to Wabbajack enemies into Oblivion and rain explosive cheese from darkened skies!

Cross and JabAvailable on: PC

In some games, hand-to-hand combat is a joy. Just think of all the Fists of Fury quests in The Witcher 3! However, it's pretty mundane in Skyrim. Cross and Jab changes that by adding in faster, more diverse punching animations, to the extent that you'll likely start taking on dungeons as a bare-knuckle boxer just because of how satisfying it feels. It's time to become Skyrim's world heavyweight champion.

Bonus companion

Dovahbit of CaerbannogAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

Dovahbit is a rabbit who carries your stuff, comes with its own little saddlebags, and can wear helmets. You haven't enjoyed Skyrim at its fullest until you've looked behind you and seen a small brown bunny wearing a horned helmet hopping after you.Note: The PC link takes you to Bethesda's mod page where you can find the fluffy, loyal companion. Aww.

Dwemer dogs companionsAvailable on: Xbox One, PC

Although the Dwemer ruins of Skyrim are mostly abandoned, this mod adds three Dwemer doggos to Salvius Farm. They won't actually fight for you, but they'll follow you around and bark, which is incredibly wholesome and makes Skyrim about fifty times more enjoyable. You can also conjure these dwarven doggos if you buy the spell tome from Farengar in Whiterun. It's amazing.

Vilja Available on: PC

Vilja is a Nord alchemist that's been helping players fulfil their destinies since way back in the days of Oblivion. Now she's made her way to Skyrim to help the Dragonborn on their quest to prevent the apocalypse at the hands of Alduin, the World-Eater. However, perhaps the most interesting thing about Vilja is that Sir Terry Pratchett himself helped to develop her character. Now all we need is a full-blown Discworld mod!

Bear MusicianAvailable on: PC

This mod can only be downloaded directly from Steam. It's pretty self-explanatory — it allows you to travel with a lute-bearing bear minstrel. Bring it to the Bard's College so that it can fulfil its wildest dreams. 

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