The Best PCs for Playing Fortnite

Fortnite: Battle Royale is the hottest multiplayer game in the world, with over 40 million players shooting, looting and building in Epic Games' colorful, last-man-standing war zone. Better yet, the game is free, and will run on even the most modest gaming PCs, so there's no excuse not to get in on the action.

If you're ready to see what the Fortnite phenomenon is all about but don't have a PC yet, we've got you covered. Here are the best desktops to play Epic's popular shooter on, from entry-level systems to tricked-out 4K behemoths.

Fortnite System Requirements

Fortnite's system requirements are very modest by today's standards, meaning even a budget gaming desktop or low-end laptop will do. The game can run on integrated graphics and an Intel Core i3 processor at a minimum, though you'll want at least a Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a midrange graphics card for stable performance.

Fortnite also works on Mac, though multiple Apple users have reported performance problems, so play on a PC if you can.

Here are the official system requirements, via Epic Games:

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Row 0 - Cell 0 MinimumRecommended
ProcessorIntel Core i3 2.4 GHzIntel Core i5 2.8 GHz
GraphicsIntel HD 400Nvidia GTX 600 or AMD Radeon HD 7870
RAM4GB8GB
Storage19.76 GB19.76 GB
Operating SystemWindows 7/8/10 64-bit or Mac OSX SierraWindows 7/8/10 64-bit

Entry Level: CyberPowerPC Gamer Ultra ($559)

Credit: CyberPower

(Image credit: CyberPower)

The CyberPower PC Gamer Ultra is one of the most popular budget gaming PCs on Amazon, and goes well beyond Fortnite's minimum requirements for less than $600. Packing an AMD FX-6300 processor and Radeon R7 250 graphics, the Gamer Ultra gives you more than enough power for running Fortnite at 1080p at decent frame rates. And it comes with a mouse and a keyboard.

Key Specs

CPU: AMD FX-6300
GPU: AMD Radeon R7 250
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 1TB hard drive

Console Replacement: Lenovo Legion Y720 Cube ($719)

If you want to play Fortnite in the living room while still enjoying the benefits of a full-on PC, Lenovo's Legion Y720 Cube is a great choice. This small, box-shaped desktop starts with an Intel Core i3-7100 CPU and Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti graphics, well exceeding Fortnite's minimum requirements while leaving plenty of room for upgradability. It even packs a carry handle for easy transport, should you need to take it to your next Fortnite LAN session.

Key Specs

CPU: Intel Core i3-7100
GPU: Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti
RAM: 8TB
Storage: 1TB hard drive

Upgrade-Friendly: Alienware Aurora R7 ($949)

Our favorite overall gaming desktop, the Alienware Aurora features a blissfully easy-to-upgrade design and can be configured for less than $1,000. The system's $949 starting model packs an Intel Core i5-8400 processor and Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti graphics, going beyond Fortnite's recommended specs for smooth 1080p gameplay. And should you ever want to turn the machine into a 1440p or 4K-ready beast, the Aurora's tool-free design is a breeze to upgrade with new components.

Key Specs

CPU: Intel Core i5-8400
GPU: Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 1TB hard drive

High-End PC: MSI Infinite ($1,899)

Loaded with an Intel Core i7-7700 processor and Nvidia GTX 1080 graphics, the MSI Infinite gives you enough power to play Fortnite in 4K or enjoy blistering frame rates in 1080p or 1440p. It also has really fancy LED lighting (if that's your thing) and is very easy to upgrade. You really shouldn't go this all-out just for Fortnite, but if you want a PC that can also handle VR and run modern games at high settings, the Infinite will serve you well for years to come.

Key Specs

CPU: Intel Core i7-7700
GPU: Nvidia GTX 1080
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 512GB SSD

Michael Andronico

Mike Andronico is Senior Writer at CNNUnderscored. He was formerly Managing Editor at Tom's Guide, where he wrote extensively on gaming, as well as running the show on the news front. When not at work, you can usually catch him playing Street Fighter, devouring Twitch streams and trying to convince people that Hawkeye is the best Avenger.