Apple took out top spot in Canstar Blue’s 2024 ratings for desktop computers, scoring five stars for overall satisfaction, performance, user friendliness and design, while it scored four stars for durability and three stars for value for money.
Our ratings compare a range of desktop computer brands across a number of factors including customer satisfaction. This means you can find out what other Aussies think about their desktop computer brand, all in the one place.
Canstar Blue surveyed 195 Australians for their feedback on the desktop computer they’ve purchased in the last three years. This refers to desktop computers only (not laptops or tablet devices), which are not portable.
Survey respondents are asked to rate their satisfaction with their desktop computer brand from zero to 10, with zero meaning extremely dissatisfied and 10 meaning extremely satisfied. Desktop computer brand satisfaction is rated on the following criteria:
The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.
To qualify in the ratings results, brands must have received a minimum of 30 responses to be included. Therefore, not all desktop computer brands in the market will be compared in this survey. Brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
Find more information on our Most Satisfied Customers ratings.
For the third year in a row, Apple came out on top for the best desktop computers, with five stars across most categories — overall satisfaction, performance, user friendliness and design — while it scored four stars for durability and three stars for value for money.
Dell came in second with four stars for overall satisfaction and was the only brand to score five stars for durability and value for money. Lenovo came in third with four stars for overall satisfaction, while HP rounded out our ratings with three stars for overall satisfaction.
However, these four aren’t the only desktop computer names on the market. There are plenty of brands offering computers for a range of different users and activities. Some computers might come packed with fast processing and plenty of storage for gaming and other intensive activities like running design and video editing programs. Other devices might just offer the basics to serve as a home computer for the whole family to use.
The average price paid for a desktop computer, according to our survey, was $1,339 — no wonder that more than a third (37%) of respondents purchased their computer on sale. The average Aussie also spends roughly five hours per day on their desktop computer, with those aged 18-29 spending the most time on their computer on average (six hours) compared to other age groups.
The vast majority (71%) of those we surveyed had purchased their desktop computer for personal use, while 20% purchased for work and 7% for study. 41% of survey respondents purchased their computer because they wanted an upgrade, while 43% purchased because their old computer broke. Proving that a big purchase such as a desktop computer isn’t taken lightly, 59% of survey respondents did research or compared brands/models before purchase.
As to what Aussies use their computers for the most, 27% purchased specifically for gaming, while 50% of respondents prefer to use their computer rather than their smartphone for activities online, such as browsing and online shopping. 36% of respondents also have more than one computer, while a fifth of Aussies (20%) said they don’t understand much of the jargon associated with computers.
Emma Bradstock has been an authority on consumer phone, internet, technology and streaming markets in Australia for over 5 years, with a dedication to providing Aussies with all the information they need to make better purchasing decisions. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Media from Macquarie University and has over a decade of professional writing experience in print and digital media.
Meet the Editorial Team
Samantha Howse is Canstar Blue’s Consumer Research Specialist, coordinating the consumer research program behind our customer satisfaction awards across Canstar and Canstar Blue in Australia and New Zealand. Sam has earned a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Griffith University and, with seven years in market research and two years in marketing, she is experienced in survey design, implementation and analysis, coupled with an understanding of marketing principles and best practice.
Meet the Research TeamCanstar Blue surveyed more than 3,000 Australian adults across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from customers within the survey group who have purchased a new computer (desktop) in the last three years (note: this does not include tablets) – in this case, 195 people.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criteria.
Here are the previous winners of Canstar Blue’s desktop computer ratings:
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