Intel Core i7 860 (2.8 GHz), 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 1 TB Standard, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition
THE GOOD
Best value among midrange gaming PCs; Velocity Micro's consistently high build quality; compact case makes few sacrifices; second graphics card slot previously uncommon at this price.
THE BAD
Might need to dial down game image quality on 24-inch displays at full resolution
THE BOTTOM LINE
Velocity Micro's Edge Z30 is the best deal going right now for midlevel gaming PCs featuring Intel's new Core i7 chips. The overclocked Core i7 860, a fast Nvidia graphics card, and a solid selection of features all around make it easy for us to recommend this system to anyone looking for a capable gaming desktop.
Apple iMac (27-inch, 3.06Hz Intel Core 2 Duo, ATI Radeon HD 4670, Fall 2009)
EDITORS CHOICE
1
EDITORS RATING
8.4
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS
Intel Core 2 Duo (3.06 GHz), 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 1 TB Standard, ATI Radeon HD 4670, EPA Energy Star, Apple MacOS X 10.6, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Largest display among all-in-ones; fast dual-core CPU makes up for lack of quad-core (mostly); finally has an SD card slot; wireless mouse and keyboard; Mini DisplayPort input ripe with possibility.
THE BAD
Most Windows all-in-ones in the price range have Blu-ray; touch-sensitive mouse gestures not as responsive as we'd like; Apple's nickel-and-dime customer service policy.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Apple's new 27-inch iMac will charm plenty of you with its screen size alone. Fortunately, that won't lead you astray. Behind its expansive display, Apple has packed one of the fastest all-in-ones available, and added a few useful extras to sweeten the deal. This iMac isn't perfect, but its positives far outweigh its negatives. We can think of few users to whom we wouldn't recommend this system.
Intel Core i7 960 (3.86 GHz), 6 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 1500 GB Standard, 2x ATI Radeon HD 5870
THE GOOD
Distinctive case design; pristine internal cabling; competitive specs for its price; relatively power efficient, as long as you don't leave it in sleep mode; strong customer service.
THE BAD
Adding hard drives is a pain because of drive bay and cable layout; you can achieve similar performance with a less expensive CPU.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Maingear's Shift is the boutique vendor's new flagship gaming PC. It brings almost everything we expect to find in such a system, from expert craftsmanship to fast overclocking to a case that makes a statement. We found a few minor sticking points, but, on the whole, this PC sits comfortably alongside the top tier of luxury gaming boxes, and we recommend it if you have the means.
Intel Core 2 Duo T7450 (2.13 GHz), 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 750 GB Portable, NVIDIA GeForce GT 230, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, Media center
THE GOOD
Matches Sony in capability to connect and switch between external video sources easily; Recipe Box touch program best kitchen app we've seen; smart touch app partnerships with Hulu, Twitter, and Netflix; loud enough to fill a room.
THE BAD
Slow performance; touch input suffers from occasional unresponsiveness.
THE BOTTOM LINE
If HP's TouchSmart 600 won't at least get you thinking about the idea of bringing a PC into your kitchen, the concept truly has no hope. With well-though-out touch apps, a wide, easy-to-use array of digital media features, and an attractive, flexible design, HP's new all-in-one is not the fastest new all-in-one, but it has the most comprehensive and compelling set of features of any all-in-one launching alongside Windows 7.
Apple iMac (21.5-inch, 3.06Hz Intel Core 2 Duo, Nvidia GeForce 9400M, Fall 2009)
EDITORS RATING
7.8
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS
Intel Core 2 Duo (3.06 GHz), 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 500 GB Standard, NVIDIA GeForce 9400M, EPA Energy Star, Apple MacOS X 10.6, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Boasts Apple's always-appealing industrial design, a high-resolution display, and the best performance among all-in-ones in its price range.
THE BAD
Small screen for its price (despite its high resolution); not as home entertainment-friendly as other all-in-ones.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Despite its good looks and a few useful new features, Apple's new iMac is all about business. You can find a larger screen for less, not to mention all kinds of digital entertainment features, but no other all-in-one at this price can boast similar performance. If you need a modestly priced all-in-one for getting work done, we'd recommend no other system.
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300 (2.5 GHz), 8 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 1 TB Standard, Intel GMA X4500, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Edition, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Top-tier performance results; plenty of upgrade room; versatile array of motherboard connections.
THE BAD
Power efficiency needs improvement; oversized case gives the appearance of a more aggressive system.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Massive case notwithstanding, the affordable Asus Essentio CG5270-BP004 delivers a competitive feature set with the horsepower to back it up. We recommend this system for light media editors and anyone who can make use of its straightforward performance and multipurpose features.
ZT Affinity 7334Ma (Phenom 2 X4 945 3GHz, 8GB RAM, 1TB HDD, Vista Home Premium 64-bit)
EDITORS RATING
7.4
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS
AMD Phenom II X4 945 (3 GHz), 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 1 TB Standard, ATI Mobility RADEON HD 4200, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
THE GOOD
Quad-core performance trounces competitive systems; Blu-ray drive included; wide range of display outputs; performance-enhancing AMD CPU; a lot of room for internal expansion.
THE BAD
Boring design remains unchanged from previous model.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The $799 ZT Affinity 7334Ma's stellar performance benchmarks, Blu-ray drive, and plenty of room for expansion give it a step up from the competition. ZT still needs help in the external design department, but this system certainly earns our recommendation as a workhorse do-it-all system.
Intel CORE I5 750 (2.66 GHz), 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 1000 GB Standard, nVidia GeForce GTX260 1792MB GDDR3, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, 64Bit, English
THE GOOD
Strong visual appeal; competitive features for its price.
THE BAD
Minimal upgrade room; no out-of-the-box overclocking; no option for AMD's latest graphics cards.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Dell Studio XPS 8000 offers a strong combination of midrange performance parts that should satisfy anyone looking for a midtower desktop for general productivity, digital media editing, or gaming. It lacks a few performance-oriented extras, but it makes up for any deficiencies with its attractive looks.
Intel Core i7 Q8200 (2.33 GHz), 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 1 TB Standard, RADEON HD 4670, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium Edition
THE GOOD
Handsome case design; kicks-off the new generation of Windows 7-based all-in-one PCs with fast performance; decent mainstream gaming capability; solid-state hard drive speeds OS and application loading.
THE BAD
Occasionally unresponsive touch input; lacking higher-end multimedia features like Blu-ray and wall mounting; TV tuners are lame.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Gateway One ZX6810-01 makes a strong first impression for Windows 7-based all-in-ones PCs, with fast performance and an attractive case design. Its touch input and accompanying applications fall flat, but there's enough respectable computer here that it's worth a look. Our only suggestion is that you wait to inspect the rest of the new Windows 7 crowd once they are released.
Intel Pentium T4300 (2.1 GHz), 2 GB DDR II SDRAM, 750 GB Standard, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
THE GOOD
Attractive design; large hard drive for its price; fantastic power efficiency.
THE BAD
Minimal connectivity options.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Gateway's affordable One ZX4800-02 all-in-one isn't the most feature-rich desktop at this price, but it's fast and capable enough that it will handle most basic consumer tasks with aplomb. Don't get too excited about its touch screen, but there's enough to like about this system that we can recommend it as an everyday PC.
Sony Vaio L117FX (Core 2 Quad Q8400s 2.66GHz, 6GB RAM, 1TB HDD, Windows 7 Home Premium)
EDITORS RATING
7.2
VALUE WATCH RATING
Poor value
SPECS
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400S (2.66 GHz), 6 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 1 TB Standard, NVIDIA GeForce GT 240M, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Edition, Media center
THE GOOD
Strong performance among Windows-based all-in-ones; picture-in-picture support; wall-mountable; Blu-ray drive and TV tuner make it a relatively complete home media hub; touch input.
THE BAD
The 27-inch iMac costs $300 less; lower-cost HP all-in-one has comparable digital media features.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Earlier this year Sony was the unquestioned king of all-in-ones designed for home entertainment. The new Vaio L117FX retains and improves on many of the features we liked about older models, but revamped all-in-ones from its competition make the new Vaio seem a touch overpriced.
Intel Pentium E5300 (2.6 GHz), 6 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 1 TB Standard, Intel GMA X4500, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Edition, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Unique case accommodates external hard drives and a media card reader; large hard drive; a lot of room for expansion; wide variety of connections.
THE BAD
Competing PCs offer faster performance but fewer features; poor power efficiency.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Gateway DX-4822-01 makes a convincing pitch with the performance numbers and features to earn its place in your home, but if you're not tied to the midtower design, the older Gateway SX2800-01 offers faster speeds and the option to set it up as a media center PC.
AMD Phenom II X4 805 (2.5 GHz), 8 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 1 TB Standard, ATI Radeon HD 3200, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Edition, Media center
THE GOOD
Well-designed case gives easy access to front-panel media card reader.
THE BAD
Leisurely performance.
THE BOTTOM LINE
We're fond of the Gateway DX4300-11's clever design, but halfhearted performance scores mar its overall worth. The TV tuner and 1TB hard drive may tempt you to stick it in your living room as a media center PC, but your money is better spent on the Asus Essentio CG5270-BP004.
Intel Pentium E5300 (2.6 GHz), 6 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 750 GB Standard, Intel GMA X4500, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Edition, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Impressive performance and features for price; neat interior welcomes future upgrades.
THE BAD
Not as fast as a $450 Gateway slim tower; power efficiency needs improvement; subpar online support.
THE BOTTOM LINE
At a glance, the Asus Essentio CM5570-AP003 offers adequate performance compared to other midtower budget desktops, but an older Gateway outshines Asus with faster performance and more versatility for a little more, leaving us unenthusiastic about this system.
Small case with high-end gaming capability; three-year parts and labor warranty.
THE BAD
Too many expandability sacrifices, even for small form factor PCs; unwise internal fan wiring; slower application performance than PCs that cost $1,000 less; missed digital media opportunities; daunting online configurator.
THE BOTTOM LINE
AVADirect's tries to distill as much gaming power as possible into its Nano Cube, but the extra small case requires too many sacrifices next to even standard small form factor PCs. Gaming purists with a need for an extra tiny PC might appreciate the Nanon Cube, but even they should be wary of everything you need to give up for this tiny desktop.
Intel Atom N230 (1.6 GHz), 1 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 160 GB Standard, NVIDIA ION LE, EPA Energy Star, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Most affordable desktop on the market; HDMI and eSATA ports; low-risk starter PC or light-duty email/browsing station; consumes very little power.
THE BAD
An Xbox 360 offers the same digital media capability, plus the option to play games, for the same price.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Acer's Aspire Revo 1600 might be the first Nettop we don't actively dislike. We'd rather have an Xbox 360 in the living room, but the Aspire Revo 1600 would be suitable as a PC for young kids or as a low-profile cloud kiosk. Thanks to its $199 price tag, you won't feel too much remorse if it breaks or you outgrow it.
Intel Atom 330 (1.6 GHz), 2 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 320 GB Standard, NVIDIA ION, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium / Microsoft Windows 7 Upgrade Option, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Nvidia graphics chip gives games and 720p video a helpful nudge; HDMI video input.
THE BAD
It's a Nettop; better, low-cost video and gaming options out there; atrocious general computing performance; labyrinthine online support.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Nvidia's Ion graphics chip gives the Asus Eee Top ET2002 better-than-average video performance for a Nettop, but that does little to spare this system from its weak overall performance and the variety of competitive, more well-rounded alternatives for low-cost video and gaming. Nettops might be competitive someday, but for now this category as a whole is a disappointment.
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 (2.33 GHz), 4 GB DDR II SDRAM, 500 GB Standard, nVidia GeForce 9400 Integrated Graphics, Apple MacOS X 10.6
THE GOOD
Fast OS X-based computer for less money than comparable alternatives from Apple.
THE BAD
Bargain-basement aesthetics; ancient external connectivity options; little room to expand; ever-present risk that Psystar, and your customer service, will cease to exist.
THE BOTTOM LINE
If you've heard of Psystar, chances are you know the risks involved with buying its systems. You might also have guessed, correctly, that in this OS X Snow Leopard-based Open(Q) system, Psystar once again shows up Apple in the price-performance department. There's little else to recommend this spare system, but if fast and cheap OS X is what you need, Psystar has you covered, at least for as long as it's still around.
Intel Pentium E5300 (2.6 GHz), 4 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 640 GB Standard, Intel GMA 3100, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Edition, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Space-saving slim tower case offers room for future expansion; decent light-duty performance.
THE BAD
Limited connectivity options.
THE BOTTOM LINE
With similar results as its ancestors, the Dell Inspiron 545s-1476N registers decent benchmarks and offers respectable upgradability, but we hesitate to recommend it over the older Gateway SX2800-01 that leaves Dell in the dust regarding both performance and features.
AMD Phenom II X4 810 (2.6 GHz), 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 750 GB Standard, ATI Radeon HD 4200, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Edition, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Ample room for expansion; decent performance results.
THE BAD
Other, faster PCs cost less.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The HP Pavilion P6230y yields decent scores, but we have a hard time recommending a system that comes at a higher cost and a slower performance rating over competing systems. This system has a few uncommon features for its price, but nothing that makes up for its overall poor bang-for-the-buck.
AMD Athlon X2 3250e (1.5 GHz), 2 GB DDR II SDRAM, 250 GB Standard, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
THE GOOD
Faster performance than Atom-based Nettops; unique, flexible screen; more ports than we're used to seeing in low-end all-in-ones.
THE BAD
Low-volume audio output hampers media capabilities; poor performance next to standard budget desktops.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Extra performance by way of a low-wattage AMD chip helps Averatec's D1133 All-In-One stand out from its dismal Nettop competition, but it remains a below-average deal in the grand scheme of budget desktops. We see the appeal of Netbooks, but the benefits of Nettops like this Averatec continue to elude us.
Lenovo C300-3012 (Atom 230 1.6GHz, 4GB RAM, 640GB HDD, Vista Home Premium)
EDITORS RATING
5.4
SPECS
Intel Atom 330 (1.6 GHz), 4 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 640 GB Standard, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4530, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Largest display among low-cost all-in-one computers.
THE BAD
Standard budget PCs are four to eight times faster; weak audio output; no cost savings despite poor performance.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Don't let the 20-inch screen fool you. The Lenovo C300 is still a Nettop, and thus still not worth your money. With its terrible performance and limited convenience benefit, a true budget PC or a Netbook would be a wiser purchase.
Intel Pentium E5300 (2.6 GHz), 4 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 640 GB Standard, Intel GMA 3100, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Edition, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Decent light-duty performance, compact size.
THE BAD
Slim tower case conserves space but offers little room for expansion; limited connectivity options.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The HP Pavilion Slimline s5220y provides adequate performance for light-duty media editing and entertainment, but its slim tower case leaves little room for future upgrades, leading us to recommend the older Gateway SX2800-01 that offers more features and better components.
Intel Atom (1.6 GHz), 1 GB DDR II SDRAM, 160 GB Standard, Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
THE GOOD
Large, flexible 18.4-inch screen.
THE BAD
Cripplingly poor performance benchmarks; low-volume audio output hampers media capabilities.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Averatec D1130's wimpy processor and paltry features give consumers little incentive to choose this Nettop over a faster budget PC or the mobility of a Netbook. If you're dead-set on a Nettop, the Lenovo C300 is a less terrible decision, but you can stretch your dollar much further with a budget slim tower system like the Gateway SX2800-01.
Intel Atom (1.6 GHz), 1 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 160 GB Standard, Intel GMA 950, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Large, flexible 18.4-inch screen.
THE BAD
Cripplingly poor performance benchmarks; low-volume audio output hampers media capabilities.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Averatec D1130's wimpy processor and paltry features give consumers little incentive to choose this Nettop over a faster budget PC or the mobility of a Netbook. If you're dead-set on a Nettop, the Lenovo C300 is a less terrible decision, but you can stretch your dollar much further with a budget slim tower system like the Gateway SX2800-01.
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