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 860 (3.3 Hz), 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 1500 GB Standard, Dual nVidia GeForce GTX 275, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition
THE GOOD
Fast, overclockable, and power-efficient new Intel Core i7 CPU; performs in the same neighborhood as PCs that cost $500 more; will play any game on the market at almost any image-quality setting; strong new case with some clever features.
THE BAD
Limited room for expansion.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Falcon Northwest's revamped, mainstream-oriented Talon gaming desktop puts its best redesigned foot forward with a new case and a strong, price-competitive configuration built around Intel's latest batch of Core i7 CPUs. Shop around, as many vendors will have adopted Intel's new chips, but for this build at this price, Falcon Northwest sets the example to beat.
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.
Intel Core i7 I7-920 (2.66 GHz), 9 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 1 TB Standard, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition SP1, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Outstanding performance in day-to-day software as well as 3D games; affordable.
THE BAD
Motherboard and power supply don't accommodate upgrades as well as other midrange gaming PCs; large case not for everyone; phone support hours and online support in general need help.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Asus crafted the Essentio CG5290-BP007 to serve as a no-frills gaming desktop for just more than $1,000. And while the boutique PC vendors have a bit more polish for not too much more money, Asus can at least claim that this PC is one of the fastest on the retail shelves. You might have a hard time arguing the necessity of such a fast gaming box for back-to-school, but we can at least recommend this system as a speedy bargain.
Intel Core i7 920 (2.66 GHz), 6 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 1000 GB Standard, nVidia GeForce GTX 260 1792MB, Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium, 64bit, English, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Dell's strongest chassis design in years; highly capable jack-of-all-trade configuration; strong customer support options.
THE BAD
Not as fast or as affordable as some of its off-the-shelf competition; a few missing features; power hog.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Dell Studio XPS 435 successfully overcomes our bias against desktops that claim to be experts at everything through charming case design and a strong configuration at a relatively fair price. It misses greatness because of a handful of minor missteps, but if you need a do-it-all mainstream tower system, this Dell more or less covers all the bases.
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 Core 2 Quad Q9400 (2.66 GHz), 8 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 750 GB Standard, NVIDIA GeForce GT 230, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Best performance in its price category; decent budget gaming PC.
THE BAD
Clunky exterior you'll want to hide under a desk.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Acer's Aspire M5800-U5802A could use some visual polish, but get past its appearance and you'll find a fast, affordable computer that will handle any task you care to throw at it. It's even a decent low-end gaming box. We'd only recommend against this desktop if you demand a computer's appearance match its capabilities.
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300 (2.5 GHz), 8 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 750 GB Standard, NVIDIA GeForce GT 220, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Strong budget gaming desktop; power efficient; outperforms several other PCs in its price range.
THE BAD
Extra large "gamer" style case suggests more capability than this system actually has.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Don't let the overlarge case get you too excited, but Asus has put together a compelling budget gaming PC with the Essentio CG5270-BP003. With fast gaming and general application performance, as well as a competitive price, this desktop will satisfy any aspiring PC gamer looking to save a buck.
Broad assortment of features offer a little bit of everything, from Blu-ray to wireless networking; strong online support.
THE BAD
Classic jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none PC next to faster, more affordable competition; worst power efficiency in its class.
THE BOTTOM LINE
We've never loved HP's Pavilion Elite PCs, and this desktop offers the same scattershot configuration that has always put us off. That said, we suspect a dorm room might actually be an appropriate place for a midtower that offers acceptable speed on top of Blu-ray capability. Just know that faster, more specialized desktops are available for less.
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 Core 2 Quad Q8200 (2.33 GHz), 6 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 750 GB Standard, NVIDIA GeForce G100, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Discrete 3D card uncommon at this price; respectable performance and features for its PC class and price range.
THE BAD
Not as fast a $510 Gateway; power efficiency has room to improve; subpar online support.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The Asus Essentio CM5570-AP006 will give you fair performance and a well-rounded set of features for its price, and we recommend it if you specifically need a midbudget, midtower desktop. In the grand scheme of retail PCs, however, a more affordable slimtower from Gateway gives this system a major challenge on performance and value, which dampens our enthusiasm for the Asus.
Intel Pentium E5200 (2.5 GHz), 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM, 640 GB Standard, Intel GMA X4500, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Relatively strong bang-for-the-buck in its core features; midtower case allows room for upgrades.
THE BAD
Faster PCs available for just a few dollars more; no 24-7 phone support.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Despite its quirky case design, Acer's Aspire M3800-U3802A is an affordable, feature-competitive midtower that you might find appealing if you're in the market for a cost-effective desktop to use for upgrading. If you want the best PC for your dollar, you can spend just a bit more on another system and get much faster performance.
Intel Atom N270 (1.6 GHz), 1 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 160 GB Standard, Intel GMA 950, Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Large screen for its price; strong features among Nettops.
THE BAD
Typically terrible Nettop performance; Netbooks offer portability and the same (bad) performance for the same price; weak audio and suspect online video processing kills any appeal as a dedicated movie PC.
THE BOTTOM LINE
If you must buy a Nettop, the eMachines EZ1601-01's large screen and category-competitive components make a decent argument for its value among other systems like it. One look at a true budget desktop, or even a Netbook, and the appeal of this system diminishes quickly.
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 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 E2210 (2.2 GHz), 3 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 320 GB Standard, NVIDIA GeForce 7050, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Inexpensive; low cost to maintain; ample room for minor upgrades.
THE BAD
Slow performance; lacks extra features to sweeten the deal.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The eMachines ET1810-03 isn't the fastest or the most attractive computer, but we can't argue with the low price, attractive design, and a complete (if not slightly barren) set of components. If you can deal with the midtower size, it will make for an excellent general purpose PC for the home.
AMD Phenom X4 9750 (2.4 GHz), 8 GB DDR2 SDRAM, 1 TB Standard, ATI Radeon HD 4650, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition, Personal computer
THE GOOD
Clever design makes front-panel media card ports easily accessible; large hard drive; reasonably capable digital media PC.
THE BAD
Slow performance next to competing PC at the same price; poor power efficiency.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Gateway's DX4300-03 is a game attempt at a digital media hub-style PC, but the value proposition just isn't here. Slow performance in particular drags this desktop down, and unless you particularly value a TV tuner, you'll find faster, more capable computers not much farther down the retail shelf.
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 in regards to both performance and features.
Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200 (2.33 GHz), 8 GB DDR II SDRAM, 1 TB Standard, ATI Mobility RADEON HD 3450, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1
THE GOOD
Large 1TB hard drive; HDMI video output; strong online technical support.
THE BAD
Outperformed by a Gateway that costs $200 less, and an Asus that costs only $30 more; overly spare connectivity.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Dell seems to have missed a beat in this year's round of back-to-school retail desktops, and the Inspiron 545 is no exception. Its competition has too much to offer in the way of performance and features, leaving Dell with little but its established online support resources to give it an advantage.
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 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.
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