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CNET Reviews - Most Recent Desktops

Rank Most Popular Titles
1 Dell Studio Desktop
Dell's new Studio Desktop introduces 64-bit Windows Vista to the Dell desktop line-up, but that's about the only thing this system does well. Its biggest, and deal-killing, fault is the overpriced and less than aggressive selection of configuration options.
2 HP Pavilion Slimline s3500f - Athlon 64 X2 5400+ 2.8 GHz
As opposed to previous Slimline models, the HP Pavilion Slimline s3500f tosses aside home theater aspirations and targets budget buyers looking for a compact, cheap PC.
3 Velocity Micro Edge Z15
Velocity Micro's Edge Z15 represents one of the best deal's we've seen this year in midrange gaming PCs. It has all the power necessary to play current games (even Crysis) at smooth frame rates, and its clean, spacious interior gives you plenty of upgrade room. We recommend this system to any PC gamer looking for a sub-$2,000 desktop.
4 Sony Vaio JS190J (silver)
By virtue of its price, its desktop processor, and its Blu-ray drive, the Sony Vaio JS190J makes a case for itself as the new king of the all-in-ones. Its screen might be a bit smaller than some, but no other all-in-one, including Apple's iMac, can do as much, as fast, for the same price.
5 Sony Vaio JS190J (black)
By virtue of its price, its desktop processor, and its Blu-ray drive, the Sony Vaio JS190J makes a case for itself as the new king of the all-in-ones. Its screen might be a bit smaller than some, but no other all-in-one, including Apple's iMac, can do as much, as fast, for the same price.
6 Acer Aspire X1200-U1520A
The Acer Aspire X1200-U1520A is a speedy, compact, low-end desktop that's powerful enough to serve as a light-duty home theater PC. Expansion is limited by an especially cramped interior (even for a small PC), but the total package is worthwhile for PC shoppers on a budget.
7 HP Pavilion Elite m9300t
At its heart, the HP Pavilion Elite m9300t is a fast, competitive midtower desktop with lots of flexibility in its configuration. You just have to wade through some clunky design and a few components you might not want in order to find it.
8 eMachines W3653 with Monitor
The eMachines W3653 is a budget desktop computer that also includes an LCD. Because of the bundled display, this system ends up with an inflated price tag. We'd highly recommend you shop for a standalone low-end system instead.
9 Apple iMac (20-inch, 2.4GHz)
Apple's smaller-scale iMac remains our favorite all-in-one. And while its looks, its ease of use, and its performance are all selling points, Windows PCs are starting to catch up (at least with the latter). A few components could also stand an update, but in general you'll find the 20-inch iMac a remarkable computer for its price.
10 Gateway DX4200-UB001A
We can forgive Gateway for cramming the DX4200 with more memory than it needs simply because its specs and overall performance are the best in its price class. Of the various do-it-all lower midrange PCs out there, this one gets our nod.
11 Gateway GT5692
The Gateway GT5692 is a reliable PC that will easily get you around all the standard tasks of a budget desktop. This triple-core system also includes 64-bit Windows and enough RAM to make it a very strong photo-editing desktop for its price.
12 Asus Eee Box (white)
Despite a few useful features, the Asus Eee Box is a novelty at best. It can't come close to the same performance and robustness of even the most basic standard budget PC, and a low-end laptop can do everything it can do and more. The appeal of Asus' Eee PC does not carry over to the Eee Box.
13 Asus Eee Box (black)
Despite a few useful features, the Asus Eee Box is a novelty at best. It can't come close to the same performance and robustness of even the most basic standard budget PC, and a low-end laptop can do everything it can do and more. The appeal of Asus' Eee PC does not carry over to the Eee Box.
14 Dell Inspiron 518
Dell's Inspiron 518 is the latest in a long line of utilitarian, midrange Windows PCs. We wish Dell offered a bit more flexibility with its configuration, as well as a 64-bit Windows option, but for a straightforward PC, this is one of the more powerful systems for the dollar.
15 Dell Studio Hybrid
If you're considering all of the computers in the $700 to $1,000 price range, the Dell Studio Hybrid is not very compelling. However, if you limit yourself to the very specific niche of small PCs, you'll appreciate this system's clever design and its relatively powerful hardware.
16 Gateway FX4710
The Gateway FX4710 provides enough performance to get you through most of today's games and multimedia software, but the ahead-of-its time memory is wasted on current applications. You can make your PC dollar go further today on a desktop with a more balanced configuration.
17 eMachines T5274
With stiff competition from other sub-$400 PCs, eMachines' T5247 has a hard time standing out. It will certainly serve as a basic productivity system, but other desktops will help you stretch your computer dollar even further.
18 ZT Affinity 7221Xa
The ZT Affinity 7221Xa is an inexpensive, relatively powerful computer. You definitely won't be gaming with the integrated graphics chip, but if you just need an inexpensive, no frills desktop for light photo editing and to run simple applications, the 7221Xa won't disappoint.
19 ZT Affinity 7225Xi-35
ZT's Affinity 7225Xi-35 is a cleanly built midrange PC that will get you through all of your everyday tasks with ease. It's not a particularly flashy desktop, and you may be able to find more aggressively configured PCs for the same price, but if you need an affordable workhorse, this system will do the job.
20 Velocity Micro Vector Campus Edition
As much as we like the look and feel of Velocity Micro's Vector Campus Edition desktop, we can't recommend it. It suffers from poor bang-for-the-buck, a lack of configurable options, and a narrow upgrade path.
21 AVADirect Core 2 SLI DDR3 Gaming System
AVADirect has a very strong value proposition in its Core 2 SLI DDR3 Gaming System. Assuming you can navigate the daunting shopping Web site, we recommend this system to tech-savvy shoppers who know exactly the components they want.
22 HP TouchSmart IQ506
HP's new-and-improved TouchSmart all-in-one PC refines the touch-based concept it introduced last year. Faster all-in-ones, and Apple's iPhone, make the TouchSmart seem a bit behind the times, but the convenient software and its kitchen-friendly design offer functionality that's unavailable elsewhere.
23 Gateway FX7026
The Gateway FX7026 offers a quad-core processor at a modest price tag with specifications that any high-end gamer will be satisfied with. You might want to replace the peripherals and the video card down the road, but this system is an excellent option for a nonconfigurable, off the shelf desktop.
24 Averatec All-in-One
Like other Windows-based all-in-ones, Averatec's All-in-One can't compete with the iMac for sheer power. The Averatec's larger screen and few features it has that Apple doesn't might be enough to sell you, but the iMac remains the all-in-one to beat.
25 Gateway FX541XT
Gateway's highest-end performance desktop aspires to be everything to everybody. It takes a few missteps, but mostly it succeeds, especially with its price.