Desktop Computers (Budget): Reviews

Reviews say Velocity Micro's impressive build quality along with its U.S.-based tech support and customer service distinguish it from the bestselling brands like Dell. This special edition has fewer upgrade options than… you'd get with a Dell, but many are available, and you can add a monitor to the package. The Velocity Micro is a power budget system with a 1.86GHz dual-core processor and 2GB of RAM. The system includes Windows Vista Home Premium, a 250GB hard drive, a 256MB video card and a DVD burner. It's suitable for all home and student uses, gaming, movies and music.

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For the price of an Apple iPhone, you can get a complete basic Dell computer and a nice 17-inch monitor. The Dell Inspiron 531 is a bargain, according to reviewers, and it outperforms similarly priced desktops from… eMachines and others. At the base price, the Inspiron 531 contains a well-matched set of entry-level components with Windows Vista Home Basic. That includes an AMD dual-core CPU and integrated video. If you don't plan to edit photos, play games or watch many movies, the Dell is your best option in this price range.

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Reviews say the CyberPower Gamer Infinity 7500 is an extraordinary value for gamers on a budget. It costs much less than the sum of its parts, and performance doesn't fall far short of machines costing several times more.… The core configuration includes a 2.33GHz Core 2 Duo CPU, 1GB of RAM, a GeForce video card with 256MB of RAM and Vista Home Premium. The machine is backed with an unusual three-year limited warranty and lifetime 24/7 technical support. Experts say some upgrades are essential for gaming. The most critical -- upgrading to 2GB of RAM -- raises the price by$90.

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A business computer doesn't have to have a video card or a big hard drive, but it does need a level of build quality and a warranty that combine to minimize business disruption. Reviews say that the Dell OptiPlex 740 is… undercapacitated for anything but business use, but that the overall package is ideal for that purpose. The base configuration includes just 512MB of RAM, so an upgrade is essential. Even at the base price, Dell includes a three-year warranty with next-business-day onsite service, which is extraordinary. Reviewers also commend the design elements that minimize noise.

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Past reviews said the best value in a cheap Macintosh was the just-discontinued all-in-one 17-inch iMac. Although it sold for $1,000, it offered much more for the dollar than the Mac mini. Now, the entry-level iMac is… $1,200. That huge price gap leaves the Mac mini as the only budget option in Apple's desktop line. The mini's small 3-pound white box contains its Core 2 Duo processor and other hardware. No keyboard, mouse, speakers or monitor are included, so budget extra if you don't already have them.

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