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by Joel Santo Domingo
PC Magazine classifies "cheap desktops" as those under $1,000. The magazine typically reviews several budget desktops every month. A couple of eMachines computers cost as little as $300. The Velocity Micro… Vector GX Campus Edition, which sits at the top of the budget range, is selected as an Editor's Choice. Reviews are balanced, although criticisms can be trivial and gentle, and ratings never drop below average. Testing is so highly regarded that many other reviews use PC Magazine's proprietary test software. Comparisons are usually good, too. No other reviewer is willing to devote as much serious attention to budget-priced computers as PC Magazine.
by Joel Santo Domingo
Joel Santo Domingo maintains that "the under-$1,000 range will give you a whole lot of bang for not a lot of bucks," but he does not recommend sub-$500 computers. In this roundup, Santo Domingo compares… three models with little in common, including the (now previous generation) Apple Mac mini (1.83GHz Core Duo), which costs more than $1,000 if you add Parallels Desktop and Vista. The slim Acer Aspire L310 and much cheaper eMachines T5224 are also rated.
by Joshua Goldman
This article describes five previously reviewed computers with starting prices between $350 and $1,000. It's part of a longer article that covers back-to-school products for college students. The desktop… computers listed aren't ranked, but all are recommended. They aren't the absolute best computers; Joshua Goldman calls them "budget-friendly picks." The cross-section of models is good. Goldman recommends a dual-core processor "for smoother multitasking and better overall performance" and at least 1GB of RAM. The Dell Inspiron 530s is the cheapest desktop, and it requires little space. The Velocity Micro Vision GX is uncompromised, even at the base price.
by Editors of CNet.com
CNet.com regularly reviews budget computers, but it doesn't always test and rate them. Testing is marginally relevant for budget computers, but CNet often selects a handful of comparable models for… benchmark comparisons. A couple of eMachines computers fall well short of typical ratings, but the eMachines T5230 is complimented for its fast processor. The Velocity Micro Vector GX Campus Edition (overclocked Core 2 Duo E6320) and the Dell Inspiron 531 are singled out for Editors' Choice recognition, though both are priced at the high end of the budget range. More attention to capabilities and less attention to fluffy features and appearance would enhance CNet's reviews, but CNet's ability to cite some key distinctions between cheap computers is impressive.
by Editors of Consumer Reports
Editors of Consumer Reports test and rank nine desktops in a comparison chart. Prices for Windows-based computers top out at just over $1,000, and the tested Macintosh is discontinued. Desktop computers are… tested with similar configurations. One inexpensive model is selected as a Best Buy, but all of the included models (all of which are major brands) earn what would be failing scores in many high schools. Information is mostly limited to charted ratings. Only a few models are briefly described.
by Editors of Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports conducts an annual product reliability survey. The report covers many consumer products, so coverage of desktop computers is nowhere near as comprehensive as in PC Magazine's annual survey.… More than 75,000 readers reported their instances of repair or other major problems. Results are similar to the PC Magazine poll. With little variation, the most expensive computer brands have the fewest repairs, and the cheapest brands have the most repairs.
by Editors of PC Magazine
PC Magazine conducts yearly service and support surveys of its subscribers. In last year's poll, 13,000 desktop owners report on their ownership experiences, plus satisfaction and customer service. Apple… and Sony get the highest overall ratings. HP owners report poor reliability, and Compaq has a long history of reliability problems, according to PC Magazine's surveys. This year's survey emphasizes first-year reliability, but that is a lesser concern than longer-term reliability because the first year is covered under warranty. The magazine hasn't published its 2007 survey results yet.
by Editors of PC World
PC World regularly reviews new desktop computers, but their coverage of budget PC's is out of date. This chart shows that no budget computers have been rated since early January, predating Vista, and that… reviewed budget desktops are mostly at the top of the budget range. However, since today's budget desktops sometimes were yesterday's mainstream computers, PC World can be worth checking for specific desktop computers that have been on the market for a while. In addition, it is a good place to learn about some lower-cost business-oriented PCs, such as the Dell OptiPlex 740. Detailed test results are better than those from many other sources.
by Mark Kyrnin
Mark Kyrnin defines a budget system as under $600 (under $750 with a monitor). As is usually the case with Kyrnin's ranking charts, he does not test the products. Instead, he says his picks are "based on my… research and experience." His commentary seems limited to a review of the specifications rather than testing. This approach may have some value for novices, but it ignores many important considerations. (Note that ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com.)
by Mark Kyrnin
About.com's guide to computing, Mark Kyrnin, offers a list of his top five mainstream desktops, most of which fit into the budget price range. Kyrnin's list includes summaries and links to full reviews, but… he provides no evidence of testing or even using the machines. Kyrnin evaluates specifications and features, and he compares them with the price. On the upside, Kyrnin is knowledgeable and offers lots of general buying advice on this site. However, some of those articles are several years out-of-date.
by Contributors to Amazon.com
Like CircuitCity.com, Amazon.com lets users comment on their desktop computers after the sale. User reviews like these can be valuable because they often reflect more extensive "testing" than is possible… for professional reviewers. However, because reviewers' credentials are more uncertain and usually impossible to verify, the ratings should be used with caution until a computer has amassed a considerable amount of feedback.
by Contributors to ResellerRatings.com
ResellerRatings.com invites customers to describe and rate their experiences with merchants. You can learn about customer satisfaction with the purchase process, as well as their early experience with the… product and manufacturer support. However, owner surveys are a much better gauge of long-term satisfaction with the purchased product. Apple tops major brands, while Gateway fares worst among them -- most customers say they are very dissatisfied.
by Editors of Which.co.uk
Like Consumer Reports and PC Magazine, British consumer magazine Which? conducts a support, reliability and satisfaction survey. The Which? survey has the smallest number of responses, and desktops and… laptops are lumped together in some categories. Apple, Dell and Sony owners are most likely to recommend the brand to friends. Very small percentages of owners say the same about their Compaq or eMachines computers. That is in spite of eMachines' top ranking in percentage of units not requiring repair since January 2003. Dell and Apple also score well in that regard. However, no brand is exempt from poor customer-service ratings.
by Editors of PCPro.co.uk
While the majority of desktop computers that are highly rated by U.K. sister magazines PC Pro, Computer Buyer and Computer Shopper (different from the U.S. Computer Shopper magazine) are not sold in the… U.S. or are high-priced, this is a good resource for European buyers. Shuttle and Gateway models don't fare well in reviews, and both companies sell separate lines in the U.S. and in Europe. Some HP models are highly rated, including a couple in the Slimline series. These models appear similar to U.S. models. In general, U.K.-only models earn the highest ratings from PC Pro.
by Editors of ConsumerGuide.com
by Editors of TopTenReviews.com
TopTenReviews.com reviews and ranks ten sub-$800 computers. The reviews do not appear to be based on testing. As a substitute, editors describe the configuration and explain why each component or feature is… good. However, these reviewers seem to have a poor grasp of what computer components do or what specifications mean. In addition, since all of the reviews are now dated, and most of the machines are tested with Windows XP, we see little of value here for the budget -- or any -- computer buyer.
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Dell Inspiron 531 Athlon 64 X2 4400+ 2.3GHz 1GB 500GB DVD±RW Vista Home Premium
 from Amazon.com
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Apple Mac mini MA607LL/A (1.66 GHz Intel Core Duo, 512 MB RAM, 60 GB Hard Drive, Combo Drive)
from Amazon.com New: $799.99
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