Desktop Computers: Reviews

Updated October 2011

If you don't need the portability of a laptop, or the power of a top-gun gaming computer, a low-cost desktop computer provides the best bang for the buck for everyday tasks. Consumersearch profiles top choices -- and names some that are more likely to disappoint -- in this report based on testing by experts and hands-on use by owners. Both windows and Apple desktops are covered.

Acer Revo RL100-UR20P

Best all- around nettop

$570

Estimated Price

Reviewers say the Acer Revo RL100-UR20P is the best bet among nettops -- small, inexpensive desktops designed mainly for web surfing, email and streaming video. The Revo comes with a 750 GB hard drive -- very generous for a nettop -- and experts say it's an excellent addition to a home theater or media center. The slim black case looks more like a Blu-ray player, and it even includes a Blu-ray drive, a wireless slate-like keyboard/touchpad controller, a digital S/PDIF audio output and an HDMI port. Reviewers say the Revo RL100-UR20P's 4 GB of RAM and Nvidia ION graphics card is great for streaming high-definition movies and videos from the web, but it is not the best choice for more intensive tasks like gaming or video editing. It's also fairly expensive for a nettop.

Compare Prices See Our Full Review

ASRock Vision 3D-137B

Best home theater PC for 3D TV owners

$750

Estimated Price

The Acer Revo RL100-UR20P may be more appropriate for users with traditional 2D content, but reviewers say that if you own a 3D HDTV and want to play 3D content, the ASRock Vision 3D-137B is the best HTPC option available. In addition to 4 GB of RAM, a Blu-ray Disc drive, and a 500 GB hard drive, the Vision 3D packs in a mobile Intel Core i3 CPU and a mobile Nvidia graphics chip that makes 3D playback possible. The THX TruStudio Pro technology onboard provides 7.1 channels of high definition audio, and the HTPC includes plenty of ports -- including HDMI, S/PDIF, USB 3.0 and eSATA -- to enable users to transfer content to TVs, monitors and home theater systems. The beefy internals provide a much bigger punch than most other nettops and makes moderate gaming a possibility. The Vision 3d wins several awards, but its high price tag, lack of an installed operating system and niche use might limit its appeal for some.

Compare Prices See Our Full Review

HP Pavilion Slimline s5-1060

Best value desktop computer

$770

Estimated Price

If you want a good performing desktop computer that won't break the bank, experts say the HP Pavilion Slimline s5-1060 is the one to get. It strikes a good balance between price and power, reviewers say, and it comes with impressive specs for this price range -- a Sandy Bridge Core i5 processor that includes Intel's performance-boosting Hyper-Threading technology, a discrete AMD Radeon HD 6450 graphics card, a 1 TB hard drive and 6 GB of memory. It also comes with a Blu-ray drive, built-in Wi-Fi, HDMI and DVI ports and a HDTV tuner card. Expansion is possible, but limited by the cramped quarters of the slim case. Performance is very good all-around; web surfing, email, word processing and data-intensive tasks all run smoothly, and moderate gaming is a possibility thanks to beefier processors than the ones found in many budget PCs. The HP Pavilion Slimline s5-1060 comes with a mouse, keyboard and infrared media remote control, but no monitor.

Compare Prices See Our Full Review

2.5 GHz Apple Mac mini

Budget Apple desktop computer

$800

Estimated Price

Apple fans only have one choice when it comes to low-cost (for Apple anyway) computing -- the Mac mini. However, it's a pretty good choice thanks to some recent upgrades that give the mini the ability to handle all but the most demanding computing tasks. The addition of a second-generation Intel Core i5 processor gives the Mac mini the performance chops to handle HD video, light gaming and everyday tasks twice as well as the 2010 model. Some critics still question the mini's overall value, especially because you can find similarly configured small-form PCs for less and this iteration of the mini lacks any sort of optical drive. You'll also need to buy a keyboard, mouse and monitor separately. Of the two 2011 versions available, critics prefer the more expensive 2.5 GHz model, which includes 4 GB of RAM and a discrete AMD Radeon HD 6630M graphics processor. For those with tighter budgets, The 2.3 GHz version (*Est. $600 and up) also reviews well. It, too, uses a Core i5 processor, but only includes 2 GB of RAM and relies on graphics integrated into the processor rather than a standalone GPU. Both have a 500 GB hard drive.

Compare Prices See Our Full Review

COMPARE PRODUCTS

See a side-by-side comparison of key features, product specs, and prices.