Desktop Computers (Budget) Reviews

Unless you want to play action games or work with demanding multimedia applications, you generally don't need to spend more than $1,000 on a desktop computer. This report covers mid-range and budget desktop computers priced under $1,000. Please check our report on higher-end desktop computers if you are looking for a media-editing or gaming desktop system.

PC Magazine has the best budget desktop-computer reviews and the most comprehensive testing methodology. Computer Shopper and CNet.com aren't as thorough or as focused on the most important considerations, but both sources review lots of budget computers, which gives them a good basis for comparison.

Computing magazines tend to pay more attention to the high-end desktop computer systems, but with so many $350 to $1,000 computers flooding the market, many publications have been trying to keep tabs on budget desktops as well. Each publication defines "budget" in a different way. Most cap the budget range between $600 and $1,000 or between $750 and $1,000 with a monitor. Consumer Reports is somewhat useful in this price range. This magazine focuses its computer reviews on inexpensive consumer desktops, but by the time test results are published (or shortly thereafter), most tested desktop computers are discontinued. Editors admit, "Many manufacturers introduce new models at this time of year, so availability of tested computers varies by brand." This is one product area where it's usually better to rely on reviews at websites rather than print magazines, because websites can publish new desktop computer reviews much more quickly.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

Many desktop computers that predate Windows Vista are still available. Manufacturers have updated the models or offerings, while continuing the same name. As specifications have changed, our chart only includes desktops that were reviewed and top-rated with Vista or the current base configuration. We consider older reviews to be a less fair or meaningful comparison.

The Velocity Micro Vector GX Campus Edition 2007 is the best computer for $1000 or less. However, it is at the top of that price range, which is expensive for a budget computer. Dell's new budget line is garnering favorable reviews, and the starting prices are very low. The Inspiron 531 is catching the most attention. It is "a moderately powerful midrange desktop at an impressive price," according to Computer Shopper.

The older, but still available Dell OptiPlex 745 was top-rated in three reviews last year. It has not been reviewed with Vista, but the Dell OptiPlex 740 has. Both are top, inexpensive choices for business computers.