Desktop Computers Reviews

For web surfing, email and office productivity, experts say that most people just don’t like to spend more than $1,000 to get an excellent desktop computer (see our report on budget desktops ). However, if you are a gamer, video editor or Photoshop enthusiast, or if you want to watch and record TV on your computer, consider the desktop systems included in this report.

We found the best reviews of high-end multimedia and gaming computers at HardwareLogic.com. This enthusiast website's reports are balanced, comparative and even amusing. One shortcoming is that HardwareLogic.com doesn't cover that many desktop systems. While CNet.com can't approach HardwareLogic.com's depth, it does offer the largest number of desktop computer reviews and excels at staying current. CNet covers the latest releases from mainstream manufacturers such as Dell, Apple and Gateway. It also dedicates significant coverage to other computer brands such as CyberPower, Falcon Northwest and Polywell.

Computer magazines like PC World, PC Magazine, Computer Shopper and Maximum PC have good reviews that are supported by testing. They lack the depth and balance of the enthusiast websites, but the opinions are backed by test results, which helps ensure objectivity. Consumer Reports has some good general information, but the desktop computer ratings are not supported with much information, and the coverage is often out of date.

Sony fares well in surveys, and Apple is the best in some surveys, but not very reliable according to others. Sony primarily specializes in multimedia and designer computers, but we haven't found many reviews of Sony's latest desktops. Most of Dell's scores are in the middle of the pack, but both Dell and Sony draw considerable ire from customers for inadequate tech support. Apple is criticized by reviewers for only providing 90 days of free tech support with all desktops and laptops. HP and Gateway generally have the lowest satisfaction scores in support and reliability surveys. Gateway has the lowest rating among major brands at ResellerRatings.com. Boutique manufacturers like CyberPower rate higher than all major brands at ResellerRatings.com, and CyberPower's computers consistently receive favorable reviews. However, expensive Puget Custom Computers gets even higher ratings and scores especially well in recent reviews.

To squeak maximum performance out of a PC, many gamers prefer computers that use a technique known as overclocking, forcing components such as the microprocessor or memory to run faster than their vendor-rated speed. But overclocking carries some risks even for experienced computer builders, as exemplified in reviews of the Vigor Gaming Force Recon QXN (starting at *est. $2,450).

At Maximum PC, reviewer David Murphy says that the QXN desktop they tested frequently failed to boot, and when it did, it performed "worse than any other quad-core rig we've tested." He blames overclocking. Others were also unimpressed with the machine. [H]Consumer (Consumer.hardocp.com) reports, "The QXN generated a very disappointing WorldBench score of 126, which is far lower than the scores earned by other similarly configured machines." They also add that it is overpriced.  ... Continued

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

We continued to find many desktop reviews that predate Windows Vista. Since specifications have changed, the chart above only includes models that were reviewed and top-rated with Vista. We consider older reviews to offer less fair or meaningful comparisons. Reviewers tend to give far more attention to gaming computers than to more pedestrian models, which, tilts the playing field somewhat.

At or near the $10,000 price, reviewers agree that the Falcon Northwest Mach V is the best or equal to the best gaming computer you can buy. All reviews are based on systems running Windows XP, but Falcon Northwest continues to offer that operating system -- and all flavors of Vista -- as an option. At a lower price when equally configured, many of the same reviewers believe the Dell XPS 710 H2C (now XPS 720 H2C) is a better value. The slightly cheaper Gateway FX530 is widely reviewed, but few reviewers sound like they wish they could afford to own it. Several relatively affordable models from CyberPower are also top-rated in reviews.

The unique all-in-one HP TouchSmart PC IQ770 is also very widely reviewed, and reviewers prefer its functionality to other all-in-one and specialty computers, including Apple's all-in-one iMacs. However, Apple just replaced its iMac line, and initial reports have been largely positive. For power users who prefer Apple computers, the Mac Pro provides capabilities and expandability that most professionals will need.

Puget Custom Computers doesn't offer preconfigured models, but many reviews say the company does the best job of building a high-end computer to meet your general or very specific needs.