Planet Technology

Fine general performer is hampered by traits common to mini PCs, namely lackluster graphics and limited expansion options.

Sys SlimLine Si200 is Sys Technology's most compact desktop to date. Because it bears no logos or stickers, you wouldn't even know it's a PC just from looking at the slender black case, which is barely 4 inches high. But packed inside is just enough power to make this mini model a hardy performer for running standard business applications and other general tasks.

At Sys Technology's Web site, you can choose different components for this PC, including either an Intel or an AMD processor. Our test system uses a 2-GHz Intel Pentium Dual-Core E2180 CPU and two 1GB sticks of PC2-5300 DDR2 memory (2GB total) mounted on a Gigabyte GA-945GCMX-S2 motherboard with integrated Intel GMA 945 graphics. The system's 160GB Western Digital Caviar hard disk isn't very large, but the DVD/CD combo writer features LightScribe labeling capability, and you also get a memory card reader. The package is rounded out by a ViewSonic VA1903wb 19-inch display (1440-by-900 native resolution), which, however, has only a VGA interface.

In our WorldBench 6 Beta 2 performance tests, the Si200 distinguished itself by earning a mark of 77--a tie with the Polywell Poly i7050 and the best score of this sub-$750 desktop PCs test group. But its graphics performance rating was a different story. As with all the other value systems that rely on underpowered integrated graphics, the Si200's graphics displayed poor performance in our gaming tests, and it lacks full-screen antialiasing support for rendering smoother edges in graphics frames.

The SlimLine Si200's compact case (made by In-Win, model IW-BT566T) is easily opened, but has little room for expansion inside. All three drive bays--two external, one internal--are occupied, so you'll need to use the USB connectivity ports (no FireWire ports are provided) if you want to add another hard drive. The system has four open slots (one PCIe x16, one PCIe x8, and two PCI) but they accommodate only low-profile (half-height) expansion cards. Using the plastic "feet" that come in the package, you can also place the Si200 case in a vertical position, if you prefer, though you can't reorient the DVD drive.

The bundled Logitech input devices were both workable, but basic: a ho-hum standard (106-key) keyboard and a two-button optical mouse with a scroller wheel. The Si200's printed and online documentation was helpful and reasonably thorough.

My main disappointment with the SlimLine Si200 is that it comes with Windows Vista Home Basic, instead of Vista Home Premium, the operating system bundled with all the other value systems here. Since Home Basic lacks the Media Center interface, you must rely on third-party applications to keep your multimedia files organized, and you can't use Windows' Aero graphical interface.

Inexpensive PC with big hard drive succeeds at standard multimedia tasks, but its graphics are too weak for serious gamers.

The low-cost Compaq Presario SR5350F is an enticing Vista Home Premium system that's well-suited for running standard applications and for managing a large digital library of video, music, and photos. Like the eMachines T5246, the SR5350F is a prebuilt retail system available in only one configuration, so you can't select different components before you buy it. Priced at $680 (as of 2/7/08), the system's components include a 1.8-GHz Intel Pentium Dual-Core E2160 processor and two sticks of 1GB PC2-5300 DDR2 memory (2GB total) mounted on an Asus IPILP-LC motherboard with integrated Intel GMA 950 graphics.

The SR5350F also comes with a 360GB Seagate hard drive that provides much more storage space than most value systems. Other goodies include a DVD/CD combo writer with LightScribe labeling capability, and a memory card reader. The bundled Compaq Wf1907 19-inch LCD (1440 by 900 native resolution) has lightweight built-in speakers that are best suited for Windows sounds rather than movie sound tracks. Though the monitor provides both digital and analog inputs, the SR5350F's integrated graphics allows only a VGA connection. Still, image quality was good, and the screen displayed accurate color graphics and readable text even at small sizes.

The SR5350F earned a score of 71 on WorldBench 6 Beta 2, placing it just behind the 73 scored by the Dell Inspiron 530, which uses the same CPU. Its performance in the Nero image-burning component of the test suite was the best of all value systems we've seen of late. But the SR5350F's graphics performance in running our gaming tests was poor, due to its underpowered integrated graphics, which also lacks full-scene antialiasing support for rendering smoother edges in graphics frames during game play.

In addition to stickers for system components, the SR5350F's glossy black-and-silver minitower case is peppered with connectivity port labels and customer support info-nice hand-holding for the complete novice. All external connections are easy to access, but you'll find no FireWire ports. Though thumbscrews hold the side panel in place, inside you'll need a screwdriver to secure any expansion cards and to work on the drive bays. Three open drive bays (two 5.25-inch external, one 3.5-inch internal) and three card slots (one PCIe x16, one PCIe x1, and one PCI) are available for upgrades.

One slight hassle: Accessing the open internal drive bay requires unscrewing the internal drive cage first, since its opening is blocked by the external drive bay cage. (Other systems position the internal drive cage in such a way that you can access the open area without having to remove the drive cage.)

As for the Compaq-branded input devices, the multifunction keyboard worked fine, but the ball mouse felt clumsy compared with the optical mice bundled these days with most value systems. Compaq's helpful online documentation is thorough and nicely illustrated.

All in all, Compaq's Presario SR5350F is a good-performing system with plenty of storage space, but you may want to add a discrete graphics card after you get it home.

Low-priced PC has capacious storage and good expansion options, but graphics performance and small monitor disappoint.

the eMachines T5246 is the least expensive value PC in our lineup. But since it's a prebuilt retail system available in only one configuration (it's sold as the 4200+ Desktop at Best Buy), you can't mix and match components before you buy it. The T5246 comes with a 2.2-GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ CPU and two sticks of 1GB PC2-5300 memory (2GB total) mounted on a Gateway motherboard with integrated nVidia GeForce 6100 nForce 405 graphics. Our test unit also came with a 400GB Western Digital Caviar hard drive, providing more storage space than most value desktop PCs.

This test T5246 included essentials like a DVD/CD combo writer and a memory card reader; and for those still on dial-up, it even had a 56KB modem. But the 17-inch, $190 eMachines E17T4W LCD monitor (with 1280 by 720 native resolution) that was included in the price of our unit had only a VGA input. Although the flat panel produced sharp text and realistic color graphics, its screen space is considerably less than the 19-inch (and larger) LCDs that ship with some value business desktops we tested. My recommendation would be to go for a larger wide-screen LCD--such as the $210 eMachines E19T5W or the $220 eMachines E19T6W (both 19-inchers sold at Best Buy)--instead of this 17-inch model. For my money, the added screen real estate is worth the extra $20 to $30 you'd spend on one of these alternatives.

In our WorldBench 6 Beta 2 performance tests, the T5246 earned a score of 70--average for our test group. However, its scores in the Firefox and multitasking parts of the test suite were the best of the sub-$750 PCs here. But like most of the other systems that rely on integrated graphics rather than a discrete graphics card, the T5246 fared poorly in graphics performance--it's inadequate for fast-action 3D games.

The T5246's black-and-silver mini-tower case is a no-frills design with no front panel to cover the external drives and connectivity ports. Although the system includes parallel and serial connections for attaching older peripherals, it lacks FireWire ports. Open expansion options inside the generally neat and tidy interior include one external 5.25-inch and one internal 3.5-inch drive bay, and three card slots (one PCIe x16, one PCIe x1, and one PCI). Although you can add a discrete graphics card to the PCIe x16 slot, it will work only at half speed (x8) rather than at full speed (x16). So gamers take note: This system isn't well-equipped for upgrading to faster graphics.

The bundled input devices were a mixed bag: The eMachines multifunction keyboard worked fine, but I would have preferred a more precise optical mouse instead of the clunky ball mouse that was included. Gateway's setup guides and online documentation for this system are helpful and well done, and a final plus is the addition of a small set of dual speakers.

The T5246 provides respectable speed for everyday computing and a sizable hard drive. However, the small size of its bundled LCD and its weak graphics performance limit its appeal. Of course, you could spend an extra $70 or so to get a larger LCD and a cheap add-in graphics card, bringing up the price of the T5246 to approximately that of the $689 Dell Inspiron 530. But the Dell system would still provide better overall performance, including faster, full-speed (x16) graphics.

Impressive performance aided by dedicated graphics makes this model the best value in our test group of low-cost desktops.

The Dell Inspiron 530 was powerful enough to earn superior scores (for a value PC) in both its productivity and graphics performance tests

Our test system was based on a 1.8-GHz Intel Pentium dual-core E2160 processor and had two sticks of 1GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM, for a total of 2GB of memory. It came with a 19-inch Dell SE198WFP wide-screen LCD (1440 by 900 native resolution), as well. Most value systems use integrated graphics that rely on main system memory, but the 530's graphics duties are handled by a 128MB nVidia GeForce 8300GS graphics card. The 250GB Western Digital Caviar hard drive provides an average amount of storage space for PCs in this price range, and our test unit had a DVD/CD combo writer, too.

As for performance, the 530 earned a WorldBench 6 Beta 2 score of 73--commendable in the value desktop category, and slightly better than the 71 earned by the Compaq Presario SR5350F, which uses the same Intel Pentium dual-core E2160 CPU. The Inspiron 530 provided the best performance in the 3DS Max DirectX component of the WorldBench suite of all the value systems recently tested. Not surprisingly, therefore, it also earned the top scores among value systems for its graphics performance, making it the best choice for playing simple games. Because its graphics card has only a modest 128MB of memory, however, it still isn't powerful enough for intensive gaming titles, such as Doom 3 and Far Cry. In our Doom 3 tests, the system earned only a subpar score of 20 frames per second running at 1024 by 768 resolution with antialising turned on.

The 530's attractive, glossy white-and-silver midtower case is well ventilated, and its sliding front panel covers an external bay module containing a media card reader and connectivity ports. Inside the 530's case, you'll find that good old-fashioned screws secure the components, so you'll need a screwdriver when installing expansion cards and optical drives. Like most other value systems, the 530 uses a smaller motherboard that supports fewer expansion options than larger (and pricier) boards. Available expansion options include one 5.25-inch external and one 3.5-inch internal drive bay, two PCI and one PCIe x1 card slots (the PCIe x16 slot is filled by the discrete graphics card), and two (out of four) DIMM memory sockets. The 530 lacks FireWire ports, but they can be added as an extra-cost ($30) option.

The Dell monitor delivered sharp text and fine color quality in both still and moving images. The USB-based optical mouse and enhanced keyboard that Dell bundles with this system are comparatively better (in performance and features) than the standard-issue input devices that come with most value systems. Among the keyboard's extras are several quick-launch keys, a retro-style volume knob, and two upstream USB ports. The 530's online-only documentation is exemplary, with thorough, well-written instructions that are (thankfully) specific to the actual model, unlike the more generic documentation that some vendors often include.

If you want a value desktop with an excellent price-to-performance ratio and some room to grow, Dell's Inspiron 530 is arguably the best deal among the budget PCs we've tested recently.

This quad-core desktop computer delivers good graphics performance and includes a liquid-cooling system.

The quad-core Polywell Poly P3503-3DT is a generally competent desktop computer that includes a nice mix of features and offers reasonably strong graphics performance, but it turned in comparatively low scores in our WorldBench 6 Beta 2 tests. (Polywell offers the P3503 in other configurations, including a speedy Poly P3503 that we've previously reviewed.)

Bundled with a 22-inch LCD monitor, the new P3503 we looked at is priced at $4000 (as of November 2, 2007). Our test unit came with a 3-GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850 CPU, 4GB of DDR3 RAM, and a spacious near-650GB of hard-disk space: two 74GB, 10,000-rpm Western Digital Raptor drives configured in a RAID 0 array, plus a 500GB (7200-rpm) Seagate hard drive for data storage and backup.

Running 64-bit Windows Vista Ultimate in our WorldBench 6 Beta 2 test suite, the P3503-3DT earned a score of 108, a result that's roughly 12 percent slower than the average of 123 scored by three other quad-core systems we've reviewed that use the same QX6850 processor: the CyberPower Infinity Pro, the HP Blackbird 002 Lci, and the Project War Machine M1 Elite. Although the P3503-3DT's score in our Nero image-burning test was only a few seconds slower than the best performers, most of its other scores--in our 3D rendering, Microsoft Office, and Videowave tests, for example--indicated slower performance than in the other QX6850-equipped models.

In our graphics tests however, the P3503-3DT was a much stronger performer. Equipped with a single 768MB nVidia GeForce 8800 graphics board on an Asus P5K3 Deluxe Crossfire-compatible motherboard, it scored well at all resolution settings. It ran 173 frames per second in Doom 3 at 1280 by 1024 resolution with antialiasing turned on, making it the second-best scorer, just behind the top-ranked, Penryn-based CyberPower Power Infinity Pro, which turned in a score of 193 fps for the same test.

The midsize-tower P3503-3DT's boxy, utilitarian design lacks a door panel that would protect the front drive bays and also give the case a classier look. The only real design flourish comes from a blue cold-cathode tube inside the machine that backlights the ventilation grilles on the side and rear panels. Connectivity options on the front and back include eight USB ports, two FireWire ports, two SATA connections, and one eSATA connection, but the system has no ports for serial or parallel peripherals, and no media card reader.

The side panel is easy to remove, and inside the cables are secured so you can access most parts without too much hassle. The fanless thermal design includes a proprietary liquid-cooling system and a copper heat sink to help keep the machine cool. The case's drive bay area is constructed so that all installed drives are externally accessible. In our test system, two dual-layer DVD burners and the aforementioned three hard disk drives occupy five of the drive bays, leaving four bays open (for adding either external or internal drives). The four memory DIMM slots were filled, but five open slots (two PCIe x1, one PCIe x16, three PCI) are available for additional upgrades.

The included 22-inch wide-screen KDS 2200W LCD monitor was a bit disappointing. Though its image quality and text readability weren't bad, whites didn't look bright, and some pictures appeared slightly darker than on rival monitors. The display's lack of a height adjustment also made it less flexible to set up. The bundled Logitech Internet 350 keyboard and mouse were both comfortable and easy to use, but neither had any exceptional features.

The P3503-3DT is a reasonably good performer with a nice amount of storage capacity, but other quad-core QX6850 CPU models are faster.

This Penryn-based PC packs a big punch in gaming performance, but it'll also wallop your wallet.

CyberPower's Power Infinity Pro is one of the first systems to ship with Intel's newest quad-core CPU, a 3-GHz QX9650 Core 2 Extreme chip--the company's first to be built on a 45nm manufacturing process--that's aimed squarely at enthusiasts and other early adopters. (Mainstream users will have to wait until next year for more-affordable 45nm dual-core offerings.) We were able to test the system before the QX9650 hits the streets, and found its test results to be a mixed bag. Though the Power Infinity Pro strutted its stuff in our gaming and graphics tests, in most general applications it showed only modest performance gains over systems using older quad-core chips.

Our review unit shipped with 64-bit Windows Vista Ultimate. In our WorldBench 6 Beta 2 test suite, it earned a strong mark of 120. That score fell a bit short, however, of the 124 mark of a CyberPower Infinity Pro that we tested a couple of months ago, which uses the previous-generation, 3-GHz QX6850 Core 2 Extreme CPU. This result echoes the benchmarks that PC World obtained in similar tests comparing the QX9650 with the QX6850 chip that it is supplanting.

In the Photoshop, 3DS Max rendering, and multitasking components of our WorldBench series, the Power Infinity Pro earned the best scores among all power PCs we've recently tested, though its marks were only a few seconds faster than the results of the next-closest models. In some WorldBench application tests (3DS Max DirectX, Windows Media Encoder, and VideoWave), the Power Infinity Pro's scores merely tied those of other systems (the Xi Mtower PCIe and the HP Blackbird 002) that used older CPUs. Most perplexing was the Power Infinity Pro's sluggish performance in the Nero portion of our WorldBench suite, for which its score of 592 seconds was the slowest of the lot. While none of our WorldBench scores reflect the performance gains that Intel predicts for the QX9650 CPU in imaging, 3D rendering, and video encoding, it should be noted that none of the applications in our test suite are optimized to take advantage of the QX9650's new SSE4 instructions, which can greatly speed up tasks such as video encoding (in applications that use SSE4).

On the plus side, the newer Power Infinity Pro posted the fastest scores ever in all of our gaming graphics tests, beating older quad-core models that use the same EVGA 8800 GTX graphics board. The Power Infinity Pro achieved an impressive average of 193 frames per second (fps) while running Doom 3 and 223 fps running Far Cry, both at 1280 by 1024 resolution with antialiasing turned on, well ahead (by about 13 percent) of the second-fastest system, the nVidia GeForce 8800 Ultra-equipped HP Blackbird 002 LCi, which posted results of 170 fps and 198 fps, respectively. That's not the 40 percent that Intel claims for gaming, but it's still pretty darn impressive. Though the Power Infinity Pro came with a single graphics board that performed well in our graphics tests, the system's Asus P5K3 Deluxe motherboard is capable of hosting two graphics cards in a CrossFire setup. (Taking advantage of the feature would preclude using an SLI-compatible card such as the EVGA 8800 GTX card in our test system.)

Without a doubt, one of the Power Infinity Pro's best features is its stylish Cooler Master Cosmos case, which sports sturdy bars on top that are helpful when you're lifting the case--especially because it weighs a ton. The top panel includes an easily accessible connection dock with USB, FireWire, and audio ports, plus an eSATA connector, with additional USB, FireWire, and other ports on the back. Five external drive bays are easily accessed behind the hinged front panel. Our test system included a Lite-On Blu-ray DVD drive, a multiformat DVD burner, and a multiformat card reader drive-bay module, leaving two open bays for expansion.

Opening the side panel (insulated to keep the system's noise levels down) is easy, and the neat and tidy interior has plenty of room for expansion. Adding upgrades couldn't be much easier, thanks to a tool-less design that features push-button locks and pull-out aluminum racks for easy hard-drive installation. But some upgrades could be costly: For example, adding a matching pair of Corsair XMS 1GB DDR3 RAM sticks to raise the system's memory to 4GB would cost about $400. A Thermaltake V1 CPU cooler, four 120mm case fans, and a cooling attachment for the graphics board provide sufficient thermal management.

The $4299 (as of 11/2/07) Power Infinity Pro model we tested represents only one of several different configurations that CyberPower offers. Our test system also came with a generous 1.8 terabytes of hard-disk space, consisting of two 150GB, 10,000-rpm Western Digital Raptor drives (configured in a RAID 0 array) for performance and two 750GB, 7200-rpm Hitachi drives for backup and data storage that can hold hundreds of hours of video.

The included dual Sylvania 22-inch wide-screen monitors (SK2201W-B) have thin bezels that make positioning them closely side by side easier, but you get no height-adjustment control for maximum flexibility in setting them up. The picture quality was very good, with crisp readable text (even at 8 points) and nicely saturated color when we viewed still or moving images. The cordless Logitech MX3200 keyboard presents a host of useful extra keys and a wrist pad that's comfortable to type on. The MX600 laser mouse also benefits from an ergonomic design that fits nicely in the hand.

The CyberPower Power Infinity Pro is clearly aimed at enthusiasts and other early adopters who don't mind paying a premium for the latest technology. But considering that the market has few SSE-4 optimized apps, mainstream users may want to wait a bit longer before taking the plunge.

Polywell’s MiniBox is an attractive, compact PC with a medium level of expandability.

Polywell's MiniBox bridges the gap between the nonexpandable micro units such as those that Shuttle specializes in, and a full-size, fully upgradable PC.

At 9 inches high, 11 inches wide, and 14 inches deep, the MiniBox fits in many places a tower wouldn't. Even so, it still offers enough interior space to accommodate a full-featured micro-ATX Gigabyte MA78GPM-DS2H motherboard, two free 5.25-inch drive bays (one external), a 16x PCIe slot, and two PCI slots. Its width also makes for a physically stable system--great for the living room or a child's first PC. Oh, and it even has a handle that folds out from the front of the system so you can carry the unit around like a 1980s boom box.

The MiniBox model's moniker informs us that it's strictly an AMD AM2+ system, starting with a 780G chip set, continuing with the latest 2.6-GHz Phenom X4 9950 CPU, and following through with a very fast ATI 4870 graphics card. The result of this relatively low-priced ($2350 as of August 8, 2008) combination, with some help from its RAID 0 tandem of 10,000-rpm Western Digital VelociRaptor hard drives, is a level of performance we don't generally see in a small PC--namely, a more-than-competent WorldBench score of 110.

The 4870 card also made for some fast gaming frame rates; it averaged a very playable 135 frames per second in Doom 3 running at 1280 by 1024 with antialiasing enabled. If you're willing to sacrifice some frames per second playing games, you can also configure a MiniBox without the 4870 and save a few bucks.

The MiniBox 780G-9950 system we tested is also a nice choice as a multimedia PC. This price includes a 22-inch Samsung SyncMaster 2253BW wide-screen LCD monitor, and the PC itself has a Blu-ray/HD DVD drive on board with HDMI output (with HDCP copy protection) on the rear panel.

This fairly well-priced PC is good-looking, but it doesn’t feel particularly sturdy.

The d5000t, done up in shiny black with a matching 22-inch HP w2207 wide-screen display, is definitely one of the nicer looking systems on the chart. It includes some big-league touches, such as boot-level diagnostics and system restore, plus outstanding help files. The sturdy midtower case has plenty of open drive bays with quick-change caddies that make adding more storage a snap.

My tour inside the d5000t's case was marred by the plain-Jane looks of the Pegatron P35 motherboard, which gives the interior a cheap feel (think Packard-Bell) that it didn't deserve. Combining two 1GB and two 512MB DDR modules for a total of 3GB of memory was also a bit odd. Truth be known, you lose the top 1GB of memory in a 4GB setup to BIOS-addressing with a 32-bit OS, but you never know when someone might go 64-bit.

I was initially unimpressed with the keyboard. It lacks heft, which makes it a bit easy to knock around on your desk. But after a few minutes of typing, its feel began to grow on me. An IBM Model M it ain't, but it's better than most, and it's a nice match for the optical mouse (which I took to immediately).

The Pavilion Elite d5000t is a good power system for those who want large-vendor flourishes and style. You might consider paying a bit more to upgrade the graphics card if you feel like playing games at the high resolutions the monitor supports.

This handsome PC, which just missed the price cutoff for the value PCs category, demonstrates what a little extra cash can bring.

The extra cost of this machine over a standard budget PC buys you a huge boost in gaming performance. Its nVidia GeForce 9800GT graphics card enabled the FX4710 to attain frame rates in the range of 150 to 170 frames per second--numbers more in line with the frame rates of higher-priced machines. Nearly all of the entries on our value chart have frame rates of less than 60 fps.

For basic computing tasks, however, the FX4710 offers little beyond what you'd get from some competitors that cost only slightly more than half as much. Its chassis has a few more internal bays available than do most value PCs, but the array of ports is unexceptional, and the system's WorldBench 6 score of 107 (made possible by 6GB of DDR2 RAM and a 2.5-GHz Core 2 Quad Q9300 processor) is creditable but not unprecedented in value land. Consider, for instance, the WorldBench 6 score of 108 posted by the $1129 Dell Inspiron 518 and the 117 achieved by the $799 Micro Express MicroFlex 82B.

To some extent, the FX4710's high sticker price reflects the machine's excellent design: The system bears the same burnt-orange-and-black color scheme as other models in the company's premium FX line, and it includes the same tethered optical mouse and keyboard. The model we tested came configured with 640MB of storage and a glossy 24-inch Gateway FHD2401 wide-screen LCD ($469) featuring HDMI input. More commonly, value PCs ship with a 19- or 20-inch LCD, but this 24-incher's 1920 by 1280 resolution lets you see Blu-ray movies in full 1080p; for that reason, if you're a fan of high-definition video, you might want to opt for a Blu-ray burner in place of the simple DVD burner that our system carried.

This Gateway PC has more disk space than the average value system, thanks to the included 640GB, 7200-rpm Western Digital Caviar SE16 hard drive.

The FX4710 is a looker and an excellent value for a gaming machine, but for everyday computing it's no more competent than some systems that cost half as much.

Nicely expandable system has blue-LED bling, gaming muscle, and bundled Logitech peripherals.

This excellent WorldBench performer (it scored 132) turned me blue--literally. There was so much reflected blue LED light inside the roomy midtower case that I felt Smurf-like as I perused the Centurion's top-notch set of components. These include a 3.16-GHz Core 2 Duo E8500 CPU and a pair of 2.5-inch striped RAID 0 Western Digital VelociRaptor drives, which are embedded in 3.5-inch heat sinks.

The case offers a whopping nine 5.25-inch bays, although two were used by the Liteon DH16D2P and DH20A4P optical drives and four by a 3.5-inch drive subchassis with the VelociRaptors inside. Unusually, all nine are externally accessible. The interior's look is enhanced by an elegantly rendered XFX nForce 790i Ultra SLI motherboard (which reflects the blue light nicely) and the 80-Plus-certified, 850-watt Cooler Master power supply is bottom-mounted, giving the whole deal more lateral stability. All in all, it's a very nice case and setup.

I loved the included Logitech Laser mouse, but not the Logitech MX3200 keyboard. The nonstandard size and arrangement of the Insert, Delete, Home, End, Page Up, and Page Down keys drove me nuts when I typed my notes. Some may not mind this setup, but touch typists are likely to have issues with the layout.

I found no faults with the 24-inch Samsung 245bw display. With its 5-millisecond response time, pictures just don't get much crisper or faster. That fast pixel response is a good thing, because the EVGA e-GeForce 9800 GTX graphics card racked up some of the fastest gaming frame rates we've seen in recent tests of power desktops: 200 to 250 frames per second.

The MTower PCIe offers a combination of outstanding workstation performance and high gaming frame rates that comes close to matching the Poly X4800-Extreme--for roughly $1400 less. For that kind of discount, I don't mind looking like a member of the Blue Man Group when I pop the lid.

Expensive desktop provides knock-your-socks-off performance and lots of rear-port connectivity.

Polywell certainly named this power desktop computer correctly. Its 3.2-GHz Core 2 X9770 CPU is Intel's current state-of-the-art Extreme (overclockable) chip, which means that this is an extremely fast desktop. At $4799 (as of August 8, 2008), it's also extremely expensive. Then again, no one ever said state-of-the-art would be cheap; the X9770 CPU alone costs nearly $1500; the equally fresh-from-the-mint MSI nVidia GeForce GTX280 graphics card, about $500; and the 4GB of DDR3 1600 memory goes for nearly as much. But the steep cash outlay that's called for buys you a knock-your-socks-off WorldBench 6 score of 141, as well as a gaming experience of 207 to 266 frames per second. Extremely fast indeed.

Part of the X4800-Extreme's excellent performance is due to a hard-drive setup we're beginning to see often on the power chart--pairs of 10,000-rpm, 300GB Western Digital WD3000GLFS VelociRaptor hard drives in a RAID 0 configuration. Not only are these 2.5-inch models mounted on 3.5-inch adapter sleds (as Western Digital calls them), they're energy-efficient. The sleds function as giant heat sinks that work so well that the drives are nearly cool to the touch even when in heavy use.

The X4800-Extreme is built around an extremely capable Gigabyte X48T-DQ6 motherboard with the most comprehensive array of rear-panel connections that I've ever seen in a PC. Besides a whopping eight USB 2.0 ports, the machine has both normal and 4-pin (mini) FireWire ports, optical and coaxial S/PDIF audio-out, six analog audio (7.1), and two gigabit ethernet ports. It also has motherboard headers for a pair of 2-port eSATA rear-slot breakout panels.

The X4800-Extreme's midtower case is sturdy and roomy, with flip and slide levers that let you swap in expansion cards and drive bays easily. Even so, the case setup is not as impressive as recently reviewed desktops from Xi Computers and Cerise Computers; both of those models mount power supplies at the bottom of the case for better stability, while the Poly X4800-Extreme mounts its 1000-watt Sparkle Power Magna 1000 power supply at the top.

The bundled Logitech 650 wireless mouse and keyboard were both comfortable to use. The Polywell-labeled Acer 2416 24-inch wide-screen LCD's picture was also easy on the eyes, but I found the silverish bezel a little distracting. Personally, I wish they'd matched the case with a black bezel.

That said, the X4800-Extreme is about power, not style. For sheer performance, it has no equal on the chart.

This power desktop delivers a whole lot of performance without a whole lot of price.

Built around the same Gigabyte X48-DS4 motherboard as the top-performing Polywell Poly X4800-Extreme, the MicroFlex 450B steps down a notch or two on other primary components. A 2.83-GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 processor, a single 500GB Seagate ST3500320NS hard drive, and a 512MB ATI 4870 graphics card lurk inside. Though this combo is pared back compared with some other high-end PCs, it still managed a more-than-acceptable WorldBench 6 score of 119 and gaming rates around 200 frames per second.

As inexpensive as the MicroFlex 450B is for a power system ($1599 as of August 8, 2008), you don't get the feeling that Micro Express has been stingy. Open the black midtower case, and you'll find plenty of room for even large hands to work, with five external bays open--four 5.25-inchers and one 3.5-incher--as well as two 3.5-inch internal bays for additional hard drives. It also has two 1x PCIe slots and two PCI slots unblocked, plus another CrossFire-enabled 16x PCIe slot if you want to up your high-resolution gaming capabilities with a second graphics card.

Although Micro Express made trade-offs to achieve its low price, they are relatively wise ones. The bundled 19-inch LG W1942TQ wide-screen display is smaller than what we see with most power systems, but it does produce a very crisp picture. The basic Microsoft keyboard and optical mouse are both wired, and the LG GH22LP20 optical drive offers LightScribe but no Blu-Ray or HD DVD reading.

Put succinctly, the MicroFlex 450B provides 85 percent of the Poly X4800-Extreme's performance at 33 percent of the price. I could yap more about the relative lack of big-vendor style, but those numbers are the real story.

Customizable desktop system provides affordable performance in a stylish package.

Dell lets you choose either Windows XP or Windows Vista as the operating system, and you can add extras, such as an Ageia PhysX accelerator, a Blu-ray Disc drive, and up to 4GB of DDR2-800 Corsair Dominator memory.

The aforementioned gaming XPS 630's SLI-rigged 8800 GT graphics card certainly gives it an edge in graphics performance, but in this version of the XPS 630, the single 512MB nVidia GeForce 9800 GT card didn't do too badly: the system averaged a frame rate of 138 frames per second while running Doom 3 at 1280 by 1024 resolution with antialiasing turned on.

In general application performance, this XPS 630 (equipped with a 3.16-GHz Core 2 Duo E8500 CPU and 4GB of DDR2-800 Corsair Dominator memory) delivered a WorldBench score of 114, whereas the gaming XPS 630 (equipped with a QX6850 CPU) achieved a score of 123 in our WorldBench suite. That's a nice result, considering this XPS 630 costs substantially less, though it does so by trading off features. For instance, it includes a single 640GB, 7200-rpm hard disk (Western Digital Caviar SE16) versus the gaming version's two speedy 160GB, 10,000-rpm Western Digital Raptor hard drives configured in a RAID 0 array.

The XPS 630's industrial design is reminiscent of--but scaled back from--that of Dell's XPS 720 desktop. The 630's ATX case features brushed aluminum on the sides and top, with a choice of a black or red plastic front, and back panels with large grilles. The side panel easily unlatches to reveal a well-organized interior with neat cable management, a 750-watt power supply, and a tool-less hard-drive tray. For a case of its size, it offers respectable expansion room, with one open 5.25-inch drive bay at the front (a DVD±RW drive occupies the other bay). Four internal slots are open: two regular PCI, one PCI Express x8, and one PCI Express x1.

The motherboard for this system uses nVidia's 650i SLI chip set. Unfortunately, that chip set limits each of the system's two PCI Express x16 slots (used for the dual graphics cards) to 8X speed in SLI mode, raising the possibility of an old-school bandwidth bottleneck that is less common today than it used to be. Another issue: Dell's own LightFX software, which controls the colors of the case exterior's four LED lighting zones, has a conflict with this chip set that forces users to resort to nVidia's ESA light effects software instead. An open standard created by nVidia, ESA (Enthusiast System Architecture) promotes two-way communication between PC components. The XPS 630 is among the first ready-made PCs to support it.

The XPS 630 ships with Dell's standard wired optical mouse and multimedia keyboard combo that's perfectly serviceable but nothing special. You also get a 15-month subscription to the PC-cillin Internet security suite. Chip-set concerns aside, the XPS 630 is a well-built, highly customizable power desktop that delivers good performance for the price.

This is a nice value system with good mainstream performance and a TV tuner.

Everything about the Elite a6550t screams "efficiency," from its businesslike black-and-silver décor to its solid, comfortable black keyboard and mouse. The interior is nicely finished, all cables are neatly tied off, and a single free 5.25-inch bay awaits an additional optical drive. The case interior similarly offers a single open, vertically oriented 3.5-inch bay to accommodate a second hard drive.

Built around Intel's 2.6-GHz Core 2 E4700 processor, the Pavilion Elite a6560t couldn't quite match the performance of the Q6600-based Dell Inspiron 518 or Micro Express's MicroFlex 82B, but its 103 WorldBench 6 effort puts it well above the median score for value systems. Our test unit came configured with the same 3GB of PC6400 memory as the 518, but yoked to a slightly less efficient 8MB cache version of a 300MB Western Digital Caviar Blue (Dell's like-size Caviar sported a beefier 16MB); this could explain some of the 5-point difference in WorldBench performance score.

Despite having an nVidia GeForce 9300 GE graphics card on board, the a6560t managed mediocre gaming frame rates, ranging from about 20 frames per second to about 60 fps, depending on the test. That's good enough for occasional low-resolution forays with Doom, but not for any seriously graphics-intensive games. Otherwise, 2D rendering looked sharp on the bundled 20-inch HP w2007 wide-screen display. With that LCD, the A6560T was priced at $1030 as of October 10, 2008; that price includes a copy of Windows Media Center and an NTSC/ATSC tuner card. Without the monitor, the desktop costs $750.

While testing the system, we discovered a bit more junkware (see "Junkbusters") on the Windows Vista Home Premium desktop than we'd have liked, but a couple of minutes with Add/Remove programs and the trash bin took care of things. Beyond that, you get all the accouterments of a name-brand system, including nice documentation and support.

This triple-core Phenom system is a solid buy for SOHO users on a budget.

The GT5692 is the first PC we've reviewed that comes configured with AMD's triple-core Phenom processor. In this case, it's a 2.1-GHz X8450 model fed by 4GB of PC5300 DDR2 memory and a 500GB, 7200-rpm Western Digital SE16 Caviar Blue hard drive. What did we think of the triple-core? There's certainly no reason to avoid one; but if you have the software to take advantage of more than two cores, you might as well spend a little extra to move up to a four-core processor instead.

In our tests, the GT5692's delivered solid but unspectacular performance for a value desktop PC. Its score of 82 on our WorldBench 6 test suite indicates that it will manage everyday computing tasks with aplomb. Though the integrated ATI HD3200 graphics don't deliver the worst frame rates we've seen, smooth game play in all of our tests maxed out at a 1024 by 768 resolution.

The GT5692's case is solidly constructed, with enough open slots and bays for most users' upgrade needs. However, we didn't like the way the cables were tied off on our test unit. The SATA cable connecting to the hard drive lay loose, and the power lead cable bundle dangled a bit too close to the exposed CPU fan. The case is very well ventilated, but over time the bundle could droop and interfere with the fan, which could lead to thermal shutdown. The bottom line is that it's a good idea to check the interior of any new PC: You never know if the new hand on the assembly line is a slow learner. Gateway normally does better.

As you might expect, the styling of the GT line isn't of the same caliber that you'd find on the company's higher-end FX models, but the GT's subdued black-and-silver color scheme and its black, wired optical mouse/keyboard combo give the system a solid businesslike demeanor. The mouse felt quite nice, and the keyboard action, though a bit soft, supported reasonably comfortable typing.

Tiny but powerful, this PC is perfect for small workspaces and kiosks.

About the size of a hardcover novel, the Acer Veritron L460 is a great option if you want to fit a value PC into a tight space (such as behind a desk, under a table, or in a kiosk). It may be small, but this Acer's case is tightly packed with an Intel E4700 CPU, 2GB of 337-MHz DDR2 memory, and a 3.5-inch 160GB (7200-rpm) hard drive.

Despite having all of those components jammed into it, the L460 ran amazingly cool to the touch-an important but often overlooked factor to consider when choosing a PC for tight quarters. The 3.5-inch hard drive surprised us a bit: Though 3.5-inchers are usually faster, they also emit more heat and leave less room for an additional drive than less power-hungry 2.5-inch models.

The L460's styling is nice though hardly spectacular. We appreciated the compact desktop's ability to stand upright or on its side when the included base is screwed on. The base is wide enough to allay any concern that a user might inadvertently tip the unit over; you can keep the L460 on top of your desk to access the DVD-writer slot or USB ports without fear of toppling it.

Speaking of USB ports, we would have liked to see a few more. Two in front and four in back may sound adequate, but you lose two of them right off the bat to the bundled keyboard and mouse. Four ports aren't enough when the only available way to expand the unit's capabilities and storage is via USB. That said, you can overcome the shortage of USB ports by using an external hub.

The system's score of 94 on our WorldBench 6 test suite means that the L460 should have no trouble handling the business chores it's designed to perform. On the other hand, it's not a viable option for gamers; in fact, its gaming frame rates are amongst the lowest we've seen recently, and the unit has no room to hold a graphics card if you're tempted to upgrade. Despite the system's incapacity to deal with action games, its bundled Acer X193W 19-inch wide-screen display had a very nice picture.

We heartily recommend the L460 for any space-challenged environment, especially if its primary duty will be to perform business tasks. It's also a great fit for users who simply don't want a large, ungainly PC hanging around.

Delivers solid performance for basic tasks but not for fast-action games, and its compact case limits expansion.

If you want a space-saving value desktop computer that's powerful enough for general applications, Web surfing, and other routine tasks, the $729 (as of 2/7/08) Polywell Poly i7050 fills the bill. The i7050 weighs only about 12 pounds, versus 28 pounds for Dell's Inspiron 530. But as with nearly all compact models, the trade-off is that you have fewer expansion options inside.

The configuration we tested was equipped with a 2-GHz Intel Pentium Dual-Core E2180 processor and two sticks of 1GB PC2-5300 DDR2 memory (2GB total) mounted on an EVGA NF77 nVidia nForce 630i motherboard with integrated nVidia GeForce 7150 graphics and HDMI output.

Despite the entry-level CPU, the Poly i7050 scored admirably in our productivity application benchmarks. It tied with the Sys Technology Sys Slimline Si200 in earning a WorldBench 6 Beta 2 score of 77, the best in our roundup. But like all of the other low-priced systems that use integrated graphics instead of a discrete graphics card, the Poly i7050 tested poorly in graphics performance, so it's not a good choice for 3D gaming fans. However, you can add a low-profile (half-height) graphics card in the system's open PCI Express x16 slot if you want to improve graphics performance; Polywell charges $72 for a 256MB nVidia GeForce 8400GS card (which has twice the memory as the one in the Dell Inspiron 530 we tested) and $85 for a 512MB nVidia GeForce 8500GT.

The Poly i7050's components are housed in a small, 13-by-16-inches, black-and-silver case that's barely 4 inches high. (You can get the same Poly i7050 system components in a cube-shaped case, as well.) Numerous vents--sides, top, and rear--helped keep our test unit cool, along with a quiet CPU fan inside.

The unit we tested had a 250GB Seagate hard drive and a DVD/CD combo writer, leaving only one drive bay (an external 3.5-inch one) free; accessing it requires unlocking a large metal cage and tilting it upwards, a somewhat cumbersome procedure.

Our i7050 also included a KDS K-92BW 19-inch LCD (1440 by 900 native resolution) with a VGA analog-only interface and decent image quality, though it wasn't quite as bright as some of the other 19-inch LCDs on competing systems. The i7050's USB-based Logitech RX300 optical mouse and Logitech 350 keyboard are better than the bare-bones input devices bundled with some budget PCs, but they also take up two of the PC's seven total USB ports.

If small size matters most to you, the Poly i7050's strong performance and features make it a good candidate among the budget-priced compact models. Otherwise, the midsize, $689 Dell Inspiron 530 is arguably a better deal, since it costs a bit less and comes with a discrete graphics card.

The MicroFlex 82B gives you plenty of horsepower without draining your savings.

A powerful, fully equipped value-oriented system, the MicroFlex 82B sports a 3-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 CPU, 2GB of memory, a 250GB Serial ATA hard drive, and Windows Vista Business. Unlike many budget PCs, the MicroFlex 82B ships with a dedicated graphics card--an nVidia GeForce 8800GT that carries 512MB of video memory. Thanks to its speedy processor and dedicated graphics, the MicroFlex 82B achieved a WorldBench 6 score of 117. While that doesn't quite reach high-end gaming PC territory, it makes this machine ideal for everyday computing tasks and even some gaming, too.

Our test unit's $799 price (as of August 8, 2008) included the cost of a 17-inch Samsung 740BX display. The bundled Microsoft keyboard and mouse are about what you would expect from a budget system: good but not extraordinary. Despite its generic-looking case, the MicroFlex 82B has plenty of features to like, such as a total of eight USB ports, gigabit ethernet, and S/PDIF digital audio input. In addition, the 82B supports up to 7.1 surround sound.

The MicroFlex 82B is very expandable too, with a total of two PCI and five PCI Express slot (four of which are open), plus a good number of open drive bays. This is one budget PC with plenty of growing room. I also found the system to be reasonably quiet.

The documentation left something to be desired, though. Though the PC comes with documentation for various pieces of the system, there is no user's guide for the entire package. A hardware installation guide provides instructions for installing or replacing certain components, but the instructions are somewhat lacking in detail.

All things considered, however, the MicroFlex 82B does enough right for it to be a very good option for anyone needing a budget PC.