If you're looking to create blueprints for a dream home or crunch some big data, then you need the power only a desktop PC can provide. We show you how to find the right system for you.
Does your desktop PC take so long to start up you have time to go get a cup of coffee—and drink it? Tried installing the latest game only to find out your graphics card is six generations too old to play it? Or maybe you just want to take advantage of the speed and reliability of operating systems like Microsoft Windows 8.1 and OS X Mavericks. If any of these are true, then it is time for you to buy a new desktop PC. And we can help you do it.
Prices for new desktop PCs start as low as $200 and range all the way up to and over $5,000, but most of us would be more than happy with a $600 to $750 box, including monitor. You still need to make some choices when it comes to CPUs, memory, hard drive capacity and graphics technology, but the good news is your money has never gone further. And a PC you buy today could very well last you for three to five years.
Back to Basics
It's getting to the point where basic PCs are in the same price range as some tablets. While it's certainly possible to do most of your Web surfing and video watching on a tablet, it's often better to do real work on a desktop PC. This is especially the case when you need to view your work on a larger screen, like when you're editing a long Word document or when you've got a huge spreadsheet to work on. You'll find AMD e-class and A4/A6 processors as well as Intel Core i3 and i5 processors in inexpensive systems. If all you want to do is surf the Web, run Office apps, and do light to moderate computing duties, you should consider one of these compact systems.
You can find basic systems advertised for as low as $200 without monitor. These systems belong to a desktop category that (mostly) comes in below the $300-$500 value desktop categories, both in price and capabilities. These systems run on the inexpensive, basic components that keep the prices affordable: low-powered processors like the Intel Atom, AMD E-series and AMD C-Series processors; non-upgradable integrated graphics; 1GB to 4GB of RAM; smaller hard drive; no optical drive (usually); and Windows 7/8, Linux operating system, Android, Chrome OS, or sometimes even no pre-installed OS. While inexpensive desktops are being eclipsed by tablets and other mobile systems, you'll still find inexpensive compact systems in big box stores and online retailers when you search for cheap PCs.
Some budget systems have a built-in screen and still can be bought for less than $500. You'll also see quite a few nettops and compact systems aimed at the home theater crowd, some of which may be up to $600 if they include built-in Blu-ray drives. They work well in a living room because they're silent (quiet fans); have wireless keyboards and/or mice; and have HDMI ports for connecting to HDTVs. They're still one of the easiest ways to get IPTV services like Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube on your HDTV in the living room, plus you can comfortably surf the Web from your couch on a nettop with a wireless keyboard and mouse. HD video playback on a nettop is usually smooth when playback is the only task running; but forget about multi-tasking while viewing videos: once you bring up a rich website with heavy Adobe Flash, the video quality will suffer. If you're a more demanding multi-tasker, check out the next category.
There's a subset of really inexpensive systems, which leverage online storage and apps replacing local storage and Windows/Mac-based applications. These systems can be an option if your world is completely online, but note that backwards compatibility with older applications is dicey, and you'll need an always-on connection at home to use cloud-based systems like the ChromeBox effectively.
Mid-priced Desktop PCs
Sub $600 PCs used to be the bargain basement for desktops, but now they're the norm. You should be able to find a desktop that has a recent dual-core processor and 4GB of RAM for under $600 with an LCD monitor. The dual-core processor with integrated graphics will help with the increasingly complex tasks that even casual users expect of their PCs. These include converting video from one format to another (so you can view it on your cell phone, for example), or light photo editing like removing red eye, cropping, or even recomposing the layout of a picture by adding missing people or changing colors in a shot.
You'll sometimes find Intel Pentium dual core or AMD Athlon II processors at this price level, but lately you'll find more powerful Intel Core i3/i5, or AMD A4/A6 processors with even more capabilities. Windows 8.1 and DVD burners prevail in this price range and are wise investments. Many come with hard drives of substantial capacity (250GB to 500GB). Like on ultrabooks, you'll find SSDs and hybrid SSD/HDD combos that will speed up your work. Buy a system with an SSD if you are really impatient, but note that SSDs are still somewhat lacking in storage for heavy downloaders and graphics mavens. Some of these PCs still come in minitower cases, but the sexier ones come in small form factor cases, ultra small form factors, or better yet, mini PC form factors. These cases take up much less room on your desk than a traditional minitower, and are just as functional as their larger counterparts. Plus, a good budget PC should easily last you the next three to five years.
Does your desktop PC take so long to start up you have time to go get a cup of coffee—and drink it? Tried installing the latest game only to find out your graphics card is six generations too old to play it? Or maybe you just want to take advantage of the speed and reliability of operating systems like Microsoft Windows 8.1 and OS X Mavericks. If any of these are true, then it is time for you to buy a new desktop PC. And we can help you do it.
Prices for new desktop PCs start as low as $200 and range all the way up to and over $5,000, but most of us would be more than happy with a $600 to $750 box, including monitor. You still need to make some choices when it comes to CPUs, memory, hard drive capacity and graphics technology, but the good news is your money has never gone further. And a PC you buy today could very well last you for three to five years.
Back to Basics
It's getting to the point where basic PCs are in the same price range as some tablets. While it's certainly possible to do most of your Web surfing and video watching on a tablet, it's often better to do real work on a desktop PC. This is especially the case when you need to view your work on a larger screen, like when you're editing a long Word document or when you've got a huge spreadsheet to work on. You'll find AMD e-class and A4/A6 processors as well as Intel Core i3 and i5 processors in inexpensive systems. If all you want to do is surf the Web, run Office apps, and do light to moderate computing duties, you should consider one of these compact systems.
You can find basic systems advertised for as low as $200 without monitor. These systems belong to a desktop category that (mostly) comes in below the $300-$500 value desktop categories, both in price and capabilities. These systems run on the inexpensive, basic components that keep the prices affordable: low-powered processors like the Intel Atom, AMD E-series and AMD C-Series processors; non-upgradable integrated graphics; 1GB to 4GB of RAM; smaller hard drive; no optical drive (usually); and Windows 7/8, Linux operating system, Android, Chrome OS, or sometimes even no pre-installed OS. While inexpensive desktops are being eclipsed by tablets and other mobile systems, you'll still find inexpensive compact systems in big box stores and online retailers when you search for cheap PCs.
Some budget systems have a built-in screen and still can be bought for less than $500. You'll also see quite a few nettops and compact systems aimed at the home theater crowd, some of which may be up to $600 if they include built-in Blu-ray drives. They work well in a living room because they're silent (quiet fans); have wireless keyboards and/or mice; and have HDMI ports for connecting to HDTVs. They're still one of the easiest ways to get IPTV services like Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube on your HDTV in the living room, plus you can comfortably surf the Web from your couch on a nettop with a wireless keyboard and mouse. HD video playback on a nettop is usually smooth when playback is the only task running; but forget about multi-tasking while viewing videos: once you bring up a rich website with heavy Adobe Flash, the video quality will suffer. If you're a more demanding multi-tasker, check out the next category.
There's a subset of really inexpensive systems, which leverage online storage and apps replacing local storage and Windows/Mac-based applications. These systems can be an option if your world is completely online, but note that backwards compatibility with older applications is dicey, and you'll need an always-on connection at home to use cloud-based systems like the ChromeBox effectively.
Mid-priced Desktop PCs
Sub $600 PCs used to be the bargain basement for desktops, but now they're the norm. You should be able to find a desktop that has a recent dual-core processor and 4GB of RAM for under $600 with an LCD monitor. The dual-core processor with integrated graphics will help with the increasingly complex tasks that even casual users expect of their PCs. These include converting video from one format to another (so you can view it on your cell phone, for example), or light photo editing like removing red eye, cropping, or even recomposing the layout of a picture by adding missing people or changing colors in a shot.
You'll sometimes find Intel Pentium dual core or AMD Athlon II processors at this price level, but lately you'll find more powerful Intel Core i3/i5, or AMD A4/A6 processors with even more capabilities. Windows 8.1 and DVD burners prevail in this price range and are wise investments. Many come with hard drives of substantial capacity (250GB to 500GB). Like on ultrabooks, you'll find SSDs and hybrid SSD/HDD combos that will speed up your work. Buy a system with an SSD if you are really impatient, but note that SSDs are still somewhat lacking in storage for heavy downloaders and graphics mavens. Some of these PCs still come in minitower cases, but the sexier ones come in small form factor cases, ultra small form factors, or better yet, mini PC form factors. These cases take up much less room on your desk than a traditional minitower, and are just as functional as their larger counterparts. Plus, a good budget PC should easily last you the next three to five years.
- BY JOEL SANTO DOMINGO
- JANUARY 16, 2014
Re-post from : pcmag.com
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