Dads & GradsTop 5 Budget Desktop PCsby Mark Kyrnin
4/30/07 - Finding a budget desktop computer is a bit more difficult these days. The number of companies offering desktops for the budget market has decreased dramatically. This is why I've adjusted the criteria to be considered a budget desktop PC to be priced at under $600. If the system includes a monitor, that price maximum is increased to $750. With this in mind, here are my latest picks for the best budget desktop computer systems based on my research and experience.
Dell's Dimension E521 is a departure from their traditional Intel based designs asn insted uses the AMD Athlon 64 X2 processors. This actually pays off well for Dell by providing a system that has a better overall performance than its Intel based Dimension budget model. Although not one of the newest systems, Dell does keep updating its specifications to meet the current market trends.
Officially called a Media Center, the Presario SR2180NX doesn't really have the hardware to support recording and viewing TV, but it does offer a very solid all around budget system. HP provides a very strong software suite for the system and includes a LightScribe compatible drive for recording labels directly to LightScribe media.
Gateway's DX430S is a step up from their basic and in many ways crippled DX430B system. It has its flaws such as the CD-RW/DVD combo drive standard and smaller hard drive, but it makes up for it in other ways. This is a complete system that includes speakers and a 17" LCD monitor unlike many other retail budget desktop PCs.
eMachines used to be one of those companies that relied heavily upon AMD in its systems. For the T5224 they have used an older Intel Pentium D 820 processor. For the most part, people doing general purpose computing won't notice much of a difference. In the end, the eMachines is about price, and they do make a very well rounded budget system for a low price.
Gateway's reatil offerings tended to use the AMD processors in place of Intel. This is gradually changing and the budget oriented GT5404 now uses the Intel Pentium D 915. In some respects the system is a marked improvement over the DX430S they offer online, but it other ways it is lesser. While it has a DVD burner and larger hard drive, a monitor is not included.
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