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• HP Pavilion D4000e   [Review, PCWorld]
  At $2465, the midsize tower we tested is more affordable than most power systems on this month's chart--but its performance also lags behind most of those same models. HP built our review D4000e around a 2.4-GHz Athlon 64 4000+ processor with 1GB of DDR400 SDRAM; it earned a WorldBench 5 score of 101, about in line with what we would expect from a system with this configuration. Although Micro Express's MicroFlex 40A has the same processor and scored 118 in the same test, that model included twice as much memory as this HP unit. In our gaming graphics tests, the Pavilion D4000e achieved 139 frames per second (ninth overall) in Return to Castle Wolfenstein and 247 fps (twelfth) in Unreal Tournament 2003 at a 1280-by-1024 resolution. Those results should satisfy most casual gamers who want a system that packs some punch but at a lower price than most power systems.
   Wed, 03 Aug, 2005 | 20 Click(s) | Related: Reviews or Talks | Detail

• Small Is Beautiful   [Roundup, PCWorld]
  Tired of banging your knees on the monster tower lurking under your desk? Thinking about adding a second computer at your workstation, but put off by the bulk and noise of two systems? Contrary to conventional thinking, a PC doesn't have to be big or noisy, as we found when we looked at ten small-footprint units. Modestly priced, moderately powerful, and often stylishly designed, these machines can be a great choice wherever space is at a premium--from the shrinking cubicles in corporate offices to the family living room to the kitchen counter.
   Wed, 03 Aug, 2005 | 71 Click(s) | Related: Reviews or Talks | Detail

• Dell Dimension 5100C Preview   [Preview, Cnet]
  On the heels of its Dimension 9100 announcement last month, Dell adds another product to its consumer-oriented PC line with the Dimension 5100C, starting at $983, a revamp of the highly flexible, compact Dimension 4700C that we reviewed last year. With a new case design, a selection of advanced Intel processors, and the adoption of the BTX (Balance Technology eXtended) specification, Dell updates both the look and the technological underpinnings of a sleek PC whose predecessor fit equally well in the living room and in the office.
   Tue, 02 Aug, 2005 | 34 Click(s) | Related: Reviews or Talks | Detail

• iBuyPower Value-Pro   [Review, Cnet]
  Proving that a $999 PC doesn't have to pull any punches, the iBuyPower Value-Pro serves up a balanced mix of components at a budget price. In addition to your choice of stylish midtower cases, you get a robust processor, an LCD monitor with DVI input, and support that includes both onsite service and live Web-based help. The fast hardware resulted in impressive performance scores; in our comparison tests of similar systems, the Value-Pro finished at the top of its class. Only cheap speakers and a virtually nonexistent software bundle tarnish this otherwise value-packed deal.
   Tue, 02 Aug, 2005 | 13 Click(s) | Related: Reviews or Talks | Detail

• Who builds the best budget PC?   [Roundup, Cnet]
  We first resisted leading this article with "What a difference a year makes" because it was an obvious cliché. Our resolve hardened when we realized that in this case the phrase also wasn't even true. It's not that budget computers are boring; they just don't evolve that dramatically. Differences between cheap PCs from year to year are more subtle than the technological advances seen at the other end of the PC spectrum, such as dual-core CPUs and dual-graphics-card configurations. Think of a budget PC as a younger sibling who gets hand-me-downs instead of the latest back-to-school fashions. Just as the winter coat your older brother wore last year will keep you warm when the temperature dips this year, yesterday's PC technology offers ample power for most people today.
   Tue, 02 Aug, 2005 | 15 Click(s) | Related: Reviews or Talks | Detail

• ABS Ultimate V2 42 Review   [Review, PCWorld]
  The ABS Ultimate V2 42 is designed primarily for gamers who want a PC that offers decent performance at a reasonable price, but who don't plan on much upgrading later on. ABS equipped the $1599 Ultimate V2 42 with a 2.4-GHz Athlon 64 3400+ processor and 1GB of DDR400 SDRAM, and it turned in a strong score of 98 in our WorldBench 5 test suite, making it one of the fastest value systems we've reviewed. Using an EVGA E-GeForce 6600 GT AGP graphics card with 128MB, this machine also performed well in our 3D action game tests. At a resolution of 1280 by 1024, for example, the Ultimate V2 42 produced 199 frames per second in Unreal Tournament 2003 (a second-place ranking among value systems tested to date), and it achieved 119 fps in Return to Castle Wolfenstein (a good fourth-place ranking).
   Sun, 31 Jul, 2005 | 12 Click(s) | Related: Reviews or Talks | Detail

• Alienware Aurora 7500 Review   [Review, PCWorld]
  The well-equipped Alienware Aurora 7500 comes packed to the gills with top-notch components--it has a 2.4-GHz Athlon 64 X2 4800+ dual-core processor, 1GB of DDR400 SDRAM, an ATI Radeon X850 XT graphics card (with 256MB DDR SDRAM), and two 160GB hard drives in a striped RAID configuration. But at $4041, the Aurora 7500 is also quite expensive.
   Sun, 31 Jul, 2005 | 20 Click(s) | Related: Reviews or Talks | Detail

• Top Cheap PCs   [Roundup, PCWorld]
  These days a budget system costs under $750, handles basic office computing and photo editing, and has some room for upgrades. What you don't get: really big hard drives, top-of-the-line processors, and powerful game-playing graphics. Dell Dimension 3000 - Best Buy
   Sun, 31 Jul, 2005 | 7 Click(s) | Related: Reviews or Talks | Detail

• HP z555 Digital Entertainment Center   [Review, Cnet]
  If you like the idea of putting a Media Center PC into your living room but don't want an ugly midtower trashing the decor, you might consider the HP z555 Digital Entertainment Center. Looking more like a traditional home A/V component than a desktop PC, it makes a handsome addition to a high-tech entertainment center. Of course, it does a whole lot more than a stereo receiver or a DVD player, thanks to its Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 OS and some impressive hardware. The mix includes three TV tuners (one of them HD), a LightScribe DVD-recordable drive, and a powerful graphics card. At $1,999, the z555 isn't cheap, but it's one of the few Media Centers we've tested that can handle high-end gaming chores in addition to its TiVo-like multimedia duties.
   Fri, 29 Jul, 2005 | 21 Click(s) | Related: Reviews or Talks | Detail

• Scan Cool Chameleon - A First Look   [Article, Hexus]
  Getting a sneak peak at a new, unreleased SKU in the midst of production completion, especially one like the Chameleon where it's more than just performance that defines it, is a rare privilege. The chance to see something take shape and not only that, but to offer suggestions and opinions that might even shape the final product Scan bring to market, was a treat. I hope you can appreciate the work that goes into production of products like that.
   Sat, 16 Jul, 2005 | 9 Click(s) | Related: Reviews or Talks | Detail

• Dell Dimension XPS Gen-4   [Review, Hexus]
  Dell is both large enough and savvy enough to engineer and market the best gaming system around. This Dimension XPS Gen-4, however, is overpriced and, from a package's point of view, hasn't been specified too well. Dell, I feel, needs to reduce the price to below £1,500 inc. VAT and offer a choice between CRT and TFT at no extra cost. Custom touches, such as a gaming mouse and windowed panel wouldn't go amiss, either. It's surprising to say this, but Dell, with this XPS system, isn't doing what it does best, that is, offering unbeatable value for money.
   Wed, 01 Jun, 2005 | 26 Click(s) | Related: Reviews or Talks | Detail

• IDF Spring 2005: Concept PCs   [Article, Hexus]
  The concept PC has a built in light system which can identify when the active management has kicked in. While the average user likes to go ‘ooh’ at the pretty lights, these ones actually mean something, they inform the user what has happened.
   Fri, 11 Mar, 2005 | 26 Click(s) | Related: Reviews or Talks | Detail

• Basic System Buyer's Guide - February 2005   [Guide, mikhailtech]
  This month we decided to cough up another $10 and upgrade to a Radeon 9600 PRO (from a vanilla Radeon 9600 last month). The onboard memory is reduced to 128MB (from 256MB), but that shouldn't make any difference given the inherent performance boost. Having full DX9 and OpenGL 1.5 support as well as 400MHz core and 446MHz memory clocks allows this card to play all the latest titles, even if it does so at the lower settings. Unlike last month's pick this one is also actively cooled.
   Thu, 03 Mar, 2005 | 37 Click(s) | Related: Reviews or Talks | Detail

• Tranquil PC T2.e/MCE2005 EPIA-SP   [Preview, Hexus]
  EPIA-SP gives Tranquil's MCE2005 product in the T2 chassis the performance boost that it needed, to remove some of the sticking points I found in operation. The chassis' evolution gives you a bit more interior space in the right places, the PCI retention hardware is improved and the blissful silence remains.
   Wed, 09 Feb, 2005 | 88 Click(s) | Related: Reviews or Talks | Detail

• Tranquil PC T2.e/MCE2005   [Review, Hexus]
  Tranquil PC got in touch with us just before Christmas, certain they'd got it pretty much right. Confident that their new MCE2005 PC, built into their popular T2 enclosure, is as close to the mark as you can get at the moment. A company with a reputation for fine integration and some neat touches to their systems, Tranquil PC have a growing name for themselves. So it was with an open mind, willing to accept that my sceptism for the concept and current implementations is wide of the mark, that I agreed to look at their T2.e/MCE2005.
   Sat, 29 Jan, 2005 | 39 Click(s) | Related: Reviews or Talks | Detail

• Scan International's 3XS Cobra SLI Systems   [Review, Hexus]
  We've seen impressive 3XS hardware from Scan in the past and their Cobra SLI systems don't buck that trend. Incredibly well built, paint jobs to put others to shame and potentially umatched performance round off maybe the most impressive systems I've had the pleasure of working with to date. If you're looking for high-end SLI right now, I can recommend you put an enquiry or two their way, for the configuration you're looking for.
   Wed, 05 Jan, 2005 | 47 Click(s) | Related: Reviews or Talks | Detail

• CNET Labs' Dream Machine   [Article, CNet]
  Give a geek an unlimited budget to build a computer, and what do you get? We decided to find out by going on a shopping spree that would make Paris Hilton proud, seeking out the latest styles without once bothering to look at a price tag.
   Sun, 01 Aug, 2004 | 86 Click(s) | Related: Reviews or Talks | Detail

• First Look: Fujitsu FMV Deskpower HTPC   [Preview, DesignTechnica]
  The Fujitsu FMV Deskpower line of HTPCs integrates the computer and display in one unit. They have a few smaller versions based on more traditional 15 and 17-inch displays, but their T-Series are the units we're really interested in.
   Mon, 19 Apr, 2004 | 81 Click(s) | Related: Reviews or Talks | Detail

• BOXX Technologies GameBOXX FX Review   [Review, AMDZone]
  We have been testing BOXX workstations and servers for years now. They have long focused on the digital content creation market segment, and when we heard of their plans to enter the gaming market we are excited to get our hands on a system. Now they have officially introduced their GameBOXX FX based on the Athlon 64 FX51. The GameBOXX is available in 5 colors including red, orange, silver, blue, and black. As you can see we test the red version. This system also includes the Asus SK8N, 1GB of Corsair DDR400 registered memory, and a Radeon 9800XT. Basic specs are as follows.
   Wed, 14 Jan, 2004 | 140 Click(s) | Related: Reviews or Talks | Detail

• eMachines T2865 Review   [Review, HardwareCentral]
  We're going to get hate mail from New Mexico again. Last December, inspired by a surprisingly positive experience with a $599 review system, we included a line in our year-end roundup complimenting the new management of budget vendor eMachines for continuing "to whittle away at its previous owners' toxic reputation with bargain-priced, well-equipped desktops." That brought a barrage of outraged e-mails from a Santa Fe computer consultant who called us criminally incompetent for even suggesting that consumers might consider eMachines.
   Wed, 03 Dec, 2003 | 209 Click(s) | Related: Reviews or Talks | Detail