Alienware X51

Alienware X51. The Alienware X51 fits everything a serious gamer needs into a compact chassis. The desktop has a full-size hard drive, desktop-class quad-core processor, and, best of all, a 150-watt discrete graphics card with multimonitor support. PC gaming is arguably "better" than console gaming because systems like the X51 can easily drive more than one monitor, and PC games can be modified by the gaming public to enhance or even radically change game play elements. Want to mash up the Star Trek and Star Wars universes on a console?...

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Lenovo IdeaCentre A720

Lenovo IdeaCentre A720. The IdeaCentre A720 looks to be in that same spirit. It uses an arm with two points of articulation to smoothly swing the screen up to vertical, then back down to horizontal. In the vertical position, the screen is in the traditional position for use with a keyboard and mouse. Closer to horizontal, and the screen works well as a touchscreen, like when you use a tablet. Since the horizontal screen can be placed at the same angle as a keyboard, it is much less fatiguing than holding your arm out straight to manipulate...

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Lenovo IdeaCentre B540

Lenovo IdeaCentre B540. The Lenovo IdeaCentre B540 is a large screen touch-enabled all-in-one desktop PC made for the media enthusiast. It packages a number of desirable technologies in a compact, easy to setup package. Design and Features The Lenovo IdeaCentre B540 comes in a newly redesigned chassis, which is more svelte than older Lenovo IdeaCentre B500 series systems. Like many all-in-one desktops, the B540's components are built into the screen, which follows the easel style: The screen rests on two removable feet, with an easel-like...

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Lenovo ThinkStation E30

Lenovo ThinkStation E30. The Lenovo ThinkStation E30 has an attractive marketing angle: It's an ISV-certified system, with an Intel Xeon processor and a true Nvidia workstation video card, for less money than you'd pay for some run-of-the-mill performance business desktops. It's hampered in a few areas, but if you're looking for certified systems for your demanding users, the E30 is a sensible entry-level workstation. The Lenovo ThinkStation E30 is a good way to dip your toe in the world of ISV-certified professional workstations. It's faster...

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HP Compaq 8200 Elite All-in-One PC

HP Compaq 8200 Elite All-in-One PC. The HP Compaq 8200 Elite All-in-one PC is a quad-core powered, large screen business desktop PC. It has an intelligent yet sedate design, good performance numbers, and would be a good fit for your space-constrained line workers who need just a bit more performance and screen room. It's a little pricey, especially considering that you can get systems with a few more bells an whistles for less money. Ultimately is the 8200 Elite is a decent choice if your business already has a buy contract for HP Compaq...

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Velocity Micro Raptor Z90 (Intel Core i7-3930K)

Velocity Micro Raptor Z90 (Intel Core i7-3930K). If you're in the market for a gaming rig, chances are you're either going in with a budget in mind or looking for the best, most tricked-out system money can buy. The Velocity Micro Raptor Z90 (Intel Core i7-3930K) fits the latter category and is not a gaming desktop for the miserly; it features Intel's latest Sandy Bridge-E series processor, which alone has a market price of $555, and two Nvidia GeForce GTX 580 graphics cards. In addition to its potent internal components, the Velocity Micro...

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HP Pavilion HPE h9 Phoenix (h9-1100z)

HP Pavilion HPE h9 Phoenix (h9-1100z). The HP Pavilion HPE h9 Phoenix (h9-1100z) is HP's (re-) entry into the gaming PC market. While HP's HPE h8 series PCs go after multimedia enthusiasts, the h9 Phoenix goes after the entry level to mainstream gaming enthusiast with similar gusto. What HP brings to the table, in addition to performance, are a lot of standard features that would've been extra-cost options on other entry-level gaming PCs. The h9 Phoenix line extends the usual HP HPE tower chassis' looks by adding a new faceplate and side...

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Lenovo ThinkCentre M71z

Lenovo ThinkCentre M71z. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M71z is a reasonably priced all-in-one desktop PC that has the pricing and the capabilities needed to outfit the majority of your workforce. It's middle of the road, that's true, but it does middle of the road so well we give it our highest recommendation. The M71z is an excellent choice for your mainline workers: the ones that manage projects, file and search data, or deal with your clients on a day-to-day basis. Sure, there are faster, more powerful PCs and workstations out there for your top earners,...

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Dell PowerEdge T620

Dell PowerEdge T620. Dell continues to push the envelope in feature set and capabilities in its PowerEdge server line—enterprise-level servers targeted to the SMB. The T620 is custom-made for fault-tolerance, redundancy and virtualization. Powerful performance. High scalability. Many expansion options. Virtualization capable. Many management options. Remote management. Runs quiet. Couple of glitches in some management utilities. Lengthy boot up. With all the clamor over cloud computing, it would seem datacenters everywhere are freeing businesses...

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Shuttle X6100

Shuttle X6100. The Shuttle X6100 is a compact desktop built into the Shuttle XH61 barebones PC kit. Instead of having to source all your own parts and components from all over the Internet, you can buy an already assembled version from Shuttle, along with a three-year warranty. As configured here, the X6100 is a quad core-powered, SSD-equipped speed demon, though you can build a basic Linux-powered model for under $700. There are a couple of shortcomings, but on the whole this system will be attractive to the small business owner, mini PC enthusiast,...

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AVADirect Quiet X79 Gaming PC

AVADirect Quiet X79 Gaming PC. The AVADirect Quiet X79 Gaming PC is whisper quiet and powerful enough to let you play with the big dogs. Even with six-core processing, competitive gaming graphics, and room for plenty of upgrades, the Quiet X79 Gaming PC brings it all together for a lot less than top-flight gaming rigs. Powerful components. Stylish design. Runs nearly silent while keeping everything cool. Good included storage options. Can't keep up with multi-GPU gaming rigs. When you're shopping for a serious gaming desktop, you tend to...

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Cyberpower Zeus Thunder 3000SE

Cyberpower Zeus Thunder 3000SE. The Cyberpower Zeus Thunder 3000SE combines raw performance with a few niceties to jump to the top of the midrange custom gaming desktop class. Lots of USB 3.0 and eSATA ports. Mini-Displayport and HDMI ports. Overclocked Core i7 processor. Two high-end graphics cards. No bloatware. Nice internal wiring. The Cyberpower Zeus Thunder 3000SE is a great performance desktop PC in a flashy case. It saves a little money by using an off-the-shelf tower chassis, but the care taken in assembling this custom gaming PC shows...

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Samsung Series 9 15-inch (NP900X4B-A02US)

Samsung Series 9 15-inch (NP900X4B-A02US). Samsung gets a jump on Apple's anticipated 15-inch MacBook Air with the super-slim and -sexy Samsung Series 9 15-inch (NP900X4B-A02US). Incredibly thin and light for a 15-inch laptop. Bright, hi-res display. WiDi. Expensive. Shallow keyboard. Slippery touchpad. Only 57GB of 128GB SSD available at startup. VGA and HDMI dongles not included. Design The Series 9 15-inch (NP900X4B-A02US) boasts an aluminum one-piece shell in a handsome shade— Samsung calls it Titan Silver—with a touch of dark blue....

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Lenovo C325

Lenovo C325. The Lenovo C325 is a basic all-in-one desktop PC for those that would rather have a bigger screen than portability. Its energy-saving processor is sufficient for Web surfing duties, and the system's utility is higher than the relatively modest price tag suggests. It is basic computing through and through, but it is certainly sufficient for regular users. The Lenovo C325 is a good choice for those looking to spend only about $500 for a fully featured desktop PC. It's bigger than a laptop, and has the power to serve your Web surfing...

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Karuma PlayBase Plus

Karuma PlayBase Plus. Though its sturdy construction makes the PlayBase Plus seem like a potential kid's tablet contender, its subpar performance, lack of content, and poorly executed child-safe features kill the deal. Thin and light. Access to Google Play app market. Antimicrobial screen. Slow performance. Dim, low-resolution screen. Dismal camera. Poorly executed child-safe environment. Sparse kid-friendly content selection. Design and Features Compared with other kid-friendly tablets, the PlayBase Plus feels slicker, but more solid. The frame...

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Toshiba Portege Z835-P370

Toshiba Portege Z835-P370. Toshiba plays the value card as well as the featherweight card with its Portege Z835-P370 ultrabook. As light as a 13.3-inch ultrabook gets. Plenty of ports. Backlit keyboard. 6GB of RAM for the price of competitors' 4GB. Screen a little flimsy. Keyboard a little stiff. No Smart Connect technology. Design The super-skinny (0.6 by 12.4 by 8.9 inches, HWD) Z835-P370 gets its light weight from a magnesium alloy chassis that makes its base surprisingly sturdy—unlike its vanishingly thin screen, which flirts with the F...

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MSI WindPad 110W-014US

MSI WindPad 110W-014US. The WindPad 110W is equipped with one USB 2.0 port, an SD card reader, and a headphone jack. A mini-HDMI port lets you connect to an HDTV and a docking port lets you plug into an accessory dock. A SIM card opens up the potential for 3G wireless broadband, and the WindPad is also equipped with 802.11n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Designed primarily with business users in mind, the WindPad 110W is also secure, with both a TPM embedded security chip and a proprietary biometric facial...

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Fujitsu Lifebook T731

Fujitsu Lifebook T731. The Fujitsu Lifebook T731 looks like someone threw a Windows tablet and a 12-inch notebook into a blender, and out popped a 12-inch convertible laptop. But the twist-into-a-tablet form-factor is nothing new to Fujitsu, a company that has been making convertible laptops for several years, and the Fujitsu Lifebook T731 is merely the latest in a long line of touch-friendly laptops. The Fujitsu Lifebook T731 has two operating modes, first as a traditional 12-inch notebook,...

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Asus Eee Slate B121

Asus Eee Slate B121. The Apple iPad may rule the roost for tablet sales, but for users that want touch-screened convenience but need Windows—be it for reasons of software compatibility or merely OS familiarity—Asus has a new option, the Asus Eee Slate B121. With a laptop-grade processor, the Eee Slate B121 easily tops the Atom powered 32-bit tablets we've seen lately, but it may not top the Samsung Series 7 Slate (700T1A), which uses more current technology. The 12-inch screen is covered...

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Archos 9 PCtablet

Archos 9 PCtablet. The Archos 9, design-wise, is something of a throwback to the old UMPC designs seen a few years ago. The bezel around the 9-inch touchscreen is beefed up on the right and left edges, providing what are effectively handholds on either side of the screen. On these handholds you'll find physical controls for power, microphone, activating a virtual keyboard, a trackpoint mouse and right and left mouse buttons. You'll also find an integrated 1.3-Megapixel webcam. On the side is a...

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Lenovo ThinkStation D20

Lenovo ThinkStation D20. The Lenovo ThinkStation D20 is one of those systems that you know you will need. Are you building components for weapons systems that directly related to national defense? Are you in the editing and mastering stage of a $250 million Hollywood movie? Do you need to produce blueprints for an eight-lane automobile bridge spanning a major river? If you answer yes to one of these, you are probably in the market for a workstation desktop like the D20. If your job is eliminating pimples from a photo of a Kardashian, this...

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Kupa X11 Pro Tablet

Kupa X11 Pro Tablet. The Kupa X11 Pro is a strong entry into the Windows tablet space, with a long-lasting battery, a healthy selection of ports, vigorous performance, and an interface that makes your fingers feel right at home. Solid performance. Long battery life. Two full-size USB ports and mini HDMI out. A finger-friendly user interface and silky matte screen make Windows more touchable. The Kupa X11 Pro Tablet is the first product we've seen from Kupa America, but for its first product out...

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Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 (U.S. Cellular)

Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 (U.S. Cellular). U.S. Cellular subscribers love their carrier, and they'll probably love it more with 4G LTE. But the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 isn't the best way to keep the love flowing. While it's the first tablet to use the super-fast network on the nation's most adored carrier, it's last year's model and suffers from app availability problems that all Android tablets are currently struggling with. Hardware, Design, and OS The U.S. Cellular Tab is actually the same hardware...

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Acer Aspire AM3970-UR11P

Acer Aspire AM3970-UR11P. The Acer Aspire AM3970-UR11P is an adequate tower desktop burdened with a lot of bloatware. The Acer Aspire AM3970-UR11P certainly has an awkward name. Pity, because the desktop strikes a good visual balance between utilitarian and flashiness. It's a tower, but it's not a boring looking tower. Component-wise, the system is pretty much a middle of the road tower desktop with some internal storage capability. It's got some software additions to help Acer fans, like those who bought an Iconia Tab, but ultimately it's...

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Acer Veriton M498G-UI5650C

The Acer Veriton M498G-UI5650C is a good, inexpensive business desktop PC, with future-proofing written all over its cavernous interior and a speedy Core i5 processor. If you're looking to equip (or upgrade) a small office on the cheap, take a look at the M498G-UI5650C first before moving on to the more expensive enterprise-class business PCs. If you're trying to outfit an office on the cheap, the Acer Veriton M498G-UI5650C gives you a whole lot of power and future-proofing for only about $700. Expandability. Three-year warranty. Core i5...

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Samsung Series 5 Ultra (NP530U4B-A01US)

Samsung Series 5 Ultra (NP530U4B-A01US). A 14-inch screen and built-in DVD burner make the Samsung Series 5 Ultra (NP530U4B-A01US) stand out from the ultrabook crowd. Optical drive and 14-inch screen top generic ultrabooks. Hybrid hard drive system almost as fast as SSDs, with more space. WiDi. No big advantage in weight or battery life over ultraportables and 14-inch slimlines. With its DVD±RW drive and full array of ports, the NP530U4B-A01US splits the difference between ultrabooks like the Dell XPS 13 and ultraportables like the Editors'...

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HP Omni 27

HP Omni 27. The HP Omni 27 is an attractive all-in-one desktop with a huge 27-inch screen. It's perfect for watching both online and Blu-ray movies, and has the power to create those movies, if you have cinematic hobbies.Huge screen. HDMI-in with "Game Mode". USB 3.0. Blu-ray. 15 month subscription to Norton Internet Security. Quad Core Multimedia performance. Beats Audio. Subwoofer option. 1,920 by 1,080 resolution has fewer pixels than the 27-inch iMac. Bloatware. If you're a video hobbyist or movie aficionado, you may be tempted to buy the...

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Sony Tablet P

Sony Tablet P. The Sony Tablet P does not make good use of its interesting dual-screen design, offering up both a sub par gaming experience with no physical buttons and an awkward Android tablet experience. Sharp and bright screens. Game-friendly design. Interesting dual-screen optimized apps. Flimsy design. Miniscule internal storage. Awkward split between screens. Wide bezels. Limited optimized-app selection. Android tablets, for the most part, all look the same. Sony is a bit of an outlier, with the wedge shaped Tablet S and now the clamshell...

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RIM BlackBerry PlayBook (2012)

RIM BlackBerry PlayBook. The RIM BlackBerry PlayBook is finally a viable tablet computer, now that it includes native email support, but it still lags behind the competition in third-party apps.Sharp, beautiful screen. Top-notch browser with full Flash video support. Wirelessly transfers files to and from computers on same network. Far fewer third-party apps than the iPad, and the ones that exist aren't nearly as compelling. Doesn't sync with BES or support BlackBerry Messenger. Design, User Interface, and Hardware The BlackBerry PlayBook...

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