Top 5 desktops of 2007
Desktops ain't dead yet. In fact, if you're looking for a computer to be the centerpiece of your home theater or gaming experience, a desktop is still your best bet. Here are the five best desktop systems 2007 had to offer.
HP's Blackbird 002 earned the highest rating editor Rich Brown has ever given a desktop PC. Its beautiful design rivals the Apple Mac Pro's, it takes risks that benefit your upgrade path, it's fast, and it's competitively priced. If you can afford it and you want a high-end gaming PC, buy this one. End of story.
With its super elegant new design and a strong configuration, Apple's new iMac competes with the PC desktop market better than perhaps any previous Mac to date. Unless you're a gamer or an upgrade enthusiast, we can think of very few reasons not to make an iMac your next desktop.
The HP Pavilion Slimline s3200t offers perhaps the strongest bang for the buck we've ever seen, thanks to its HD DVD/Blu-ray hybrid optical drive and its strong overall configuration. It outclasses every other HD-equipped system we've seen so far. If you're shopping for a living room PC and want complete HD format flexibility, this is the system we'd buy.
Velocity Micro's first full-fledged home-theater PC pulls very few punches in providing a complete digital media experience. It's big, it lacks a built-in audio receiver, and it invites PC gaming into the living room, which has never been the best fit. It's also the victim of a few Vista-related growing pains. On balance, though, Velocity Micro has as complete a home-theater PC as we've seen.
Thanks to a strong set of core specs, the Gateway GM5632E is the best deal going on in a mainstream traditional desktop. It might be missing a few fancy, nonessential features, but it has a strong enough foundation to make up for any deficiencies.
