When we hear a product described as middle-of-the-road we tend to see it in a negative light, but the HP Pavilion Elite e9240f is in the middle and at just $950 that is a very good thing. On one side of this "road" you will find the gaming PC ...

Lots of ports. Blu-Ray

Not expandable. Excessive bloatware

The HP Pavilion Elite e9240f is a good combination home PC, gaming rig, and multimedia center for under $1000.

The Compaq Presario CQ5210f ($390 list) is the computer to buy if you want a cheap, powerful sub $400 desktop PC. Available at Staples, it is priced like a nettop, yet has scads more power from a 2.7GHz dual core AMD Athlon II X2 processor, which ...

Speedy for a cheap PC. Good bang for the buck. More expandable than a nettop or small form factor desktop

Weak integrated graphics. Only 60-day subscription to Norton Internet Security. No media card slots. Bloatware

If you want to pay nettop prices for a higher-end multimedia performance from your PC, take a look at the Compaq Presario CQ5210f. It gives you the full multimedia computing power you want, yet comes in at under $400 (without monitor).

The Puget Deluge Mini ($2,775 direct) is another one of those "if you need to ask, you don't get it" PCs. It has a liquid-cooled Core i7 processor that has been overclockedalmost to the breaking pointresulting in some of the best benchmark scores ever ...

Speedy system. Informative ordering/manufacturing process. Blu-ray player. Clean OS install

Not very "Mini." Standard Antec case

If your need is speed, then the Puget Deluge Mini may be your choice. Over (Über?)-clocked Core i7 processor, dual graphics cards, and a speedy hard drive give you blazing benchmark speeds. An over-the-top, geeky buying experience is another plus.

HP produces a lot of different configurations for differing retailers, with some minor variation between the models. The HP Pavilion p6240f ($690 list) is a mid-priced, quad-core desktop that should be available at a multitude of online and retail ...

Quad-core power for under $700. Widely available (Not specific to one retailer). Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n. Some expandability

Bloatware, including dial-up offers. Only 60-days subscription to Norton Internet Security

The HP Pavilion p6240f has quad-core power and is decently priced. It's a good fit if you already have a monitor you want to reuse, but its HP-built "brother" is a better buy if you want to start from scratch.

The Dell Inspiron 546 (i546-4354nbk) ($600 list) is Dell's AMD-powered, entry-level desktop PC-in-a-box. This model, only available at Staples, is aimed at consumers who want an easy way to purchase a Dell as their second, third, or fourth PC for the ...

Dual core plus 20-inch monitor for $600. Very little bloatware. 640GB hard drive. Integrated graphics are HD-capable and can perform (very) light 3D. Expandable. HDMI port

Monitor less than 1080p. Monitor doesn't have built in speakers. McAfee Internet Security subscription only 30 days

The Dell Inspiron i546-4354nbk is a decent second or third PC for the home. It's a solid entry-level desktop with monitor combo at an entry-level price, and sometimes that's all you need.

The MSI Wind Top AE2010 ($650 list) is a touch-sensitive, all-in-one desktop PC that has potential, but falls short in its current incarnation. It comes with a dual core AMD Athlon X2 processor, a decent amount of memory, and reasonably spacious hard ...

All-in-one touchscreen PC. VESA mount and wall mount adapters included. VGA in and out. eSATA port

Touch sensitivity is finicky. Only 60-day subscription to Norton Internet Security. Pricey for a nettop. Lots of bloatware

The touch-sensitive MSI Wind Top AE2010 is faster than your average nettop. It's a decent system; however Windows Vista and an overbearing load of bloatware and extra programs bring the system's overall scores down.

ASUS' name is synonymous with netbook laptops, thanks to its success with the Eee PC. ASUS brings that experience and success to the desktop space with the Eee Top ET2002 ($599 list). The ET2002 is a 20-inch widescreen all-in-one nettop PC with a ...

Wireless keyboard and mouse. Dual core Atom processor. HDMI In

Not touch screen. Smaller hard drive and shipped memory than rival. Can't run 3D benchmarks at standard settings

ASUS carries its experience and success from netbooks into the nettop market with its attractive, dual core powered, all-in-one ASUS Eee Top ET2002; however, it's not enough to trump the Lenovo C300, the current EC in this category.

The HP's Pavilion p6234f-b ($750 list) from Staples is a decent PC-in-a-box that is a relatively inexpensive alternative to an all in one desktop PC, especially considering its bundled 21.5-inch widescreen monitor. The p6234f-b is aimed squarely at ...

6GB of memory. HD-capable monitor included. Lots of internal expansion space

Dial up offers, yet no modem. Bloatware. No 3D performance. Only 250W power supply

The HP Pavilion p6234f-b is a decent sub-$800 PC in a box, including a 21.5-inch monitor, dual core CPU, and 640GB hard drive. It has enough hardware to keep most users happy, even those that do a little editing to their photos and videos in addition ...

The Gateway SX2802-01 ($499.99 list at Costco) lends credence to the old saying that good things come in small packages. This small form factor (SFF) desktop system offers solid quad-core performance and a sizable hard drive, and its whisper quiet. As ...

Quad core processor. Solid performance. Super quiet. Sleek, compact design

Limited upgrade potential. Lots of bloatware. Integrated graphics. Monitor not included

The Gateway SX2802-01 helps you reclaim valuable desktop space without sacrificing power. It offers strong quad-core processing, ample storage, and quiet operation, but its upgrade potential is limited, and you'll have to supply your own monitor.

When it comes to the all-in-one desktop market, the Apple iMac is the standard bearer. And, like any other industry-leading product, this makes it a target for all of Apple's competitors. The unveiling of the new configuration is an annual event for ...

Continues design dominance. Wireless keyboard. Wireless Magic Mouse. Mini DisplayPort input. Better screen resolution than a 1080p HDTV. EPEAT Gold and Energy Star 5.0

Card reader is SD-only. No eSATA. Requires third-party adapter for HDMI or DVI input. No Blu-ray option

The Apple iMac 27-inch (Core 2 Duo) promises to be bigger and better, with more screen real estate, a higher resolution, and power savings to boot.