While the general performance of the HP Pavilion a6710t is top-notch for a $519 (as of 8/23/09) machine, this minitower desktop PC's chief rivals manage to offer a comparable computing experience in a greatly reduced, compact case size. But don't ...

Excellent performance, given the price ; Substantial storage capacity

Boring connection options ; Lack of gigabit ethernet

So where does that put the HP Pavilion a6710t? Save for storage capacity, it beats out the more expensive Lenovo IdeaCentre K220 in price-performance ratio, upgradability, and connectivity (yes, another system actually offers less than the a6710t's ...

Acer's Veriton X270 (VX270-ED7400C) does a fine job of combining attributes that rarely work well together: tiny, inexpensive, and fast. This compact (3.9 by 12.4 by 10.4 inches) PC raises the bar for sub-$500 mini-systems, offering impressive ...

Great price-to-performance ratio ; Stylish exterior

Can't handle demanding games ; Generic input devices lack oomph

Of course, if that's the X270's biggest flaw, this miniature system clearly has a lot going for it. You can connect a wide range of devices, add components, and accomplish many living-room PC tasks, all while enjoying the fastest performance of any ...

The Micro Express MicroFlex 95B achieves astonishingly strong performance numbers despite qualifying (barely) as a value PC, at a price of $1500 (as of August 23, 2009).

Amazing general performance ; Screwless locks for easy upgrades

Total storage capacity is modest ; Gaming performance isn't top-notch

No other system PC World has tested comes close to matching the price-to-performance ratio of the MicroFlex 95B

The Veriton M670G-UQ9550C is a pretty good system with a reasonable price ($1049 as of August 23, 2009). But good isn't great. You can find faster, less expensive value PCs that handle games better.

Strong performance for its processor ; Extremely easy to upgrade

Not especially game-friendly ; No FireWire or eSATA

For its price, the Acer M60G-UQ9550C is a reasonably good PC, but you can find machines with better connections and better gaming performance for less money

The Velocity Micro Edge Z5's price and performance throw it into direct competition with Dell's Studio XPS 435. Though some value desktops are as fast (or faster) as these two, none of the speedy machines beat the Edge Z5 and the XPS 435 in price ( ...

Excellent general performance ; Carefully wired internals

No Blu-ray drive or terabyte storage ; No DVI connector

Though the Velocity Micro Edge Z5 has few technical faults, you should compare it to Dell's Studio XPS 435 before deciding to buy

Though priced at $1100 (as of 8/23/09), the HP Pavilion Elite m9550f isn't as fully equipped as less-expensive rivals. And unfortunately, its performance fails to match that of many machines, regardless of their price, on our Top 10 Value PCs chart.

Excellent storage capacity ; Expansive connectivity

Price out of sync with performance ; Upgrading challenges worsened by poor wiring

But then I think of the system's price, and all of its goodness melts away. If you line up all of the value desktops we've tested, the HP Pavilion Elite m9550f manages to outperform only the most inexpensive PCs in the group. That doesn't make it much ...

At $298 (as of August 23, 2009), the compact eMachines EL1300G-01w is the least-expensive value PC we've tested at PC World in more than a year. While its performance equals or exceeds that of similarly configured compact PCs, it doesn't rank anywhere ...

Beautiful, white exterior ; Plenty of USB ports for connecting devices

Upgrading is a daunting task ; No integrated Wi-Fi

It doesn't win awards for high performance or comprehensive features, but the eMachines EL1300G-01 is a solid offering at its price

The Gateway FX6800-11 has great numbers in almost all respects. It's a fast system--one of the best value PCs in general performance, and nearly top-notch in gaming, too. The connections are ample, the case is beautiful, and the available storage is ...

Good all-around performance ; Above-average storage

Less-expensive PCs offer better results ; Wasted interior space hurts upgradability

But the good looks can't hide the unfortunate fact that the Gateway FX6800-11--a powerful performer with nearly every connection under the sun--is still too expensive. While the FX6800-11 is able to match the Dell XPS 435 in general performance, the ...

At first glance, Gateway's LX6810-01 value PC seems to be an excellent choice priced at a reasonable $800 (as of 8/23/09). The system throws gaming to the curb, however, and while that won't matter to everybody, its failure to match the general ...

Strong performance considering the price ; Easy-to-access hot-swap drive bays

Gaming performance suffers ; No next-generation device or display connections

It's hard to top the combination of price and performance you'll get in the Gateway LX6810-01--hard, but not impossible. For the most part, you can find faster systems in the value-PC category, but you'll have to jump up significantly in price to ...

The $599 (as of 8/23/09) Gateway DX4200-11 seems like the perfect value PC for anyone on a tight budget. It's a decently powerful general-purpose PC that offers solid connectivity and upgradability compared with a number of other systems at or below ...

Lots of storage and memory ; Good upgradability

Subpar general performance ; Unplayable graphics for gaming

As far as value PCs priced about $600 go, the Gateway DX4200-11 is close to ideal, but not quite there