Reviewed on November 3, 2008Thanks to an expensive new motherboard requirement, Intel's new Core i7 desktop processors will remain enthusiast and professional-level parts until more affordable complementary hardware comes out later next year. Speed never comes cheap, however, and if you're willing to spend for it now, you'll find yourself in possession of the fastest CPU on the market.TAGS:Intel, chipset, CPU, Intel Pentium 4, motherboard, dual-core, Intel Pentium, platform, memory stick, AMD
Reviewed on May 1, 2008A slight bump to the specifications for the same price in addition to a much appreciated option to upgrade the graphics means the 24-inch iMac keeps the Editors' Choice it earned last year when the brushed-aluminum-and-glass design was first introduced.TAGS:Apple iMac, bus, Intel Core 2 Duo, Adobe PhotoShop, Apple Computer, Gateway Inc., 3D, video card, CPU, Intel, PC
Reviewed on September 5, 2008Dell's entry into the Netbook market means it's time to take these low-cost, low-power PCs seriously. The Inspiron Mini 9 is an excellent example of the form, if not radically different from the competition.TAGS:Netbook, Dell Inspiron, webcam, Dell, broadband, Intel, ASUS, hard drive, CPU, operating system
Reviewed on March 19, 2009Apple's new eight-core Mac Pro demonstrates marked improvements over the older model in high-intensity digital media and multitasking scenarios. We also love the design tweaks that improve on Apple's already industry-leading sensibilities. Any Apple-bound design professional would welcome this new tool in his or her arsenal.TAGS:tray, Apple Macintosh, Apple Computer, digital media, CPU, motherboard, memory, NVidia, card, video card, hard drive, Microsoft Windows
Reviewed on November 26, 2008It may look like your standard Netbook, but the Asus N10J is unique because underneath it features discrete, switchable graphics. You'll pay a bit more for the privilege, but the end result works for gaming on the go, as long as you don't mind dialing down your game settings.TAGS:Netbook, ASUS, Intel, keyboard, CPU, key, Nvidia GeForce, video card, games, operating system, Microsoft Windows
Reviewed on January 28, 2009In its present configuration, the Dell Inspiron I530S-119B won't feel at home in a home theater or digital media environment, but it succeeds in providing high performance at minimal cost thanks to a faster processor than the competition. Future upgrades to this system are limited, but if you're shopping for a budget computer for basic functionality, this Dell will do the trick.TAGS:Dell Inspiron, Acer Inc., graphics chip, Dell, Acer Aspire, Intel Pentium, Intel, desktop computer, CPU, 64-bit, hard drive
Reviewed on July 11, 2008The Dell Inspiron 1525-121B is the textbook example of a midsize, mainstream laptop. Switching to slower CPU knocks a little off the performance, but also takes $80 off the price and adds battery life, compared with Dell's more mainstream configurations.TAGS:Dell Inspiron, Intel Pentium, Dell, Intel Core 2 Duo, dual-core, Intel, laptop computer, keyboard, CPU
Reviewed on November 19, 2008You can find flashier PCs than Dell's $1,299 Studio XPS, but few have as much power where it counts. We don't recommend its small, pared-down case for upgraders, but this PC will satisfy anyone who needs a loaded, powerful PC for gaming and consumer-level digital media editing.TAGS:Dell Studio, Gateway Inc., configuration, Intel Core Microarchitecture, Dell, 64-bit, CPU, hard drive, Intel, PC
Reviewed on June 25, 2008HP's new-and-improved TouchSmart all-in-one PC refines the touch-based concept it introduced last year. Faster all-in-ones, and Apple's iPhone, make the TouchSmart seem a bit behind the times, but the convenient software and its kitchen-friendly design offer functionality that's unavailable elsewhere.TAGS:HP TouchSmart, Averatec, Intel Core 2 Duo, Apple iMac, RSS reader, HP, Nvidia GeForce, CPU, NVidia, Intel