Specifications

• enano e2 model ex7400u
Budget Desktops
By Joel Santo Domingo
Six years ago, we stated that you weren’t
really getting such a bargain if you paid
only $500 for a PC, but that’s changed.
These days, you can buy a system with
1GB or 2GB of RAM, a speedy dual-core
processor, and over 160GB of drive space
for less than $500. These specs make these
systems more than capable of running
Windows Vista, collecting your digital
photos and music, and helping you enjoy
them in the comfort of your home-office
chair. The sweet spot for Windows Vista
is 2GB because it gives the operating sys-
tem some breathing room if you’re the
type who keeps a lot of windows open at
the same time. Look for at least that much
memory in your next PC. If you’ve gotten
steamed staring at the hourglass while
waiting for your PC to do something, you
know what I mean. The following PCs
have what it takes to manage your digital
life while giving you a portal to the Web, all
without emptying your wallet.
Acer Aspire T180
$379 direct
llhmm
The Acer Aspire T180 is hobbled by its
single-core Athlon processor. It placed
last on our multimedia tests, so I can
recommend it only for light use and Web
browsing. Still, on the plus side, it comes
with 90 days of Norton AntiVirus, and
it’s bloatware-free. It also has the most
internal tool-less expansion space. The
Aspire is one of the more stylish value
PCs, and it is the least expensive desk-
top in our lineup. That said, the other
choices here are a lot more computer for
not a lot more money.
Specs: 2.4-GHz AMD Athlon 64 3800+ pro-
cessor; 1GB, 667-MHz DDR2 SDRAM; 160GB,
7,200-rpm hard drive; 256MB integrated nVidia
GeForce 6100 graphics; Windows Vista Home
Basic.
Compaq Presario SR5130NX
$480 direct
lllmm
The Compaq Presario SR5130NX is a
cheap PC for the growing media enthu-
siast. It’s glossy black with silver high-
lights and comes with Vista Home Pre-
mium, an AMD Athlon 64 X2 dual-core
3800+ processor, and a DVD burner that
lets you burn labels onto LightScribe
discs. Performance was good, albeit
middle-of-the-pack. Drawbacks include
a short Norton Internet Security sub-
scription (60 days) and a lot of bloat-
ware. Still, there’s a lot to like here for
the majority of users.
Specs: 2-GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ pro-
cessor; 1GB, 667-MHz DDR2 SDRAM; 200GB,
7,200-rpm hard drive; 128MB integrated nVidia
GeForce 6150SE graphics; Windows Vista Home
Premium.
• Compaq Presario SR5130NX
• Dell Inspiron 531s
Like cell phones and the cars on the
road, desktop PCs are shrinking in
size as never before. The combina-
tion of laptop processors, integrated
components, and decent-size hard
drives means that these little won-
ders can do most, if not all, of the
tasks that your old tower PC could
do—and more.—JSD
Small-Form-
Factor Desktops
Acer Aspire L310
$849 direct
lllhm
The Acer Aspire L310 is a really small
PC, and its design is as attractive as that
of the Apple Mac mini. This is a terrifi c
Windows-based alternative to the mini,
and it comes with hardly any bloatware.
Apple Mac mini
$874 direct
lllmm
The Apple Mac mini is a success story
in the small-form-factor arena. It has
a minimalist design, with a capable
processor and wireless networking
(including 802.11n and Bluetooth). You
probably won’t miss its limited expand-
ability if saving space is your aim.
enano e2 model ex7400u
$1,825 direct
llhmm
Though the ex7400u model I reviewed
is a bit overpriced, enano’s core product
(and lower-priced confi gurations) is
sound. It’s a small PC with power and
multimedia capabilities. It also has a
green “hook”: energy effi ciency, Energy
Star certifi cation, and fewer hazardous
materials used in its construction.
HP Slimline Pavilion S3020n
$580 direct
llllm
There may soon be a new version in this
series, but it should be as capable as
the S3020n. The Slimline trades a little
space (it’s bigger than the other small-
size systems here) for a lot of capability
(desktop-class hard drives and the HP
Pocket Media Drive bay).
NOVEMBER 6, 2007 PC MAGAZINE 69