Top 15 Desktop PCs

For the first time, every system ranked in the power section of our chart uses at least a 3-GHz processor (or in AMD-speak, the "performance equivalent" of 3 GHz). Dell's Dimension 8300--equipped with Intel's latest CPU, a 3.2-GHz Pentium 4--makes its debut in second place. The Dimension 8300 earned a fairly strong PC WorldBench 4 score of 127, matching its 3.06-GHz Pentium 4-based Dimension XPS sibling tested last month.

We especially liked the 18-inch LCD and the Altec Lansing ADA995 speaker set that came with our system.

Sys Technology's Performance 3200+, at number five on the power list, turned in even stronger performance than the Dimension 8300. Its 2.2-GHz Athlon XP 3200+ processor helped it notch a score of 136 on PC WorldBench 4. In addition to its speed, this system has other distinguishing features, namely a built-in memory card reader that accepts CompactFlash and SmartMedia cards, and a wireless keyboard and mouse. We weren't fond of the LCD that came with the system, however--its text looked sharp but its colors appeared washed out.

The value portion of the chart hosts four new entrants. Another Dell, the Dimension 4600, lands in the second spot. Like its power sibling, this Dimension performed respectably, with a PC WorldBench 4 score of 122. We especially liked the 17-inch LCD that accompanied our system; colors looked bright, and we didn't see any stuttering of the on-screen action during a game of Return to Castle Wolfenstein.

The Micro Express MicroFlex 32A, at number four, achieved the highest PC WorldBench 4 score (130) of the value group. It also whizzed through our gaming tests, churning out fast frame rates at 1280 by 1024 resolution and 32-bit color. Paired with its 19-inch Samsung SyncMaster 955DF CRT monitor, which rendered sharp text and nuanced colors, this system would be ideal for heavy gaming.

An inexpensive system from Polywell, the Poly 880NF2-2800, showed sprightly performance in our tests. It's a well-rounded, home-oriented PC that includes an impressive 17-inch CRT monitor, and lots of room for upgrades. However, we were disappointed with its Cambridge SoundWorks SW320 speakers, whose audio tended to sound tinny.

The E-6100, meanwhile, is Gateway's latest corporate PC. With features such as gigabit ethernet networking, remote management software, and chassis intrusion detection, this computer would be suitable for large offices. But because it is a business system, it doesn't automatically come with features that are de rigueur on multimedia PCs--for instance, our test machine had a CD-ROM drive instead of a DVD-ROM or CD-RW drive.

IBM's ThinkCentre A50p would be a good fit for many offices. It includes tools such as Rapid Restore Ultra, a utility that restores the system to its original state. Another extra, ImageUltra, helps IS managers deploy customized drive images networkwide--a potential time-saver when the staff is rolling out the A50p to multiple users. However, subpar performance in our PC WorldBench 4 tests, owing to a pedestrian 2.4-GHz Pentium 4 processor, kept the ThinkCentre A50p from making the chart. (You can configure the A50p with a faster processor, though.) Click here for a complete review.

We also evaluated a new PC from Sony, the Vaio PCV-RS310, but unfortunately the company changed the configuration of this system before our review was complete, so the model was ineligible for the chart. Click here to read a full review of this machine.

Tech Trend: Trial vs. Full Version: The Software Conundrum

Choosing the right software when you purchase your PC can be a perplexing task, in large part because computer vendors don't always clearly state what you're getting. For instance, Dell offers no fewer than five different choices of antivirus software--and some of them are free trial versions, while others are the more-costly, full versions of applications. How do you pick?

When you buy a Dell desktop system, you can get a free trial version of Norton AntiVirus that offers all the functionality of the full program for 90 days. At the end of the 90 days, you can purchase a $25 virus-signature-update subscription good for an additional year (giving you a total of 15 months of current virus protection). That's a better deal than paying $45 for the full product, which comes with 12 months of updates.

If you're thinking about renewing your signature subscription at the end of the period, however, you'll pay less for doing so with the full version ($15 per year) than with the trial ($25 per year)--a fact that Dell does not tell you. With the full version, if you were to keep renewing your signature-update subscription year after year, you'd eventually come out ahead. But that would be poor economy, with your antivirus engine becoming progressively more obsolete and less able to protect against new threats. So the best way to go is to get the trial version, upgrade it, and--just before it expires--buy the next full version.

The confusion doesn't stop with antivirus software--or with Dell. As do many other computer vendors, Gateway includes Roxio's Easy CD Creator with the optical drives in its systems. But unless you do some research, you may not know that you aren't getting the latest and greatest version, Easy CD & DVD Creator 6, which adds a photo editor, a sound editor, and a label creator. Gateway doesn't offer the full version of the Creator 6 program, so if you want it, you'll have to buy it at its full price elsewhere.

Gateway also provides a bewildering mix of low- to high-end video editing programs. The program that ships with your system depends on what type of rewritable DVD drive you choose. To its credit, however, Gateway does have a link on its Web site that explains the differences among the programs and lists what you get with each.

Many other system vendors aren't as specific as they should be about their offerings. Our advice: Be wary about any software carrying a "Limited," "Special," or other designation that distinguishes it from how it appears on the software vendor's Web site. Ask the computer vendor what the differences are, and choose accordingly. For most people, the limited versions are all they need. But power users will want the full package.