Top 5 Value Desktop PCs: Media Center and Dual-Core System Prices Fall

Dual-core systems can deliver high-end performance, and now they're breaking into the value chart. The HP Pavilion a1250n Desktop PC, one of two systems we tested this month that comes with a dual-core processor, lands on the chart in the fifth spot. Its WorldBench 5 score of 94 makes it one of the top value performers, marking it as a fine choice for common multitasking scenarios such as playing music while running office applications.

Nevertheless, remarkable adjustability and a low price of $870 combine to boost the eMachines T6420 to the pinnacle of the chart--and a Best Buy. Though it doesn't use a dual-core processor, the T6420 achieved a respectable WorldBench 5 score of 90, just four points behind the dual-core HP. But power is only part of the story. Thanks to a roomy minitower case and available slots for adding RAM, an extra graphics card, and a sound or TV-tuner card, the system can easily mutate from a bargain unit to a more expensive--but considerably more versatile--multitasking monster. And because the T6420 runs the Windows XP Media Center OS, it's an excellent choice for managing multimedia files.

Four of the systems we tested this month didn't make the chart. The WinBook PowerSpec Extreme 9200, another dual-core PC, posted a noteworthy WorldBench 5 score of 118. Not only is this the all-time high WorldBench 5 score for a value system, but it ranks seventh overall compared with power systems. At $1850, the 9200 is pricey for a value system; its performance and features, though, put it at the level of a $4000 PC. Cost alone prevented this top-tier system from reaching our value-PC chart, where the contest is fierce and price is paramount.

Hefty price tags hampered our other three new systems, too. Velocity Micro's Vision GX attained a flashy WorldBench 5 score of 100, and we liked its attractive, upgradable design; its $1499 price is the only strike against it. Amax's $1500 Max64 3200 matched the HP's WorldBench 5 score of 94. Dell's $1394 Dimension E510 earned a score of 89--but we've tested equally capable systems that cost less.

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Top 5 Value Desktop PCs From the April 2006 Issue of PC World Magazine