HP Presario SR5310F Desktop (1.6GHz Intel Pentium Dual-Core E2140, 1GB DDR2, 250GB, DVD±RW DL, Windows Vista Home Premium)

Compact Case Is Designed for Smaller Work Areas

This compact computer is smaller than the standard and midsize tower PCs that fit under your desk, making it ideal for limited work areas. Small case designs vary, too. However, such PCs tend to be underpowered (especially on gaming), and mini cases also have few available expansion slots and drive bays. Generally you'll have to expand the system via USB, FireWire, or eSATA peripherals, so make sure your compact system has a large number (and assortment) of ports.

Older-Generation Pentium CPU Is Adequate

This system is based on one of Intel's older Pentium processors, and though the chip's performance will be more than adequate in most cases, generally it won't be on a par with Intel's newer Core 2 or AMD's Phenom CPUs.

Earlier versions won't run 64-bit operating systems. Other drawbacks include the fact that original Pentium 4-based computers used RDRAM, which is harder to come by these days. The CPU line also lacks the advanced power-saving features found in newer processors.

We recommend opting for a newer processor if you're buying a new computer, but there's no compelling reason to upgrade an existing system if it has one of the faster Pentiums on board.

A PC With Little Included RAM Can Do Light Work

This system offers less than 1GB of memory, which is the bare minimum that any full-featured new computer should include. Whether this amount of RAM is optimal for you depends on the PC's operating system: Windows Vista and Apple's Mac OS X don't run well with less than 1GB, Windows XP is fine with 512MB and not too bad with 384MB, and Windows 98 is good with 256MB. Depending on the distribution, Linux can run with as little as 128MB, but most Linux users are better off with at least 512MB--and 1GB is better.

The more installed memory your PC has, the more applications you can run smoothly at once, and the better the system will perform. Upgrading memory in a desktop after you purchase the PC is a snap, but usually it's worthwhile to buy the amount of memory you want preinstalled with the system.

Included Disc Writer Burns CDs and DVDs

The DVD burner on this system will allow you to burn CDs and DVDs (including movies, with the right software), play DVD movies, install software from CDs and DVDs, and play audio CDs and other types of discs. Most DVD burners have a slide-out media tray, though you'll find some slot-loading models on smaller or more-stylish PCs. Half-height drives exist, too; you'll find them mostly in laptops or external boxes. Since DVD burners are now a commodity item, even entry-level models are fast.

Integrated Intel Graphics Chip Can Handle Everyday Computing

This system uses a video chip from the leading graphics-processor manufacturer in the world: Intel. Though nVidia and ATI enjoy all the press, Intel has the biggest graphics market share because it supplies the integrated graphics chips for a huge number of desktop computers. For everyday computing, the performance of an Intel GPU is excellent. Unfortunately, by current standards the gaming performance is pathetic--largely because these chips usually use system memory instead of faster dedicated graphics memory.

With this PC, stick to business or general-application home use. And since only the most recent Intel GPUs can drive large wide-screen displays at their full resolution, be sure to check the chip-specific specs.

Windows Vista: Good Multimedia and Security, but a Resource Hog

This computer ships with Microsoft's latest operating system. Windows Vista offers improved multimedia and networking savvy, looks better than Windows XP, and has greater security than its predecessor, but it can be a slower-feeling operating system due to heavier resource requirements. You can run it with only 512MB of main memory in your PC, but having at least 1GB will provide a much better experience.

Common 32-bit versions of Windows Vista can address no more than 4GB of RAM, even if your machine has more available. So unless you're using the 64-bit version of Vista (or 64-bit XP, if you can still find a copy), a computer with 2GB to 4GB of memory is the right target.