here at PC Mag we review hundreds of
desktop computers every year evaluating
their features and testing their
performance against peers in their
respective categories these are our
current favorite desktop PCs the Acer
Aspire
represents the best combination of price
build and performance of any budget
desktop PC we've tested so far in 2020
it doesn't exactly have any standout
features but it crucially avoids any
obvious errors you don't shop in this
price tier for fancy extra features
anyway so we give it top marks for doing
the essentials better than the rest at a
good price some alternatives cost
slightly less but the Aspire outperforms
these as well as more expensive
competitors while still hitting that
sweet spot for price there's virtually
nothing to complain about for the cost
as it's peppy Intel Core i5 CPU 12
gigabytes of RAM and 512 gigabyte SSD
will have you zipping through your daily
home tasks as quickly as it zipped to an
editor's choice in this category while
the 2017 iMac delivered faster
components newer ports and a brighter
display than his 2015 predecessor the
2019 version offers only the first on
that list thanks to the core i9 and
Radeon Pro Vega 48 it's a significant
one
but at more than $3,000 it's also an
expensive one still competitors like the
surface studio 2 can be even more
expensive and offer less computing
performance at least in the
configurations that we reviewed on a
performance per dollar basis then the
iMac holds its own in a way that Apple
computers frequently haven't done in the
past
Apple chose to only update the IMAX
processors memory and storage but these
components aren't the only basis on
which to select a computer of course the
iMac is lucky to excel in several other
areas such as head-turning styling a
gorgeous screen and an excellent
software complement but it falls short
with no touch support and little stand
flexibility it's basic design is also 4
years old which isn't it
impersonal tech years these deficiencies
ultimately aren't major enough for us to
withdraw from recommending the 27-inch
iMac as one of the best all-in-one
computers that you can buy for four
years the Apple Mac Mini had been the
last true egalitarian entry-level map
since its last major rework in 2014 it
came in configurations priced as low as
$499 that scaled up from there the 2018
reboot rethinks the Mac minis innards
but also lays a new or it's your price
floor despite the price bump with a move
to eighth generation Core CPUs PCI
Express SSDs and a new roster of
connectivity the Mac Mini remains a
compelling desktop space saver for Mac
OS users looking for a home theater PC a
desktop workstation or a music and video
editing sprinter what tips it into our
editor's choice zone is Apple's deep
included software set which lets you do
a tremendous amount right out of the box
like office work presentations music
dabbling and even movie editing you'll
pay a premium for the trim dimensions
and expandability is all external but
rest assured that the Mac Mini is the
same dynamos ever now with 20 18
trimmings that do justice to a classic
design big even by our standards this
high-end single CPU system offers
configuration choices for almost any
budget and application it's impressive
expansion capabilities include up to 6
storage drives 8 memory slots and 2
professional-grade GPUs as well as up to
an 18 core processor the primary drives
even support hot swapping much like a
servers well equipped for our review
with an 8 core Xeon CPU and an NVIDIA
Quadro RT X 4000 GPU the precision
rocketed through our benchmarks with
just about every feature a workstation
or an IT department could need it's our
top choice for a deluxe single CPU
workstation all-in-one desktop PCs
aren't too common compared to their
traditional tower counterparts but we've
seen plenty of strong entries over the
years
apple imac set the bar in this category
ages ago while Microsoft's surface
studio too has its own touch screen
advantages HP is bridging the gap
between these two icons with the new env
32 all-in-one it's a premium Windows
machine like the surface studio but like
the Apple iMac it bears no touch screen
and has a chip rather than a mobile
processor for better performance than
most windows all-in-ones
best of all it's much less expensive
than the iMac is and it still offers
features such as a 4k screen resolution
superior graphics and a super sound bar
the env 32 can do everything well even
gaming and it delivers some nice extras
at a pretty reasonable press the HP z2
tower g4 is a fine choice for a mid
tower desktop workstation entry-level it
may be by workstation standards but it's
nearly endless configuration options
allow it to be tailored for almost any
usage it's budget-friendly - thanks to
its availability with intel core class
processors that unlike some xeon chips
don't require ECC memory
it also offers very high end GPU options
like the nvidia quadro r-tx 5000 card in
our review sample which is decidedly
unlike an entry-level workstation that
said the endless configuration options
for this tower can be their own worst
enemy despite being well equipped for
just about everything our test unit
missed some basics like a USB C port and
a flash card reader the z2 tower g4 in
our as-tested guys is powerful quiet
serviceable and for a tricked out
workstation it's relatively affordable a
standard three-year on-site warranty on
even the least expensive configuration
seals the deal and makes this HP our top
pick for a mid tower workstation the
surface studio 2 hasn't changed too much
from the original and that's a big point
in its favor all that applied then
applies now it's an elegant combination
of a drawing display and a fast computer
in one device now faster internal
components pack
more grunt for demanding workloads this
includes a lightning-fast MDOT -
solid-state drive a newer processor and
a potent nvidia geforce gtx 1060 or 1070
graphics card though the biggest thing
we'd change would be to make the
processor beefier for the price after
all the base portion contains the
motherboard and CPU and honestly it
could be thickened to house a more
robust desktop grade chip rather than a
mobile one it's not like the hottest
running parts need to fit in a narrow
thermal envelope behind the screen
anyway in any configuration the surface
studio 2 is no doubt expensive with the
premium down to the unique design and
the ultra fine screen that said if you
genuinely need the touch input and the
pen functionality know that dedicated
pro-grade drawing tablets alone like
those from Wacom can cost thousands of
dollars by themselves as a result if
you're considering the surface studio 2
you ought to need or really want that
hybrid functionality and if you don't
you can easily find more cost-effective
all-in-one desktops out there that said
for artists architects engineers and
creative professionals whose needs
uniquely aligned with this superb
all-in-one there really is no substitute
the Aurora r10 which comes in an AMD
Rison edition variant is a performance
beast as configured thanks largely to
its NVIDIA GeForce RTX 20 atti graphics
card and the brand new AMD Rison 939 50x
processor the latter is virtually
unmatched in CPU heavy tasks like
content creation but while effective
it offers diminishing returns on gaming
we would recommend a less expensive chip
for those who will mostly be gaming on
this desktop an alien wears wide array
of configuration options fortunately has
you covered if you're not set on the
look though competitor is like the main
gear vibe and the velocity Microraptor
z55
offers similar advantages there isn't
much default from a huge range of
component options to a moderate sized
customizable lighting relatively quiet
fans and efficient interior
configuration
it's somewhat difficult to compare our
super high-end model to the
configurations that most shoppers will
end up with though and it's no surprise
that ours is this fast at this price
still we like the desktop itself if you
want to make a bit of a statement the
Aurora r10 gives you that conversation
piece and premium feel even if you order
it with more modest components doesn't
quite snag an Editors Choice Award as
there are some great boutique desktops
out there that are beautiful to look at
and can match the Aurora r10 performance
but it does come with our recommendation
if you're drawn to the look Corsairs one
pro eye 200 is the latest in its line of
compact desktop workstations it raises
the CPU ante over the companies one pro
I 180 with a new 14 core 28 thread Intel
Core I 9 processor giving it carte
blanche for even the most extreme tasks
and gaming isn't out of the question
either like other Corsair 1 models the
one pro I 200 impresses with elegant
modern looks minimal operating noise and
an incredibly compact footprint it's not
a by-the-book workstation in the sense
that it lacks a Xeon CPU
professional-grade GPU options and
independent software vendor
certifications for specialized apps
however it is a top quality choice for
creative professionals looking for
something with more power per inch than
anything else the Dell g5 gaming desktop
is a straightforward compact system with
a fast CPU and plenty of power for full
1080p gaming it offers solid value in a
space-saving design looks pretty good
for the price and it's highly
configurable if you're a semi serious
gamer but not a performance hound or
shopping for a desktop for your kids to
play the most popular games with no fuss
this is a great pick especially if you
prefer to stick to one of the major
manufacturers check out the full roundup
of all of our desktop reviews at PC Mag
com
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