Our tests show that most of these low-end machines provide acceptable performance--they're fine for business or home, so long as you keep your expectations reasonable. Don't expect to be able to play high-end games on these systems--few did well on our graphics tests. In spite of their poor graphics performance, though, most earned a PCW Rating of Good or better, because in our rating system, performance is just one of four major factors that affect the overall rating (the others are price, features, and design).
That said, a clear winner emerged in our roundup: The Micro Express MicroFlex 66B ($999) delivered performance scores we expect from much costlier systems. Our number two pick, Dell's attractive and uncommonly narrow Dimension C521, turned in relatively modest performance scores and for that reason is far more typical of the systems in this price range than the powerful MicroFlex 66B--but it also costs a whopping $270 less.
The PC World Test Center evaluated each system on our WorldBench 5 test suite, which times how long various common tasks in popular applications take. The results plotted a dramatic arc, ranging from the laggardly score of 66 for the Ajump Prive 336 ($499) to the Micro Express MicroFlex 66B's stunning 148.
We also ran an informal multitasking test to see how these PCs behaved when asked to go beyond single-tasking basics. The multitasking test consisted of playing back a DVD movie while encoding an MP3 file in the background--a two-pronged operation that can stress systems costing far more than $1000. To our surprise and delight, only three machines choked on this test, all of them models that were equipped with slower, single-core processors: the Dell Dimension E521 ($489), which carries a 1.8-GHz AMD Sempron 3400+ processor; the Shuttle XPC X100 ($749), which packs a 1.6-GHz Intel Celeron; and the Ajump, another 1.6-GHz Intel Celeron unit. These three PCs were unable to play the test DVD movie smoothly while encoding the music file. (The Ajump system couldn't perform this test at all because its MP3-encoding software crashed repeatedly.)
Sticking to a Budget
All of the PCs we reviewed are configured not to exceed a budget of $1000--not including mail-in rebates, but including any point-of-sale instant savings that were available at the time of our review.
At this price ceiling, you'll usually get a machine equipped with a medium or low-end processor from Intel or AMD. Such CPUs run slower and have smaller caches than their higher-end cousins do. A typical sub-$1000 computer doesn't provide much memory, either: Six of the systems we tested came with just 512MB of memory, an amount that results in a noticeable performance hit when you run more than one program at once.
How much difference can a faster processor and increased memory make in performance? A lot, in our experience.
Take the Shuttle XPC X100: We tested this model in two configurations that were identical except as regards its CPU and memory. The $749, 1.6-GHz Celeron M 420-based system equipped with 512MB of memory earned a WorldBench 5 score of 79; the $1323, 1.6-GHz Core Duo 2050-based model with 1GB of memory posted a 92--over 16 percent higher.
Inexpensive desktops usually offer modest-size hard drives. Most of the units we tested had 80GB or 160GB drives, which can fill up quickly when required to store digital images, video, or music files. But four of our models had 250GB drives: the CyberPower Gamer Ultra 7500SE ($999), the Dell Dimension E520 ($989), the top-ranked Micro Express, and the Shuttle G2 2200 ($999).
The graphics capabilities of cheap PCs tend to be elementary, too: Nine of the systems we reviewed employ integrated graphics. Though such graphics continue to improve, their deficiencies will be exposed by a moderately demanding 3D game or by most installations of the new Windows Vista OS. Only two systems--the Micro Express machine and the CyberPower computer--handily maneuvered through our graphics tests that run the games Doom 3 and Far Cry, scoring well above average for the cheap PCs we tested. A third, Dell's Dimension C521, barely scraped through the tests at a playable level. The other systems produced results we rated as unplayable and unsatisfactory for serious or even casual gaming.
Naturally, there are exceptions to these general rules. The HP Media Center TV m7690y--which just squeaks past our price filter at $1000--is the only system we tested that came equipped with an integrated TV tuner; it was also the only machine in the group to provide a DVD burner with LightScribe disc labeling.
Two systems--the Dell Dimension E520 and the CyberPower Gamer Ultra 7500SE--had dual optical drives (a dual-layer DVD burner and a DVD-ROM drive). The Micro Express model was the only value system to include 2GB of memory.
The rudimentary configurations offered by some of our low-cost PCs clearly compromised their performance. Notably, the Ajump Prive 336 ($499), the Dell Dimension E521 ($489), and the eMachines T5048 ($600) struggled to complete some benchmark tests. Such systems may suffice for surfing the Web, editing uncomplicated documents, sending e-mail, or running educational software. But for demanding tasks like playing challenging 3D games, you'll want to purchase a better-performing (albeit more-expensive) PC.
The Art of the Deal
You'll see plenty of ads touting all sorts of PC deals. But as we discovered, a deal isn't a bargain if the resulting ultracheap system doesn't deliver the goods. A superlow price, such as the $359 listed for Dell's Dimension C521, usually reflects a bare-bones configuration. Such a PC may lack a monitor, use a very slow processor, or pack as little as 256MB of memory (below our minimum for inclusion in this story). For example, when we added a monitor and a few basic upgrades to the Dell Dimension C521, its price climbed to $729.
Sometimes the advertised price reflects a mail-in rebate or two. eMachines and HP, for instance, offer mail-in rebates of $50 to $100 on the systems we reviewed here. Because we declined to deduct mail-in rebates from the bottom-line price, we often encountered price creep from the computer's lowest advertised price.
Savvy shoppers should keep an eye on deals, as bundles and special promotions change daily. One trend we've noticed: When one rebate or instant-savings program ends, another invariably pops up to take its place. To stay on top of the latest deals, visit sites like DealCatcher.com and TechBargains.com, which aggregate sales and coupon codes for PCs (and more).
Some manufacturers offer preconfigured PCs online with few options--or retail configurations with no options--for less money than the customized versions command. Whether you take this route or you buy a custom-configured system, we advise against skimping on core components such as memory, the hard drive, graphics, or even the DVD burner, with the intention of upgrading those components later. Instead, buy the components you want from the get-go, since they usually cost no more as part of a configuration than if purchased independently. Another benefit: The PC manufacturer will install them for you--and cover them under the system's warranty.
Our tests show that you don't have to spend a fortune to get a pretty good PC. Less than $1000 will fetch a system that can comfortably handle a wide range of tasks. Gamers and video enthusiasts may still prefer to lay out the extra cash for a higher-end machine; but for most purposes, a system like our Best Buy, the Micro Express MicroFlex 66B, or even our number two model, the Dell Dimension C521, is all the PC you need.
Micro Express MicroFlex 66B
The fastest of the cheap PCs we reviewed, the $999 MicroFlex 66B is a great value. It managed an impressive WorldBench 5 score of 148. The MicroFlex 66B carries a speedy 2.4-GHz Core 2 Duo E6600 processor and 2GB of memory--the only system in our roundup to do so. It also came configured with an ATI Radeon X1600 graphics card. This machine produced the best graphics performance of any cheap PC on our gaming tests, making it a good choice as a versatile, low-cost gaming desktop.
Our only major complaint involves the system's paltry 380-watt power supply, which could become overloaded if you add several hard drives or optical drives.