Desktop buying tips

Despite the age of this category, buying a desktop isn't easy. Laptops tend to have limited configuration options, but mainstream desktops can be crammed with a wide variety of hardware. Buying a desktop requires limited knowledge of the hardware inside it. Fortunately, this is less difficult to learn than you think.

Form factors

There are a number of desktop categories. Deciding which one best fits your needs should be your first goal. Let's have a look at what is typically available.

Nettops/Slim Profile – These thin-and-light computers usually have processors that are poorly suited for demanding applications but handle Web browsing and light productivity without issue. Nettops are inexpensive, small and quiet, making them perfect for buyers who want their computer to be unobtrusive when it's not in use.

Mainstream – A broad segment of desktops from $400 to over $1000, these computers are generally between 10 and 20 inches in both height and depth. Though inexpensive, they pack powerful dual-core and quad-core processors. Some even offer discrete graphics capable of satisfying casual gamers.

All-in-One – Unlike most desktops, these computers combine the monitor and the hardware into a single package. This reduces the space the system takes in your home. Performance is often respectable, but trails the best mainstream systems. Some All-in-Ones include a touchscreen.

Gaming – These systems include high-end graphics cards that can handle today's most demanding games at 1080p resolution with most detail settings turned on. There is a huge range of price and performance. You can pick up a basic system for $1,200, or pay $6,000 for a quad-GPU monster.

Workstation – Usually built for businesses, these computers have powerful hardware and often prioritize connectivity. Long warranties with on-site support are part of the deal. We don't typically review workstations at Digital Trends because they are not meant for consumers.

Pay attention to CPU and GPU

You will probably be concerned about the hardware in a prospective purchase no matter what category of system you're interested in. This is where most consumers become confused.

Most consumers should pay particular attention to two components. One is the CPU (also known as the processor), and the other is the GPU (also known as the graphics solution or graphics card).

Dual-core processors are more than adequate for most consumers, particularly if the processor is one of Intel's new Core i3 or i5 models. Quad-cores are only a great benefit if you frequently use demanding applications.

For example, saving a movie you've made in Windows Live Movie Maker as a 1080p video file is much quicker on a quad-core processor than on a dual-core. Web browsing, on the other hand, will be equally excellent on either.

Intel processors are faster than similar AMD processors. A dual-core Intel processor can out-run a quad-core AMD in some benchmarks. Keep this in mind when pricing systems.

Graphics solutions don't impact normal use, but are important when playing games. Both Intel and AMD ship decent integrated graphics processors (IGPs) that easily handle HD video. IGPs can play many 3D games, but you're often limited to low-detail settings and resolutions.

If you want to play games with the details turned up you will want to buy a desktop with a discrete graphics card. A computer's spec sheet will list this out as a specific component.

We can't practically cover every graphics card in this guide, and new products are arriving constantly. If you want the latest rankings check out the graphics card rankings at Tom's Hardware. This list is frequently updated.

Other hardware details

Of course, there is much more to a desktop system than the CPU and the GPU. Fortunately, you don't have to worry much about the rest.

RAM is often confusing for consumers. There are many different types and speeds. In some applications this is important information, but all a consumer desktop needs is a minimum of 4GB (excluding nettops, which can get by with 2GB) and a maximum of 8GB. Anything beyond 8GB is overkill.

Hard drives are also easy to simplify. You should look for a desktop with a 7200RPM hard drive. If you want blazing fast boot and load times, consider a system with a solid-state drive. Obviously, you should buy a system with enough hard drive capacity for your needs, as well.

One final consideration you shouldn't forget is connectivity. There are many different ports that a system might offer including USB 3.0, HDMI, VGA, and more. Before buying, catalog the devices you own that you want to plug in to your new desktop and make sure the system has the correct ports. Most desktops have a huge number of ports, so there is rarely an issue – but it doesn't hurt to double-check.

Brand buying

You might be wondering if there is a specific brand that you should be buying. There may even be a brand that you already prefer.

There's no accounting for taste, and while all desktops are basically boxes of some size or shape, design is important. You might prefer the compact elegance of the HP Phoenix over the larger and bulkier Maingear Vybe – or you might have a completely opposite perspective. We take our own high-resolution photos of the systems we review to provide you with a good sense of a PC's style.

Reliability is important, as well. The best source of reliability data is PC World's annual survey, which gauges both durability and customer satisfaction. Apple, Asus and Acer have consistently scored well over the years while HP and Dell have consistently scored poorly. Sony and Lenovo are in the middle of the pack.

The final checklist

Hopefully this guide has provided you with sufficient information for buying a new desktop. Before you make your decision, go through this checklist.

• Will the system physically fit where you intend to place it? Don't forget to account for monitors and peripherals.
• Will the system offer performance adequate for your needs? Remember that gaming requires a decent graphics card and many demanding applications benefit from quad-core processors.
• Does the system offer at least 4GB of RAM?
• Can you connect all of your existing devices to the ports available on the desktop?
• Is there enough storage capacity available on the hard drive? Does the optical drive read and write the discs you intend to use (i.e. CD, DVD and Blu-ray)?
• Is the system price competitive with other, similar systems?

We encourage you to read reviews found here at Digital Trends and at other sites. With that said, desktop systems are usually found in a wide variety of configurations. If you can't find a review for the specific configuration that you want to purchase try instead to find a review for the general model. While two individual configurations may have vastly different hardware, desktops that are part of the same model always share the same enclosure and often share some internal components.