what to look for when buying a desktop computer 2018

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HP's all-in-1 Curved Envy 34 is not bad for a domicile part or as a family PC.

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Desktop PCs are not dead. Well, not dead dead, anyway.

Sure, these days phones and tablets have replaced PCs for a lot of us when it comes to getting day-to-day stuff washed. And so, when more than power or a bigger screen is needed, you probably turn to a laptop, which can even pull double duty as a desktop, hooking upwardly to a monitor, mouse and keyboard when needed.

All the same, at that place are even so skilful reasons to go with an bodily desktop over a laptop. And past "desktop," I don't necessarily mean a big tower at your feet with cables streaming from information technology. At that place are still towers -- large and small -- only the term also includes unique gaming systems, all-in-ones, mini PCs and stick computers. If you're not quite certain what those are or why yous'd want one style over the others (or instead of a laptop), keep reading.

If, nevertheless, yous already know the type of desktop yous're looking for and but want some buying suggestions, hither are our elevation picks in each category. Or you can bound to CNET's total list of best desktop PCs. (Annotation that, although the PC makers may no longer sell the exact configurations we reviewed, comparable configurations are available.)


Falcon Northwest Tiki

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Falcon Northwest Tiki is powerful enough to support VR gaming.

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The Tiki is one of the smallest virtually powerful gaming desktops y'all can buy. It'due south designed for gaming, simply it could just as hands exist a workstation for web or graphic design or any other demanding tasks.

Dell XPS Special Edition

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Need a automobile capable of supporting VR? Endeavor the Dell XPS 8920 Special Edition.

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Want room to grow? Go with a total-size tower similar the XPS SE. Dell makes less expensive towers, simply this starts out powerful plenty for VR games, but has room within and out to beefiness upwardly on components.

HP Curved Envy AIO 34

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Sarah Tew/CNET

It's a computer, personal home theater and gaming system for one. HP made a cute PC to embrace all aspects of your computing life.

Apple tree iMac with 4K Retina display

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A smashing family computer built around MacOS. It doesn't have the latest components, merely if you're looking for a small-scale multiuser organization with a gorgeous screen, this is a skillful place to start.

Apple tree Mac Mini

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Sarah Tew / CNET

In tech years it'due south stupid old, just if you want to use MacOS, this is the smallest -- and cheapest -- way to get it. Despite its age, its components won't let you down for basic home office tasks and media consumption.

Countless Mission One

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This pretty little box running on a custom Linux-based operating system is less than $300 and comes loaded with tons of software. Perfect if you're just looking for something small, simple and cheap for basics.

Intel Compute Stick (2016)

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There are plenty of mini PCs out at that place running on Windows 10, merely this is simply a little larger than an old thumb bulldoze. The Compute Stick lets you turn whatsoever HDMI-equipped Tv set or monitor into an all-in-on PC. Add a wireless keyboard and mouse and you're set to become all the basics done.


Why would I want a desktop?

Again, while almost of the market has flipped to laptops, at that place are a few very good reasons to consider a desktop instead. For example, they're corking family unit PCs, since sneaking off to a bedroom with an entire desktop is unlikely to happen. Similarly, you lot can set a infinite that'south but for work and free of distractions, allowing you to disconnect when y'all're solar day is done.

Also, continued to a large monitor or TV, a desktop tin can double every bit a media centre for storage and playback of your favorite movies, music and pictures. And while laptops take certainly gotten powerful enough to play even the most enervating games, a desktop lets you bandy out components and upgrade every bit new games inevitably require new hardware.

What kind of desktop should I purchase?

Since each desktop manner has its own set of pros and cons, commencement past because what yous want to do, where you lot plan to do it and how much you want to spend. Buy the virtually desktop you can afford, but ane that has all the features y'all need. For example: a mostly sealed system similar an all-in-i, offers more convenience, but less flexibility if you want to alter the CPU or graphics card down the line.

Tower

You might call back they're just for gamers or graphics pros these days, just there are excellent reasons to buy a belfry, not the to the lowest degree of which is their price-to-performance ratio. Whenever you lot miniaturize tech, costs go upward, then getting top operation in a minor PC -- laptop or desktop -- increases the price.

With a tower, you can get a lot more than computer for your money with fewer functioning bottlenecks. On top of that, towers can have ample room for expansion both inside and out. And because you can typically open them upwards easily, y'all tin do upgrades and simple repairs yourself.

A tower does have up more space than other desktop options though, and that potentially limits where you lot can apply information technology in your domicile or office. Plus, unless you lot've already got them, you'll accept to add on the cost of a monitor, keyboard and mouse.

All-in-one

An all-in-one is basically a large monitor with the actual calculator congenital into the back or base. They typically utilize the same components you'd detect in a laptop and, every bit such, don't take the performance capabilities and/or the expansion opportunities of a tower.

Considering they're all ane piece, setup ordinarily requires lilliputian more than plugging information technology in and connecting a keyboard and mouse. The minimal setup keeps your desk ataxia-gratuitous and makes them much easier to move from room to room compared to a tower. However, should something go wrong with the display, you lose your entire computer.

Mini and stick PCs

Like all-in-ones, mini PCs use mobile components to keep them small-scale. So small actually that y'all can hide one behind a monitor or tuck 1 into an entertainment centre to use as a media server connected to a TV. Stick PCs have this a step further, shrinking an entire computer into something that's simply larger than old-schoolhouse pollex drive. There's an HDMI video output at one end letting you lot plug it directly into a monitor or TV.

While you can discover some modest powerful desktops, mini PCs are typically mainstream systems made for day-to-day tasks, web surfing and media consumption. You'll observe plenty of ports to connect peripherals to, but internal expansion is minimal if available at all. Stick PCs are even less powerful, but still fine for email, social media and movies.

One reward they both share is portability. You lot could, for example, pack a stick PC to have with you on vacation without a second idea. Or you lot could accept an office setup built around a mini PC that y'all could simply disconnect and move to your living room for a habitation theater feel.

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The Asus Chromebit is a stick PC running on Google's Chrome OS.

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Should I buy a Mac or Windows PC? What about Google's Chrome OS?

For the most function this is a affair of preference, but in that location are definitely things to consider before you decide which fashion to go. Because Apple controls both the hardware and software for its desktops, you lot get a much more stable overall experience and many prefer the user-friendly MacOS layout and controls. That said, Apple hasn't been updating its desktops very often, which means in most cases you're buying hardware that's years erstwhile.

Windows is bachelor on huge multifariousness of desktops from a number of vendors, and then information technology's much easier to discover a computer that meets your feature and budget needs. Windows also has a large available software library, especially when it comes to free software and games.

Google's web-based Chrome Os is a lightweight, but limited operating organization that relies heavily on having an internet connection. If you lot merely need an inexpensive desktop for using web-based tools, a Chrome system is worth investigating (we telephone call those Chromeboxes and Chromebits, while Chrome OS laptops are called Chromebooks). Those who need to install software like Microsoft Role or Apple iTunes will desire to steer clear, though.

Where can I find the latest desktop reviews?

You can find all the newest desktop news and reviews right hither on CNET. You can besides jump right to our latest summit desktop reviews for 2017.

Now playing: Watch this: How (and why) to purchase a desktop in 2018

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Source: https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/desktop-buying-guide/

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