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$750 to $1,000 retail desktops reviewed

In all the excitement of reviewing HP's new Firebird gaming desktop, we neglected to update our list of Best Buy desktop reviews. We already announced our winner in the ultra-budget category (congratulations, Acer), and last Friday we also wrapped up our $750 to $1,000 review segment. What we found is that while Dell offers the most balanced configuration at retail, Gateway (now owned by Acer) continues to surprise us with its value-oriented pricing and targeted performance.

The reason we like the $780 Gateway LX6810-01 so much is that it has the lowest price of the three systems we … Read more

HP Pavilion Elite m9500y can't stand heat, gets out of kitchen

We're not saying that the HP Pavilion Elite m9500y belongs in a pile of garbage. Far from it, in fact. At first glance, the spread of components you get for the price ($939) seems pretty decent: a 2.4GHz AMD Phenom Quad Core processor, a full 8GB of DDR2 RAM, a dedicated Nvidia 9500GS graphics card, 750GB of storage, and a wireless LAN card.

Unfortunately for HP, opinions change when you compare it with other systems like the Dell XPS 430-121B, which gives you faster DDR3 Ram, a more aggressive CPU, and trades Wi-Fi for a TV tuner card. … Read more

Gateway LX 6810-01 scores high marks for media hounds and gamers

Although most media editors and gamers tend to put together desktop systems themselves, there's still a large portion of shoppers who just want the least amount of hassle. For those people, Best Buy offers the Gateway LX6810-01, an off-the-shelf system that can easily satisfy the demands of power users, light gamers, and home video enthusiasts.

The Gateway's physical shape and size is comparable to Dell's XPS 430-121B, but that's where the similarities end. Several features give Gateway the upper hand in a side-by-side comparison with the Dell.

For example, it has more RAM (although the Dell … Read more

19-inch monitors: Please try to quell your excitement

Are you as excited about 19-inch monitors as I am?! If you answered, "Yes! I'm SO excited I can't stand it!" then you may want to reevaluate your life priorities. If you answered, "Probably not," then you should hit me up for a drink sometime, as you sound like a normal person I could have a conversation with, without feeling like you're gonna flip out at any moment, pull a monitor from under the table, and smash me in the face.

What I'm trying to say is, smaller monitors just aren't … Read more

Can Microsoft retail succeed where others have failed?

Did Microsoft just serve up more fodder for the wits who direct Apple's lacerating series of Mac versus PC commercials?

On the surface, the decision to open a Microsoft chain of retail outlets sounds like a reasonable idea. With consumer spending plummeting, the competition for shoppers' attention is keener than ever. Why not hang out a shingle and give your wares top billing?

But this route has been fraught for technology companies who lost fortunes paying for under-used real estate compounded by bloated employee payrolls.

In the 1980s, IBM operated a network of retail stores. You could walk in … Read more

Dell XPS media machine traps competitors in headlock, taps thrice

If you liked last year's Dell XPS 420 media-centric computer but decided to wait for something a little lighter on the digital video end, you might find a mate in the XPS 430-121B. You can consider it a younger cousin to the 420, maybe even once removed from some of the unnecessary add-ons that pushed it over the top.

This new model takes away the Windows SideShow LCD and instead adds a host of components like a dedicated graphics card, a TV tuner, and a quad-core processor that's sure to satisfy even the most insatiable media monger. You'… Read more

Microsoft's TMG adds antimalware, SSL inspection

Microsoft made its Forefront Threat Management Gateway (TMG) beta 2 version available on Friday, adding antimalware and Secure Sockets Layer inspection but also offering an edge protection service to its latest operating-system platform.

TMG beta 2 is designed to provide a safe Web surfing environment for employees, said Bill Jensen, senior product manager for TMG, which used to be called ISA Server.

Microsoft has added built-in antimalware that detects and blocks infected files from entering the network and a network inspection service, or intrusion prevention, that blocks viruses and other malicious code based on their signature and their behavior, he … Read more

Laptop shopping made easy: Retail laptop review roundup, Q1 2009

We've scoured the retail shelves of big box electronics stores, searching for the specific laptop configurations and models you'll find boxed up and ready to go, or listed in Sunday newspaper sales circulars (be on the lookout for Presidents' Day sales on many of these).

Bookmark this page and check back regularly to follow these links to the full reviews, which we'll be publishing over the next several weeks. We'll also be picking our favorite in each category, showing you who offers the very best bang for your buck.

Entry level ($599 or less) Compaq CQ60-215DX [… Read more