HP Chromebox Desktop Bundle (Snow White)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I'm a new to Chrome OS and loving the HP Chromebox so far! After signing in with my Google Account everything was setup. I had instant access to my Gmail and Google Docs. It is amazing how fast it boots up...after pressing the power button on the Chromebox the monitor is barely awake from sleep and the login screen is already up. My printer was compatible with Google Cloud Print and I had no problem getting it setup.



There isn't really any learning curve in Chrome OS I've noticed so far because everything opens in a Google Chrome window and the Apps launcher icon the in lower left functions much like a Windows Start Menu. I've noticed popular Windows keyboard shortcuts like CTRL+X for cut and CTRL+T for new tab, etc also all work!



There is no lag browsing the internet or using the preloaded Google Apps (I'm on a U-Verse fiber connection over WiFi). I ran several speedtests on speedtest.net and the results are several megabits faster than my old computer; nothing too noticeable, but this made me happy. I haven't come across any websites yet which aren't compatible. I've also added several apps from the Chrome Web Store and they install quickly.



The Chromebox is quiet. You have to really be listening in order to hear the light hum of the fan. The build quality is impressive, the device does not look cheap or plasticy at all. There are no screws or latches visible. The compact keyboard is comfortable to use and I like the dedicated keys at the top for browser back, forward, reload, full screen, view all open windows, etc. I also liked that batteries were included for the keyboard and mouse so everything was ready to go right out of the box.



I was happy to see the Chromebox puts both video and audio out over HDMI so I don't need an extra cable going to the monitor for sound. My old computer only output video so I had to have a second cable for the sound. I'm using a 1920x1080 resolution and everything renders as expected.



One thing I'd liked to have known before purchasing is the wireless keyboard and mouse require a small USB dongle (included) be connected to the Chromebox; so you'll always have a USB port dedicated for this. Don't expect the wireless keyboard and mouse to mean Bluetooth. Also, there is only one memory slot in the computer so if you want to upgrade to the max of 4GB, you'll need to remove the existing 2GB module and replace with a 4GB module. I haven't seen the need for additional memory though so far.



7/23/14 Edit - Additional Observations:

--I have noticed when streaming music or video the fan does spin up and can be a little noisy. I have the Chromebox on my desktop under my monitor and it is not really noticeable when sound is playing, but if there is a low spot in the music/sound you may hear the fan if you are near the device.

--No screensaver! This one is a little weird to me. The monitor tends to just dim after a while. I've been turning the Chromebox off after using it since it boots up so quickly so I have just recently observed this.

ASUS CHROMEBOX-M004U Desktop

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Our desktop died a few months ago and we were looking for a replacement. Because my wife and I both have tablets and a laptop, we have found that we have not used the desktop as much. As a result, we were wondering whether we should even get a replacement. We decided it would be nice to have but we didn't want to spend $500+ on a new computer. I had heard of the Chromebox previously but didn't pay too much attention to it. I decided it would be worth looking into and after seeing all the good comments, I felt it was worth taking a chance on getting one.



Is it anything spectacular? Yes! Does it do anything more than Chrome on Windows? No. But here is why (when your desktop finally dies/or you are just sick of how slow it is) you should buy a Chromebox:



1) Fast enough to do everything you want to on the internet. If you are like most people, you will realize that 90+% of the time you are on a computer, you are using a web browser. Everything else on your computer therefore is added weight to slow down your internet experience. This may include Virus/Malware Scanning Software, Viruses and Malware, other background processes, etc. ChromeOS takes all this out and gives you the the web browser and a great way of connecting to it. Will it handle the latest high intensity graphics game around? No, it won't come close but if you are looking for something to do that, you probably aren't even looking at Chromeboxes and therefore are not even reading this post.



2) Still can do Microsoft Office Online. This was actually a surprise to me but it actually works fairly well. For those of you who are not familiar with Office Online, it is a web version of Office that doesn't have all the bells and whistles of regular office. If you are like most people, you really don't use the bells and whistles. I do quite a bit of work in Office with my employment (law) and find that everything that I need can be done on Office Online. If you really don't need a lot of features, check of Google Docs, it rocks as well.



3) 100GB of online storage. From your new Chromebox (or Chromebook) go to http://ift.tt/T5gIes and type in some information an viola, 100GB of online storage.



4) It is simple to use. There is no learning curve with the Chromebox. It is the Chrome web browser and if you have used any browser in the last 5 years, you will be up to speed. There are a few features that you don't get on regular Chrome like Bluetooth and WIFI but even make that easy to operate.



5) It uses Google Print. So this could be a frustration for a lot of people. The Chromebox, even though it has USB ports, does not allow you to connect printers because it doesn't install drivers. So what can you do? First, get a printer that is Google Print capable. Okay, I am with you, I really don't need another printer laying around my house. Second, try the xPrint Server from Lantronix. Granted it is a little expensive (~$150.00) which makes one wonder why not just buy a new printer. Third, use an old computer that runs Chrome as a gateway. While not a great choice, it is better than some of the first options. Fourth, get geeky with a Raspberry Pi. For those that are not aware of what a Raspberry Pi is, it is a $35 computer capable of running Linux. Needless to say, Chrome can run on Linux and it can also install printer drivers. Here is a tutorial on turning a Raspberry Pi into your Google Cloud Print servant.



[...]



Again, this is a hurdle for a lot of people but I will say, after you get Google Cloud Print working, it is awesome. No more worrying about what computer your document is on and what computer is connected to which printer. It is simply, clicking this printer and this document.



6) It can be customized. If you find out that Chrome OS is not your thing that is okay. There are plenty of tutorials on how to install Ubuntu on the Chromebox either as a dual-boot or replacement. If you are interested in this, I would recommend getting an extra 2GB stick of ram (Laptop DDR3). It may also be smart to upgrade the size of the SSD as well. If that looks greek to you, then just stick with Chrome OS.



Hopefully you have found my review helpful of the Chromebox. Just to recap, this is a great desktop replacement if all you need is something to surf the internet with and do homework. You will be pleasantly surprised at how fast it loads up and how easy it is to use.

Dell Inspiron 3048 i3048-2286BLK 20-Inch All-in-One Desktop (Intel Pentium Processor, 4GB RAM)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



This is a great computer for the money. Nice clear screen (Anti Glare) with bright colors. Returned my first purchase which was a LG Chrome (All in One). That had to be the worst mistake I have ever made in a computer purchase, but I consider this purchase one of the best.

CybertronPC Hellion GM1213B Desktop (Black/Blue)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Very fast PC with a 6 core, 16GB RAM, 2GB video card and more. It's not lacking in speed at all! We usually build our own PC's but after seeing the specs, styling of the case, and the fact it was all done and ready to go, we are very happy! The price was very fair, even comparable to building it ourselves. Windows 8 lasted a few minutes until we installed Win7 with no problems. It comes with a real Logitech keyboard and mouse. The front mounted headphones and 2 USB are great. The front metal blue grille is high quality and not flimsy! Nothing's flimsy or low quality on this machine; they put in an LG DVD-RW, not a no name generic to save money. On the front you can control the fan speed with high-tech blue lights.



If anyone is familiar with the Sims 3 video game, it flies! I cranked it up to the maximum resolutions and detail (water, reflections, house/tree/Sim detail) and it's the best I've ever experienced. I often keep 20-30 tabs open in Firefox no problem (yes, I have a problem). I can even keep the Sims running in the background, surf the web, open Adobe Photoshop, and Open Office and more. It's a super multi-tasker! I will post some close up pics because the stock photo doesn't do it enough justice.



Whatever you do, don't buy a HP or Compaq, they are the worst of the worst in overall quality and lure you in with their great specs and low price, but it's short lived. I am very happy with the CybertronPC brand! Go for it!

Apple Mac Mini MGEN2LL/A Desktop (NEWEST VERSION)

Apple iMac

• 2.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5


• 1TB (5400-rpm) hard drive


• 8GB of 1600MHz LPDDR3 memory


• Intel Iris Graphics


• Mac OS X Yosemite

Dell Inspiron 3847 i3847-4923BK Desktop (Intel Core i3 Processor, 8GB RAM)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Vine Customer Review of Free Product (What's this?) OK... A little background: I am the kind of guy who builds his own PCs. Sure, over the past three-and-a-half decades I've owned several pre-builts, including several from Apple, ASUS, IBM (old school!), Acer, Compaq, HP, Lenovo, Gateway and other companies, but those usually ended up being cannibalized for parts because I never really liked how limited the designs were in those systems. They lacked expansion slots, or the memory couldn't be upgraded, or they weren't flexible enough to allow me to add more hard drives (you can never have enough hard drives). So I frequently just built Frankenputers from pieces and parts, and tailored them to my needs, all the while working in various computer stores (years ago) selling pre-built units-- including Dells-- to customers (until all the computer stores went out of business thanks to Best Bigbox killing them). I have to add that my experience with Dell at that time left me less than enthused.



Enter the Dell Inspiron i3847. They advertised it as "That expandable" and I was intrigued. "Truly? A pre-built desktop that doesn't make expansion a chore? This I've got to see!"



When the Dell arrived, I fired it up and was, indeed pleased by the fast setup and the lack of bloatware-- indeed, the only extra software on it seemed to be the 30-day trial of McAfee, but as I have my own subscription with Kaspersky, I didn't even need this and it was easily deleted, leaving me the majority of the 1TB hard drive for future software installations.



The speed was also quite nice. I was coming from an AMD Phenom X4 955 3.2 GHz, and the boost in speed when going to the Intel Core i5 (also 3.2 GHz) is quite welcome. That's not to say the AMD was slow, but that the Intel is just more optimized. It's simply faster in day-to-day functions, and plays nicer with my various applications.



The 8GB of RAM was also pretty helpful, I must say. It's nice to get a PC loaded with enough RAM to do any job. Too many pre-built PCs cheap-out in this regard, giving the buyer 4GB to deal with. In this era of 64-bit Windows, there's simply no reason not to slap the other 4GB in there and make the end-user experience that much more pleasant.



The on-board graphics? Well, they're Intel on-board graphics. Fast enough for web browsing, basic games, basic video, and business applications, but I'm a bit of a gamer and video editor, and so I was exceptionally pleased to see the free slot and ample space in the Dell Inspiron to allow me to install my Radeon HD 7850. Yes, yes... I know I'd be better served on an Intel with a GeForce card, but right now I'm happy with my existing Radeon pulled from an AMD system, and you can bet I was happy to see that it fit in the Dell.



Of course, there was one problem: Power. The Dell Inspiron i3847-5078BK comes with a very basic 300-watt power supply, and no, it does not have PCI-E connections. That meant swapping over my Corsair RM550 so that I could provide power to my Radeon card... And then, as long as I was in there, I mounted a second and third hard drive. I had to provide an extra SATA connector, and to be clear, there is no third HDD bay, but I happened to have a 5.25 caddy around, and so my third hard drive fit nicely in the second optical drive bay (which I wouldn't have needed, anyway... I really don't see the point to two optical drives unless you do a lot of disc-to-disc copying). While I was making changes, I decided to pull the stock DVD-RW drive (not a bad drive, mind you) and replace it with my own BD-RW drive.



It took some work getting the cables from my modular power supply managed, but once done, everything worked perfectly. The power supply mounted with no problems, the new hard drives all work, and the system is still so remarkably quiet I'm amazed it's got such a beefy CPU.



I didn't stop there, though. This system came with Windows 7 64-bit. That's nice and all, but after a couple years of using Windows 8 and 8.1, I was too used to the new OS and all the advancement in it (and before you gripe about how terrible Windows 8.1 is, let me point out that the under-the-hood improvements are enough of a performance boost for any gamer to think twice about being pedantic about the UI changing slightly.) With Windows 8.1 in place on this Core i5 system, with an improved video card and 8 GB of RAM, the system boots up super-fast and everything blazes.



Even before I put Windows 8.1 on this PC, though, it was pretty darn fast. The hardware is solid. The Core i5 CPU is absolutely lovely, and I have no complaints about it. The added RAM was probably the real boost to the system, though. If you absolutely hate Windows 8.1 then you will still see plenty of speed on this system as-is, with Windows 7 on it.



Despite this being an excellent computer that has changed my mind about pre-built systems, I am knocking off a point from my review for a combination of things:



First, the stock power supply was woefully inadequate for any expansion of the system. It was enough to run the hardware included, but if the average user wants to add a hard drive or video card, they're going to find out soon enough that they needed to upgrade the power supply. What's more, the included PSU has exceptionally short wires going to the CPU and motherboard, making it useful only for this particular PC & motherboard's layout. This is a minor complaint, but when they advertise that it's "That Expandable", they really should see fit to stick a beefier, more well-equipped power supply in the case.



Second, I just don't see the point to having two 5.25 bays and only two 3.25 bays when there are four SATA connections. Most people simply aren't going to need an extra optical drive, and would want that extra hard drive some day. Maybe it's just me, but I think a third 3.25 rack would have been preferable in a case like this, or, barring that, at least include a caddy to transform that 5.25 bay into a 3.25 bay. I had one lying around, but most people won't, and again they're selling this series as "Expandable" so I'd think this hardware would be part of the case design.



Finally, there are no front fans whatsoever. No hard drive cooling, no intake. I may correct this myself if I can figure out how to make it work with the nearly-sealed front panel, but I found it strange that a system that is supposed to be expandable wouldn't take into account the possibility that future upgrades might increase the interior heat and require some additional cooling.



These are, of course, all nitpick from a PC builder's point of view. For the average consumer looking for a powerful system this is a great choice. You have the ability to add that GeForce (or AMD) video card, as long as you make sure to swap out the power supply, too. You have the ability to add an extra hard drive easily (the SATA and power connectors are right there, held in place on the empty drive bay). You have 8GB of RAM and almost the entire 1 TB hard drive to work with thanks to Dell not packing in a bunch of unnecessary bloatware. You have excellent speed, and best of all, quiet cooling and power that makes this system purr.



This is an excellent choice in pre-built PCs. I can safely say that the next time I am looking to help a layperson find a pre-built desktop computer that I won't have to help them fix all the time, it will likely be a Dell. My assessment of Dell's hardware (and software) has *vastly* improved after my experience with this system. They've made consumer-friendly systems that still cater to the desires and needs of tinkerers and people in-the-know, like me.



Final Verdict: FOUR STARS for me, but it could be FIVE STARS for the average consumer who never intends to do any upgrading themselves. Let's call it FOUR AND A HALF STARS, if Amazon would let me do that.

Lenovo H30 Desktop (90C2000FUS)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



If you're like me and still haven't completely stepped away from the world of desktop PCs, the Lenovo H30 Desktop computer is an inexpensive, everyday computing option. With it's small size, this is a PC you can easily tuck away in a small office or kitchen area, that will allow you to check emails, surf the Net, listen to streaming music, play online games, or work on homework.



WHY BUY THIS PC?



The price is really low; dare I say 'cheap', but the quality is not.



Lenovo does a really good job of building quality PCs and providing consumers with a good value. This PC runs quietly in the background, no appreciable fan noise. Running Windows 8.1, it would be ideal if paired with a touchscreen monitor.



NOTE: This PC does not have a HDMI port per Lenovo.



The PC has a DVD drive which allows the user to watch movies or burn video to DVD. The drive will also read CDs and burn to them.



The installed memory is only 4GB, but it can be upgraded to 8GB. (NOTE: There is only 1 memory slot, which means you need to buy a single dimm of 8GB to replace the installed 4GB when upgrading.) Crucial 8GB Single DDR3 1600 MT/s PC3-12800 CL11 Unbuffered UDIMM 240-Pin Desktop Memory CT102464BA160B should work, but go to the Crucial website to use their memory finder to be sure before you purchase.



This desktop supports 5.1 audio, which means you can hook up a surround sound speaker system (not included) to it and reap the benefits. It also has a 500 GB hard drive at 7200 RPMs (faster than 5400 RPM drives usually used in these low priced systems).



Access to USB ports on the front and back, and a 7 in 1 media card reader on the front are very handy.



Lenovo's proprietary software: Lenovo Rescue System and Lenovo Assistant, are great for non-techy types of users who need a simple interface to maintain their PC, backup and recover files.



The PC has both wired and wireless connectivity, which allows you to place it pretty much anywhere you need it, and it comes with a wired mouse and keyboard (no monitor included).



There's not a lot of 'fluff' software added to this PC, which is great for those who want to add their own. I like using the Microsoft Store (app on the PC) for this purpose. There's tons of free software for fun and productivity.



The PC has (4) USB 2.0 ports and (1) USB 3.0 port. You can hook up a USB hub (inexpensive and easy to do) to give yourself even more USB connectivity to charge smartphones, tablets or hook up peripherals like external hard drives.



WHY NOT BUY IT?



This PC is what it is. There's not a lot of room to upgrade or change it. That doesn't mean it won't suit some people just fine, and for many years to come. However some users may find it limits their ability to enjoy media-rich software or ultra-fast gigabit internet speeds.



This H30 has integrated graphics (video) and audio. That means it's not an 'entertainment' PC per se, but since it has a HDMI connection, with the right monitor and speakers - it would be OK. It will not run high end games without glitches, however I can't imagine 'gamers' will be looking at it anyway.



The hard drive size of 500 GB is small by current standards, however if you're like me you have external hard drives like this one: WD My Passport Ultra 1TB Portable External USB 3.0 Hard Drive with Auto Backup - Black hooked up to your PC and/or are using cloud storage. It's not a big issue, and the hard drive will hold a lot of photos, videos, programs and files. So much so that most users will never fill it up.



The Celeron processor is a cheap one, that frankly I'm surprised is still in use. The one used in this PC is dual-core at 64-bit, which is better. Paired with Windows 8.1 and 4GB of memory it's OK (not the speediest PC on the market, but smooth running). I'd suggest upgrading the PC to 8GB (not expensive or difficult to do yourself; the case is easy to get into), just to maximize it's performance.



Expansion is limited, but there are some slots to add things like more USB ports, XFX AMD Radeon HD 5450 1GB GDDR3 VGA/DVI/HDMI Low Profile PCI-Express Video Card ONXFX1PLS2 which enhances the video and adds a HDMI port, or a TV tuner card.



CONCLUSION



I like this simple PC for its low price point, 7200 RPM hard drive, small form factor, and ease of use. It would be a great PC for households with kids who need to do homework online, a retiree who wants to email and Skype with the grandkids (they would need a webcam like this: Logitech HD Webcam C310 and monitor connected to the PC), a home office with limited space, or a dorm room.



It's limited in its functionality, but it won't limit everyday users who want to email, surf the Internet, work with office software, watch DVDs or streaming media, or similar.



PRODUCT SPECS



Model: H30-00 (90C2000FUS)

Part#: 90C2000FUS



Processor: Intel Celeron J1800 2.41 GHz, 64 bit Dual Core Processor

Memory: 4 GB DDR3 1600, 1 slot (4GB installed, 8GB max)

Hard Drive: 500 GB 7200 RPM

Optical Drive: DVD Rambo

Graphics: Intel HD Graphics (integrated)

Operating System: Windows 8.1 64-Bit with Bing



LAN Speed: 10/100Mbps

WLAN: 802.11b/g/n Wireless LAN



Card Reader: MS, MS Pro, SD, SDHC, SDXC, MMC, MMC Plus



Expansion PCI Slots:



1 PCI-E x16

3 PCI-E x1

1 Mini PCI-E



USB Wired Mouse and Keyboard included



Dimensions (H x W x D): 12.13" x 4.13" x 15.71"

Weight: 12.98 lbs.



Limited Warranty period (parts): 1 year

Limited Warranty period (labor): 1 year



--------------------------------------------------------------



NOTE: I do not own this PC. I was given the opportunity to test drive this desktop PC, as well as some others, and write reviews. I am not paid to do any reviews, nor did I receive this product for free from any seller.

CybertronPC Borg-Q GM4213B Desktop PC (Green)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I ordered this computer because my HP finally quit after I had been limping it along for a year or so. What I vowed when my HP started acting up was that the next computer I would replace it with would NOT be a Big Name / Big Box computer.

I wanted what used to be called a “clone” or generic computer with a good case, strong power supply and separate components that I can update and change when they die etc.

I searched a lot, read lots of reviews and found a number of computers that fit the bill.

HOWEVER, after reading reviews for CybertronPC’s computers (many that were high dollar rigs) and the raves about their customer service, I found this one, The Borg-Q that fit my budget and had all the features (except I wanted Windows 7 and not the crappy 8 or 8.1 stuff. More on that in a minute) that I wanted.

So ordered it here on Amazon. We have Prime so in 2 days (free shipping) this HUGE box arrives at my door. It was packaged SOOO well with huge foam blocks to support it.

Plugged it in, fired it up (blue lights glowing and all) and it went. No bloat ware really. Couple of useful apps. Just a clean running machine. I’m writing this review on it now.

Windows 8 (this version is the new 8.1 which just means Microsoft tried to fix the major screw-up that Win8 is in my opinion) started up loaded and runs fine for what it is. I had already decided that I would put Win7 on the computer, but when I realized that you have to have the Pro edition of Win7 for it use more than 12GB of RAM (I plan to upgrade this sometime to 32) and the fairly hefty price tag on win7 pro or ultimate, I decided to tweak Win8 and try it out for a while putting the Borg-Q thru its paces. So I cleaned up Win8 after reading stuff online to do. I’m knowledgeable but NO expert. Purchased Retro UI for Windows 8.1 (very important that you get the version for 8.1) for $5, loaded it. Ran a registry cleaner and BAM I am happy.

In fact after over 3 weeks with Retro UI on the CybertronPC Borg-Q running Windows 8.1 I AM VERY HAPPY.



Most of all I LOVE the craftsmanship and attention to detail that the Borg-Q exhibits. I opened the case to look around and everything is tucked away, zip-tied up and nice and neat. All the component choices are good quality products that I researched individually. Not top-of-the-line, high dollar stuff … BUT GOOD name brand components. The heat sync alone is impressive.

So after 3 weeks of loading all my software, applications and using a tweaked version of Win 8.1, I would CERTAINLY buy a Cybertronpc computer again.

CybertronPC Borg-Q GM4213A Desktop (Blue)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I ordered this computer because my HP finally quit after I had been limping it along for a year or so. What I vowed when my HP started acting up was that the next computer I would replace it with would NOT be a Big Name / Big Box computer.

I wanted what used to be called a “clone” or generic computer with a good case, strong power supply and separate components that I can update and change when they die etc.

I searched a lot, read lots of reviews and found a number of computers that fit the bill.

HOWEVER, after reading reviews for CybertronPC’s computers (many that were high dollar rigs) and the raves about their customer service, I found this one, The Borg-Q that fit my budget and had all the features (except I wanted Windows 7 and not the crappy 8 or 8.1 stuff. More on that in a minute) that I wanted.

So ordered it here on Amazon. We have Prime so in 2 days (free shipping) this HUGE box arrives at my door. It was packaged SOOO well with huge foam blocks to support it.

Plugged it in, fired it up (blue lights glowing and all) and it went. No bloat ware really. Couple of useful apps. Just a clean running machine. I’m writing this review on it now.

Windows 8 (this version is the new 8.1 which just means Microsoft tried to fix the major screw-up that Win8 is in my opinion) started up loaded and runs fine for what it is. I had already decided that I would put Win7 on the computer, but when I realized that you have to have the Pro edition of Win7 for it use more than 12GB of RAM (I plan to upgrade this sometime to 32) and the fairly hefty price tag on win7 pro or ultimate, I decided to tweak Win8 and try it out for a while putting the Borg-Q thru its paces. So I cleaned up Win8 after reading stuff online to do. I’m knowledgeable but NO expert. Purchased Retro UI for Windows 8.1 (very important that you get the version for 8.1) for $5, loaded it. Ran a registry cleaner and BAM I am happy.

In fact after over 3 weeks with Retro UI on the CybertronPC Borg-Q running Windows 8.1 I AM VERY HAPPY.



Most of all I LOVE the craftsmanship and attention to detail that the Borg-Q exhibits. I opened the case to look around and everything is tucked away, zip-tied up and nice and neat. All the component choices are good quality products that I researched individually. Not top-of-the-line, high dollar stuff … BUT GOOD name brand components. The heat sync alone is impressive.

So after 3 weeks of loading all my software, applications and using a tweaked version of Win 8.1, I would CERTAINLY buy a Cybertronpc computer again.

Dell Optiplex GX620 17-Inch Flat Panel LCD Monitor Desktop Computer (Intel Pentium 4 2800 Mhz, 1024 MB ram, 40 GB Serial ATA HDD, Windows XP Professional)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I've been using this desktop for a few months now and so far I haven't had any problems with it- it's nice and efficient!

Highly recommend doing business with seller. At the time I placed my order, by accident I order 2 instead of one because I was buying several things at the time- I didn't realized it until I received both! I contacted seller immediately and explained to him my situation, he was so understanding he even paid for return shipping!

highly recommend it! would give more stars if I could!

Apple Mac Mini MGEM2LL/A Desktop (NEWEST VERSION)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



There are some benefits and some drawbacks to the new Mac mini. We've tested a bunch already and they are solid units. From what we've written on the Macminicolo blog of ten things to know.



1) The machine received a second thunderbolt 2 port and lost its Firewire 800 port. A few years ago, this would have been a big loss, but I don't think it's as big of a deal now. The Thunderbolt drives are getting less expensive and have more options available. And with the addition of USB 3 in the 2012 mini, that covers a lot of what people need for speed.



2) For home users, the increased Graphics will be a very welcomed upgrade. In a data center, that will be useful for those who process a lot of images and will likely help when screen sharing.



3) The RAM can no longer be upgraded by the user. This option will be sorely missed by a lot of people. At least Apple has decreased the price of the RAM upgrades when you build and order a machine on the Apple Store. Also, nice to see the two higher versions come with 8GB of RAM by default now.



4) If a hard drive is ordered in the Mac mini, you can get to it and replace an SSD but it won't be easy. As was before, replacing the hard drive is not covered under warranty.



5) On the previous mini there was one Gigabit ethernet port, and to get a second one you'd have to take the only Thunderbolt port. Now that there are two Thunderbolt ports, you can have a second Gigabit port and a Thunderbolt drive.



6) There is no more "Server" version, so no more dual-drive Mac mini. From our experience, nearly everyone used that second drive for a cloned backup. Very useful, but having a backup on the outside of the Mac mini can be useful too. (It's much easier to plug that external drive into another Mac and boot from it. This makes for a quick recovery if needed.)



7) Because there are fewer parts in the mini now, the Applecare is down now as well to $99. (Previously $149)



8) It's nice to see the return of the $499 Mac mini. It started there, then the base price went to $599, $699, back to $599 and now a full circle back to $499. It's still incredible having a Mac under $500.



9) When ordering an HDD option, it looks like it is still a 5400RPM drive. That's too bad. The 2011 Mac mini had the faster 7200RPM and that was a nice bonus. I guess we're living in an SSD world now. If you want speed, you know how to get it.



10) Overall it's a nice upgrade. Though to be honest, with these components, it really should have happened about 6 months ago.

Acer DA220HQL 21.5-Inch Android All-in-One Touchscreen Desktop (Black) 2013 Model

CUSTOMER REVIEW



This unit at this price point (we paid $299) is one of the best values I found all year. On the account of some less than great reviews I hesitated to purchase this, but let me tell you, as a very "tech person", the poor reviews are unfounded and authored by people who simply were disappointed that this does not have Windows installed which it does not claim to! You can however plug in your Windows laptop, tablet. tower, etc, and have a full blown huge Windows tablet/touchscreen all-in-one! The screen is beautiful I must mention; it's full HD and crisp - I can't take anyone with issues with the screen seriously and hopefully you won't either. My only disappointment was that I did not get this sooner!



Android OS works much better in a desktop manner than I thought it would. Mind you we got this mainly for the kids to use android, and secondly as a monitor solution to get a desktop experience from our smaller Windows tablets. It really works great for all of this and unlike many other "portable all-in-ones", this unit actually is absolutely portable! For $299, I honestly expected less, but feel I got well more than my money's worth with this product - VERY HAPPY.



****PROS****

~This unit is truly portable! It's very thin, light-weight, sleek, and just very attractive and high quality all around.

~The included keyboard and mouse are very nice - they have a uniqueness in their design that is refreshing.

~Crisp, clear, FULL HD touch-screen.

~Micro to full HDMI cable & micro to full size USB are included in the box.

~Works as a touch screen monitor for any (even non-touch screen) Windows machines.

~Adjustable built-in kickstand works great and is much lighter and less bulky than other 'stands' on all-in-ones.

~It's dirt cheap for what you get!



****CONS****

~It's only 2-point multi-touch, compared to other 5-point or 10-point options out there - that's the only con I can think of, though I haven't noticed any limitation(s), not has the wife or kids.

Dell Inspiron i3647-4616BK Tower Desktop Intel Gen 4 i5/ 8GB/ 1TB/ Windows 8

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Easy to set up and Windows 8 is rather neat (takes a little while to get used to). About 50% the size of a regular desktop computer which takes up a lot less room on my desk. Only have had it for a week, but runs fast and does everything I need it to do. For downloading camera pictures, surfing the web, skyping, Facebooking, and using/creating documents in Office 2010 it works geat. Not a major game player, so don't know how it would be for those folks.

HP Pavilion 23-g010 23-Inch All-in-One Desktop

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Love this computer. Really great price, was looking for a desktop but nothing REALLY fancy and at a great price. Love the fact that this uses WiFi (can hard wire if you choose to) giving me the option to put it practically anywhere in the house! Super big screen, Awesome graphics and display! We did not get the touchscreen which would be fun but not necessary to enjoy this computer! it was so simple to set up I was online in minutes! comes with Windows 8, some nice video editing software, a DVDRW drive, and a nice integrated HD webcam. Truly for the price this was an excellent purchase. I did also get the 4 year warranty along with it...just in case!

Dell XPS 8700 X8700-1751BLK Desktop (Windows 7 Professional, Intel Core i7 Processor, 8GB RAM)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



My 9 year old Sony VGC-210G desktop - (w/ Windows Vista Ultimate - Pentium D 930 processor - 2GB RAM)) finally bit the dust. I had the Dell 8700 in mind so it took less than 30 minutes to pin down the best equipped package with Windows 7 Pro for the lowest price (including next day Prime shipping - $11.99) was right here on amazon. Both my new Dell computer and recovered data from the old Sony came the next day. After installing several key programs, I was up and running, business as usual in just a few hours. It was pretty much a "plug in and go", initially with most devices requiring drivers at first.



Thankfully a lot of my old software works fine, "My Deluxe Invoices & Estimates v10" works faster than before with no freeze ups. I had doubts about MS Office Word 2007, it was taking too long to install but after 15 minutes it asked for the product key and voila! One noticeable difference - from having a much older desktop PC is just how quiet the Dell 8700 really is. Both the CD-ROM and DVD drives run very smooth as well.



Pros:



Sleek, light weight, small foot print. For an entry level graphics card the NVIDIA GeForce GT 720 1GB does quite well with HD videos and streaming. Probably not a good choice however for gaming enthusiasts. 1 TB is nice and with the 8 Gig DDR3 memory I'm not going to have to upgrade any time soon, if at all.



One more plus, I like the Wi-Fi. In fact after 3 weeks since taking my PC out of the box, it's still sitting in the middle of my office desk. I'll eventually put it back on the utility rack where it belongs, next to all the other goodies like the surge protector and ethernet cable.



Cons:



Compared to other PC's on the same wireless network, I have just one slight performance issue. The download-upload speed on Wi-Fi: Ping- 24 ms, 6.63 Mbps on the down, 6.12 Mbps on the up. Being hardwired I'm getting: Ping - 19 ms, 35.45 down, 6.87 up. I tested 2 other laptops and the speeds are 25-27% faster respectively.



I will be sure and pass along any with an update. Just post a comment and subscribe to be kept in the loop.

Dell XPS 8700 X8700-634BLK Desktop (Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Very nice computer, I would probably give the computer 4-5 stars but unfortunately the listing says that the computer has Windows 7 Professional which I need. Sadly it comes with Windows Home Premium and I am now forced to spend an additional $90 for the Windows upgrade.



Edit: Another surprise, the listing says that the computer has a 3.4GHz processor, actually it has a 3.2GHz processor.

Dell XPS 8700 X8700-3312BLK Desktop (Windows 7 Professional, Windows 8.1 Pro Update Included)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



My 9 year old Sony VGC-210G desktop - (w/ Windows Vista Ultimate - Pentium D 930 processor - 2GB RAM)) finally bit the dust. I had the Dell 8700 in mind so it took less than 30 minutes to pin down the best equipped package with Windows 7 Pro for the lowest price (including next day Prime shipping - $11.99) was right here on amazon. Both my new Dell computer and recovered data from the old Sony came the next day. After installing several key programs, I was up and running, business as usual in just a few hours. It was pretty much a "plug in and go", initially with most devices requiring drivers at first.



Thankfully a lot of my old software works fine, "My Deluxe Invoices & Estimates v10" works faster than before with no freeze ups. I had doubts about MS Office Word 2007, it was taking too long to install but after 15 minutes it asked for the product key and voila! One noticeable difference - from having a much older desktop PC is just how quiet the Dell 8700 really is. Both the CD-ROM and DVD drives run very smooth as well.



Pros:



Sleek, light weight, small foot print. For an entry level graphics card the NVIDIA GeForce GT 720 1GB does quite well with HD videos and streaming. Probably not a good choice however for gaming enthusiasts. 1 TB is nice and with the 8 Gig DDR3 memory I'm not going to have to upgrade any time soon, if at all.



One more plus, I like the Wi-Fi. In fact after 3 weeks since taking my PC out of the box, it's still sitting in the middle of my office desk. I'll eventually put it back on the utility rack where it belongs, next to all the other goodies like the surge protector and ethernet cable.



Cons:



Compared to other PC's on the same wireless network, I have just one slight performance issue. The download-upload speed on Wi-Fi: Ping- 24 ms, 6.63 Mbps on the down, 6.12 Mbps on the up. Being hardwired I'm getting: Ping - 19 ms, 35.45 down, 6.87 up. I tested 2 other laptops and the speeds are 25-27% faster respectively.



I will be sure and pass along any with an update. Just post a comment and subscribe to be kept in the loop.

HP Pavilion 500-281 Desktop (Windows 7)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I am not an HP fan for computers. Printers, yes. Computers, not so much.

My history with HP computers has been one wrought with failures, crashes, loss of data, software conflicts, you name it. It all added up to a very unsatisfying experience.

However.....After buying this one on a whim (because of the price) after a motherboard burnout on another computer, I am totally surprised at its performance and ease of use.

PRO: The features it has are more than adequate for the moderate demand I wanted it for. Primarily office type demands, Photo processing, music etc. The on board video outputs, vga & hdmi, allowed me to do a dual monitor set up with virtually no lag between and link to my home theatre with excellent HD. The USB-3 inputs are more than adequate for most needs. Mic / headphone inputs are standard and the audio out handles surround sound well. After extending the use to more demanding projects...video and audio production, it performed well. There was some slowdown due to the high end demand, but it did hold its own.

I didn't expect it to perform as well as my work horse, but I just wanted to see if it could. And it ran cool and quiet under load.

I did like the fact that it had no bloatware included. There was the standard antivirus which I uninstalled and replaced with one that i preferred. Office was negligible as I had my own I use.

Con: None as yet. I will update this as time and usage increases.

Highly recommended by someone who previously was not a fan.