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

Acer DA220HQL Media All-in-One Touch PC comes with these specs: TI OMAP 4430, dual-core ARM Coretex-A9, Android 4.0 Operating System (Ice Cream Sandwich), 21.5" HD Optical 2-Point Multi-Touch Display (1920 x 1080 resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio ), 1GB RAM Memory, 8GB Internal Storage, MicroSD memory slot up to 32GB, Built-in 1.2MP Webcam, 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11b/g/n Wireless, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR, Two Built-in 1W per channel speakers, 2 - USB 2.0 Ports, 1 - Micro USB 2.0 Port, 1 - Micro HDMI-In Port, Wireless Keyboard and Mouse, 10.6 lbs. 4.85 kg (system unit only), One-year International Travelers Limited Warranty (ITW), Registration/ Limited Warranty Card

• TI OMAP 4430, dual-core ARM Coretex-A9 (1GHz)


• 1 GB SDRAM


• 8 GB Solid-State Drive


• 21.5-Inch Screen


• include: 2-point multi-touch intuitive control - front-facing camera - built-in speakers - Wireless - Bluetooth® - Micro-HDMI® - Micro USB 2.0 - USB - wireless keyboard and mouse - card reader


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CUSTOMER REVIEW



I bought this device several months ago. I have mixed feelings about it. Like similar devices it has it's pros and cons.

Lets start with the Pros: The monitor is quite attractive. The colours are bright and vivid, contrary to the views of another reviewer. The touch screen is very good albeit only two point.The mouse and keyboard works well, although I find the mouse to be too small. If you have big hands the discomfort of holding the mouse is quite noticeable. My solution was to ditch the mouse and opt for a good mouse. Now this is where this monitor really shines, windows 8, attached to my Windows 8 laptop it is really nice.

Now the cons: The screen does show some graininess as mentioned by another reviewer. This screen seems not even to be a true touch screen it's more of an optical screen. The screen has this silvery look that resmbles the old cathode ray monitors which I think takes away from the overall look of the monitor. When the monitor is on it is okay , when it is off that is when you get that sort of retro appearance. The biggest problem with the monitor is with windows 8, the monitor has a frame around the mask,so closing an app in windows 8 can only be done with the mouse. Those of you with windows 8 touch screens know what I mean.

Conclusion : As an Android tablet it is mediocre as it is currently, even though it runs ICS. There are a lot of apps that won't even install, there are others that will install but won't fit the screen format. Flipboard is one that comes to mind. It will be nice to see a firmware update to remedy such problems. As an external monitor it gets an A. I see it priced on some sites for as much as 500 dollars. One of the other reviewer said that she paid 599.00 I paid 499.00. This monitor is worth just what Amazon sells it for. I would recommend it to others, but at no more than Amazon's price. You might also want to take a look at the Viewsonic VSD200 same monitor, without the skin Also found on Amazon. Acer added their well known ring to their monitor.

Dell Optiplex GX620 Intel Pentium 4 2800 MHz 40Gig Serial ATA HDD 1024mb DDR2 Memory DVD ROM Genuine Windows XP Professional + 17" Flat Panel LCD Monitor Desktop PC Computer Professionally Refurbished by a Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher

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 MD388LL/A Desktop (NEWEST VERSION)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



When this new Mac Mini was announced this week, I wondered if I should upgrade my 2011 Mini. However, when I saw that I could get a solid quad core processor in the mid-level Mini, I jumped. In terms of appearance, this year's Mac Mini looks exactly like last year's. The only differences are internal. Here are the big differences between the 2011 and 2012 Mac Mini: (1) the processors are faster (as you would guess); (2) the mid-level Mac Mini now comes with a very fast quad core processor instead of a dual core; (3) the USB ports have been updated to USB 3 (which is much faster than USB 2); and (4) all models of the 2012 Mac Mini come with an integrated graphics card; there is no option for getting a discrete graphics card like last year (more on this later).



Both the mid-level Mac Mini and the server version have the same quad core processor, but the entry level Mac Mini is still a dual core. Why stick with a dual core processor desktop when you can have one with a quad core processor? So I got the mid-level model because I don't need a server, and other than the server's two hard drives, the mid-level Mini and the server model are exactly the same (e.g., same processor and same graphics card).



More on the graphics card: as noted earlier, ALL of the Mac Minis this year come with an integrated Intel HD 4000 graphics card. This is a much better card than last year's Intel HD 3000 graphics card, although some might want a discrete card for gaming. One thing I noticed about the Intel HD 4000 card in this year's Mac Mini is that it gives you 512 mb of video ram with only 4 GB of RAM installed. To my knowledge, all other Apple computers need at least 8 GB of RAM installed to get 512 mb of video ram from the HD 4000 card. This is a nice surprise. When I noticed this, I thought beef up the RAM to 8 GB and see if that increases the video ram--and it does. Installing 8 GB or more of RAM in this year's mid level Mac Mini (and I assume the same is true for the server Mini since these two machines are nearly identical) gives you 768 mb of video ram. I'd be willing to bet Apple increased the amount of maximum video ram from the HD 4000 card in this year's Mac Mini to compensate for removing the discrete graphics card option.



How does the new mid-level Mini perform? Well, I installed an SSD drive and 8 GB of RAM, and this thing just screams. Everything happens almost instantaneously when I click the mouse. No rainbow wheels, and one bounce at most from icons in the dock (often there is no bounce at all since things happen so fast). I compared my upgraded Mac Mini to last year's 27 inch iMac, and my Mac Mini seems much faster and snappier. Finally, Apple is starting to give the Mini some long overdue respect. The Mini is now becoming a machine people WANT instead of SETTLE FOR. To me, upgrading to this year's Mac Mini is well worth it.

Lenovo H530 Desktop (57319070)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I guess the reason it is so cheap is because it is. No solid state hard drive. do they cost so much more>>???

Dell Inspiron i660s Desktop Computer I660-781BK Windows 7

CUSTOMER REVIEW



The computer box had been opened and resealed; I was initially very worried as it was advertised as new, but the system seemed OK after setup. However, I will not buy here again.

Gateway DX4870-UR3D Desktop (Black)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



This is a strong machine. Interestingly, I can use this desktop with dual monitors, one by HDMI one by VGA port. This is a good desktop, and it worth your money. I bought it here:



http://ift.tt/1mg0lXz



** SPECS

- Intel Core i5-3330 Processor,

- Windows 8,

- Intel B75 Express Chipset,

- 8GB DDR3 Memory,

- Integrated Intel HD Graphics,

- 1TB 7200RPM SATA3 Hard Drive,

- Digital Media Card Reader - Secure Digital (SD) Card,

- 802.11a/b/g/n Wireless, Bluetooth 4.0+HS,

- High Definition Audio with 5.1-Channel Audio Support,

- Gigabit Ethernet,

- 6 - USB 2.0 Ports,

- 2 - USB 3.0 Ports,

- HDMI Port,

- 1 Year Parts and Labor Limited Warranty with Toll-Free Tech Support, Registration/ Limited Warranty Card, Norton Internet Security Trial



Do not forget monitor for this one:



http://ift.tt/1mox7ZC

HP Business Desktop E3S87UT Desktop Computer - AMD A-Series A4-5300 3.40 GHz - Micro Tower

CUSTOMER REVIEW



My old computer was still running Windows XP so it was getting to be time to replace it. But I'm one of those folks who wants to stay away from Windows 8 and the pickings for new Windows 7 machines are pretty thin. So I finally decided on this one; and I am totally pleased with it. Its performance is everything I could ask for; and, at $388, I think its a great value. The vender, TEKENVY, was 5-star.

Lenovo ThinkCentre 0958B2U Desktop

CUSTOMER REVIEW



This is one of the most stable and well built desktops you can buy.



It will hold up to 16GB of memory, and 2 3.5" HDD's. Had a built in speaker, and can support two monitors (VGA + DVI). The only drawback is the 4GB of ram instead of 8.



You cant buy much better quality than this. It also comes with a 3 yr warranty.

Acer Revo RL80-UR22 Desktop (Black)

Shop the Windows Store for the full selection of Windows 8 PCs

• Intel Core i3-3227U Processor 1.9 GHz(3 MB cache)


• 4GB DDR3 RAM


• 500 GB 5400 rpm Hard Drive


• Intel HD Graphics


• Windows 8


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CUSTOMER REVIEW



I purchased this as a replacement for an old laptop I used to stream media to my TV in the master bedroom. Upgraded the TV, and the old laptop could keep up anymore!



The only con with this device (for me at least), was that it came with Windows 8 installed, not Win7. I was already planning on changing the hard drive out with an SSD, so I took that opportunity to downgrade to Win7. In order to get the various software and drivers for Win7, you will need to go to the Acer website and some of the manufacturers websites for the updates. the Acer site has about 2/3rds of the needed updates, but they are listed for Win8. go ahead and download and install them, if they are Win8 only the update will refuse to proceed.



Replacing the hard drive with an SSD was a great choice for this machine. now its completely silent, boots in less then 7 seconds, and makes almost no heat. I will warn you though, replacing this drive is not for the faint of heart. Check on youtube and you will find a walkthrough on how to pull this pc apart to make the swap. If you are relatively technical and good with your hands (and can keep track of lots of tiny screws), you should be fine.



As a media streaming device, this pc is an excellent choice. Highly recommended.

For those that care, im a server hardware technician with over 25 years experience.

Apple iMac ME087LL/A 21.5-Inch Desktop (NEWEST VERSION)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I have just switched back to a Mac after years of using a PC. The difference is night and day. The Mac is so much easier to use (although it took me a short while to get the hang of it), and has many more options and abilities. I am an artist, so I had to switch all my art files from PC to the Mac. It was easy to do and the Mac is so much more art friendly. I have to write quite a lot of documents, so I needed the Mac to handle that too, and it does.

I happen to own an iPhone and iPad Air as well. My son set my iPad Air (he's more tech savvy than me) to show and act as my Mac's desktop. So when I am away from my Mac, I can use the iPad as my computer and work with it as if I had a mini desktop! All in all I wouldn't go back to PC if you paid me. I love it.

Intel Next Unit of Computing Kit, Black/Grey BOXDCCP847DYE

CUSTOMER REVIEW



This is really the small HTPC I've been waiting for. It's inexpensive, runs quietly, and yet runs XBMC in a spectacular fashion. I stream all of my local media from a Synology NAS so this simply acts as a media client using XBMC (running via OpenELEC)---which it does quite well.



All NUCs, even this Celeron 847 unit, support hardware decoding of H.264/VC1/MPEG2 video codecs and will bitstream HD Audio. As an example, during video playback the CPU cores never rise above 15% while streaming 1080p video with HD Audio to a Yamaha AVR. If I have the NUC decode the HD Audio and out multi-channel LPCM it can occasionally rise to 18%. I was worried about not getting the i3 NUC due to the faster processor (and faster GPU) but even the add-on Aeon Nox skin for XBMC runs very smoothly. For running a HTPC under Windows more horsepower may be desirable but this thing screams under OpenELEC.



Speaking of OpenELEC, without the overhead of Windows this unit runs XBMC just fine using a 2GB memory stick (Crucial 2GB Single DDR3 1333 MT/s (PC3-10600) CL9 SODIMM 204-Pin 1.35V/1.5V Notebook Memory Module CT25664BF1339) and a 8GB USB thumb drive (SanDisk Cruzer Fit SDCZ33-008G-B35 8 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive - Black) for the system.



OpenELEC is installed, and boots from, the USB thumb drive and I don't have (or need) a hard drive of any type although one could install OpenELEC (or Windows) on a mSATA SSD if desired. I also realized that I already had an identical stick of RAM so I installed both (4GB total) but it doesn't really have any advantage since the system reports >3GB of RAM available during HD streaming (and this is with the GPU assigned MAX MEMORY in BIOS). OpenELEC boots from the USB and resides in RAM but since the whole thing, including XBMC, is so small (<200MB) it really demonstrates how bloated many modern operating systems really are for a HTPC.



FWIW, I already had a HP Media Center IR receiver (HP Infrared Receiver for HP Media Center 5188-1667) and a Harmony 900 remote that both work automagically with OpenELEC. The key to setting up the Harmony is to select a device of "Media Center PC" ==> Microsoft ==> MCE-1039. This will map 99% of the buttons on the Harmony. I had to manually assign the skip button but the command was already in the Harmony database so it was a snap. Also, the Harmony will wake the unit and put it to sleep. Just make sure the XBMC power setting for "shutdown" is set to standby.



EDIT: I forgot to add---the NUC includes an external power supply but you must supply your own "mickey mouse" power cable for your own locality. I used a Belkin 6ft / 3 Prong Notebook Power Cord since I could get Amazon Prime shipping with the rest of my order but there are many choices on Amazon.



EDIT #2: I also hooked it up to a Kill-a-Watt device to check out the power consumption.



As baseline, the NUC had 4GB of RAM (2x2GB) installed with a 8GB thumb drive and an IR receiver installed in the rear USB ports. No mSATA drive was installed nor was a Wifi/Bluetooth module. OpenELEC was installed on the 8GB flash drive.



During playback of a 1080p MKV (H.264/DTS-HD) being streamed via a wired network the draw varied between 17.6W and 18.4W. In standby (S3) it draws a flat 1.0W. Lower power (S4/S5) standby are supported by the NUC but I am unable to use them with my remote to wake the device.

Lenovo ThinkServer TS140 70A4000HUX i3-4130 3.4GHz Server Desktop Computer

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Received server today, so this is just quick feedback for all you thinking about it out there.



I got it for use as home server, similar to what other people use HP mini server. Nicely built heavy metal case, sound dampening and quiet. No dust filters.



Inside it has:

280 W HE Bronze PSU.

4 memory slots, One stick 4 Gb installed.

5 SATA ports

1 PCI slot, 2 PCI-E X16, 1 PCI-E X4

2 well ventilated HD inch bays with front fan blowing on them, 2 HDs more can be installed into slots that are not so well ventilated.

2 display ports and 1 VGA



There are reports about these servers (this one and earlier version, TS130) not supporting certain OS (i.e. Ubuntu, Centos). I took 80 Gb Intel SSD with Lubuntu 13.4 from my Lenovo T420 laptop, plugged into SATA inside and booted Lubuntu in under 10 sec. Using it to write this review right now. I believe the problem is incorrect configuration of UEFI boot, suggest switching to legacy BIOS boot. You will loose space over 2 Tb on larger HD though.



Lubuntu is lightweight Ubuntu mod and I believe boot is the same. Can not quite understand if audio works in Lubuntu. Dont need it anyways.



Power usage by Lubuntu with one SSD installed is 19 W at idle and 45 W at max CPU according to my watt meter. Most of the time it will be idle so the annual 24/7 energy use expected at 166 KWh which translates into about $30 per year where I live. Every HDD will add about 10W but they can be configured to go to sleep when not in use.



Windows 7 with drivers installed consumes 17.5 W when idle. Wundows experience index with single memory stick:

CPU: 7.3

Memory: 5.9

Graphics: 5.0

Gaming Graphics: 6.5

I expect Memory and Graphics go up when second memory stick installed and dual channel mode kicks in.



To enter BIOS press F1 the moment you see first text or logo after you turned it on.



Did I mention it has remote management capability? Startup/shutdown only though?



Update 12/16/2013:



Added 4 GB memory for second channel: Crucial Technology CT51272BD160B 4GB, 240-pin DIMM, DDR3 PC3-12800 CL=9 Dual Ranked Unbuffered ECC 1.35V 512Meg x 72 Memory, installed into blue slots.



Windows experience index for Win 7 64 bit with memory in dual channel mode:

CPU: 7.3

Memory: 7.6

Graphics: 6.6

Gaming Graphics: 6.6

Lenovo IdeaCentre C355 57318980 20-Inch All-in-One Desktop (Black)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



The setup was easy and the included apps enable you to do emails, upload and view photos, and listen to music right away. The display is big and beautiful but it is not a touch screen. The disk drive is spacious enough for most needs. The built-in graphics can handle most home and business needs, but will lag when playing graphics-intensive games. With a fast broadband connection, this computer can play movies or streaming videos without problems. I'd recommend this computer for the majority of home users.

Acer AME600-UR368 Desktop (Black)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Windows 8 boot time seems fast. It takes about 54 seconds from the time I turn it on, to the the time the desktop appears with my icons. I like the speed of the wireless card connection to my Verizon hot spot. I like the 45 degree USB/audio jack/mic jack/card reader on the top and up front.With the Intel I5, 1TB HD, and 8 GB RAM fir a reasonable price ($490), I'll give it 5 stars. Thanks Amazon and Acer!!

Lenovo C440 21.5-Inch All-In-One Touchscreen Desktop (Black/Brushed Aluminum)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Although I am still learning windows 8, and the touchscreen technology is nice, and the learning curve into it is progressing. The screen size, and the compactness of the unit, adds versatility, to once outdated desktop units. I am pleased with the purchase and so happy i did not purchase another laptop. I bought a small chrome book for moving around and outside, and has the ability to sync with the desktop, redundant, nah, the fullsize keyboard is nice to have. Downside.....haven't found it yet, but i have found a new investment opportunity....Lenovo.

HP Pavilion p6-2350 Desktop (Black)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



My old computer finally died around Thanksgiving of 2012; it was an HP as well and lasted over 7 years. Needless to say, I'm a fan of HP and believe in the quality of their computer products.



For those who are used to windows XP, windows 8 presents a bit of a learning curve. It took me about 10 days to get everything how and where I wanted it...the settings, programs I previously had, etc. (just to make it look and feel like I wanted it).



I was comparing several computers in this price range, but went with the p6-2350 mainly because of the quad-core processor. (the processor is, by all accounts, the most important part of a computer).

I'm one of those who often has two or more browsers and 15 or more tabs open at the same time, so the AMD 3.6 Ghz Quad-Core A8-5600K fits the bill. This computer is fast and is able to handle everything I've required of it so far. It's got plenty of memory (8 GB / expandable to 32 GB)....6 USB ports(2 - 3.0 USB on the front)....1 TB 7200 RPM hard drive.



Oh, and it's very quiet. (another reviewer said it was noisy, believe me, it's not)



If you want a fast computer that can handle multiple applications at the same time and do it quietly, then consider this computer.



I'm happy with my purchase and will update this review in the future.