Apple : Buying Guide: The 10 best PCs of 2016: which computer should you buy?

Buying Guide: The 10 best PCs of 2016: which computer should you buy?

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Introduction

Update: Looking for a little more privacy from your computer? The HP Pavilion All-in-One with Micro-Edge Display may sound generic, but its nearly bezel-less display will knock your socks off, and its Privacy Camera will keep you from accidentally recording.

Although it's not nearly the behemoth it once was, the desktop PC still has its place in an ever-expanding landscape of devices. Unlike laptops, tablets or even smartphones, they aren't limited by portability and battery life requirements. Whether you want to expand on storage, memory, graphics or sheer processing power, a desktop PC gives you the most flexibility to upgrade on hardware.

It's also a surprisingly diverse category. These machines come in all shapes and sizes and can be used in many different ways. The beautiful, compact simplicity of the all-in-one computer is undeniably attractive. Components, such as the speakers and display are built directly into a single unit, with few cables left trailing around your desk. Therefore, it's the perfect for those of us who like to keep our workspaces neat and tidy.

Small form-factor PCs and inexpensive micro media machines are a popular choice as well. There are small desktop PCs that are intended to be used in the living room, designed to look attractive and provide a quick way to access all sorts of digital media. You can hook one up to a surround sound system and your main TV to enjoy Netflix or your own DRM-free media files with software such as Plex.

And, of course, the traditional desktop tower keeps trucking on. Whether you leave it on your desk or underneath it, this hulking form factor gives you the freedom to choose whatever components and specification your budget allows for, from an inexpensive family computer that can be used for word processing, spreadsheets and other office tasks, to a powerful video editing workstation complete with a top-end processor and graphics card.

Prices vary depending on the configuration, from less than £200 (around $303 or AUS$432) for an entry-level family desktop computer, to four figures for a desktop with a powerful video card suitable for demanding gaming.

And, with the exception of our Apple examples that naturally ship with OS X 10.11 El Capitan, you can expect any of the PCs on this list to come with Windows 10 as standard. Here we've listed 10 of the best, ordered by price and spec starting first with only the most expensive and powerful machines money can buy.

Also check out: What does the future hold for the PC?

Apple iMac

1. Apple iMac with 5K Retina display

A stylish all-in-one with a stunning screen

Bright IPS screen

Few wires or cables

Tough to upgrade

As we already mentioned, the unique selling point of all-in-ones is their simplicity, and that's partly what makes the iMac so appealing. A built-in screen and speakers, 802.11ac wireless networking and a wireless keyboard and mouse means you only need a power cable to get up and running.

There's quite a range of iMacs, starting at £899 (around $1,365 or AUS$1,943) for an entry-level 21.9-inch model with a dual-core processor that's okay for basic tasks, up to 27-inch iMacs with quad-core processors, and even a 5K display.

Even on the low-end model, the IPS display is bright and vivid, with a clever design where the edges of the aluminium chassis are thinner than many standalone monitors. And as standard, the iMac runs OS X, although it's very easy to install Windows alongside if you want to continue using your existing Windows software.

Read the full review: Apple iMac with 5K Retina display

Apple 4K iMac

2. Apple iMac with 4K Retina display (21.5-inch, Late 2015)

CPU: Intel Quad-Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz) | Graphics: Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200 | RAM: 8GB 1867MHz LPDDR3 | Storage: 1TB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400RPS | Communication: Wireless: 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0 | Dimensions (WxDxH): 45cm x 52.8cm x 17.5cm (H x W x D)

Display

Accessories

SSD not standard

Pricey

Featuring a vibrant Retina 4K display that's packed with color, Apple's new 21.5-inch iMac is a small bundle of aluminum joy. Its display's massive, 4,096 x 2,304 pixel-resolution is great for surfing the web in comfort with multiple windows side-by-side in El Capitan's Split View, image and video editing, watching 4K video content and just about everything else.

As expected from an Apple computer, it's a typically well-built machine that, in true iMac tradition, barely takes up more space on your desk than a large laptop. Apple is bundling the 4K iMac with a superb set of accessories, including the latest versions of its Magic Mouse 2, Magic Trackpad 2 and its all-new Magic Keyboard.

Just make sure you upgrade the standard spinning hard drive to a 1TB Fusion Drive (or even better, the 256GB SSD) if you want to shell out a bit more cash to eliminate lengthy loading times.

Read the full review: Apple iMac with 4K Retina display (21.5-inch, Late 2015)

Dell Inspiron 3000

3. Dell Inspiron 3000

A slim mini-tower which is a decent performer

Slim tower design

Core i5 is surprisingly powerful

No SSD option

Core i3 only dual-core

Dell's Inspiron desktop computers aren't quite as small as a PC like the Acer Revo One, but they still come in a mini-tower, and therefore won't take up too much space either on a desk or underneath it. With a black design and a silver trim, Dell has gone to some length to make this standard PC chassis look quite sleek and a bit more exciting than a mere black box.

As standard, it has a dual-core Intel Core i3 processor rather than a Celeron, and 8GB of memory – so it's a lot more powerful than the Revo One.

For an extra bit of cash, you can upgrade the processor to a quad-core Intel Core i5-4460 and the graphics card to a discrete Nvidia GeForce GT705, for a decent all-round performance boost. Dell also sells complete packages with a bundled 23-inch S2340L display.

Apple Mac Mini

4. Apple Mac mini

The cheapest way you can go Mac

The most affordable Mac

Internal power supply

Few expansion options

Upgrades get expensive

If you fancy making the switch to an Apple computer without paying the high prices of some of the iMac and MacBook products, the Mac mini is definitely the best option. It's fairly affordable, and reasonably powerful too.

It also looks really good. Apple favours aluminium materials and minimalist design in all its modern devices, and the Mac mini is perhaps the finest example – plus it's astonishingly small.

The base specification is more than good enough for general use, OS X will run just fine, and you can use Windows on it too. Apple now makes it quite hard to upgrade the Mac mini though, so if you want to boost the specification, it's wise to do so when you make the purchase. A Fusion Drive (the inclusion of an SSD) and a memory upgrade to 8GB would be our choice, but this does increase the mini's overall cost.

Read the full review: Apple Mac mini

Asus K31ADE

5. Asus K31ADE

A compact desktop machine for everyday computing

CPU boosts to 3.7GHz

Blu-ray drives available

No SSD option

Only 4GB of memory

Asus states its K31 desktop tower PCs are 'all you need for daily computing', an assessment we'd agree with given the versatile nature of the specification. The metallic-looking tower of the K31ADE is another mini-desktop case, smaller than most mid-sized PCs.

Like the Dell Inspiron 3000, this model uses a dual-core Intel Core i3 processor, with 4GB of memory. Upgrades are available though, with Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors, a range of Nvidia GeForce and AMD Radeon graphics cards and even 10Gb/sec USB 3.1 on some models.

Acer Revo One

6. Acer Revo One RL85

A compact media PC with plenty of storage

Small, sleek, smart design

Plenty of storage

Fairly weedy performance

Lacks 802.11ac Wi-Fi

As it's a media PC that will take center-stage in a living room rather than being hidden under a desk, the 22cm-high Revo One comes with a remote control and carries a striking white pod-like design. It packs quite a lot of storage – this configuration has a single 2TB disk, with internal space to add a second hard disk, or an SSD. There are plenty of ports too, with two USB 3 and two USB 2 ports, HDMI and a DisplayPort.

Celeron processors are hardly super-computing material, and we wouldn't play the latest games on the Intel graphics inside the Revo One, but it'll certainly be fine for office software and HD video playback.

And with built-in wireless networking, you'll be able to place it anywhere you like, wherever your TV or display is, and not have to worry about trailing cables to your router.

HP Pavilion Mini

7. HP Pavilion Mini

The Windows-toting answer to a Mac Mini

CPU: 1.9GHz Intel Core i3-40255U | RAM: 4GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM | Storage: 1TB 5,400rpm HDD

Nice design

Small footprint

Limited upgrades

Excess bloatware

If you're looking for a mini computer to look smart in the office, sit surreptitiously under your TV or meet the compact requirements of a kid's homework needs, then the HP Pavilion Mini is a smart contender.

While the base specification may not meet the requirements of gamers (who will want to consider the Maingear Spark or Alienware Alpha), or more intensive tasks, the higher-end model more than meets the needs of those looking for a home entertainment computer, and it's priced favorably against the Acer Revo RL85.

The mid-range specification of the model we reviewed compares favorably against similarly priced but less powerful competitors like the Intel NUC, and the good looks make it a smart Windows alternative to the Mac Mini.

Read the full review: HP Pavilion Mini

HP 260 G1

8. HP 260 G1

The tiny computer that can

CPU: Intel Celeron 2957U | RAM: 2GB to 16GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM | Storage: 32GB M.2 SSD

Two memory slots

DisplayPort and VGA

No Wi-Fi or Bluetooth

Storage capacity

The HP 260 G1 is a great all-rounder product which is perfect for light tasks either in an office environment or in the home. Because it is part of HP's business range, it comes with better-than-average support – that's next business day service for parts and labor as well as free 24/7 telephone support. We also appreciate the presence of DisplayPort and VGA which allows the box to cover a wider spectrum of displays, even if that requires adapters.

There's a lot to like about the HP 260 G1; true, it is not perfect and of course given the price, there have been concessions made. However, none of them are deal breakers and once prospective buyers understand that they are not buying a more expensive computer, but one that costs less than most smartphones, this little bundle of joy will make for a lot of happy owners.

Read the full review: HP 260 G1

Lenovo IdeaCentre Q190

9. Lenovo IdeaCentre Q190

A micro PC which you can mount on the back of your display

Versatile design

Enough memory

Sluggish CPU

Poor graphics

We're always referring to PCs that are "good enough" for general computing tasks, which means the most common uses for a modern computer that the average person needs. That means web browsing, email, social media including Facebook, watching YouTube, and editing documents for school or work.

None of those examples need large amounts of memory, storage, or a powerful graphics card, so if that's all you want a computer for, you don't need to spend too much money. In this case, Lenovo's IdeaCentre Q190 should be just fine.

As the least expensive computer in this list, the Q190 is a micro PC that comes with a stand for vertical mounting, or it can be attached to the back of a display.

Sure, its 1.6GHz dual-core Celeron 1017U processor really isn't capable of much more than the aforementioned general computing tasks, but if you're on a slim budget, it's enough to get by.

Besides, if you like this small form factor but still want something slightly more powerful, upgrades with faster Pentium and Core i3 processors are available.

LG Chromebase

10. LG Chromebase

An easy to use and excellent value all-in-one

Astonishing value

Simple to use

Annoying keyboard

Chrome OS is a decent alternative to Windows on laptops, but there's no reason why it can't be used in a desktop computer in the same way. LG has had that very idea when making the Chromebase, an all-in-one PC that runs Google's desktop OS.

Being an all-in-one, it carries the same benefits as Apple's far more expensive iMac – no need for cables everywhere, the speakers are built into the display, and it's all very straightforward. And actually, some of the hardware is really quite smart. You get an IPS screen, which looks really good.

Of course, Chrome OS has some downsides. You can't run Windows software, so that means no Microsoft Office, for example. That said, Google recently announced that its Play app store will be making its way to Chrome OS later this year, which could potentially breathe new life into the LG Chromebase's software catalog.

Chrome OS is intentionally designed to work with files stored in the cloud rather than locally, and has equivalents of Microsoft's software which run in a browser rather than from the computer. It takes some getting used to, but it does work, and works well.

Once again, for basic use, this type of setup will prove to work well, although it may take some time to get used to. All said, it's tough to beat a deal like this.

Read the full review: LG Chromebase

Gabe Carey has also contributed to this article

Now, what about the best Chromebooks?

Yahuui Blog

Friday, May 20, 2016