BEST BUDGET BRANDS

THREE MANUFACTURERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAJORITY OF OFFICE PC SUPPLY — DELL, HP AND LENOVO. DELL’S OPTIPLEX LINE IS THE ONE YOU’LL SEE MOST OFTEN, AND ITS UBIQUITY MEANS IT’S USUALLY THE MOST REASONABLY PRICED.

Look to pay around $200 for an Optiplex 790 packing a second-gen Core i5, or $50 more for an Optiplex 7010 with a third-gen chip. The internals are great to work with, and they’re covered in USB ports. And that pierced grey accent panel? That’s actually pretty nice.

Next up, HP and its sub-brand Compaq. If you can find an HP ProDesk (the model we bagged while researching, for around $250), you’ll get at least a fourth-gen chip, although the smaller form factor models are so tightly configured they’re not worth your time if you’re planning to upgrade. The Elite line is generally a great deal, at around $160 for an Elite 8200 with a Core i5-2400. Shop around, and you may be able to find the step-up 8300, with an i5-3470, for under $180 — cast scorn at those trying to get $200-plus for them, for they are fools.

Lenovo’s ThinkCentre line is less common, and the more compact designs can be tricky to work with. If you do go for an Lenovo, the M72e tower, around $180, is a decent third-gen base with plenty of room within to work. Other brands do produce business machines, but can be hard to come by; Acer’s Veriton line is probably the fourth most common commercial desktop, though your options are limited, and it’s very rare to see ASUS Pro boxes on these shores.