Gateway knows how to market a compelling budget slim tower, and the SX2851-41 is no exception. We're wary of buying any new PC right now with an Intel chip refresh on the way, but if you need an affordable desktop for work or living-room duty, this system is a solid pick.

Falcon Northwest's flagship Mach V gaming PC gets a towering case redesign and upgrades to the latest components from Intel and Nvidia. We have a few suggestions to make this system truly live up to its boutique price tag, but overall the Mach V delivers on its promise of luxury PC gaming.

The Origin Genesis is the first system we've seen with Intel's new Sandy Bridge Core i7 2600K chip. Fast, and extremely overclockable, the new chip has provided Origin with a platform for a remarkably value-friendly gaming rig. Shop around for pricing as Sandy Bridge spreads among other vendors, but right now this is the $2,499 gaming PC to beat.

It's often hard to distinguish one vendor from another in the crowded custom builder market. If you find that Digital Storm has a sale, or a certain component you have your eye on, we can say from this Special Ops 690 II Advanced build that its prices are fair and it's mostly on top of its PC-building game.

Even if we hadn't seen faster PCs for less this holiday season, we'd still take issue with the value proposition of the Acer Aspire Predator G5900-U3092. With few extra features or connectivity options to justify its $1,349 price tag, this PC trades primarily on its unique design--a poor substitute for useful functionality.

Velocity Micro's Vector Holiday Edition offers one of the best deals we've ever seen in a mainstream PC. For under $1,000, this system provides a Blu-ray drive, overachieving speed, and room to grow in an attractive, well-built package. We enthusiastically recommend this system to anyone looking for a fast, affordable computer.

Gateway's by-the-numbers FX6840-15e shows how mainstream PC vendors can fall down compared with their smaller, hungrier competition. This isn't a bad computer, but you can find faster gaming PCs elsewhere for less.

Gateway's by-the-numbers FX6840-15e shows how mainstream PC vendors can fall down compared with their smaller, hungrier competition. This isn't a bad computer, but you can find faster gaming PCs elsewhere for less.

From fast performance, to a Blu-ray drive, to plentiful other features, HP's Pavilion Slimline includes almost everything we'd ask for in our ideal living-room slim tower PC. It will seem expensive if you're more inclined to get a Nettop or a set-top box, but for committed PC media enthusiasts, this HP offers the complete package.

Acer's Aspire Z5700 is a fast, media-friendly all-in-one that would serve well as a media hub in a dorm or a den. We'd like to see a bit more polish in its design, and a Blu-ray drive would make it a home run, but on balance we can recommend this system for its speed, its large screen, and its digital media versatility.