Dell Studio Hybrid 140G Desktop

Compact Case Is Designed for Smaller Work Areas
This compact computer is smaller than the standard and midsize tower PCs that fit under your desk, making it ideal for limited work areas. Small case designs vary, too. However, such PCs tend to be underpowered (especially on gaming), and mini cases also have few available expansion slots and drive bays. Generally you'll have to expand the system via USB, FireWire, or eSATA peripherals, so make sure your compact system has a large number (and assortment) of ports.
Older-Generation Pentium CPU Is Adequate
This system is based on one of Intel's older Pentium processors, and though the chip's performance will be more than adequate in most cases, generally it won't be on a par with Intel's newer Core 2 or AMD's Phenom CPUs.
Earlier versions won't run 64-bit operating systems. Other drawbacks include the fact that original Pentium 4-based computers used RDRAM, which is harder to come by these days. The CPU line also lacks the advanced power-saving features found in newer processors.
We recommend opting for a newer processor if you're buying a new computer, but there's no compelling reason to upgrade an existing system if it has one of the faster Pentiums on board.
A PC With Little Included RAM Can Do Light Work
This system offers less than 1GB of memory, which is the bare minimum that any full-featured new computer should include. Whether this amount of RAM is optimal for you depends on the PC's operating system: Windows Vista and Apple's Mac OS X don't run well with less than 1GB, Windows XP is fine with 512MB and not too bad with 384MB, and Windows 98 is good with 256MB. Depending on the distribution, Linux can run with as little as 128MB, but most Linux users are better off with at least 512MB--and 1GB is better.
The more installed memory your PC has, the more applications you can run smoothly at once, and the better the system will perform. Upgrading memory in a desktop after you purchase the PC is a snap, but usually it's worthwhile to buy the amount of memory you want preinstalled with the system.

Adequate Hard-Disk Capacity for Business or Light Home Use
With respect to hard-drive space, this system is in the low-to-midrange tier. Whether that's important depends on your needs. Though video gobbles up drive space at a prodigious rate, most other data types take up far less than 500GB.
For basic business purposes or light home use, even 80GB or 120GB might be enough. A better minimum is 300GB, especially if you download movies or music. Compact desktops that use smaller, 2.5-inch laptop drives offer less capacity. In that kind of setup, 120GB is a more realistic minimum, though 80GB will be enough for most users.
Included Disc Writer Burns CDs and DVDs
The DVD burner on this system will allow you to burn CDs and DVDs (including movies, with the right software), play DVD movies, install software from CDs and DVDs, and play audio CDs and other types of discs. Most DVD burners have a slide-out media tray, though you'll find some slot-loading models on smaller or more-stylish PCs. Half-height drives exist, too; you'll find them mostly in laptops or external boxes. Since DVD burners are now a commodity item, even entry-level models are fast.
Integrated Intel Graphics Chip Can Handle Everyday Computing
This system uses a video chip from the leading graphics-processor manufacturer in the world: Intel. Though nVidia and ATI enjoy all the press, Intel has the biggest graphics market share because it supplies the integrated graphics chips for a huge number of desktop computers. For everyday computing, the performance of an Intel GPU is excellent. Unfortunately, by current standards the gaming performance is pathetic--largely because these chips usually use system memory instead of faster dedicated graphics memory.
With this PC, stick to business or general-application home use. And since only the most recent Intel GPUs can drive large wide-screen displays at their full resolution, be sure to check the chip-specific specs.
Windows Vista: Good Multimedia and Security, but a Resource Hog
This computer ships with Microsoft's latest operating system. Windows Vista offers improved multimedia and networking savvy, looks better than Windows XP, and has greater security than its predecessor, but it can be a slower-feeling operating system due to heavier resource requirements. You can run it with only 512MB of main memory in your PC, but having at least 1GB will provide a much better experience.
Common 32-bit versions of Windows Vista can address no more than 4GB of RAM, even if your machine has more available. So unless you're using the 64-bit version of Vista (or 64-bit XP, if you can still find a copy), a computer with 2GB to 4GB of memory is the right target.
FireWire Port Allows Rapid Data Transfer
The FireWire connection (also called an IEEE1394 or i.Link port) in this computer can rapidly transfer data to and from a range of devices, most commonly video cameras, external hard drives, and advanced sound cards.
Generally desktop PCs have a full-size six-pin FireWire port on the rear, often on a front panel. Some also include the smaller, unpowered four-pin connection that you can find on laptops and certain consumer electronics devices. (Camcorder makers often bundle a six-pin-to-four-pin FireWire cable because of this.)
The newer FireWire 800 (IEEE1394c) implementation is not backward-compatible and uses a nine-pin connector. If your peripheral (such as a video camera or external hard drive) uses FireWire 800, you should double-check to confirm that every desktop PC you're considering supports it, too.
USB Connections Let You Connect Various Peripherals
USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports allow this system to use any number of USB peripherals such as printers, keyboards, and mice. You can also use an external USB hard disk or a USB thumb drive to expand this desktop's storage or back up your data.
Note that the older, much slower (11 megabits per second) 1.x implementation of USB was fine for peripherals, but is frustratingly slow for storage. New desktop computers all support the speedier USB 2.0 (480 mbps)--but double-check on that if you're buying a used or older system. And when it comes to USB ports, the more the merrier.