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.
Athlon CPU Is Decent for a Cheap System
The CPU that this PC uses is a single-core version of the dual-core Athlon 64 X2 (which AMD replaced with its current Phenom range). The Athlon 64 was a good performer in its time, but it isn't as fast as the newer multiple-core processors. Don’t go for a new computer that includes this CPU; in a cheap used system, on the other hand, it will do a nice job on everyday tasks and even support 64-bit Windows.
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.
6xxx-Series nVidia Graphics Are Decent for Everyday Work
This system has an older nVidia GPU. First released around 2004-2005, the 6xxx series of graphics chips are DirectX 9 and OpenGL 2.0 processors, meaning that they accelerate functions for those standards. Most of the lower-numbered 6xxx chips are integrated onto the computer's motherboard and use system memory instead of their own dedicated video RAM. You wouldn't want to build a gaming system around a 6xxx graphics chip, but for regular computing, one of these will do just fine. Some versions (notably the integrated chips) don't support all of the resolutions that today's newer, larger monitors offer.
Windows XP: Workhorse OS Runs Well
This PC ships with Windows XP installed. Windows XP has been the workhorse operating system for mainstream computers for nearly a decade, and generally works quite well. It also has by far the broadest driver and application support of any existing OS, and will run fine on systems with only 512MB of memory and a smaller (20GB to 40GB) hard drive.
However, Microsoft has seen fit to limit DirectX 10 support to (as well as slightly alter the driver model for) Windows Vista, XP's replacement. This means that eventually the latest games--as well as drivers for the newest hardware--may be available only for Vista. Even so, maintaining drivers for both XP and Vista isn't nearly as difficult for vendors as it was with XP and Windows 98, so XP will remain a viable operating system for the foreseeable future.
One thing to keep in mind: Common 32-bit versions of Windows XP can address no more than 4GB of RAM, even if your computer has more available. So unless you're using the 64-bit version of Windows XP, a computer with 2GB to 4GB of memory is the right target.
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.
Card Reader Takes MultiMediaCard
This system's MMC slot allows it to read the older MultiMediaCard format--the predecessor of SD Card media. SD and SDHC slots will read MMC, too, but not vice versa. For the most part, MMC is simply an additional spec for an SD or SDHC slot, which will read the two (or three) types.
Card Reader Accepts Sony Memory Stick
This computer can read and write to Sony's proprietary Memory Stick flash memory devices, and with an adapter it could also support variants such as Memory Stick Pro, Duo, Pro Duo, and Micro. Few non-Sony devices use Memory Stick; however, the company is so large that chances are you might need to read data from one someday. Most times, Memory Stick is just one among several media card types that a desktop PC can accept.
Media Reader Takes SD Card
Equipped with an SD Card (Secure Digital) reader, this PC can transfer photos from a digital camera when you have no cable. With the proper adapter, SD slots will also read data from the miniSD media used in cell phones.
The newer SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) standard is not backward-compatible, so the slot may not read such cards; check the PC's specs further to determine whether it offers SDHC support. The latest SD variant, the microSDHC, is the tiniest flash memory card to date, measuring only 11mm across. It's also the fastest and roomiest, capable of holding up to 16GB of data.
Media Reader Takes CompactFlash Cards
This PC has a multiformat card reader capable of reading CompactFlash (also known as CF) cards. Despite having been supplanted by SD Card and SDHC, CompactFlash cards are still used in older digital cameras.
Media Reader Accepts XD Picture Card Media
An XD Picture Card slot lets this system read the XD flash memory cards used in digital cameras, mostly those of Fujifilm and Olympus. On occasion XD cards are also present in voice recorders and MP3 players.
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