2004's Best Desktop PCs

[Nohani]

Apple iMac G5

Apple again leads the pack in all-in-one design innovation with the iMac G5. All the hardware components, including the powerful G5 processor, nVidia GeForce FX 5200 Ultra graphics card, DVD-R/CD-RW SuperDrive, and plentiful multimedia ports, are housed in the sleek white 20-inch widescreen display. The only cable you have to deal with is the power cord. If you're ready to jump off the Windows ship for the coolest-looking system possible, you can't go wrong with the iMac G5.

SPECS:
1.8-GHz PowerPC G5, 512MB DDR SDRAM, 160GB SATA hard drive, 64MB nVidia GeForce FX 5200 Ultra, 802.11g, 20-inch LCD, DVD-R/CD-RW SuperDrive; three USB 2.0, two USB 1.1, and two FireWire; $2,103 direct.
Apple Computer Inc., www.apple.com.

[Nohani]

IBM ThinkCentre S50

IBM's ThinkCentre corporate line is a cut above the rest; its comprehensive management tools are just the beginning. The ThinkCentre systems are guaranteed to support the same software image for a full two years, and you can now use an image across four different form factors. The ultrasmall ThinkCentre S50's cover is reinforced with steel, so you can set a full-size monitor on top of the system without ever bending the chassis.

SPECS:
2.8-GHz Pentium 4 processor, 512MB DDR SDRAM, 80GB hard drive, integrated graphics, CD-RW, 15-inch LCD, six USB 2.0, $1,199 direct.
IBM Corp., www.ibm.com.

[Nohani]

HP Media Center Photosmart PC m1050y Series

For a feature-rich system that melds the PC and entertainment worlds, look to the HP Media Center Photosmart PC m1050y Series. With its Hyper-Threaded Pentium 4 560 processor, 400GB SATA hard drive, flash card reader with a zillion slots, and dazzling 23-inch widescreen LCD, this is one hot Media Center system. If you add the HP Media Center Extender ($299), you can put the 802.11g-equipped m1050 anywhere in the house and still access your music, pictures, and video in the living room.

SPECS:
3.6-GHz Pentium 4 560, 1GB DDR SDRAM, 400GB SATA hard drive, 256MB ATI Radeon X600 Pro, DVD±RW, DVD-ROM, Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS sound card, six USB 2.0 and two FireWire, Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
Hewlett-Packard Development Co., www.hp.com