The HP Compaq Presario S4000T, our Editors Choice for desktops, hits a very sweet spot in our roundup. Like the Dell, Gateway, and Sony systems, the S4000T has good performance and cool multimedia features, but it does so for about $300 less than the others. Wed also like to give a nod to the Gateway Media Center PC—a little pricey but a very cool system that will make any student happy.
For those set on a notebook, we award an Editors Choice to the Gateway 450X. Good performance, long battery life, strong wireless ability, and a lighter weight rocketed it to our top spot. And once again, with close competition from HP, IBM, and Toshiba, cost played a part in our decision.
If price is your main concern, what with all those nasty tuition bills, the eMachines desktop and notebook, as well as the Sony notebook, can handle your typical student applications: You can research the Web, write your report, listen to music, and watch movies. And though not as well rounded or as fast as our Editors Choices, for getting you through the school year, these budget systems fill the bill.
For more details, read the full PC Magazine article.