Don't know which computer to buy (4 GB RAM)

The HP Z238 is an entry-level workstation desktop PC designed for creative professionals that don't need powerful 3D graphics capabilities.

The combo of the powerful quad core Intel Core i5-7500 and integrated HD Graphics 630 help this workstation being a valid companion to every serious photo/video editor.

The Z238 has been especially designed for heavy duty CPU and 2D graphics computations and, like all HP Workstations, has been thoroughly tested under extreme conditions.

This compact workstation is fully modular and easily upgradable, and if you need an inexpensive yet powerful, mainly used for 2D creativity workstation that will last in time, the HP Z238 is probably the best solution on the market.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Gigabit Ethernet

• Ports: 3xDisplayPort, Serial, PS/2 Mouse, PS/2 Keyboard, 4xUSB 3.0, 6xUSB 2.0, RJ-45, 4x Audio, SD Card Reader

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 162 Points (One of the highest single core scores)

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   617 Points (Excellent score)

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  1914 (Low score, but better than most Intel integrated graphics)

At just 715$, the HP Z238 is a total deal and thanks to its modularity and expandability, a seemingly perfect entry into the creatives workstation world.

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If you are looking for the best compact desktop workstation computer to buy, for the least amount of money you are willing to spare, you should definitively buy the HP Z240 SFF. The HP Z240 is a great starting machine for creatives and 2D CAD engineers and beyond since it can be easily expanded with a vast selection of powerful Nvidia Quadro Graphics Cards for all the most advanced CAD and Computing Needs.

If you need a powerful and reliable computer but don't have budget for the bigger and expensive Xeon based workstation this might be the right PC for you.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel Gigabit Ethernet

• Ports: 4x Audio Jacks (2x Front, 2x Back), 2xPS/2, 8xUSB 3.0, 2xUSB 2.0, 2xDisplayPort, DVI-D

• Optical Drive: DVD+-RW Drive

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

 Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 162 Points (Excellent single core score)

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   617 Points (Great Multi-Core score but still relatively entry-level for Workstation standards)

Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11 Overall:    1865 (Good score for integrated graphics standards, you should absolutely install a Nvidia Quadro for serious CAD)

Reviews on other sites

This model has just been recently released and there are no other reviews othet than this one at the moment.

Pros:

• Inexpensive
• solid build quality
• can be expanded
• PS/2 Ports for legacy peripherals
• excellent video editing machine
• Power Supply Unit with 92% efficiency

Contras:

• only 4GB of RAM
• not suitable for 3D computing from the start

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for users looking to dive into the workstation world for the first time.

You can buy the HP Z240 on Amazon.

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This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

If you are looking for the best desktop workstation computer to buy, for the least amount of money you are willing to spare, you should definitively buy the HP Z240 Micro Tower. The HP Z240 is a great starting machine for creatives and 2D CAD engineers and beyond since it can be easily expanded with a vast selection of powerful Nvidia Quadro Graphics Cards for all the most advanced CAD and Computing Needs.

If you need a powerful and reliable computer but don't have the budget for the more expensive Xeon/Quadro based workstation this might be the right PC for you.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel Gigabit Ethernet

• Ports: 4x Audio Jacks (2x Front, 2x Back), 2xPS/2, 8xUSB 3.0, 2xUSB 2.0, 2xDisplayPort, DVI-D

• Optical Drive: DVD+-RW Drive

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

 Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 162 Points (Excellent single core score)

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   617 Points (Great Multi-Core score but still relatively entry-level for Workstation standards)

Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11 Overall:    1868 (Good score for integrated graphics standards, you should absolutely install a Nvidia Quadro for serious CAD)

Reviews on other sites

This model has just been recently released and there are no other reviews othet than this one at the moment.

Pros:

• Inexpensive
• solid build quality
• can be expanded
• PS/2 Ports for legacy peripherals
• excellent video editing machine
• Power Supply Unit with 92% efficiency
• Fast Storage

Contras:

• only 4GB of RAM
• not suitable for 3D computing from the start

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for users looking to dive into the workstation world for the first time.

You can buy the HP Z240 Micro Tower on Amazon.

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This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E550 is one of the best entry-level business laptops ever made. It features good business performance and great keyboard and matte screen for a small price under 500$. You can also try to play some casual games during coffee breaks; just don't pretend too much from it.

Key characteristics

.

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel i219-LM Gigabit Ethernet + Intel Dual Band Wireless AC 3160 w/Bluetooth 4.0 Combo Card (usually everything you need for Cabled and Wi-Fi connectivity)

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0, USB 2.0, HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, SD Card Reader, docking station port (great selection of ports that can be expanded thanks to the docking station socket)

• Operating system: Microsoft Windows 7 Pro 64bit + Windows 10 Pro 64bit upgrade DVD

• Weight; 2.35kg

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• Business users that don't need too much memory intensive workloads.
• University students that want something more than a Chromebook.

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 110 Points

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   264 Points

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11: 984

Reviews on other sites

This model got excellent reviews (82% Notebookcheck and 4.4/5 Stars on Amazon).

Pros:

• Quiet operation
• High quality casing
• Cool operation
• Long battery life
• Fast internet interfaces
• Great typing experience only Lenovo can provide.
• Fast Wi-Fi
• Fingerprint reader

Contras:

• Matte but relatively mediocre and dark display.

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer an ideal choice for business user and students that need a good quality built and typing experience and don't need a lot of RAM or are willing to upgrade it soon.

You can buy right now for about 599$ on Amazon.com

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This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The ASUS Transformer book is one of the best basic convertible laptops in the under 300$ category. It is powerful enough to do all the basic internet stuff you may need, the chassis has a lightweight and sturdy design and the Intel Atom CPU inside means it is entirely fanless.

 Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Wi-Fi a/b/g/n w/Bluetooth 4.0 (Wi-Fi connectivity only, doesn't support the latest Wi-Fi ac standard)

• Ports: USB 2.0, microUSB 2.0, USB 3.0 Type-C , microHDMI, 3,5mm Audio

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Weight; 1.07kg

Reviews on other sites

This model got good reviews (80% Notebookcheck and 3.3 Stars on Amazon).

Pros:

• Improved keyboard docking mechanism
• Improved graphic capabilities compared to the older Asus Transformer Book
• Good screen
• Fast eMMC storage
• Silent and cool working
• Extremely good port selection
• Impressive battery life of over 24hours.

Contras:

• Bad smartphone-like speakers
• Mediocre application performance.

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer an ideal choice for people in need of a basic internet-browsing convertible that has an extra-long battery life and offers as many ports as you may need in a convertible.

You can buy right now for about 286$ on Amazon.com

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This review was last updated on June 1st, 2016. It is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The Acer Aspire E5-722-2611 is a giant sized netbook, made mostly for internet browsing and basic office workloads. It is constantly cool & quiet thanks to its huge chassis. The keyboard and the build quality are both excellent and as a plus, it can play some casual games thanks to its AMD APU. This laptop is a great introduction to the world of PCs.

  Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Gigabit Ethernet + Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac w/ Bluetooth 4.0 (Everything you may need for cabled and Wi-Fi connectivity)

• Ports: 2xUSB 2.0, USB 3.0, VGA, HDMI, Ethernet, 3.5mm Audio

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Weight; 2.5kg

Reviews on other sites

This model got good reviews (81% Notebookcheck and 4 Stars on Amazon).

Pros:

• Cool & Quiet operation
• Good keyboard
• Decent battery life

Contros:

• Relatively difficult upgradability

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer an ideal choice for people in need of a bigger sized, basic, internet-browsing PC with a little more performance than its Intel Braswell-based competitors do.

You can buy right now for about 329$ on Amazon.com

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This review was last updated on June 1st, 2016. It is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

This awesome 12.3" 2-in-1 Business Convertible combines great power, total silence and a great ultra-high resolution touchscreen. The new Smart Keyboard and Surface Pen are both incredible, offering accurate typing and precise touch input. Thanks to the extremely-efficient passive cooling, some gaming can be done at low to moderate settings.

.

.  Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Marvell Wireless AC Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac w/Bluetooth 4.0 (Wi-Fi connectivity only, supports the latest Wi-Fi ac standard)

• Ports: USB 3.0, MiniDisplayPort, microSD Card, 3,5mm audio

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

• Weight; 1kg

Reviews on other sites

This model got very good reviews (88% Notebookcheck and 4 Stars on Amazon).

Pros:

• Gorgeous display
• Silent and fanless, albeit powerful core m3 based design
• Greatly improved keyboard dock and its terrific Pen
• High quality chassis at an honest price
• Impressive battery life and extremely high performance for such an energy frugal processor

Contras:

• Lack of Thunderbolt 3 ports
• High system temperatures under heavy load.

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer an ideal choice for business users in search of a silent laptop that can become a tablet without having to sacrifice performance.

You can buy right now for about 799$ on Amazon.com

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This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

This classy business 2-In-1 Convertible has an even better keyboard dock than the Surface Pro, plus it can easily be upgraded thanks to a maintenance hatch. The Touchscreen is one of the best out there, very bright and with a very high contrast ratio. Its battery life is another great selling point and can last for an incredible amount of 15 Hours.

.  Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 Wi-Fi ac w/Bluetooth 4.2 (Wi-Fi connectivity only, supports the latest Wi-Fi ac standard)

• Ports: USB 2.0, USB 3.0, microHDMI, 3.5mm Audio

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

• Weight; 780kg

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 113 Points

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   217 Points

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  1219 

Gaming Benchmarks:

• Bioshock Infinite (Ultra Low 1280x720): (Barely Playable)
• Company of Heroes 2: (Unplayable)
• Rise Of The Tomb Raider: (Unplayable)

Reviews on other sites

This model got very good reviews (86% Notebookcheck and 3.5 Stars on Amazon).

Pros:

• Gorgeous display,
• Silent and fanless but powerful core m5 based design
• Great keyboard dock and its terrific Pen
• High quality chassis at an honest price
• Impressive battery life and extremely high performance for such an energy frugal processor

Contras:

• Conservative use of Turbo Boost under heavy multitasking

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer an ideal choice for business users in search of a silent laptop that can become a tablet without having to sacrifice performance.

You can buy right now for about 679$ on Amazon.com

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This review was last updated on June 1st, 2016. It is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

This powerful and ultra-compact PC is an ideal solution for your business; thanks to its low voltage 4th Gen Intel Core i7, it's perfect for every type of productivity. Its compact design blends perfectly with the rest of the office and you can even hide it behind your monitor. The use of a low voltage CPU guarantees a silent operation and smaller power consumption compared with a traditional desktop.

Specs here:

• CPU Intel Core i7-4785T 2.2Ghz (3.2Ghz Turbo) Quad Core / Octathreaded 8MB L3 Cache 35W TDP 64bit
• CHIPSET: Intel Q87
• GPU: Intel HD Graphics 4600 Integrated
• NETWORKING: Gigabit Ethernet + Wi-Fi n
• RAM: 4GB DDR3-1600 Single Channel
• STORAGE: 500GB Hard Drive
• CONNECTIVITY: SD Card Reader, DVI, DisplayPort, Ethernet, 5xUSB 2.0, 2xUSB 3.0, 2xAudio, TPM
• MOUSE: ASUS Optical Mouse
• KEYBOARD: ASUS USB Keyboard
• OPERATING SYSTEM: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional + Windows 8.1 Pro 64bit
• PRICE: 600€

The Dell OptiPlex is a powerful, versatile, ultra compact and energy efficient business desktop. This PC is great for the enterprise world and features all major security options like Full Data Encryption.

Full Specs here:

• CPU: Intel Core i3-4160T 3,1 Ghz, Dual Core / Quad Threaded 3MB L3 Cache 37W TDP
• CHIPSET: Intel H81
• GPU: Intel HD Graphics 4400 Integrated
• NETWORKING: Gigabit Ethernet
• RAM: 4GB DDR3-1600 Single Channel
• STORAGE: 500GB Hard Drive
• CONNECTIVITY: DisplayPort, VGA, Ethernet,  6xUSB 2.0, 2xUSB 3.0, Audio 3,5mm Jack
• PSU: 65W
• KEYBOARD: Dell Standard Keyboard
• MOUSE: Dell Optical Mouse
• OPERATING SYSTEM: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional + Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro 64

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 125 Points

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   316 Points

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  721

This is a basic laptop (at a cheap price!) for basic internet and multimedia stuff (not for videogames though). For its category, it has a surprisingly high amount of disk space. 

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Realtek PCI-E Fast Ethernet + Wi-Fi b/g/n w/Bluetooth 4.0 Combo Card (usually everything you need for Wi-Fi & browsing - of course, it doesn't reach top internet speed as it is limited to 100 Mbit/s)

• Ports: USB 3.0, 2xUSB 2.0, HDMI, Audio, Ethernet (pretty good selection of ports)

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit (pretty standard; this laptop has enough memory to run the 64bit version)

• Weight; 2.16kg (slightly on the upper end considering it's a netbook, but still ok)

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel Dual-Band Wireless-AC 8260 Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac w/Bluetooth 4.1 Combo Card

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0 Type C, Audio

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Battery: 39Wh Li-Ion

• Weight; 1.1kg

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 37 Points

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   68 Points

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  412

Reviews on other sites

This model got excellent reviews on Notebook-center.ru with 5 out of 5 stars. Many platforms don't show any reviews yet (e.g. Amazon) simply because it's a very new device.

Pros:

• Relatively good performance
• Big storage space for netbook standards
• Great price/performance ratio

Contras:

• None

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for basic internet and multimedia stuff, but don't plan to play any videogames on it. Great storage size (e.g. for many downloads, huge music & movies collections) for its price. In addition, it's great that you can upgrade the computer (e.g. more memory & storage), a characteristic most models of this category don't offer. 

You can buy it on Amazon.

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This review was last updated on June 1st, 2016. It is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The HP Slimline 411 is a silent, basic desktop for everyday internet and Home Theater multimedia at a cheap price. Its 1TB Storage is great for storing your movie and music collection.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Realtek RTL8161 + Wi-Fi n b/g/n Bluetooth 4.0 Combo Card (usually everything you need for internet browsing, Wi-Fi not compatible with the latest ac standard)

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0, 2xUSB 2.0, HDMI, DVI-D, 5xAudio, Ethernet (pretty good selection of ports, but only 4xUSB ports is a bit poor for a desktop)

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit (pretty standard; this small desktop has enough memory to run this 64bit version)

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• Students and other people that need a pc just for basic internet and multimedia stuff, want a lot of storage for downloads and media files but don't plan to play videogames on it.
• Home Theater PC Enthusiast that want a silent home entertainment system.

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 39 Points

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   69 Points

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  414

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 5 Stars (5 stars on Amazon) this computer has an above-average rating.

Pros:

• Relatively good performance
• Big storage
• Great price/performance ratio

Contras:

• None

Conclusion

The HP  SlimLine 411 (Celeron N3050/4GB/1TB HDD Nettop) is a great choice if you are willing to spend as little bucks as possible but want  a computer that can be used smoothly for most basic things, completely silent and with a good storage space.

You can buy it on Amazon.

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This review was last updated on June 1st, 2016. It is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay. 

This ultra-low priced business PC is an interesting blast from the past! Even if this laptop features older generation hardware and software, it still is an extremely valid computer, offering roughly the performance of a 600$ laptop at almost half the price.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Gigabit Ethernet + Wi-Fi b/g/n w/Bluetooth 4.0 (usually everything you need for cabled connectivity, sadly doesn't support the latest and fastest Wi-Fi ac standard)

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0, USB 2.0, VGA, HDMI, Ethernet, 3.5mm Audio (great selection of ports for this price range)

• Operating system: Windows 7 Professional 64bit + Window 10 Professional 64bit

• Weight; 2.32kg

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• Office/home office users that don't need to travel much but prefer the versatility of a laptop.
• Users with a tight budget in search of something more powerful than the average Braswell based Cloudbook/Convertible.

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 70 Points

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core: 191 Points

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  826

Gaming Benchmarks:

• Bioshock Infinite (Ultra-Low 1280x720): Playable)
• Company of Heroes 2: (Unplayable)
• Rise Of The Tomb Raider: (Unplayable)

Reviews on other sites

This model got good reviews (73% Notebookcheck and 4 Stars on Amazon).

Pros:

• Amazing price/performance ratio
• Good cooling system
• Easy upgradability
• Matte display instead of the usual ultra-reflective monitors PCs of this price point have

Contras

• Poor battery life
• Low contrast ratio of its display, probably caused by the matte coating making it basically useless for professional photographers

Conclusion-

The above characteristics make this computer an ideal choice for home office and small business users with a tight budget planning to use this computer mainly connected to the a/c plug. This laptop offers a lot of performance for an incredibly low price tag, defeating all of its cloudbook competitors.

You can buy right now for about 347$ on Amazon.com

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This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

This relatively inexpensive high-end 2-in-1 convertible which packs the usual impressive build quality HP is known for.

  Alas this Computer has one of the best typing experiences on a 12.9" PC.

The Spectre x2 12 also features a powerful quad speaker from Bang & Olufsen (very impressive for a device so slim) that will make music enthusiasts very happy. The only drawback is that the processor performance and battery life are unfortunately just average (but not bad at all) for the category,

The HP Spectre x2 12 is one of the most versatile and stylish PCs and if you write heavily and/or you are a music lover, this may be the right computer for you. If you need a much more powerful CPU and you are willing to spend a few extra bucks, the Acer Aspire Switch 12 is a much better option.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac w/Bluetooth 4.0 + LTE SIM Slot (the HP Spectre x2 12, like most convertible PCs, lacks cabled Ethernet interface but has all the latest tech for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity and the possibility to add a Data SIM on selected models)

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Connectivity: USB 3.0, USB 3.0 Type-C 3,5mm Audio, microSD card reader (limited connectivity typical of 2-In-1 Convertibles)

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• Writers looking for a versatile computer that can offer a great typing experience.
• Multimedia Enthusiast that are not really into computer gaming will find this PC very interesting, especially music fans.

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 87/100 (87% on Notebookcheck and 5/5 Stars on Amazon.com) this computer has a great overall rating.

Pros:

• Great keyboard dock
• USB-Type C Port
• Great screen quality
• Great camera module from Intel
• Adjustable feet stand
• Silent fanless operation

Contras:

• Average CPU performance
• Battery life under heavy load

Conclusion

The HP Spectre x2 12 is one of the most versatile and stylish PCs, and if you write heavily and/or you are a music lover, this may be the right computer for you. If you need a much more powerful CPU and are willing to spend a few extra bucks, the Acer Aspire Switch 12 can be a much better option.

You can buy it on Amazon.

--
This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The new Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E560 is one of the best entry-level business laptops ever made, and thanks to its 6th gen Intel Core i5 processor, is even better than the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E550. It features good business performance, a great keyboard, matte screen and great all day battery life for the small price of just under 600$. You can also try to play some casual games during coffee breaks; just don't pretend too much from it.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel i219-LM Gigabit Ethernet + Intel Dual Band Wireless AC 3165 w/Bluetooth 4.0 Combo Card (usually everything you need for Cabled and Wi-Fi connectivity)

• Ports: 3xUSB 3.0, HDMI, VGA, Ethernet, SD Card Reader, docking station port (great selection of ports that can be expanded thanks to the docking station socket)

• Operating system: Microsoft Windows 7 Pro 64bit + Windows 10 Pro 64bit upgrade DVD

Weight

; 2.38kg (extremely lightweight for workstation standards)

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• Business users that don't need too much memory intensive workloads.
• University students that want something more than a Chromebook.

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core:  99 Points

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   253 Points

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  1363 

Gaming Benchmarks:

• Bioshock Infinite (Ultra Low 1280x720): (Playable)
• Company of Heroes 2: (Unplayable)
• Rise Of The Tomb Raider: (Unplayable)

Reviews on other sites

This model got excellent reviews (83% Notebookcheck and 4.4/5 Stars on Amazon).

Pros:

• Quiet operation
• High quality casing
• Cool operation
• Long battery life
• Fast internet interfaces
• The great typing experience only Lenovo can provide

Contras:

• Matte but relatively dark and mediocre display

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer an ideal choice for business users and students that need a good quality build and typing experience and don't need a lot of RAM or are willing to upgrade it soon.

You can buy right now for about 599$ on Amazon.com

--
This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The HP x2 210 G1 is a basic business convertible. If compared to other convertible Cloudbooks, this PC offers a higher amount of memory (4GB) a slightly faster and bigger 64GB eMMC storage (instead of the usual 32GB) and very good speakers from Bang & Olufsen. If you only need internet browsing and office workloads for your business, and you value a lightweight yet sturdy companion, the relatively high price of 445$ is largely justified!

  Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3165 w/Bluetooth 4.2 (Wi-Fi connectivity only, supports the latest Wi-Fi ac standard)

• Ports: USB 3.0, USB 2.0 Type-C, HDMI, 3,5mm Audio, microSD Card Reader

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Weight; 1.2kg

Reviews on other sites

This model got good reviews (79% Notebookcheck).

Pros:

• IPS Screen
• Silent and fanless design
• Long battery life
• USB Type-C connectivity

Contras:

• Short warranty and high price for Atom based cloudbook standards

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer an ideal choice for business users in need of a basic internet browsing companion and office convertible that has an extra long battery life and offers a superior build quality.

You can buy right now for about 445$ on Amazon.com

--
This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The HP Pavilion 11t x360 is a small and economic basic Home Theater PC that has the advantage of being convertible to desktop, laptop and tablet form factor. Thanks to its completely silent and fanless design, great video encoder/decoder, huge storage, external TV HDMI connectivity and gorgeous integrated IPS screen with an almost perfect color reproduction, this small computer is an excellent entertainment device.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Realtek PCI-E Fast Ethernet + Realtek RTL8723BE Wi-Fi b/g/n w/Bluetooth 4.0 Combo Card (usually everything you need for internet browsing - of course, being a cheap cloudbook, it doesn't reach top internet speed as it is limited to 100 Mbit/s on both LAN and Wi-Fi)

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0, USB 2.0, HDMI, Audio, Ethernet, SD Card Reader (pretty good selection of ports)

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit (this PC has enough memory to run the 64bit version)

• Weight; 1.43kg (Not a bad weight for a PC with mechanical Hard Disk)

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 36 Points

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   67 Points

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  412

Reviews on other sites

This model got excellent reviews with an overall rating of 78% (Notebookcheck) and of 4/5 Stars on Amazon. Many platforms don't show any reviews yet (e.g. Amazon) simply because it's a very new device. 

Pros:

• Excellent screen with an almost perfect color reproduction and fast response rates
• Big storage capacity for cloudbook standards (500GB instead of the usual 32GB)
• Silent operation and great value ratio

Contras:

• Short battery life
• Low performance outside the audio/video playback world

Key points mentioned in the reviews & our take on them:

• Not surprisingly, this model gets a lot of praise for its excellent screen with an almost perfect color reproduction and fast response rates, its big storage capacity for cloudbook standards (500GB instead of the usual 32GB), silent operation and great value ratio.

• This model got some criticism for its short battery life and low performance outside the audio/video playback world.

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for whoever is in search of a versatile and inexpensive Home Theater PC (HTPC). 

You can buy it on Amazon.

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This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The Dell Latitude 14 3470 is one of the cheapest high quality business laptops available in 2016. This computer is a good choice for small business users, thanks to its fullHD matte display, a relatively powerful 6th gen Intel core i3 Processor, upgradability and good build quality.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Realtek RTL8111 Gigabit Ethernet + Atheros Wi-Fi b/g/n (Supports 1GBPs LAN connection that is great for this price, sadly Wi-Fi connectivity from Atheros, even if good and stable, doesn't support the recent Wi-Fi ac protocol and Bluetooth connectivity)

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0, USB 2.0, HDMI, VGA, Audio, RJ-45, SD Card Reader (standard selection of ports)

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 98 Points

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core: 251 Points

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  1363

Reviews on other sites

This model got good reviews (77% on Notebookcheck).

Pros:

• Great price/performance ratio
• Matte display
• Low price
• Convenient haptics

Contras:

• Slow SD Card reader
• Mediocre cooling system
• Lack of Enterprise features

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer a good choice for every small business users on a tight budget.

You can buy it right now for about 549$ on Amazon.com.

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This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The newly released HP Probook 650 G3 features the latest 7th gen Intel core i5 processor and thus its processing power and graphic performance are much improved if compared to the 2016 Probook 650 G2. Other than this nothing else changed and the HP Probook 650 remains one of the best (if not the best) upper mid-range business laptops. This PC's only serious drawback is the lack of a backlit keyboard that, for the computer's price range, should be standard nowadays.

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel i219-V Gigabit Ethernet + Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/h/ac w/Bluetooth 4.2 (supports the latest Wi-Fi ac standard 866MBPs)

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0, USB 3.0 Type-C, VGA, DisplayPort, Serial, SD Card Reader, 3,5mm audio, Docking Station, Fingerprint Reader

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

• Optical Drive: Yes

• Weight; 2.31kg

 Application Performance

The Intel Core i5-7200U is one of the most powerful 15W CPUs made, this dual core / quad threaded processor is capable of blazing through most workloads with ease.

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• "Road Warriors" in need a very versatile travel companion packed with a good amount of processor performance and connectivity features.
• Enterprise professionals will find this PC an excellent companion.

Gaming Benchmarks:

• Bioshock Infinite: (Low 1366x768) (Playable)
• Battlefield 4 : (Unplayable)
• Rise of the Tomb Raider: (Unplayable)

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 84% on Notebookcheck.net, this computer has a very good rating.

Pros:

• Bright matte FullHD display
• Quiet cooling system,
• Docking and serial ports
• USB Type-C and great keyboard

Contras:

• Display that, even if very bright, has a very low contrast ratio
• Lack of keyboard backlight

Conclusion

The HP Probook 650 G3 is a great choice if you are a professional looking for a powerful, sturdy and versatile machine.

You can buy it for 1050$ on Amazon.

The newly released HP ProBook 640 G3 features the latest 7th gen Intel core i5 processor and thus its processing power and graphic performance are much improved if compared to the 2016 ProBook 640 G2. Other than this, nothing else changed, and the HP Probook 640 still remains one of the best (if not the best) upper mid-range business laptops. This PC's only serious drawback is the lack of a backlit keyboard that, for the computer's price range, should be standard nowadays.

Other characteristics

• Networking; Intel i219-V Gigabit Ethernet + Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/h/ac w/Bluetooth 4.2 (supports the latest Wi-Fi ac standard 866MBPs)

• Ports: 2xUSB 3.0, USB 3.0 Type-C, VGA, DisplayPort, Serial, SD Card Reader, 3,5mm audio, Docking Station, Fingerprint Reader

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

• Optical Drive: Yes

• Weight; 1.95kg

The Intel Core i5-7200U is one of the most powerful 15W CPUs ever made, this dual core / quad threaded processor is capable of blazing through most workloads with ease.

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 124 Points

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   289 Points

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  1518 

Gaming Benchmarks:

• Bioshock Infinite (Low 1366x768): (Playable)
• Battlefield 4: (Unplayable)
• Rise of the Tomb Raider: (Unplayable)

Reviews on other sites

With an overall rating of 86% on Notebookcheck.net, this computer has a very good rating.

Pros:

• Fast NVMe SSD Storage
• Quiet cooling system
• Docking port
• USB Type-C
• 4G LTE support
• Great keyboard

Contras:

• Display that, even if very bright has a very low contrast ratio
• Lack of keyboard backlight

(Typical) user groups

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for:

• "Road Warriors" in need of a very versatile travel companion packed with a good amount of processor performance and connectivity features.
• Enterprise professionals will find this PC an excellent companion.

Conclusion

The HP Probook 640 G3 is a great choice if you are a professional looking for a powerful, sturdy and versatile machine.

You can buy it for 930$ on Amazon.

The Acer TravelMate B117 is an 11.6" cloudbook designed for school and university students. Thanks to its matte display, it can be used outdoors and its internal SSD storage is fast and features excellent battery runtime.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Wi-Fi a/b/g/h/n/ac w/Bluetooth 4.2 Combo Card

• Ports: USB 2.0, 2xUSB 2.0, HDMI, Audio, microSD Card Reader

• Operating system: Windows 7 Professional 64bit + Windows 10 Pro 64bit

• Weight; 1.4kg

Reviews on other sites

This model got good reviews with an overall rating of 81% (Notebookcheck)

Pros:

• Matte screen
• Solid casing
• Fast SSD
• Maintenance hatch
• Long battery life

Contras:

• The slightly dark colors of the display

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for students. 

You can buy it for 599$ on Amazon

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This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The Acer Swift 1 is the basic model of Acer's Swift lineup. This pc is slim, cheap and compact. It has a good keyboard, is fanless and has a matte display. It also features a fast 128GB SSD for storage. It's a great solution for people looking for a Windows alternative to upper end Chromebooks.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac w/Bluetooth 4.1 Combo Card

• Ports: USB 3.0, USB 2.0, HDMI, Audio, SD Card Reader

• Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64bit

• Weight; 1.6kg

Reviews on other sites

This model got good reviews with an overall rating of 79% (Notebookcheck) and 5/5 Stars on Amazon

Pros:

• Matte screen
• Silent operation
• Very good battery life
• 128GB internal storage

Contras:

• Lack of upgradability
• No USB 3.0 Type-C
• Slow Wi-Fi

Conclusion

The above characteristics make this computer a great choice for students looking for a stylish Windows alternative to a Chromebook. 

You can buy it for 288$ on Amazon

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This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.

The HP Z238 is an entry-level workstation desktop PC designed for creative professionals not in need of powerful 3D graphics capabilities.

The combination of the powerful quad core Intel Core i5-7500, integrated HD Graphics 630 and fast 256GB Solid State Drive help this workstation being a valid companion to every serious photo/video editor.

The Z238 has been especially designed for heavy duty CPU and 2D graphics computations and, like all HP workstations, has been thoroughly tested under extreme conditions.

This compact workstation is fully modular and easily upgradable. If you need an inexpensive, yet powerful workstation mainly for 2D creativity that will last in time, the HP Z238 is probably the best solution on the market.

Key characteristics

Other characteristics

• Networking; Gigabit Ethernet

• Ports: 3xDisplayPort, Serial, PS/2 Mouse, PS/2 Keyboard, 4xUSB 3.0, 6xUSB 2.0, RJ-45. 4X Audio, SD Card Reader

• Operating system: Windows 10 Pro 64bit

Benchmarks & Tests (Learn more about benchmarks)

Processor (Tested with Cinebench R15).

• Cinebench R15 Single Core: 162 Points

• Cinebench R15 Multi Core:   617 Points

 
Graphics Benchmarks: (Tested with 3DMark11)

• 3DMark 11:  1914

Conclusion

At just 760$, the Solid State Drive based version of the HP Z238, is a great deal, thanks to its modularity and expandability, a seemingly perfect entry into the creatives workstations world.

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This review is part of the Solutionbay product reviews and may contain affiliate links but is committed to being 100% objective. Read more about product reviews on Solutionbay.