Desktop PCs can be broken into various categories, including value, mainstream/multimedia, gaming, and all-in-one. Over the years, as technology advances, our definitions of these categories change somewhat. Desktop PCs are getting less expensive and more powerful every year—witness the fact that back in 2003, "value" was defined as a PC that cost under $1,000. For that price these days, you should be able to get a powerful, multimedia-oriented PC and still have money left over for the monitor.

What do I consider a value PC these days? The short answer is one that costs under $500 without monitor. True, you can get a system for as low as $250 without monitor, but those bargain-basement PCs will be lacking in something, whether it's system memory, CPU power, or the Windows operating system. For a little under $500, you should be able to find a good Windows Vista system, such as the Lenovo IdeaCentre K210, with a dual-core processor, 2GB of memory, and a hard drive large enough to hold all of your music and photos. The $500 price point is the spot at which you can buy a PC that won't have you thinking of buying a replacement for a few years, letting you stretch out your investment. If you spend less than $350, I'll guarantee you that the PC will feel unacceptably slow in less than two years.

The mainstream/multimedia category is where you find the answers to the question: "I need a PC that's faster than my old clunker, and I want to do more than just surf and listen to music. What should I get?" Multimedia PCs have more power so you can actually create and work on digital photos, videos, and music for other people to enjoy. That used to mean spending more than $2,500, but these days you can get a decent multimedia system for under $1,000. These PCs will have a quad-core processor (for speedy photo and video editing), 4GB or more of memory (ditto), large, 500GB and up hard drives for storing the photos and videos, and a discrete graphics card for light to medium 3D graphics apps. Many of them, such as the HP Pavilion Elite m9400t, pack high-def Blu-ray drives. This is where you should look if you use your computer for your hobbies.

Gaming PCs, epitomized by the Velocity Micro Raptor Signature Edition, are built to excel at 3D game playing. You'll find the newest technology here first, components such as overclockable quad-core processors, multiple graphics cards, and huge hard drives. The sky's the limit for gaming PC pricing, but you can find systems that boast 3D performance starting at $700—just don't expect blazing performance for that price. The fastest systems form the "$5K club," costing $5,000 and above (sometimes up to almost $10,000 without monitor).

Last but not least, the all-in-one category consists of media-oriented PCs with built-in LCD screens. If you want the design sensibilities of a notebook with just a bit more drive space and power, an all-in-one PC might be just what you need. Apple has traditionally ruled the roost in this category, and its iMac (24-inch Penryn) is no exception.

Of the numerous desktop PCs we review each year, a handful of them stand out, and we grant them Editors' Choice status. Here we present the current champs in the value, mainstream/multimedia, gaming, and all-in-one categories.

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Featured in this Roundup:

Apple iMac (24-inch Penryn)

($1,799 direct)
The iMac is still the all-in-one design leader. Its minimalist lines make it the perfect choice if your furniture tastes run to Scandinavian. It's also the perfect base station for your iPhone or iPod. The iMac is available in an upgraded 3.06-GHz form, but for biggest bang for your buck, go for the "base" 24-inch model.

HP Pavilion Elite m9400t

($843 direct, $1,174 with 20-inch widescreen monitor)
The HP Pavilion Elite m9400t epitomizes the multimedia PC. It has quad-core power, hard drive bays for easy transfer of your multimedia projects, and a high-def Blu-ray drive. This is the one you want if you have a creative bent.

Lenovo IdeaCentre K210

($449 direct)
The IdeaCentre K210 packs a whole lot of technology into a sub-$500 PC. It has just enough power to keep the average user computing for years, and has a lot of other neat features that make it stand out in a crowded field.

Velocity Micro Raptor Signature Edition

($6,999 direct, $7,498 with 26-inch widescreen monitor)
The Raptor balances all-out gaming performance with a price that's thousands of dollars less than some of the competition. If that's not a reason to take a look, I don't know what is. Think of it as the Corvette at a party of Ferraris.