Business desktops
With all this in mind, here's our current favourites in the market for an office roll-out. We've listed vPro capable models here where appropriate, but if you don't need the technology you can save more by rolling out cheaper chipsets.
(Credit: Apple)
Apple iMac
Apple made a number of changes to the 24-inch iMac, but making it available at this price is the most impressive. Provided you like your all-in-ones best as straightforward desktop computers, the iMac will meet your expectations with speed and elegance.
| Base price | AU$1999 for 20-inch, Intel Core 2 Duo 2.66GHz, 2GB 1066MHz DDR3 RAM, 320GB HDD, keyboard, mouse |
|---|---|
| Warranty | AU$268 for AppleCare Protection Plan; on-site (up to 80km from service centre); three years; next business day; five days a week, 12 hours a day support. Phone support 9am-6pm Saturdays |
| Pain points | No vPro; no WOL (without unofficial app); no internal expandability; all-in-one nature means it makes component swap-outs a hassle |
(Credit: HP)
HP dc7900 SFF
The HP Compaq dc7900 is a solid business offering in the premium desktop space, but the competition seems to be a small step ahead.
| Base price | AU$1579 for Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 @ 3.0GHz, Q45 chipset, 2GB 800MHz DDR2 RAM, 160GB HDD, mouse, keyboard |
|---|---|
| Warranty | On-site; three years; massive array of upgrades called "HP Care Packs" including next business day, four- or eight-hour response times; five days a week, nine hours a day or 24/7 packages; warranties exclude monitors and accidental damage protection. Mix and match to your needs. |
| Pain points | DisplayPort will likely need DVI adapter (approx AU$25 for HP adapter [FH973AA]), vast range of care packs over-complicates and will need serious consideration |
(Credit: Dell)
Dell OptiPlex 960
If you're shopping at the premium end of the business desktop market, you'll be hard-pressed to do better than the Dell OptiPlex 960.
| Base price | AU$1925 for Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 @ 3.0GHz, Q45 chipset, 2GB 800MHz DDR2 RAM, 160GB HDD, mouse, keyboard, optional DVI adapter |
|---|---|
| Warranty | On-site; three year "ProSupport" End User/IT*; next business day; AU$188.10 extra for five days a week, 12 hours a day support, four-hour on-site diagnosis. |
| Pain points | None if you select to include the optional DVI adapter. |
* Dell defines the differences between End User and IT support as the ability for an IT department to diagnose issues themselves. IT support staff can also be trained to use Dell's website to log replacement hardware requests themselves without having to engage with Dell engineers.
(Credit: Acer)
Acer Veriton L670G
Tiny and powerful, the Veriton is an excellent business machine. Its size comes at the price though of having to deal with an external power adapter, and lack of room for internal expansion.
| Base price | AU$1849 for Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 @ 3.0GHz, Q45 chipset, 2GB 800MHz DDR2 RAM, 320GB HDD |
|---|---|
| Warranty | On-site (up to 50km from an Acer Authorised Onsite Service Provider); three years; next business day. AU$50.01 to increase to four years. |
| Pain points | Too small for half-height expansion cards (Mini PCI-Express card only — users can opt for the larger S670 for this ability); external power pack adds trip hazard; no efficiency rating on power supply. |
(Credit: Lenovo)
Lenovo ThinkCentre M58p Small Form Factor
The M58p does what Lenovo does best — provides a business machine that just does its job. With a few options added to the base configuration, it's flexible enough for most workplaces.
| Base price | AU$1807.05 for Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 @ 3.0GHz, Q45 chipset, 2GB 1066MHz DDR3 RAM, 160GB HDD, keyboard, mouse (options selected: 85 per cent efficiency PSU, DVI-D connection adapter, DVD ROM, no Microsoft Office) |
|---|---|
| Warranty | On-site; three years; five days a week, nine hours a day, parts and labour; AU$77.00 to increase to four years. |
| Pain points | None noted, particularly if it's equipped with the optional DVI bracket and DVD ROM. |
