Computers

All systems can play casual games such as solitaire and Angry Birds. Systems designated as suitable for gaming are more powerful and can play modern mainstream and intensive 3D video games with a frame rate and visual effects that does not make the game stop or stutter.

Comes with a mouse that is wireless.

Comes with a keyboard that is wireless.

At least one flash memory-card slot (CF, SD, XD, MS, etc.).

Lets you play Blu-ray high definition movies.

Voice control allows you to control your computer by speaking to it. Depending on the software you can perform commands such as search the web, play music, check and reply to email, and, update your social media.

A built-in webcam for videoconferencing.

For all-in-one desktops, the diagonal measure of the display.

The operating system that was installed on the computer at the time it was tested. The operating system is the software that controls the basic operation of the computer. Common examples are Windows and Mac OS. The operating system determines the "look and feel" of the PC.

Also known as the CPU (Central Processing Unit), the processor is responsible for running commands and handling data. Processors come in different speeds and may have two or more cores (ex. dual-core), which let you more quickly process multiple complex tasks.

Also known as RAM, memory is a temporary storage area for data. Its size is an important factor for performance. We recommend at least 4GB of memory, or 8GB if you plan to run several large applications at the same time.

The amount of storage, a permanent area for the operating system, programs and data such as documents, music, and media files. Storage can be a hard drive, an SSD (solid state drive), or hybrid drive.

Also known as the video card, the video adapter processes all the data that you see on your screen. They come in different speeds and may be integrated (most common, but is slower and uses up memory) or discrete (which is faster and has its own dedicated memory). If you will not be playing complex 3D games, any integrated graphics adapter will do. Otherwise, buy a discrete graphics adapter using a video processor from ATI or Nvidia with at least 256 MB of memory.

The amount of dedicated memory built into a graphics adapter. Most models have integrated graphics, which have no dedicated memory but are still suitable for most applications, including photo editing and watching movies. Others have discrete graphics adapters, which typically have 1 GB or more of dedicated video memory, to deliver smoother and more realistic graphics for 3D games.

For desktop ratings, this size only applies to all-in-one desktops, which have a built-in screen. It is the number of picture elements ("pixels") across the horizontal and vertical dimension of the screen. The higher the resolution within a given size screen, the finer the detail that can be displayed. No scaling is needed to view a picture or movie of this size, or to match the display resolution with the native resolution, sometimes called Default or Recommended.

The optical drive reads and/or writes to CDs and DVDs. Some computers come with Blu-ray drives (B), which let you play high-definition movies. Most models come equipped with a DVD-RW (D), also known as a DVD burner, which lets you read and write to DVDs. Other computers have no optical drive built-in (—).

The height of the computer chassis.

The width of the computer chassis.

The depth of the desktop chassis.

The length in months of the manufacturer's standard warranty.

The length in months of the manufacturer's free technical support by telephone.

The type of built-in 802.11 wireless networking supported. Computers with 802.11n also support 802.11g routers. Some models with 802.11n also support the 5GHz "high band," a standard suitable for apartments and other crowded areas. 802.11ac is the newest, fastest type.

Has an HDMI, DisplayPort, or Thunderbolt video output for sending a digital video signal to a computer monitor or HDTV.

Has a Thunderbolt port for connecting peripherals such as an external hard drive. Thunderbolt is a new high-speed port that can connect to DVI, HDMI and VGA through the use of adapters.

Number of free USB ports for printers, hard drives, flash drives, or other peripherals.

Support for 1,000 Mb/s networking.

An HDMI out port for sending a digital video/audio signal to a computer monitor or HDTV.

Has an HDMI video input for using your all-in-one computer as a monitor.

A connection for a digital flat-panel display.

Has an optical digital audio output to connect to speakers or a stereo receiver.

Has analog rear speaker connectors for surround sound.

A free memory slot inside the PC for upgrades.