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Business compact
Lenovo's $579 ThinkCentre A55 Small Form Factor desktop targets users looking for a respectable business machine that fits small nooks and small budgets. With a base configuration of a 3.06GHz Intel Celeron D 347 processor, 512MB of RAM. integrated graphics, an 80GB hard drive, and Windows Vista Home Basic (and with lots of upgrade options available), you should have the foundation you need to get your office or your home office off to the right start. Lenovo, www lenovo.com/us

Small wonder
You don't quite need a magnifying glass to see Acer's AcerPower 2000 desktop, but it's borderline. At 8 inches tall and less than 2.5 inches wide, the AcerPower is about the size of a thick hardcover novel. But with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, up to 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, a DVD burner, and Microsoft Windows Vista Business, the AcerPower 2000 packs some punch into a pygmy-size desktop. The PC costs $649. but if you don't mind trading in a few features, you can get the even-more-streamlined 1000 model for only $549. Acer America, www.acer.com/us

Take it to extremes
Looking for a powerful gaining sys tem? The $4,399 PowerSpec Extreme X450 was designed to take full ad vantage of Windows Vista's exten sive graphics capabilities. With an In tel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 quad-core processor, two DirectX 10-compatible GeForce 8800 GTS graphics cards configured in Scalable Link Interface (SLI) mode, and the Windows Vista Ultimate OS, gamers should have all the power they need at their finger tips. It's all packaged in an attractive black-aluminum chassis designed by the acclaimed Lian Li. PowerSpec, www. powerspec.com

Take off
Shuttle has added another member to its P2 desktop family, this one even faster and more decked-out than its predeces sors. The $1,599 Shuttle XPC P2 3900 shares the same stream lined, modest-size chassis as its other P2 siblings, but it fea tures updated components. Power parts include a quad-core Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 processor, 4GB of DDR2 RAM, a smoking nVidia GeForce 8800 GTX graphics card, and Win dows Vista Home Premium. All this will ensure that the sys tem will deliver the utmost experience, no matter what tasks you throw at it. Shuttle Computer, us. shuttle. com

Thinking of mayhem
You won't have to worry about pandemonium break ing out if you're equipped with the ABS Mayhem Blackhawk notebook, which has everything you'll need to stay cool and collected. In addition to the 14.1-inch wide-screen monitor and full-size 88-key keyboard, you'll find a 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7200 processor. 1GB of DDR2 RAM, a 7.200rpm 100GB hard drive, a DVD burner, a flash-memory-card reader. and even a 1.3 megapixel Webcam, just right for use with the built-in 802.11a/b/g wireless. The estimated $1,999 price includes a one-year limited system warranty and a year of tech support. ABS Computer Technologies, www.abscom

Wild one
If you need to compute in environments more physically punishing than a seven-city road trip, Twinhead's rugged estimated $1,499 D14RY notebook might be the way to go. Its magnesium-alloy case is 20 times stronger than ABS plastic, and it has an antishock mounting design and an optical-disc lock for added protection. The entire notebook, which has a 14.1-inch display, also repels spills. The D14RY is highly configurable, offering multiple processor speeds and hard drive sizes to meet your needs, at home and in the wild. Twinhead, usa. twinhead.com