Acer 8530G: Price first
Acer's 18-inch range is the largest, with five processors, including some from AMD. These solutions are more economical for equivalent comfort, with a few minor exceptions: the speakers crackle and lack settings, and the screen could do with better colour performance.
The in-house media player struggles with Blu-rays and its ergonomics need to be reviewed. Despite this, the AMD Turion X2 processor and graphics card keep everything running smoothly and keep the price down.
HP HDX18 : Completed
Admittedly, the HDX18 is a little expensive. But it's worth it for the leisure enthusiast, because it's equipped with exceptional components, particularly its graphics card. You don't often see a GeForce with 1 GB of dedicated RAM, even in desktop PCs. The screen is brighter and more vivid than the others, provided you push the settings. Power consumption takes a hit, but is structurally low. The device comes with a DTT tuner and two remote controls.
A multimedia-oriented model, but carefully thought out.
Fujitsu Siemens Amilo XI 3650: Watch out for the mouse
To limit the power consumption of the Xi3650, Fujitsu has fitted it with a disconnectable graphics card. Although intelligent, the device is difficult to use. The same goes for the variable fan speed. Once started up in fast - and noisy - mode, it has trouble stopping. The Blu-ray player's screen is a little limited in terms of colour and sharpness, but less prone to reflections than its rivals.
In terms of power, the Xi3650 is a tractor. It's a shame that the mouse has the same texture as the casing: it slips badly... and so does the price.
