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    CES 2015

    Why HP is making a $180 desktop computer

    Steep competition from laptops, chromebooks, and other desktops is pushing prices down, down, down

    Published: January 06, 2015 02:00 PM

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    How much computer can you get for $180? For many people, the answer is "more than enough." And as laptops have dropped in price, thanks partly to the advent of Chromebooks, the desktop market has suffered.

    The new HP machine pushes back with a small size, low price, and respectable specs: an Intel Celeron processor, 2GB of memory, and a 32GB solid-state drive, in a package that includes four USB 3 ports, HDMI, and an SD slot.

    The machine should have enough power to sail through basic computing tasks such as word processing, web browsing, and e-mailing, and the company says it's quite capable of streaming video.

    The company is also offering a slightly meatier option, the Pavilion Mini Desktop, with a Pentium or Core i3 processor, for $320.

    If you're in the market for a new computer, check out our buying guide and Ratings.

    —Donna Tapellini

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    Read all of Consumer Reports' coverage of the International Consumer Electronics Show on our Insider's guide to CES 2015.


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