The eMachines D5039 desktop computer for home users is part of their D5000 line--one which bundles a monitor with the PC. These aren't the bargain-basement priced systems we're used to seeing from eMachines, but they also don't feature bottom-rung components either.

The D5039 is based around an Intel Pentium 4 519K processor running at a speedy 3.06GHz. There are faster processors out there--including dual core CPUs that feature twin processing cores on a single chip--but this 64-bit CPU is ready for tomorrow's operating systems like the upcoming Windows Vista. This desktop includes 512MB of 400MHz memory at baseline--adequate amount for running Windows XP Home, but you'll probably need to upgrade if you do make the jump to Vista. These systems support up to 2GB of RAM, so there is room for memory expansion.

The good people at eMachines include a versatile multiformat DVD writer with these home desktop computers. This drive is able to burn audio and data CDs as well as traditional DVDs. It can also handle dual-layer media that lets you store up to 8.5GB of data on a single disk. It only supports DVD+R DL media and burns at 4X, so you can find faster DVD writers on the market, but it's good to have a dual-layer option if you need to store vast amounts of video or data on a single disk.

Hard drive storage is also more than adequate on these desktop computers for home users with their 160GB 7,200rpm hard drive. This is plenty of storage room for most users, letting you create large partitions for multimedia file storage and application installs.

The 17-inch LCD bundled with these home desktop computers provides a bright and crisp image at 1280x1024 resolution. It's a svelte flat panel display in a silver frame that matches the D5039's tower well.

This desktop doesn't include a floppy drive on these desktop computers for home users, but there is a handy 9-in-1 media card reader. This reader supports CompactFlash, Secure Digital, Memory Stick, MicroDrive and other formats, and makes it easy for you to pop in the flash memory card from your PDA or digital camera and transfer files onto your system. There are also seven USB 2.0 ports--including three up front--for connecting peripherals or plugging in USB flash drives that have mostly supplanted floppy disks for transportable storage.

Our only major beef with these home desktop computers is the integrated graphics. It's Intel's Graphics Media Accelerator 900, so it's not going to be very worthy for gaming, and playing most of today's 3D games will be out of the question. Unfortunately, there's no AGP or PCI-Express x16 slot on the motherboard so your only graphics card upgrade options is to track down a PCI video card. These cards are still available, but you won't be able to get cutting-edge graphics for this system.

The multimedia keyboard offers a variety of hotkeys for controlling video and audio playback, and these home desktop computers feature six-channel audio. They ship with a basic pair of stereo speakers that don't deliver thunderous sound, but do provide respectable audio output for normal computing sounds and listening to music. If you'll be watching a lot of DVDs on these home desktop computers, you may consider an upgrade to a surround sound set down the road.

There's both a modem and a network interface, so you can get online via either a broadband or a dial-up service provider. AOL comes bundled on these home desktops with six months of service to get you started if you don't already have an ISP. Microsoft Works 8.5 is also included with the D5000 line, giving you a basic set of office programs. In addition, you get Microsoft Money financial software and Microsoft Encarta Online educational software.

There's a one-year limited warranty on these systems, which includes live chat technical support on their Web site as well as telephone tech support seven days a week. You can also extend the warranty if you want more coverage: $99 for an additional year or $139 for two more years.

The lack of a dedicated video card or slot makes the D5000 series of systems not the best for gamers. But if you're looking for a well-rounded system for home use that includes solid components at a decent price, the eMachines D5039 makes a good desktop computer for home users.


Pro: 17-inch LCD included, fast processor
Con: Integrated graphics

Warranty
1-year limited