[mamaloney]

What is the best gaming computer brand?

[shygrneyzs]

Do you want opinion here or something based on Consumer Reports?
I have had an HP and now I have a Dell and prefer the Dell.

You might want to read the following article on picking a computer best suited for your needs: mySimon - Consumer Reports on Desktop Computers - Desktop Computer Reviews - Desktop Computer Buying Guides

The Consumer Reports top-rated Windows desktop computers in the workhorse category are:

Gateway DX420S
HP Pavilion m7680y
Dell Dimension E520

These are the three models listed at the top of the most recent Consumer Reports Ratings of Windows desktop computers in the workhorse category. Their price, type, features, and other attributes may--or may not--make them among the best choices for you. The full Ratings and recommendations for all categories of laptop and desktop computers, along with the latest information on thousands of other products and services, are available to ConsumerReports.org

[Tj3]

Do you want personal opinion here or something based on Consumer Reports?
I have had an HP and now I have a Dell and prefer the Dell.

You might want to read the following article on picking a computer best suited for your needs: mySimon - Consumer Reports on Desktop Computers - Desktop Computer Reviews - Desktop Computer Buying Guides

The Consumer Reports top-rated Windows desktop computers in the workhorse category are:

Gateway DX420S
HP Pavilion m7680y
Dell Dimension E520

These are the three models listed at the top of the most recent Consumer Reports Ratings of Windows desktop computers in the workhorse category. Their price, type, features, and other attributes may--or may not--make them among the best choices for you. The full Ratings and recommendations for all categories of laptop and desktop computers, along with the latest information on thousands of other products and services, are available to ConsumerReports.org

I also like Gateway and HP. I have nothing against Dell - it is a good brand also, but from my experience, I think that Gateway and HP are the better choices.

If you want the best gaming computer, you may want to look at Voodoo PC also.

VoodooPC Gaming PCs, Luxury PCs, Notebook PCs, and Entertainment PCs

[ScottGem]

VoodooPCs is now owned by HP and they have some really nice game machines.

[vingogly]

Here's a recent article that gives their top 10 affordable gaming PCs for 2008 - their #1 choice is the Gateway FX530:

Gaming PC Review 2008

All the ones listed are under 2000USD.

Vasily

[Curlyben]

BESt is such a relative terms, but I'd go with VooDooPC and Alienware!

[Soundmanc]

At work we use all Dell servers, desktops and laptops, I have an XPS laptop which I love. So I am slightly pushed into liking them more. At home I have a HP desktop. It works just fine and have had no problems with it.

Alienware is owned by Dell, Voodoo is owned by HP. Alienware has crappy, crappy support from everything that I have read. Have no experience with them, cause I'm not willing to fork out that much cash. On the other hand Voodoo supposedly has decent support. Have no experience with them for the same reason as Alienware. So HP wins this round.

That being said, I think I would be in a tie with Dell and HP. :)

Nothing good ever came from Gateway. That is from experience and frustration, and working on so many of those darn things that I hate the company now. I hope Acer, who purchased Gateway, can do something about that.

Acer ain't so bad either. They're name is getting better in the US. But they bought Gateway so they would have a namebrand that is already set in the US.

So final tally is as follows

HP and Dell in a tie.
Acer coming up in the rankings
Gateway should have been put out of it's misery years ago. (disclaimer: My opinion of Gateway is not intended as slander, but only as an opinion. :) Please take it as such.)