HP Pavilion p7-1030

HP Pavilion p7-1030

The HP Pavilion p7-1030 ($580 street) is an entry-level/mid-range desktop PC, with the kind of parts and performance normally seen in higher-priced desktops. The p7-1030's Intel Core i3 processor and 8GB of RAM may not offer professional-grade multimedia or gaming muscle, but it's a great system for the household, especially if you're looking to replace a six- or seven-year-old system. The p7-1030 is a mid-tower PC with a black aluminum chassis and a plastic front panel. The panel has the same glossy black finish we've seen on other entry-level desktops from HP, like the HP Pavilion p7-1047cb ($799 list, 4 stars). The front panel has a sliding cover that hides two USB 2.0 ports and headphone and microphone jacks. At the top of the panel, there's a multimedia card reader (SD, MMC, MS/Pro, xD, and Compact Flash), as well as the power button. Below the card reader is a DVD +/- RW drive. A second 5.25-inch drive bay sits just below it, empty, and ready for an upgrade. On the back of the tower there are four additional USB 2.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and three audio jacks: microphone in, audio-in, and audio-out.