Dell has really nice mid-tower/monitor combos, you can get a dual core system with a 22" LCD for just 650 (Dell monitors kickass by the way). I think that's a really nice deal. Dell in some respects is number one. For the average user, it can be a good way to get started on a nice workstation PC, for the gamer, Dell can be a nightmare with the lack of expansion Dell gives to it's customers when it comes to upgrading their PC. It really is a difficult question to get accurate opinions on in a computer forum where most people can just as easily build their own PC, and on a forum where most people are real enthusiasts or gamers. Dell though did help champion the concept of providing computer solutions for many many households.