Compaq Computer Corporation

So you want to give a desktop computer to a kid? [In a past article], I wondered whether to go used, new from a major manufacturer, or new (and relatively easy to assemble) from parts.

Before I go any further, it's worth pointing out that the price of laptop computers has fallen so low that you really don't save much money -- as used to be the case -- by opting for a desktop system.

If you're buying new, by the time you add a flat-screen monitor to your desktop PC box, you're taking about $450 minimum from Dell, Compaq, Hewlett-Packard or Acer.