The Acer Aspire SA20 is a machine built on a budget and it performs accordingly.

The specs are okay as it’s based on a 2.8GHz Celeron. The only really glaring thing about it is the tiny 15in LCD and the fairly puny memory – only 256MB. This paucity of RAM is compounded by the onboard graphics and also use system memory. Considering Windows XP needs 256MB to run at all, this is not the machine to consider for multitasking. If this was bumped up to 512MB it would make all the difference in day-to-day usage.

Otherwise, the system is good, but upgraders beware – the side panel is really difficult to get off. This PC uses a mini-ATX board which while limiting upgradeability helps keep the case small – good for the lounge room.

And even though the graphics are integrated there is also an AGP port so popping in a card will free up more system RAM. The case itself can take a few improvements – there’s even a grill over the CPU which will allow you to add a fan. Feature-wise, there are six USB ports, front audio jacks, but disappointingly no FireWire ports. The keyboard and mouse are both user friendly, and the Acer speakers will carry a tune.

On the benchmark side of things, the Celeron saw it perform quite well in productivity tests and internet creation. Of course, lack of a dedicated graphics card meant it lacked grunt for playing games – 1600 in 3DMark01 translates to very poor 3D performance.

As the price of LCD’s keeps falling, Acer’s budget machine would most likely make a more attractive option in six months. As such, if you’re in the market for a cheap PC right now, the other units this month make better options.