Why are certain desktop computers so cheap but so good?

The no-name company is trying to get noticed while the other two are trying to make a bigger profit and can count on you picking their known name. I would get the ZT and buy a video card for it. That way it completely kicks the but of the others. Dells come with no software, the Compaq has trial stuff and neither one builds its own parts for these computers so there is no point in buying those. Don't let others discourage you from AMD. It always has the better price/performance ratio and uses less energy to do it meaning better engineering.