I recently bought one to update my HTPC. It's a Gateway (but I'm sure you have the same unwarranted disdain for Gateway as for eMachines).
For $499 I got:
- Core i5-2300 (quad core 2.8 GHz)
- 6 GiB RAM
- Intel HD graphics
- DVD-RW
- 1.5 TB SATA drive
- Gigabit ethernet
- 802.11n WiFi built in
- Win7 x64 Home Premium
- 10 USB 2.0 ports
- 2nd optical bay
- 2nd and 3rd HDD bays
- PCIe slots
I added a fanless 1 GiB GeForce 500 x16 PCIe card for an additional $30 and a BD-RE for $60. (The Intel HD actually had no problems driving the XBR at Full 1080p over HDMI, but the GeForce 500 has much better CUDA and rendering acceleration for other tasks.)
What's the closest from Apple?
For $599:
- Core i3 (dual core 2.3 GHz)
- 2 GiB RAM
- Intel HD
- TBolt port
- 4 USB
- SDXC slot
- no optical drive
- no internal expansion
Much less system for the same price - that's the Apple tax.
The PC strategy: stuck on spec comparisons and volume-pushing on price.
No wonder the PC market is in the dumps.
And yet . . .
https://www.macrumors.com/2011/09/2...isfaction-survey-for-eighth-consecutive-time/

Nothing beats the synergy between hardware and software on a vertically-integrated platform.