SAN FRANCISCO (02/01/2000) - Two new systems scrambled aboard our midrange chart this month. The Athlon-600-powered Systemax Venture PVO-600A captured a Best Buy but couldn't quite unseat the Micro Express MicroFlex-550B, which retained its number one ranking for the third consecutive month. Meanwhile, the Xi Computer 700K MTower elbowed its way past half a dozen older systems to grab fourth place, as its Athlon-700 processor offset a high sticker price.
1 MICRO EXPRESS MICROFLEX-550B
WHAT'S HOT: Powered by an AMD Athlon-550 CPU, the MicroFlex-550B zipped to a PC WorldBench 98 score of 256, much higher than that of any Pentium III-550 PC we've tested, and slightly higher than the average PIII-600 system's score.
Best of all, the system will set you back only $1299. Documentation includes a quick-setup guide and a thorough manual. The tidy, well-designed interior has four open slots (three PCI and one ISA) and four free drive bays to handle upgrades. The 6X DVD-ROM drive (with a software MPEG video decoder) played our DVD test movie smoothly, even with other applications running.
WHAT'S NOT: To get inside the box, you must loosen a screw, remove the top, and slide off the side panel. Of course, putting the case back together requires just as many steps. The keys on the big, solid keyboard make for rather noisy typing, and they're almost too large for comfort.
WHAT ELSE: The 17-inch Impression 7VX monitor's color quality is subpar, but the screen displays readably crisp, clear text at most resolutions. The Altec Lansing ACS44 speaker set includes powerful satellites and a booming subwoofer.
BEST USE: The well-equipped MicroFlex-550B makes a great all-around workhorse for a budget-conscious office.
2 SYSTEMAX VENTURE PVO-600A
WHAT'S HOT: Solid multimedia hardware surrounds this reasonably priced ($1749) machine. The AOC Spectrum 7Glr 17-inch monitor produces impressively rich colors and crisp text; and the Cambridge SoundWorks SBS52 three-speaker set pumps out powerful bass and treble. The 4X/4X/24X CD-RW drive lets you write and rewrite valuable data to your CD-ROM. (Note: According to Systemax, the CD-RW drive on this unit will have been upgraded to 8X/4X/32X by February 2000.) Unless you traffic in gargantuan files, the 20GB hard drive will take a long time to fill up. Interior access is outstanding: The midsize tower case pops off when you depress a lever on the side.
WHAT'S NOT: The cheapo keyboard flexes easily, and though typing is quiet, the keys--especially the backspace key--are so small that they invite character misses.
WHAT ELSE: The Venture PVO-600A earned a 273 on our PC WorldBench 98 tests--average for an Athlon-600 system running Windows 98. Though some cables criss-cross the interior, you'll enjoy unimpeded access to the four open slots (three PCI and one ISA) and four open drive bays. Documentation includes a quick-setup guide and a substantive manual with plenty of detailed illustrations.
BEST USE: With its CD-RW drive, high-grade monitor, and top-notch sound system, this would make an excellent multimedia PC for small-office users.
3 DELL DIMENSION XPS T500
WHAT'S HOT: The XPS T500's PC WorldBench 98 score of 229 places it slightly above average for a PIII-500 system running Windows 98. The easy-open case conceals a tidy interior. Dell Computer Corp.'s work PCs received an Outstanding rating for reliability in our latest reader survey. The 8X DVD-ROM drive has a hardware decoder card and plays movies smoothly.
WHAT'S NOT: The Dell M780 17-inch monitor maxes out at 1280 by 1024 resolution, with smaller text blurring. Text is sharp and legible at lower resolutions.
WHAT ELSE: Reasonably priced at $1619, the Dimension XPS T500 comes with Microsoft Office 2000 Small Business Edition. Setup is a snap, thanks to color-coded, labeled, and icon-marked ports, plus an assortment of component manuals and an illustrated setup guide.
BEST USE: The Dimension XPS T500 is a fine choice for growing businesses that require excellent vendor service.
4 XI COMPUTER 700K MTOWER
WHAT'S HOT: The Xi's easy-open case pops on and off smoothly. And the uncluttered interior features plenty of expansion room, with three open PCI slots and four open drive bays. This $1899 Athlon-700-based PC scored 295 on PC WorldBench 98, higher than most similarly configured systems. The 22GB hard drive is the largest on the midrange chart, and you also get a 6X DVD-ROM drive.
WHAT'S NOT: While the 700K MTower ships with solid documentation for most of its hardware components, it lacks an overall system manual--a shortcoming Xi is currently working on. The funky blue midsize tower gives the system a nice "fortress of solitude" look, but trying to find the awkwardly located power button can seem like a game of Where's Waldo?
WHAT ELSE: The 17-inch OptiQuest Q71 monitor produces bright colors and crisp text at 1024 by 768 resolution, but it blurs at the higher setting of 1280 by 1024. The Koss SW/115 three-speaker set has a svelte design but produces slightly thin sound. The ergonomic keyboard includes a wrist rest and a unique set of mouse keys--to handle mouse cursor functions in case of an input device meltdown.
BEST USE: The 700K MTower delivers the goods small offices need, without creating a credit-card nightmare.
5 QUANTEX SM600 SE
WHAT'S HOT: The SM600 SE is one of the fastest Windows 98-based PIII-600 systems we've seen. For just $1949, you get an 18GB hard disk, an 8X DVD-ROM drive, and an NVidia RIVA TNT2 Ultra graphics card that handles MPEG decoding.
Audio sounds great on the Altec Lansing ADA305 satellite-and-subwoofer system, which supports Dolby ProLogic Surround Sound via a USB cable.
WHAT'S NOT: You won't need to use tools to open the case, but three thumbscrews plus an all-metal wraparound enclosure don't make entry child's play. Rear port labels are inconveniently located on a separate diagram pad.
WHAT ELSE: The clear documentation includes a helpful setup poster but no hard-copy software manuals. Though the 19-inch DiamondTron Natural Flat CRT monitor yielded laser-sharp text in our tests, colors looked slightly faded.
The PC has a total of six open drive bays but only one free PCI slot and three open ISA slots. You could, however, free a second PCI slot by removing either the included modem or the included network card.
BEST USE: With copious storage space and connectivity, the SM600 SE should suit just about any office user.
6 MICRON MILLENNIA MAX 600
WHAT'S HOT: The unit's mammoth case opens easily--push down a handle on the back, and the side panel slides off. (To reattach the panel, push the handle again.) We got smooth playback from the 8X DVD-ROM drive. Priced at $1797, the system costs $169 less this month.
WHAT'S NOT: Despite the Millennia Max 600's huge interior, cables impede access to the RAM slots. The 17-inch Micron 700VX monitor produces bright colors but slightly blurry text. (You can upgrade to a sharper Trinitron monitor for an extra $99.) The Advent AV009 three-piece speaker set--especially the satellite speakers--musters disappointingly weak audio.
WHAT ELSE: The Millennia Max 600's PC WorldBench 98 score of 250 is quite fast, though average for a PIII-600. Accessing expansion cards for upgrades is easy:
You simply loosen a thumbscrew on the metal rail, and you're in.
BEST USE: The Millennia Max 600 fills the bill as a powerful, upgradable, bare-bones multimedia system.
7 CUMETRIX A-760E
WHAT'S HOT: The Cumetrix A-760e earned a 279 on our PC WorldBench 98 tests--extremely quick considering the model's $1699 price. The 17-inch Sceptre DragonEye D73P monitor produced vibrant colors in our test images and sharp text at 1024 by 768 resolution. With three open slots and five open drive bays, the interior can accommodate plenty of expansion.
WHAT'S NOT: Though the Cumetrix includes documentation for individual hardware components, it lacks an overall system manual. The side of the case slides on and off smoothly--after you remove two screws. Cumetrix offers toll-free support only on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
WHAT ELSE: The well-organized interior cables are tied off, but they criss-cross the interior and partly block access to the expansion and RAM slots. The powerful Creative Labs SBS 52 speakers set up easily and pump out clear sound through the Creative Labs SoundBlaster Live card.
BEST USE: The A-760e will satisfy business owners seeking a lean, fast machine.
8 DELL DIMENSION L500C
WHAT'S HOT: The affordable $1429 Dell Dimension L500c earned a 214 on PC WorldBench 98--just 4 points shy of the fastest score we've seen for a Celeron machine running Windows 98. We had no trouble getting inside this minitower's stiff, plastic case; and Dell color-codes ports on the rear.
WHAT'S NOT: The L500c's integrated components (such as Intel 810 graphics) limit the performance of the system's otherwise solid peripherals (such as the 17-inch Dell M780 monitor). If you decide later to upgrade the system's graphics, you'll have to choose a PCI video card.
WHAT ELSE: The interior is quite small, but the power supply swings out, enabling you to access the various motherboard components easily. The easy-to-configure Harman/Kardon HK195 speakers faithfully reproduce sound, despite the inherent limitations of integrated audio.
BEST USE: The L500c would make a good, low-cost workstation for a small office on a budget.
9 AXIS SYSTEMS ORION 100H DVD 500
WHAT'S HOT: The Orion 100H DVD 500 packs both a 6X DVD-ROM drive and a 4X CD-RW drive, making it a fair deal at $1593. The 19-inch monitor displays clear text and graphics even at 1600 by 1200 resolution. The system's Altec Lansing ACS33 speakers and subwoofer, along with a Creative Labs SoundBlaster Live audio card, provide great surround sound.
WHAT'S NOT: To open the case, you must first take off the top and then remove the side panels.
WHAT ELSE: Though the Orion 100H DVD 500's rear ports are labeled, they're not color-coded.
BEST USE: This system would be an excellent choice for a business user who makes presentations, thanks to its powerful multimedia features.
10 NEC POWERMATE ES 5250-500K
WHAT'S HOT: The $1758 PowerMate ES 5250-500k's well-designed case puts various controls at your fingertips. A bar at the top of the tower houses power and sleep buttons, a volume control, and a headphone jack. A front-mounted USB port sits next to the bar. The interior leaves room for substantial expansion, with five open slots (four PCI and one ISA) and three open drive bays. A removable LS-120 drive provides users with even more storage options.
WHAT'S NOT: Expansion cards fit into the case upside down, making installation awkward, and unkempt wiring impedes your access to them.
WHAT ELSE: The NEC S770 17-inch monitor produces less-saturated color and brightness than most. In our tests, text looked sharp at 1024 by 768 resolution. The PowerMate's chassis features color-coded ports and a case lock.
BEST USE: The affordable, network-ready PowerMate ES 5250-500k will make a nice fit in offices that don't have a demand for overwhelming speed.
TECH TREND
Data Storage Blues? Rewrite Could Change Your TuneMANY PCs--including our number two Best Buy, the Systemax Venture PVO-600A--now ship with CD-Rewritable (CD-RW) drives. But what exactly does the "rewrite" mean, and how fast do these drives run? Here's a brief primer. (For a more comprehensive look, see "Hello, Get Me Rewrite," page 147.)Before the advent of CD-RW, CD-Recordable (CD-R) discs and drives let you record on blank CD-R discs--but only once. After filling the CD-R, you can't reuse it, since you can't write over its content. In contrast, CD-RW drives let you write and rewrite to CD-RW discs multiple times. And CD-RW drives can read any CD, CD-ROM, CD-R, or CD-RW disc.
But there are a few catches. First, only the last couple of generations of CD-ROM drives can read rewritable discs, whereas practically all drives can read CD-R media. You can, of course, use a CD-RW drive to write data to a conventional CD-R disc, but that disc won't be rewritable.
Second, writing to CD-RW media is often slower than recording with a CD-R.
CD-RW discs must first be formatted, a process that takes an hour, unless you buy more-expensive preformatted discs. To clarify how long these processes should take, most CD-RW drives list three speeds, such as 6X/4X/24X. The first number indicates how fast the drive writes to a CD-R disc, the second how fast it can rewrite to a CD-RW media, and the third how fast it reads CD-ROMs. The "X" stands for "times 150KB of data per second."