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| Top | Systems | This Month… |
| Top | Systems | This Month… |
Micro Express MicroFlex- 686/120
Tangent MediaStar PRO 5166/95
ARM P166 Terminator III
Compaq Deskpro 5133
Tangent MediaStar 5133/95
ARM P133 Terminator III
By David W. Methvin
From the outside, the Micro Express MicroFLEX-686/120 looks like an ordinary mid-tower PC. Even the system board isn't unusual; it's a standard board used in many Pentium-based systems. But this isn't just another system with "Intel Inside." Nestled under the CPU cooling fan is a Cyrix 6x86-P150+ CPU. The 6x86-P150+ chip actually runs at 120MHz, but since it takes fewer clock cycles to do the same work as a Pentium, it performs as fast as a 150MHz Pentium.
While alternative chip makers like AMD, NexGen and Cyrix have had some success in stealing a piece of the CPU market pie, they haven't been able to penetrate the high-performance PC arena. The Cyrix chip at the heart of the MicroFLEX-686/120 changes all that.
The preproduction MicroFLEX-686/120 unit I reviewed turned in benchmarks worthy of a high-end Pentium. Tested with Wintune 95, it turned in 234MIPS on the CPU benchmark, 3.4MB per second on uncached disk and a stellar 16Mpixels per second for video. These results are comparable to 150MHz Pentiums.
The MicroFLEX really showed its stuff with our macro tests running under Word 95 and Excel 95. The Word macro came in at 12 seconds, which easily topped the typical Pentium 150 results of 18 seconds. The Excel macro finished in 11 seconds, edging out the typical Pentium 150 time of 13 seconds. Some speed is attributable to the excellent video and disk subsystems, but Pentium 150 systems with similar Wintune results still couldn't match the application performance of the Cyrix 6x86-P150+. In fact, on the application tests, the MicroFLEX did as well as some 150MHz Pentium Pro systems.
The 6x86 accomplishes this more-for-the-megahertz performance by using the same advanced techniques that Intel uses for the Pentium Pro, including dynamic instruction scheduling with out-of-order execution, register renaming and branch prediction. The 6x86 outperforms a same-speed Pentium Pro because it does a better job of executing 16-bit code. Intel designed the Pentium Pro for 32-bit performance.
My MicroFLEX's mid-tower case configuration offered plenty of room to grow. One PCI slot was filled by the STB PowerGraph 64 video card, and one ISA slot held a Sound Blaster AWE32 card. That left one shared ISA/PCI slot, two ISA slots and two PCI slots free. Two external 5.25-inch bays and two internal 3.5-inch bays were also available in this configuration. The system board, based on the Intel Triton chip set, included a 256KB pipeline burst RAM cache. The four SIMM slots in the review unit were all filled with 8MB SIMMs for a total of 32MB, but you can use larger SIMMs to get up to 128MB of RAM.
I have one serious concern about this specific case and system board configuration. The CPU and its fan generate a lot of heat. The chip draws so much power that the 3.3-volt regulator becomes too hot to touch. As good as the performance was, I can't recommend this system as reviewed given the heat problem. Over time, the excessive heat could cause a premature component failure, or even blister the insulation off a wire that fell across the heat sink. For long-term reliability, the system should include a fan in the front of the case in addition to the CPU cooling fan.
For raw performance in the PC world, Intel's 200MHz Pentium Pro is still the king-if you can afford the price. But if you're looking for a good deal today, the MicroFLEX and its 6x86-P150+ is a good solution to the price/performance equation. But don't get into this kitchen if you can't take the heat.
-- Info file --
Micro Express MicroFLEX-686/120
Price: $2,599
Pros: Performance; price
Cons: Cooling system
Micro Express
800-989-9900, 714-852-1400
WinMag Box Score: 3.5
By James Alan Miller
Take one look at the Tangent MediaStar PRO 5166/95, and you'll know it's not just another multimedia system. Its unique case, cleverly designed to combine utility and function, packs a lot of goodies in a modest amount of space. And, at $3,495, you'll be hard pressed to find a better buy.
What's inside the case is what counts though, and inside the MediaStar PRO is a fast 166MHz Pentium processor. The PC's performance on WINDOWS Magazine's Wintune benchmark tests does this processor justice: As expected, the CPU consistently cranked out just over 300MIPS. The high-end video subsystem, which comes with a whopping 4MB of VRAM, produced scores as high as 16Mpixels per second, while the 1.2-gigabyte Quantum Fireball hard drive kept up with an average uncached throughput rate of 3.3MB per second. Results on our real-world 32-bit Word and Excel macros were similarly outstanding, at 12 and 11.33 seconds, respectively.
Multimedia components include a speedy TEAC 6X CD-ROM drive, a Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16 Vibra wavetable synthesis sound card and two powerful, built-in speakers with cases molded directly into the computer's case. You get surprisingly good sound quality from these small speakers, though true separation is impossible because of their fixed position. Not to worry, though; you can easily add your own external speakers to the sound card's Speaker Out port.
Rounding out the sound system are a built-in amplifier, built-in microphone and a MIDI/game port. All sound functions are conveniently accessible from the front panel, including volume, amplifier power and bass enhancement/loudness. Also on the front are microphone and headphone jacks. Plugging in headphones disables the built-in speakers. A headset with a microphone and headphone is packaged with the system.
Cables run from the system's front and out the back, plugging into the standard ports in the rear of the sound card. If you don't want to use the front-panel jacks, pull the cables out of the sound card and plug everything in the standard way.
Behind a little door on the front panel sit video in and out jacks for adding a video component like a decompression board. The MIDI/game port and an additional line-in jack are also behind the door, along with turbo and reset buttons for the system.
The Matrox MGA Millennium 64-bit graphics accelerator comes with a generous 4MB of VRAM, which supports 1280x1024 resolution in 24-bit true-color mode. The card's maximum resolution is 1600x1200 in 16-bit high-color mode. In addition to the standard monitor port, the card includes a video module feature connector. While the bundled ADI MicroScan 5EP 17-inch monitor is not of the graphic card's quality, it offers acceptable performance. It has a 0.28-millimeter dot pitch and supports a maximum resolution of 1280x1024 at a 60Hz refresh rate, or 1024x768 at 70Hz.
The rest of the system lives up to the high standard set by the multimedia components.The MediaStar has 16MB of EDO RAM, expandable to 128MB, and it has an impressive 512KB of 8-nanosecond synchronous burst secondary cache. Expandability is no problem with two free internal 3.5-inch drive bays and one free external 5.25-inch bay. The hard drive slides out effortlessly for service. There are six free expansion slots-three ISA, two PCI and one shared. Unfortunately, the location of two serial ports and their cables prevents you from using one of the PCI slots. Move the serial port bracket to one of the ISA slots to free up the PCI slot. A bundled Microsoft Mouse 2.0 plugs into the serial port. Other ports include one parallel and one for the keyboard. While the keyboard is generic, it gives excellent feedback.
In addition to Windows 95, the system bundles lots of CD-ROM titles like Novell PerfectWorks 2.1, New Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia 1995 and Software Toolworks CD Deluxe Pack 4, which includes U.S. Atlas 4.0 and World Atlas 4.0. Two particularly impressive apps are Digital Directory Assistance's PhoneDisc and Dragon Systems' DragonDictate 2.0. PhoneDisc is a powerful and comprehensive five-CD-ROM phone directory covering millions of homes and businesses in the United States. DragonDictate lets you take full advantage of the PC's audio system by incorporating voice-activated commands and dictation into your everyday work.
For excellent audiovisual functionality right at your fingertips, you don't need to look any further. The MediaStar PRO 5166/95 combines outstanding performance, top-notch components and a unique, ergonomic sound solution, all in a compact system.
--Info File--
Tangent MediaStar PRO 5166/95
Price: $3,495
Pros: Sound system; video card; cache; performance
Cons: Blocked PCI slot
Tangent Computer
800-800-5550, 415-342-9388
WinMag Box Score: 4.0
By James Alan Miller
The slim desktop case may look disarming, but don't be fooled: ARM's P166 Terminator III is a powerhouse that won't let you down, even when it comes to price. For just $4,199, this system comes fortified with a 166MHz Pentium processor and plenty of multimedia power.
My review unit was a late preproduction system configured with a TEAC 6X CD-ROM drive, a 1.6-gigabyte Western Digital EIDE hard drive, 512KB of 8ns pipeline burst cache and a generous 32MB of EDO RAM expandable to 128MB. The Terminator III uses a Tyan motherboard, which incorporates Intel's Triton PCI chip set and is powered by a potent 250-watt power supply. The CPU keeps its cool beneath a heat sink with a fan directly on top.
Inside the baby AT case's svelte housing reside four ISA and three PCI slots, as well as a shared ISA/PCI slot. Only one PCI slot is available in the configuration as shipped. A DB-25 serial port bracket blocks one PCI slot, rendering it unusable unless you move the bracket to an ISA slot.
There are two free internal 3.5-inch drive bays and only one free 5.25-inch external bay. For the same price as the desktop I reviewed, you can buy the system in a tower configuration and get an additional 5.25-inch external bay.
My unit came with the ViewSonic 17GS, a 17-inch Plug-and-Play monitor with a 0.27mm dot pitch. ARM offers various monitors so, as with the other system components, you can upgrade or downgrade as you wish. A fantastic Diamond Stealth64 Video PCI graphics card with 4MB of VRAM rounds out the video subsystem.
To complement the TEAC CD-ROM drive, ARM includes a Creative Labs AWE32 wavetable with ASP/DSP sound card, a microphone and a set of OEM speakers. The AWE32 is a high-end wavetable-synthesis card, which is a particularly impressive choice considering my test configuration's reasonable price. The card provides a MIDI/Game port as well as line in, line out, speaker in and speaker out jacks. With the audio's quality as a factor, you may want to upgrade the speakers: At higher decibel ranges, they start to vibrate. Nevertheless, they are adequate for office work and most standard multimedia apps. Creative Labs' comprehensive software includes the AWE32 Control Panel, Creative Mixer, as well as Ensemble CD, MIDI, Remote and Wave utilities. The Terminator III also comes with Voyetra Technologies MIDI Orchestrator Plus preinstalled.
On the user input side, the Terminator III has a Microsoft 2.0 ergonomic serial mouse and a Mitsumi Windows 95 Spacesaver 104 keyboard. The 104-key keyboard provides excellent feedback and conveniently includes Windows 95-specific keys.
The Terminator III blazed through all of the WINDOWS Magazine Wintune 95 benchmarks, logging in scores of 302MIPS for the CPU, 3.17MB per second for uncached disk throughput and 13Mpixels per second for video throughput. Application performance was worthy of its 166MHz heart, coming in at 12.33 seconds for the Word macro and 10.33 for the Excel macro.
You won't be disappointed to have ARM's Terminator III in your arsenal. For an excellent price, you get high-end multimedia components that will get you through any type of work, be it CAD, graphics, word processing or spreadsheets.
--Info File--
ARM P166 Terminator III
Price: $4,199
Pros: Price; performance
Cons: Expandability; speakers
ARM Systems
800-ARM-9450, 707-795-0800
WinMag Box Score: 4.0
By Ian Etra
Even the grumpiest MIS person will break out a smile for the Compaq Deskpro 5133. It comes configured with top-notch components and PCI Ethernet built in, but serviceability is the real key.
The mini-tower case opens with the turn of a few thumbscrews. Sliding away one side panel gives complete access to three ISA slots, one PCI slot and a shared slot, all of which are empty. Three drive bays also reside in here, already occupied by the floppy drive, a quad-speed Sony CD-ROM drive and a 1GB Quantum Fireball hard drive. The other side panel opens on an unobstructed view of the motherboard, so it's simple to upgrade the 16MB of RAM or replace the processor, which is in a ZIF socket. A third panel opens the top of the system, providing easy access to two empty drive bays.
The Compaq 171FS monitor was fully Plug-and-Play compliant. It provided a clear 17-inch picture, but the controls were small and cramped. Even though Compaq's PCI graphics with 1MB of VRAM was integrated on the motherboard, performance is comparable to other 133MHz Pentiums with dedicated graphics cards. It scored an average of 10.67Mpixels per second on our Wintune 95 benchmark tests. You can upgrade to 2MB VRAM.
The system I reviewed included integrated PCI Ethernet, but token ring is also available. The unit also came preinstalled with the System Policy Editor from the Windows 95 Resource Kit, as well as all the drivers to get it up and running on Microsoft and Novell networks.
Compaq's Intelligent Manageability features include Fault Management, AssetControl and extensive security features built in at the BIOS level to deter even the most nefarious evil-doers. Fault Management, for example, continuously monitors performance of the hard drive and other components. If it notices any deviations, the system alerts the user or network administrator to the potential problem before the components actually fail. Compaq will replace any components that aren't performing up to spec within the 3-year warranty. Intelligent Manageability is DMI-compliant, so you'll be able use the features across networks of systems from various vendors.
Compaq's diagnostic software is bundled with the Deskpro and can be launched from the BIOS or within Windows 95. This utility tells you everything you want to know about the system and more, from versions of most major drivers to the PC and monitor serial numbers.
While the $4,184 price tag on the Deskpro 5133 is excessive, its smart construction and features make it an excellent desktop workstation, or even an entry-level server.
--Info File--
Compaq Deskpro 5133
Price: $4,184
Pros: Serviceability
Cons: Price
Compaq Computer Corp.
800-345-1518, 713-378-8820
WinMag Box Score: 4.0
By Marc Spiwak
The Tangent MediaStar 5133/95 was born to run-multimedia, that is. It's powered by a 133MHz Pentium with 16MB of RAM and a 512KB secondary cache. Add to that an STB PowerGraph 64 PCI video card with 2MB of EDO DRAM, a Quantum Fireball 1.2-gigabyte hard drive and a TEAC 6X CD-ROM drive, and you have one of the fastest, most full-featured 133MHz Pentiums in town. A 17-inch MicroScan monitor rounds out this high-end package.
A Sound Blaster Vibra 16 sound card was installed in my review unit, already upgraded for wavetable operation with an add-on daughterboard. The sound card's audio output feeds to an amplifier that's built into the case. The system also has built-in speakers that are more than adequate for everyday use.
The Tangent 5133 has a built-in microphone as well as a jack for an external mike. A headphone jack disables the built-in speakers. Behind a small door are a joystick/MIDI port, a line-level input to the sound card and a pair of video input and output jacks that were not used on my test system.
Cables, connected to all but the video jacks, run through the case and out the back, and plug into the sound card's standard jacks in back.
Measured with the Wintune benchmark suite, the system performed as expected for a 133MHz Pentium, scoring 244MIPS for the CPU and 3.4MB per second for the Quantum hard drive. The video score of 15.33Mpixels per second was spectacular.
Like the 166MHz Tangent system reviewed this month, the Tangent 5133 comes with an impressive software bundle.
With the Tangent MediaStar 5133, you'll be able to tackle any multimedia project. The system offers plenty of expansion room, but you'll probably never need it.
--Info File--
Tangent MediaStar 5133/95
Price: $2,995
Pros: Performance; features
Cons: Nonstandard layout
Tangent Computer
800-800-5550, 415-342-9388
WinMag Box Score: 4.0
By Rich Castagna
You can say hasta la vista to high-priced, high-performance systems with ARM System's P133 Terminator III. ARM, a tiny Northern California systems vendor, may give the big boys a run for their money with this 133MHz desktop speed demon.
At a buck below three grand, the Terminator is competitively priced compared to similar offerings from Dell, Gateway and other prominent players. It holds its own, too, when you run your finger down its list of top-drawer components. Its 133MHz Pentium CPU is complemented by a 256KB secondary cache, 16MB of EDO RAM (expandable to 128MB) and Intel's Triton chip set.
The late preproduction unit I tested was packed into a desktop case that requires a simple twist of a single thumbscrew to pop its top. The baby AT case is a space-saving 6 by 16 by 15.5 inches. Serial, parallel and IDE interfaces are all motherboard bound so there's plenty of room to grow with two PCI slots, three ISA slots and one shared slot open. Two drive bays also await occupancy: one external 5.25-inch bay and a 3.5-inch bay tucked over the 250-watt power supply.
The Terminator's hard drive is the popular 1.2-gigabyte Quantum Fireball. In addition to the requisite floppy drive, it has a TEAC 6X CD-ROM drive. Sound is supplied by a Sound Blaster AWE32 card and a pair of generic 120-watt speakers that delivered more than acceptable audio. A microphone is also included. ARM can supply a variety of monitors. The test machine's 0.28-millimeter dot-pitch ViewSonic 15G hooked into a Diamond Stealth 64 VRAM PCI graphics card with 2MB of memory.
A Mitsumi Windows 95 keyboard and a Microsoft Mouse 2.0 take care of the input side comfortably and capably.
The Terminator scored well on WINDOWS Magazine's Wintune benchmarks. Its CPU performance, clocked at 244MIPS, is typical for a 133MHz Pentium, but its uncached disk data-transfer rate of 3.3MB per second compares favorably to the other systems. Its 14- and 11-second marks on our Word and Excel macro tests also put it among the better performers in its class.
ARM loads the Terminator with Windows 95 and the Professional Edition of Microsoft Office 95. The company is confident enough to back this system with its "531" warranty, which offers parts and labor service for up to 5 years for some components (motherboard, CPU and factory-installed RAM) and includes on-site service for the first year of ownership.
ARM offers a 166MHz Terminator version, also reviewed here this month.
--Info File--
ARM P133 Terminator III
Price: $2,999
Pros: Components; price
Cons: Limited drive bays
ARM Systems
800-ARM-9450, 707-795-0800
WinMag Box Score: 3.5
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