With the P133 Terminator III, ARM Systems, a tiny Northern California vendor, may give the big boys a run for their money.
The Terminator III's 133MHz Pentium CPU is complemented by a 256KB secondary cache, 16MB of EDO RAM (expandable to 128MB) and Intel's Triton chipset.
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. Only two drive bays 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 1.2GB Quantum Fireball. It has a TEAC 8X CD-ROM drive, a Sound Blaster AWE32 card and a pair of generic 120-watt speakers. 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.
The Terminator scored well on WINDOWS Magazine's Wintune benchmarks. Its CPU checked in at 244MIPS, and the uncached disk score was 3.3MB per second. It completed our Word and Excel macros in 14 and 11 seconds, respectively.
ARM P133 Terminator III
Price: $2,299
Pros: Components; price
Cons: Limited drive bays
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95, NT
ARM Systems
800-ARM-9450, 707-795-0800
WinMag Box Score: 3.5
The preproduction P166s we tested uses Intel's 430VX chipset, an AMI BIOS, 32MB of SDRAM and a 2.5GB EIDE Mode 4 hard drive. The system also includes a Number Nine Imagine II video card with 4MB of VRAM, 200-watt power supply, 512KB of pipeline-burst cache and an on-board Vibra 16 chipset for 16-bit stereo FM synthesis sound.
There are two externally accessible 5.25-inch drive bays, five 3.5-inch drive bays (three externally accessible), three PCI slots (one holding the video card), two 16-bit ISA slots and one shared PCI/ISA slot. Only one slot was occupied, and it held the video card.
There are only two RAM slots, both of the 168-pin DIMM variety, allowing total system SDRAM configurations of 8MB, 16MB, 32MB and 64MB. EDO RAM is also supported, with a total capacity of 128MB when using that memory architecture. The motherboard has the capability to provide a Universal Serial Bus port in future system models.
The P166s' scores on our WINDOWS Magazine Wintune 95 benchmarks were impressive-among the best of the 166MHz Pentiums we've tested. The CPU scored 303MIPS; the Western Digital AC32500 disk drive served up an average of 3.1MB per second uncached throughput; and the Number Nine Imagine II video card pumped out 18Mpixels per second. Average times to execute our 32-bit macros for Word and Excel were 11.33 and 9.33 seconds, respectively.
Dell Dimension XPS P166s
Price: $2,999
Pros: Performance; value; expandability
Cons: Keyboard; mouse
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95, NT
Dell Computer Corp.
800-388-8542, 512-338-4400
WinMag Box Score: 4.0
This system comes loaded with a 200MHz Pentium processor, 16MB of EDO RAM (upgradable to 128MB), 256KB of level 2 cache, an 8X CD-ROM drive and a 2.1GB Western Digital hard drive.
It also delivers excellent performance. On our Wintune tests, the 829's processor clocked 358MIPS, and tore through our applications in a quick 20 seconds for the Word macro and only 17 seconds for the Excel macro.
The 829 has four ISA slots, a PCI slot and a shared PCI/ISA slot. Only the shared slot is used by the FDVSP-brand 28.8Kbps fax modem, so there's plenty of room for expansion. Crystal audio is built into the motherboard for Sound Blaster 16 compatibility with 3-D wavetable synthesis. The ATI Mach 64 graphics controller with 2MB of DRAM (and MPEG playback support) is also socketed into the motherboard.
On the preproduction 829 we tested, the Western Digital Caviar 32100 hard drive averaged an uncached disk throughput of 2.60MB per second. The hard drive occupies one of three internal full-height bays. Of the three external full-height bays, one is filled by the Torisan 8X CD-ROM drive; a half-height bay holds the floppy drive.
The Advantage 829 offers speed, solid components and quality software, but you'll have to add your own monitor.
AST Advantage 829
Price: $2,799
Pros: Performance; construction; software
Cons: Motherboard access; modem card cable blocks ISA slots
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95, NT
AST Research
800-876-4278, 714-727-4141
WinMag Box Score: 4.5
Gateway's behemoth P5-166 houses a whopping seven internal and five external drive bays. In our review unit, the 3.5-inch floppy drive and the Wearnes 8X CD-ROM drive occupy two of the externally accessible drives. Only one of the seven internal drive bays is filled, by the 2.5GB Seagate hard disk.
The 166MHz chip is complemented by 16MB of EDO RAM, expandable to 128MB, as well as 512KB of pipeline-burst cache. Our late preproduction system was also configured with a Matrox MGA Millennium PowerGraphics video card with 2MB of WRAM and an Ensoniq SoundScape wavetable synthesis sound card. A Telepath II 28.8Kbps fax modem-made for Gateway by U.S. Robotics-provides high-speed communications.
Despite all that drive-bay potential, expansion slots are not so abundant. The Telepath II fax modem and the Ensoniq SoundScape card take up the two ISA slots. The Matrox video card occupies one of three PCI slots. A free, shared PCI/ISA slot keeps expansion possibilities more flexible.
The P5-166 comes with Windows 95 preinstalled and tons of bundled software, including Microsoft Office Professional, Bookshelf and Encarta 96.
Tested with the WINDOWS Magazine Wintune 95 benchmark suite, the P5-166's CPU registered 302MIPS. The video score was also just above average, at 16Mpixels per second. The uncached disk score of 3.7MB per second was good, and the Word and Excel scores of 12.0 seconds and 10.33 seconds, respectively, were also stellar.
Gateway 2000 P5-4166XL
Price: $2,449
Pros: Performance; drive expandability; monitor
Cons: Case awkward to open
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95, NT
Gateway 2000
800-846-2000, 605-232-2000
WinMag Box Score: 4.0
The Gateway 2000 P5-133 Family PC's case has been redesigned, giving the system a more up-to-date look. But it's not just a pretty face; the slick new design hides a feature-packed unit. It has an 8X CD-ROM drive, a 2GB hard disk and a lot of software, including a bevy of Microsoft titles.
The tall tower has seven internal drive bays, six of which are empty, and five external bays, three of which are free. Expansion slots are not as plentiful, however; there are two ISA slots, three PCI slots and a shared ISA/PCI slot. The Telepath 28.8Kbps modem takes up one ISA slot and the Ensoniq sound card takes another, leaving you with just one free ISA slot. An MGA Millennium video card takes one of the four PCI slots.
The 17-inch Vivitron Model 1776 monitor is a Trinitron-based system with controls for adjusting horizontal and vertical position as well as trapezoid and convergence. Settings can be programmed. The keyboard includes Windows 95 keys and can record and play back keystrokes. This is particularly helpful with Win95, which no longer has the Recorder applet for handling such chores as signing your name and address at the end of e-mail messages.
The system performed well in our Wintune benchmark tests, logging an average of 243.67MIPS for the CPU, 13Mpixels per second for video and an uncached disk speed of 3.03MB per second.
Gateway 2000 P5-133 Family PC
Price: $2,199
Pros: Drive expandability; features
Cons: Few ISA slots
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95, NT
Gateway 2000
800-846-2000, 605-232-2000
WinMag Box Score: 4.5
You can have fantastic performance at a low price, and the MicroFLEX 686/P200+ proves it. The MicroFLEX 686/P200+ test system included 16MB of RAM (expandable to 256MB) and 256KB of pipeline-burst cache. The motherboard uses a VLSI Lynx system controller chipset, and is equipped with a ZIF socket for Cyrix 6x86 and Intel Pentium upgrades, and it costs less than $2,500.
The system has a 2GB Quantum SCSI hard disk and a Samsung 8X EIDE CD-ROM drive. The CD-ROM drive occupies one of three external 5.25-inch bays; the floppy disk drive takes one of two external 3.5-inch bays. Of the three ISA slots, one is taken by the Creative Labs Sound Blaster sound card, and only two of the three can accommodate a full-length card. An Adaptec 2940 SCSI controller card resides in the shared PCI/ISA slot. Internally, it's connected to the Quantum hard disk, and there is an external SCSI Wide connector.
The Matrox Millennium card with 2MB of RAM turned in an average 20Mpixels per second on our Wintune test. The Quantum SCSI hard disk racked up a 4.26MB-per-second uncached disk score. Equally impressive were the macro tests: Word completed in an average of 9.0 seconds, Excel in an average of 11.6 seconds.
Micro Express MicroFLEX 686/P200+
Price: $2,499
Pros: Speed; price
Cons: Noisy power supply fan; no modem
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95, NT
Micro Express
800-989-9900, 714-852-1400
WinMag Box Score: 4.5
The HP Vectra 500 Series 515MCx boasts a 166MHz Pentium microprocessor, 1.6GB hard drive, 16MB of RAM, 256KB of level 2 cache, a 4X CD-ROM drive and a 15-inch monitor with easy up-front controls. The Vectra also offers full telephony features, including voice mail and autodial, using a 28.8Kbps DSVD modem and an Mwave-based sound system.
There's lots of expansion room: one free internal 3.5-inch drive bay, two free external 5.25-inch bays, two free PCI bus slots and two free ISA slots.
Bundled software includes ClarisWorks, Lotus Organizer, power management utilities and remote-control software for HP tech support.
With a 166MHz Pentium, this Vectra is no performance slouch. Measured with the Wintune 95 benchmark suite, the CPU racked up a score of 302MIPS. Uncached disk performance was 3.3MB per second, and the video scored an impressive 13Mpixels per second. The machine's Word macro score was 19.8 seconds, a bit slow, but its Excel score was a superior 14 seconds.
HP Vectra 500 Series 515MCx
Price: $2,655
Pros: Performance; software
Cons: Keyboard
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95, NT
Hewlett-Packard Co.
800-752-0900
WinMag Box Score: 4.0
The QP5/150 comes with 24MB of EDO RAM expandable to 128MB, 512KB of cache, a 150MHz CPU, a MAG InnoVision 17-inch DX1795 monitor and a total of six free drive bays (three 3.5-inch internal and three 5.25-inch external bays). A massive 2.5GB Seagate hard disk is installed below the power supply alongside the two empty internal bays. The floppy drive and speedy Aztech 8X IDE CD-ROM drive are located underneath the three free external bays.
There are three empty PCI slots. A fourth PCI slot contains the video card-an STB Powergraph Trio64V with 2MB of EDO RAM. The Powergraph driver utility appears in the taskbar on bootup and is well designed and useful. Two of the four ISA slots are occupied by a SupraExpress 33.6Kbps modem and an Ensoniq 16-bit wavetable sound card. The CD-ROM's audio plugs directly into the sound board. Altec Lansing speakers and a subwoofer round out the multimedia components.
The CPU maintained a speedy throughput of 273MIPS. The uncached hard disk score came in at 4.33MB per second. The video mark of 12Mpixels per second was average for a similarly configured system. The unit performed exceptionally on applications benchmarks, with scores of 15 and 13 seconds for Word and Excel, respectively, falling just short of our highest 150MHz marks. The system offers many excellent features at a price almost too good to be true.
Quantex QP5/150 SM-2
Price: $2,249
Pros: Hard disk; sound card; price
Cons: Internal wiring
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95, NT
Quantex Microsystems
800-632-5022, 908-563-4166
WinMag Box Score: 3.5
Robotech's cobra uses quality components like one of the first tool-free cases, Plextor CD-ROM drives, Creative Labs sound cards, Yamaha speakers, Boca Research telephony boards and Number Nine video cards. The company even throws a surge suppressor into the box.
This 166MHz Pentium system includes a good no-name 17-inch monitor, a Microsoft mouse and a Plextor 6PleX CD-ROM drive. Although this machine comes with a 1GB Quantum Fireball hard drive, it's an EIDE unit. The SCSI drive connects to the built-in SCSI connector on the motherboard and will add up to six additional internal SCSI devices. If you want those to be hard drives, the case as is will hold four more-three in 5.25-inch externally accessible bays and one in a 3.5-inch internal bay. Purchase another internal bracket, and there's room for still one more.
The system has four PCI slots (one is occupied by the Number Nine Motion 771 video adapter with 2MB of VRAM) and four ISA slots (one holds the Creative Labs AWE-32 sound card, another a Boca Research V.34 Office Communicator, a combination modem/telephony card). It ships with 16MB of RAM and 256KB of cache.
Performance was commendable. 302MIPS is good for a 166, and its uncached disk throughput was 3.86MB per second. Video ran at 16.33Mpixels per second, and the Word and Excel macros clocked in with good times of 13 and 11 seconds, respectively.
Robotech Cobra XLT/2 P166
Price: $2,499
Pros: Performance; multimedia; warranty; construction; accessibility; expandability
Cons: Software bundle
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95, NT
Robotech
800-255-2215, 801-565-0645
WinMag Box Score: 4.0