You get lots of configuration options with the Compaq Deskpro XL series, so you can get a system that's perfect for your needs. The unit we reviewed came with a 133MHz Pentium processor, a quad-speed SCSI CD-ROM, a 1GB SCSI IBM hard drive, 256KB of secondary cache and 16MB of RAM (expandable to 144MB).
Compaq uses a unique motherboard design that will let you upgrade the CPU as the system ages. A processor board that holds just the processor and the system RAM sits in a proprietary slot on the main system board. If you want to upgrade to a Pentium Pro, for example, all you need to do is pop the old processor board out of the slot and put in a new one. The standard RAM is soldered to the processor board, and SIMM sockets for upgrading are easily accessible.
Everything else is packed onto the system board, including Fast SCSI-2, enhanced Sound Blaster-compatible audio and an IDE controller. The Deskpro also comes with an integrated network controller and preinstalled network drivers.
Only one 3.5-inch internal bay and one 5.25-inch external bay are free, but you can daisy-chain up to seven peripherals on the SCSI-2 port in the rear of the case.
Compaq Deskpro XL 5133
Model 1050/ML
Price: $3,998
Pros: On-board SCSI and Ethernet; keyboard
Cons: Access to bays
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95, NT
Compaq Computer Corp.
800-345-1518, fax 713-518-1442
WinMag Box Score: 4.5
The nicely equipped Cyrix 6x86-P200 turned in only so-so scores (150MHz Pentium-level) on our Wintune processor tests, but its video, disk and memory performance were quite remarkable. And its application performance-8.67 and 8.0 seconds on our Word and Excel benchmarks, respectively-bested any Pentium system we've ever examined at WINDOWS Magazine.
The test machine came with a Seagate ST1515 4GB SCSI hard disk, a CMD PCI-to-SCSI disk controller with 64MB of cache, a Matrox MGA Millennium video adapter with 2MB of RAM, a Mitsumi 8X ATAPI CD-ROM drive, a Creative Labs Sound Blaster AWE32 wavetable sound card and high-quality Labtec satellite/subwoofer speakers with Spatializer 3D Sound. There was also a good 15-inch Mag InnoVision DX1595 monitor.
Finishing out the package were 32MB of EDO RAM (256MB maximum), 256KB of pipeline-burst cache, three externally accessible 5.25-inch drive bays (one available), three 3.5-inch drive bays (one external, two internal available), two ISA slots (one available), three PCI slots (two available) and one shared ISA/PCI slot. The motherboard uses a VLSI Technology Lynx chipset, which allows it to operate at a speed of 75MHz rather than the 66MHz of Intel motherboards.
The extraordinary performance is helped along by the 75MHz system bus, combined with the Matrox Millennia, the CMD PCI SCSI controller and the Seagate SCSI hard disk. But you have to give Cyrix's engineers a lot of credit. Their chip actually runs at 150MHz internally, but performs at this 200MHz-plus Pentium level.
Cyrix 6x86-P200
Price: $5,169
Pros: Application performance; configuration; price
Cons: Design
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95, NT
Cyrix Corp.
800-340-7442, 214-968-8388
WinMag Box Score: 5.0
The Pro200n is one of the fastest machines we've tested in our lab. It breezed through our Wintune CPU test, clocking 416MIPS. And using the Number Nine 128-bit Imagine 128 Series II card with 4MB of VRAM, this system also produced eye-opening video performance: 24Mpixels per second.
The Dimension system has a 2GB Seagate hard disk with a SCSI interface. In our application tests, it completed the Word macro in an average of 7.0 seconds and the Excel macro in 5.0 seconds.
To open the new case, loosen one thumbscrew, press two latches and the panel comes off. But the latches didn't give very easily on the preproduction unit we tested, and getting inside was difficult.
The system has three externally accessible 3.5-inch drive bays and two internal-mount bays. There are also two front-panel-accessible 5.25-inch bays, one of which holds the NEC 8X CD-ROM drive. We used the drive to install application software to test the system, and were impressed with the CD-ROM's speed.
The Pro200n we tested did not include a sound card, speakers or modem. Adding these options ups the price of the system by about $375.
Dell Dimension XPS Pro200n
Price: $3,729
Pros: Performance; monitor; graphics system
Cons: Case design
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95, NT
Dell Computer Corp.
800-388-8542, 512-338-4400
WinMag Box Score: 4.5
The OptiPlex GXMT 5166 stashes some impressive components in its mini-tower case. Our evaluation machine had 16MB of RAM, but it can handle up to 128MB. It also had a 1.6GB Western Digital hard drive, an NEC 4X ATAPI CD-ROM drive and a 3COM EtherLink III motherboard-based network interface for hooking up to a LAN. The GXMT 5166's on-the-motherboard audio system is socketed to the system board in the form of a wavetable-capable Creative Labs Sound Blaster Vibra 16.
Of the three external and two internal drive bays, only one of each is used (by the hard drive and the CD-ROM drive, respectively). It has two PCI card slots and six slots for ISA peripherals. One slot holds the Imagine 128 PCI Super VGA graphics card.
In WINDOWS Magazine's Wintune and application macro tests, the 166MHz Pentium CPU generated a score of 303MIPS, which would put it close to the upper crust of 166MHz-class systems. But the video combo of the Imagine card and the Dell monitor clocked an extremely quick 16Mpixels per second. The system's performance on the uncached hard disk throughput test was 2.75MB per second. The system performed adequately on the macro tests, completing the Word macro in 18 seconds and the Excel macro in an average of 29 seconds.
Dell OptiPlex GXMT 5166
Price: $3,464
Pros: Performance; storage; on-board networking and audio
Cons: No modem
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95, NT
Dell Computer Corp.
800-BUY-DELL, 512-338-4400
WinMag Box Score: 4.0
At the heart of the dual-processor-ready OptiPlex GXPro is its top-of-the-line 200MHz Pentium Pro. Our review unit had 256KB of internal secondary cache to complement the 200MHz CPU, and it came with Windows NT 3.51 already installed-all for a very competitive $4,110.
Our test system was configured with 32MB of ECC EDO DIMM memory, the latest rage in RAM. DIMM memory uses a 64-bit data path rather than the 32-bit path used by a SIMM. The system also features a 2GB Seagate IDE hard disk and an NEC quad-speed CD-ROM drive.
Only a single PCI slot is used, by the 128-bit Imagine 128 Series II graphics card from Number Nine. The graphics card, with its 4MB of VRAM, helped the GXPro achieve a fantastic score of 23Mpixels per second on our Wintune video benchmark.
The GXPro notched excellent scores in every other category except hard disk performance, where it earned an unimpressive uncached throughput of 1.93MB per second. Its CPU rating of 416MIPS, however, was every bit as outstanding as its video performance. The unit also blazed through our Word and Excel application benchmarks in 6.67 seconds and 5.33 seconds, respectively.
Dell OptiPlex GXPro 200
Price: $4,110
Pros: Upgradability; overall performance
Cons: CD-ROM drive; hard disk performance
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95, NT
Dell Computer Corp.
800-289-3355, 512-338-4400
WinMag Box Score: 4.5
The Digital Celebris GL 5133ST is a 133MHz data screamer with 16MB of EDO RAM, a 1.6GB hard disk and a 4X CD-ROM drive. It also has sound, SCSI and Ethernet capability right on the motherboard.
The PCI local-bus-model motherboard has a maximum transfer rate of 132MB per second. Up to 512KB of level 2 cache memory is supported in the on-board caching controller, adding further speed to an already swift system.
But don't let all this power scare you. The Celebris is so easy to set up that a novice could do it with little help. From sealed boxes to boot-up, the whole process took all of 10 minutes. The on-board video comes with a standard 2MB of WRAM (Windows RAM), upgradable to 8MB, for those with more demanding graphics needs.
As you'd expect, the Celebris performed admirably on WINDOWS Magazine's benchmark tests, especially Wintune 95, scoring 244MIPS on the CPU test and 11Mpixels per second on the video test. The Celebris finished the Word and Excel macros we ran in respectable averages of 20 seconds and 16 seconds, respectively.
Digital Celebris GL 5133ST
Price: $3,888
Pros: SCSI and Ethernet on the motherboard; easy to set up
Cons: Premium price; 15-inch monitor
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95, NT
Digital Equipment Corp.
800-642-4532, 508-642-6400
WinMag Box Score: 4.5
The medium-gray, 166MHz Pentium-powered Presario 3020 seems at first more sculpture than machine. Its sweeping curve houses the twin JBL speakers that produce sound so good it has to be heard to be believed. Positioned in front of that curve is a 12.1-inch active-matrix LCD flat-panel display, the brightest LCD screen we've ever seen. The screen pivots up and down so you can find a comfortable viewing angle. Compaq calls the screen Double Bright, and it is in fact twice as bright as a typical active-matrix screen and about 60 percent brighter than a standard CRT.
The whole unit sits on a hemispheric pedestal, with buttons arrayed along the front to control the CD-audio and answering-machine features. Near the front of the lower right side of the machine is a 6X, four-disc CD changer with a single slot. When CDs are inserted, an icon appears in Windows 95's status bar that provides access to the software CD controls.
Performance is quite good: On our WINDOWS Magazine Wintune 95 benchmarks, the Presario 3020 averaged 299.67MIPS, 13.67Mpixels per second for the video and 3.7MB per second uncached hard drive throughput. Average times to execute our Word and Excel macros were 17 and 14.33 seconds, respectively.
Compaq Presario 3020
Price: $3,499
Pros: Screen; style; portability; sound
Cons: No wireless keyboard
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95, NT
Compaq Computer Corp.
800-345-1518
WinMag Box Score: 4.5
Micron's Millennia Pro Plus comes with a little of everything-and a lot of speed.
The system is crammed with 64MB of EDO RAM and a colossal 2GB Seagate SCSI hard drive. A BusLogic FlashPoint LT PCI Fast/Wide SCSI-2 card governs all the system's SCSI devices. The snazziest add-in by far is an internal SCSI Iomega Jaz drive, which along with the Imagine 128 Series II graphics controller makes this system a strong candidate for graphics, video or publishing applications.
Our Word and Excel macros moved at warp speed, completing in average times of 11 and 16 seconds, respectively. Wintune reported an awesome 416MIPS and 25Mpixels-per-second video throughput. Although the system's uncached disk throughput was an anemic 0.71MB per second, the cached score was through the roof at 112MBps. These results were echoed in other applications as well-CPU-intensive graphics apps blazed along with nary a pause.
Both the keyboard (a Windows 95-enhanced model) and the Microsoft mouse were superb. Micron's own 17-inch, 0.26-millimeter-dot-pitch monitor looked bold and bright. Missing in action are NT 3.51 disks, network card and a modem.
Micron Millennia Pro Plus
Price: $5,147
Pros: RAM; performance; Iomega Jaz drive
Cons: No modem or network adapter
Platforms: Windows 3.x, 95, NT
Micron Electronics
800-438-3343, 208-893-3434
WinMag Box Score: 4.0