Joel Strauch
Xi Computer 1333 DDR MTower SP
This unit is loaded with a 1333-MHz Athlon CPU, 256MB of DDR SDRAM, two 30GB hard drives in an IDE RAID configuration, and Microsoft Office 2000 Professional. The MTower SP's 16X/10X/40X CD-RW drive performs rapid data backups, and the Leadtek WinFast GeForce2 Ultra graphics board includes a DVI output for most digital monitors, plus an S-Video output for a TV, VCR, or other compatible device. The thick system manual packs helpful information, including a thorough glossary and an extensive troubleshooting section.The system's RAID card, which is seated in the first PCI slot, is perilously close to the AGP slot, inviting the possibility that the IDE ribbon cables will touch the graphics board's cooling fan. A deeply recessed floppy drive makes inserting disks unduly difficult, and the rear ports are labeled with stickers that could easily fall off over time.
This Xi's PC WorldBench 2000 score of 216 is about 4 percent below the average for similarly configured systems we've tested. Nevertheless, you're unlikely to notice the performance difference in regular use. The 19-inch Optiquest Q95 monitor produced sharp text at 1024 by 768 resolution, though it blurred somewhat at resolutions of 1280 by 1024 and higher. The mostly neat interior contains two open PCI slots and three open (and externally accessible) drive bays.
This system offers buyers many extras, but we've clocked better performance from lower-priced machines.
| Buying Information |
| Xi Computer 1333 DDR MTower SP PC WorldBench 2000 score of 216, Athlon-1333 CPU, 256MB of DDR SDRAM, 256KB L2 cache, Windows 2000, two 30GB hard drives with IDE RAID card, 16X/10X/40X CD-RW drive, Leadtek Winfast GeForce2 Ultra graphics card with 64MB of DDR SDRAM, 19-inch Optiquest Q95 monitor, Creative Sound Blaster Live sound card, Altec Lansing ACS 45.2W speakers, V.90 modem, midsize tower case. Three-year parts and labor warranty; free, unlimited, 24-hour tech support. $ 2259 PC WorldBench 2000 score of 216, Athlon-1333 CPU, 256MB of DDR SDRAM, 256KB L2 cache, Windows 2000, two 30GB hard drives with IDE RAID card, 16X/10X/40X CD-RW drive, Leadtek Winfast GeForce2 Ultra graphics card with 64MB of DDR SDRAM, 19-inch Optiquest Q95 monitor, Creative Sound Blaster Live sound card, Altec Lansing ACS 45.2W speakers, V.90 modem, midsize tower case. Three-year parts and labor warranty; free, unlimited, 24-hour tech support. 800/432-0486 http://www.xicomputer.com |