Dell OptiPlex SX280
A top performer among small systems, this OptiPlex is reasonably priced, flexible, and well made.
Photograph by Rick Rizner, John Goddard
The OptiPlex SX280 has one of the most petite cases of the small systems we tested. Its dimensions--10 inches deep, 10.2 inches tall (when standing on edge), and 3.5 inches wide--enable it to fit into the smallest spaces. Our $1403 review model came with a Dell 1703FP monitor, which includes a stand for mounting the case behind the screen and transforming it into an all-in-one model. (Since our testing Dell has changed monitors for this system; it now provides the 1704FP.)
It's easily portable, too, thanks to the handle built into the stand. The OptiPlex isn't quite as elegantly designed as the true all-in-one models, however; cables running from the system case to the LCD monitor could tangle during a move. The case includes a lockable cable cover that blocks access to the ports on the rear of the system, thereby preventing unauthorized users from plugging devices into it; and the USB ports on the front of the case can be disabled in the BIOS. You get plenty of USB 2.0 ports: five on the rear of the case, two on the front, two on the side, and two on the base of the monitor.
A single latch on the back of the case holds the top cover in place; when the latch is released, the cover slides off easily. No tools are required to upgrade the hard drive, and the hot-swappable 24X CD-RW drive is of the same type that Dell Latitude D series notebooks use, so sharing the drive across several compatible systems is easy. Despite having a 3.4-GHz Pentium 4 processor, the OptiPlex SX280's two fans don't make much noise; the air exiting the case can get pretty warm when the processor is working hard, however. This CPU and 512MB of DDR2-533 memory achieved a WorldBench 5 score of 89, making the SX280 the second fastest of the ten small systems we tested.
Like most small systems, this OptiPlex offers few options for expansion inside the case. Dell filled both of the memory slots in our review system (a maximum of 2GB can be installed), and the single 80GB SATA hard drive leaves no room for an additional drive. If you want to upgrade, you'll have to remove the existing DIMMs or hard drive. The cramped but tidy case contains no PCI or AGP slots, so you're stuck with the system's integrated graphics.
The OptiPlex SX280 packs a lot into a very small case, making it well suited for business or home-office use.
Richard Baguley
Photograph by Rick Rizner, John Goddard
Photograph by Rick Rizner
Photograph by Rick Rizner