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Computing

From...

Top 10 home PCs

September 14, 1998
Web posted at: 2:30 PM EDT

by Kirk Steers

(IDG) -- What's the biggest difference between a PC you use at home and one you use at work? For many, it's not the processor, the hard disk, or the bundled software. It's that you pay for the home computer with your own money. Sure, you might be tempted to skimp on features to save some cash -- but remember, not all cheap systems are created equal. By saving a few bucks you may sacrifice things like performance or high-quality components.

Typically, budget systems fall into one of two classes: low-end PCs whose manufacturers usually (but not always) cut corners on components to push the price below $1300; or full-featured, formerly high-end PCs that have been displaced by the hottest new models and usually cost between $1600 and $1800.

Of the four new home machines we tested this month, three were cheap enough to please any skinflint. The $1518 Gateway G6-300h and the $1078 Compaq Presario 2254 snagged the second and fourth spots, respectively, on the budget list. However, a preproduction unit of the $1698 Monorail 8220 didn't score high enough to crack our chart, due to its bare-bones configuration and scanty software offering.

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Super-budget deals

If it's speed you crave, note that three of this month's budget systems sport a Pentium II processor. The fastest one of the bunch -- Gateway's G6-300h -- even includes a color ink jet printer. Thanks to the introduction of its superfast 350-MHz and 400-MHz systems (like the new G6-400, number three on the power list), Gateway has upgraded the G6-300h's processor from 266 MHz to 300 MHz. With a PC WorldBench 98 score of 167, the G6-300h is the fastest budget PC we've tested to date.

And the G6-300h is well equipped for a budget system. It has a 5GB hard disk -- big enough for a busy home office or the whole family's data -- a DVD-ROM drive, and Microsoft Home Essentials software package. Plus, you get Canon's BJC-4300 color ink jet printer, a $180 value. The only drawback is that at this price the G6-300h's monitor is a 15-incher. But for just a little over $1500, whadaya expect?

If you want it all -- a bargain price, a big monitor, and speed--how about a basic PII-266 system with a 17-inch monitor for $1199? The QP6/266 M-1x from Quantex is a good platform for your home office. But it's slower than either Gateway's G6-300h or this month's budget Best Buy, Micron's Millennia 266. The QP6/266 M-1x's setup rating is also slightly inferior, and Quantex's reliability and service scores don't match the first-class ratings of top dog Micron.

The $1000 PC

Want to spend even less? You can certainly find systems from well-known manufacturers for about $1000, but they tend to skimp on components. These ultracheap PCs come with low-cost processors that sometimes lack secondary cache (causing performance to suffer), and they often have sound cards, video boards, and modems integrated right onto the motherboard. That could pose a problem if you want to upgrade the PC later by adding your own card. Still, one sub-$1000 PC -- the HP Pavilion 3265 -- made it onto our chart this month. Also, the Compaq Presario 2254 costs just $978 after a rebate.

The AMD K6-266Ðbased Presario 2254 is about 25 percent slower than Gateway's G6-300h or Micron's Millennia 266. And at this price, it comes with a tiny 14-inch monitor. Nevertheless, its superlow price tag and excellent setup rating place the Compaq Presario 2254 at number four on the budget chart. This system is great for basic tasks like home finance or surfing the Internet, although a larger display would allow for easier Web page viewing. It's a fine choice for first-time buyers on a tight budget.

In the same class as the Presario 2254 is HP's $998 Pavilion 3265, which we tested last month. Based on a Pentium MMX-233, it's 30 percent slower than even the Presario, and comes with a 2.1GB hard drive -- about half the capacity of the Compaq's. Still, there's enough power for you and your kids to explore cyberspace, do homework, and manage your investment portfolio. And the Pavilion is a snap to set up, even for the novice.

A word of caution: PC World has also tested machines equipped with Intel's Celeron CPU -- a lower-cost, dumbed-down version of the Pentium II processor that lacks a secondary cache. This omission really hurts system performance. And the Celeron systems weren't all that inexpensive -- they ranged from $1299 to $1699. Within the next month or two, we'll see newer and cheaper machines (selling for under $1300) featuring a faster Celeron chip that will have 128KB of secondary cache, which should bump up performance considerably.

My advice until then: Don't buy a Celeron machine if you can get a Pentium-II system for the same price or less.

Top power systems


Top budget systems

Kirk Steers is a contributing editor for PC World. Testing by Ulrike Diehlmann of the PC World Test Center.

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