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Desktops: A Baker's Dozen
A sampling of popular systems
OVERALL MANUFACTURER AND MODEL/ CONFIGURATION (PROCESSOR/
RATING PRICE* MEMORY/HARD-DRIVE SIZE)
16.1 HP PAVILION 7285 200 MHz
$2,999 32 MB/3.1 GB
A very fast Pentium and loads of memory make it our top performer
13.1 GATEWAY 2000 P5-166XL 166 MHz
$2,399 16 MB/2.5 GB
Full-size tower case makes it a top choice for the expansion-minded
13.1 DELL DIMENSION XPS P166S 166 MHz
$2,799 16 MB/1.08 GB
Very fast, solid machine, but its disk drive is small
12.2 HP VECTRA 515 MCX 5/166 166 MHz
$3,000 16 MB/1.6 GB
Easy-to-service design with software bundle targeted for small or
home offices
11.4 IBM APTIVA C73 200 MHz
$3,358 16 MB/2.56 GB
Slow for a 200 but laden with multimedia features, including great
MPEG video and 3-D sound
10.8 IBM APTIVA S66 166 MHz
$2,998 24 MB/3.2 GB
Houses floppy and CD-ROM drives in desktop unit; processor and
other electronics in a minitower
10.8 DELL DIMENSION P100T 100 MHz
$2,249 16 MB/2.0 GB
A very fast video system that transcends this unit's modest specs
9.5 AST ADVANTAGE! 824 133 MHz
$1,999 16 MB/1.6 GB
Bargain package offers strong Lotus software bundle
9.0 ACER ASPIRE PERSONAL 133 MHz
SOLUTION $2,198 16 MB/2.0 GB
Available with grey or green cases; provides built-in telephone
handset
8.1 NEC READY 9618 (P150) 150 MHz
$2,399 16 MB/2.0 GB
The multimedia-oriented Ready includes a TV-style remote control
7.1 COMPAQ PRESARIO 4712 166 MHz
$2,599 16 MB/2.5 GB
Convenience features include a ''sleep'' button and buttons to
control the CD player and answering machine
NA TOSHIBA INFINIA 7200 200 MHz
$3,248 32 MB/2.0 GB
PC/home-entertainment hybrid features a TV and FM radio tuner
** APPLE PERFORMA 6400/200 200 MHz
$2,660 16 MB/2.4 GB
A speedy multimedia workhorse; add a $500 board for video editing
* Actual recent selling price, including monitor
** Performance not directly comparable to PCs
NA = Not available
For more information, see www.maven.businessweek.com
DATA: NSTL, A UNIT OF THE MCGRAW-HILL COMPANIES; BUSINESS WEEK
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Updated June 14, 1997 by bwwebmaster
Copyright 1996, by The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. All rights reserved.
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