To: hlpinout who wrote (72884 ) 11/30/1999 8:30:00 PM From: hlpinout Respond to of 97611
Intel's 810e Gives Business PCs Multitasking Muscle by Anush Yegyazarian DESKTOPS Extra performance in a solid, well-known package--at no extra cost. Sound too good to be true? In the case of the latest versions of Compaq's Deskpro EP 500 and Dell's OptiPlex GX110, it's not. These tried-and-true corporate systems are among the first PCs to use Intel's new 810e system chip set, which boosts multitasking performance. But each PC's price remains unchanged at slightly less than $1450, which gets you a Pentium III-500 CPU, 128MB of RAM, and Windows 98 Second Edition. Both units are terrific values--you may get a bit more hardware for your money from other vendors, but the manageability and stability these systems provide makes their cost worthwhile. What's New Shipping units of the two systems performed almost identically in our PC WorldBench 98 tests: the Compaq scored 223, the Dell 231. Those marks, about average for this processor class, indicate beyond-adequate speed for standard business tasks. But both PCs truly aced our new multitasking test, in which systems do file extraction in the background while performing tasks in several popular applications. The Compaq earned a score of 311, and the Dell posted a 301 (lower figures are better)--both about 20 percent superior to the scores of Pentium III-600 PCs using either the old 440BX chip set or the new VIA chip set. The 810e chip set is the simpler and cheaper sibling of the troubled 820. Designed for mainstream business systems such as these, the 810e does not support RDRAM, a fast new flavor of memory that created problems for the 820. But like the 820, the 810e supports individual controller hubs for memory and input/output; these separate controllers contribute to its multitasking muscle. A 133-MHz pipe between the chip set and the processor--replacing the old 100-MHz bus--helps, too. Finally, the 810e integrates graphics as the budget 810 does, in a scheme Intel calls Direct AGP. This setup helps vendors reduce costs, but it means that you'll need to add a PCI card if you want to upgrade your graphics, a solution that delivers questionable performance benefit. Both systems' cases come off without tools, revealing uncluttered interiors. Both also bundle ethernet cards, 17-inch monitors, and Web-based management software suited for workgroups of up to 500 people. As you'd expect with corporate systems, both are DMI 2.0ðcompliant. Our OptiPlex's low-profile chassis had three free PCI slots but no ISA support, and its three bays were all occupied. Dell does provide a 13.5GB hard disk, and cables are color-coded. The Deskpro EP 500's minitower offers more expansion room and has a couple of ISA slots. If you'd rather have a desktop, you don't have to change cases: Simply slide out the drives, rotate them 90 degrees, and lay the unit on its side. The process is easy and quick, with bright green tabs to help you find most key parts and levers (but not the drives' power connectors). Compaq color-codes all external cables and ports to make hookups painless. The system's 6.4GB hard disk is skimpy, but an extra $104 buys a 13.5GB drive. Both systems fulfill their intended roles as business workhorses. The Deskpro is the more versatile of the two, offering several components that can be scaled to fit the size of your business, while the OptiPlex is best suited for a smaller office or department and gives you a bit more hardware for your money. Buying an 810e-refreshed PC in either of these lines is a no-brainer: You get more, but you don't pay extra for it. Product Information Deskpro EP 500 PRO: Flexible, easy-to-service case. CON: Slightly slower performance than the Dell, small hard drive. VALUE: Solid manageable PC for mainstream business use. Street price: $1449 Compaq 800/345-1518 www.compaq.com Product information from manufacturer OptiPlex GX110 PRO: Good performance, compact, easy to service. CON: No free bays and no ISA slots, less versatile than the Compaq. VALUE: Bargain for offices with limited desk space and no legacy cards. Street price: $1430 www1.pcworld.com