Micron using a Hitachi DVD drive???????????????????
March 01, 1998, Issue: 903
Section: Reviews
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333MHz PII Ups the Performance Ante
Jonathan Blackwood and Jim Forbes
Intel's done it again, revving its Pentium II processor to produce a 333MHz model. Systems based on this processor now offer the fastest desktop performance. But not for long. It will be only a couple of months before we see a new chipset and 100MHz motherboards that will really ramp up performance.
This month, we look at five preproduction 333MHz systems-from Dell, Gateway 2000, Micron, NEC and Quantex-for the enthusiast or small-business owner. All came with Windows 95 installed, except for the Quantex system, which came with NT. Also in this issue (see Systems Reviews), we evaluate three NT-based 333MHz models intended for the corporate desktop.
Dell Dimension XPS D333
Dell's beta system included 64MB of SDRAM (expandable to 384MB), 512KB of level 2 cache, a 9.1GB (nominal) Seagate Ultra ATA hard disk, a Hitachi GD-2000 second-generation DVD drive, an STB Velocity 128 AGP video card with 8MB of RAM and a U.S. Robotics x2 56K modem. A Creative Labs AWE64 PCI sound card and an excellent three-piece Altec Lansing ACS495 USB speaker system provide the sound. The 17-inch (15.9-inch viewable) Trinitron monitor features a 0.26mm stripe pitch. Windows 95 was preinstalled, as was Microsoft Office 97 Small Business Edition.
The case offers expansion room, with four of seven drive bays available. Two of three PCI slots are free, but none of the single ISA, shared PCI/ISA or AGP slots were free. There were all the usual ports, including USB.
Performance was disappointing: The XPS D333 achieved a WinScore of only 174-though it did top its predecessor, the 300MHz XPS D300, by eight points. The D333 scored higher marks for CPU and Word performance than did the D300, but slightly less on every other test. Nonetheless, the D333's cached disk and Word scores were outstanding.
Gateway 2000 GP6-333
The Gateway beta system arrived fully loaded with 64MB of SDRAM, 512KB of level 2 cache, an 8.4GB (nominal) IBM Ultra ATA hard disk, a 32X Mitsumi CD-ROM drive, an STB Velocity 128 AGP video card with 4MB of RAM and Gateway's 19-inch (18-inch viewable) EV900 monitor with 0.26mm dot pitch. There was no sound card, speakers or modem. Windows 95 came preinstalled, as did Microsoft Office 97 Small Business Edition.
Two thumbscrews hold the side panel in place. Slots included three PCI, one ISA, one shared PCI/ISA and one AGP; all but the AGP were available. Five of the eight drive bays were available. The usual ports, including USB, were present.
Performance was the fastest we've recorded for a Windows 95 system: The GP6-333 racked up a WinScore of 187. Its performance was superior across the board and particularly impressive on our video and Word tests.
Micron Millennia XKU 333
The Millennia XKU 333 comes standard with 64MB of SDRAM memory (expandable to 384MB), 512KB of level 2 cache, an ATA-33 6.4GB (nominal) hard disk, an internal Iomega Zip 100MB drive, a Hitachi DVD-ROM drive, a Creative Labs AWE64 sound card and an internal U.S. Robotics x2 56K modem. This beta system had the usual ports, including two USB connectors. An NTSC video port is also supplied.
The Millennia's combination of an AWE64 sound card, Cambridge SoundWorks satellite speakers and subwoofer, a Diamond Viper V330 AGP video card, and a second-generation DVD-ROM drive and controller should satisfy the most discriminating multimedia user. The 19-inch (18-inch viewable) MAG Innovision monitor has a 0.28mm dot pitch.
The Millennia's WinScore of 177 placed third in this group of systems, though it's not much faster than the fastest 300MHz systems we have tested. The Millennia XKU 333's cached disk throughput and AutoCAD performance were particularly impressive.
NEC Direction SPL 333
NEC's $2,199 Direction SPL 333 has a great configuration: 32MB of SDRAM, 512KB of level 2 cache, an IBM 4.3GB (nominal) Ultra DMA hard disk, a U.S. Robotics x2 56Kbps data/fax/voice modem, a Number Nine Reality AGP video controller with 4MB and an NEC 32X (maximum) CD-ROM drive. The beta system we tested also came with Microsoft Office Small Business Edition and Windows 95 preinstalled. The monitor is an NEC C550 15-inch (13.8-inch viewable) model with 0.28mm dot pitch. Audio comes courtesy of Yamaha OPL-3 chipset and Altec Lansing ACS90 speakers.
The SPL 333 has the normal set of ports, including two USB. With three PCI slots, an open shared PCI/ISA slot and six internal bays, there's enough room for expansion. Both ISA slots are occupied, however, and the system's fans are noisy.
The NEC Direction SPL 333 achieved a WinScore of 155, relatively low for a 333MHz Pentium II. It produced fine cached disk and Word scores, but the relatively skimpy 32MB of RAM resulted in slower than normal AutoCAD scores. (NEC plans to make 64MB of RAM standard on production machines.)
Quantex QP6/333 SB-3x
Our Quantex beta system came with 64MB of SDRAM (expandable to 512MB), 512KB of level 2 cache, a 6.4GB (nominal) Ultra ATA hard disk, a Toshiba 32X (maximum) CD-ROM drive, a Diamond Viper V330 AGP video adapter with 4MB of RAM, an Ensoniq 32-bit PCI sound card matched to Altec Lansing ACS90 speakers, an Askey K56flex 56K modem and a terrific MAG InnoVision 720JV2 17-inch (16.1-inch viewable) monitor with a 0.28mm dot pitch.
The roomy midtower case held a total of nine drive bays, six of which were available. All of the three PCI and two ISA slots were available, though the single shared PCI/ISA slot and the single AGP slot were both occupied. Twin USB ports and all the other expected ports were present. The QP6/333 SB-3x came with Windows NT preinstalled, as well as Intel's LANDesk Client Manager-kind of odd for a system that lacks a network card. The Quantex system also came with Microsoft Office 97 Small Business Edition.
The QP6/333 SB-3x earned a WinScore of 180, making it the slowest of the four NT-based 333MHz desktop systems we tested this month (see our review on corporate 333MHz systems), though it's still very fast. The Quantex achieved its best performance on our AutoCAD and Word benchmark tests.
A lot to offer
The five 333MHz systems we reviewed this month have a lot to offer, and there's not a loser in the bunch. All five systems are worthy of your consideration, but we've chosen two for our WinList of recommended products: Micron's Millennia XKU 333 and NEC's Direction SPL 333. The Micron has the best combination of features and performance, whereas the NEC system gets the nod for its startling entry point of just $2,199.
As for the other systems, the Dell is just a little bit slower and a little bit more expensive than all but the Micron; the Gateway comes with a fine monitor, but no modem or speakers are provided; and the Quantex, in addition to its lack of speakers, could be a little faster compared with its corporate desktop competitors.
--Quick View--
Dell Dimension XPS D333
Bottom Line: Extremely well-equipped, but not as fast as we've come to expect from Dell Computer
Price: $2,979
Platforms: 95, NT
Pros: Features; value
Cons: Relatively slow among this group; slower than its predecessor on some tests
Strongest Rival: Micron Millennia XKU 333
Dell Computer Corp., 800-388-8542, 512-338-4400. Winfo #847
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Gateway 2000 GP6-333
Bottom Line: A top performer, but at this price it should have a sound card, modem and speakers
Price: $2,949
Platforms: 95, NT
Pros: The fastest Win95 system we've ever tested
Cons: No modem, speakers, sound card or Zip drive
Strongest Rival: Micron Millennia XKU 333
Gateway 2000, 800-555-3006, 605-232-2000. Winfo #848
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Micron Millennia XKU 333
Bottom Line: A top-flight mini-tower that should appeal to enthusiasts, small businesses and other professionals, including those who work with graphics applications
Price: $3,648
Platforms: 95, NT
Pros: Excellent hard disk performance; great DVD drive
Cons: Mushy keyboard
Strongest Rival: NEC Direction SPL 333
Micron Electronics, 888-634-8799, 208-893-3343. Winfo #551
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NEC Direction SPL 333
Bottom Line: Performance combined with price make this system an excellent choice for small businesses, enthusiasts and buyers on a budget
Price: $2,199
Platforms: 95, NT
Pros: Great 333MHz Pentium II performance; good monitor; price
Cons: Snap-off case can be difficult to remove; video subsystem could be better
Strongest Rival: Micron Millennia XKU 333
NEC Computer Systems Division, 888-NEC-NOW, 508-264-8000. Winfo #554
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Quantex QP6/333 SB-3x
Bottom Line: A Windows NT system for small businesses
Price: $2,449
Platforms: 95, NT
Pros: Reasonably well-equipped; Intel LANDesk Client Manager included
Cons: No speakers, Zip drive or network card
Strongest Rival: Micron Millennia XKU 333
Quantex Microsystems, 800-632-5022, 732-563-4166. Winfo #849
Copyright (c) 1998 CMP Media Inc.
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