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To: DiViT who wrote (35331)	8/20/1998 9:38:00 PM
From: John Rieman	Respond to of 50808

Sony PC based on celeron. Hardware decode....................... www1.zdnet.com FPC Newsletter Or unsubscribe Search FPC REVIEWS Software Hardware Web Sites 5-Minute Activities The FPC Files Web Almanac Games OPINIONS Double Click Parental Guidance Internet Mom Savvy Consumer EXTRAS SchoolPC Kids' Safety HandsOn Innoventions Be a FamilyTester Subscribe Contact Us Back Issues Advertiser Info From the September 1998 Issue of FamilyPC Sony VAIO PCV-E203 FamilyPC Recommended Score: 85 Is a PC built around Intel's low-end Celeron chip good enough for your family? Because the Celeron leaves out the 512KB cache found on Pentium II chips, we expected the answer to be a resounding No. But after testing the Celeron-equipped VAIO PCV-E203 that Sony built, we realized we'd asked the wrong question. A processor alone doesn't make or break a PC; it's the combination of all the system's parts. The PCV-E203 pairs an inexpensive Intel Celeron CPU with good multimedia components and Sony's sharp VAIO package to create a responsive machine that's cutting-edge cool. At $1798, it's neither a sub-$1000 bargain nor a 400-MHz screamer, but it's the right choice if a fun family computer is what you're after. Stripping out the 512KB cache makes the Celeron less expensive, but at the cost of some performance. Exactly how much is hard to say, as quantitative tests and subjective response times give different results. WinBench 98 CPU tests rate the 300-MHz Celeron a little slower than a 233-MHz Pentium MMX, and Winstone 98 application tests place the PCV-E203 at around the speed of a 233-MHz Pentium II. But we ran DVD titles and 3-D games on the PCV-E203 and found the system plenty fast enough. For most uses, the 300-MHz cacheless processor performs well with its 48MB of SDRAM and 6.4GB hard drive. Since a large cache is most useful for productivity software, we wouldn't recommend the PCV-E203 if you use mainly work-at-home applications. But if entertainment software or the Internet is your family's interest, a Celeron-based computer like the PCV-E203 is a good option. Sony's latest VAIO sports an updated interface that takes advantage of the Web features in Windows 98. Highlights include the VAIO Space II (a navigation tool that looks like a Web browser), an animated Windows 98 desktop with navigation buttons, and a custom Web browser. For a midrange system, the PCV-E203 includes heavy multimedia hardware, including a 5x DVD-2 ROM drive (5x means faster video loading for interactive DVD titles), S-Video and composite TV output, and a PCI sound card. We priced the system with Sony's CPD-100VS monitor, a 15-inch Trinitron that includes built-in stereo speakers and a separate subwoofer. The PCV-E203's 3-D graphics hardware (a midrange ATI 3D Rage Pro accelerator) is less exciting, and there's no AGP socket for a future AGP upgrade. Although it lacks the power for intense 3-D gaming or serious home-office work, the PCV-E203 with its space-saving microtower case, great looks, custom software, and multimedia-focused hardware makes a good family system. --Steve Apiki VAIO PCV-E203, 300-MHz Celeron, 48MB SDRAM, 6.4GB hard drive, 15-inch monitor, 56-kbps fax modem (K56flex), 5x DVD-2 ROM drive, microtower case. Sony Electronics, 888-476-6972, $1798. Desktop Systems MidWest Micro Multimedia Pro PRH-400 Compaq Presario 5600 Nec Ready 9890 Sony VAIO PCV-E203 Previously Reviewed: Gateway 2000 G6-300 NEC Direction SP B400 Midwest Micro MR-2233 Basics PC IBM Aptiva E76 Dell Dimension XPS D333 Compaq Presario 4860 Check the following for bargains: Computer Shopper NetBuyer The Cyberian Outpost ZDProducts DesktopUser: Pentium IIs ZDTV: Celeron

To: DiViT who wrote (35331)	8/20/1998 9:49:00 PM
From: John Rieman	Respond to of 50808

MidWest Micro must be sending the decode to the CPU and using the graphics chip for transport........................... www1.zdnet.com Unlike the NEC Direction SP B400, the Multimedia Pro PRH-400 offers all the multimedia hardware you'd expect in a high-end PC, including a DVD-2 ROM drive, a PCI sound card with wavetable synthesis and positional sound capability, and a booming three-piece Altec Lansing stereo speaker set. MidWest Micro also includes two interactive DVD game titles (Spycraft: The Great Game and The Daedalus Encounter), so you can actually use your new DVD-ROM drive as something other than a glorified CD-ROM drive. The core hardware includes Intel's 400-MHz Pentium II processor, a 440BX chipset, and 64MB of RAM. Like all Pentium II/440BX machines, the PRH-400 includes performance-enhancing features such as a 512KB cache, a 100-MHz connection to system RAM, and AGP graphics. It also has a high-end STB Velocity 128 AGP graphics board (based on the nVidia Riva 128 3-D accelerator chipset) for masterful game performance. Our benchmark tests place the PRH-400 as the fifth-fastest machine we've tested.