WHAT'S HOT: Best known for its Mach V line of souped-up systems (with equally souped-up price tags) Falcon Northwest also offers more modest Talon PCs geared toward gamers on a budget. The model we tested included a 1.53-GHz Athlon XP 1800+ processor, 256MB of DDR memory, and a 64MB GeForce4 MX-based graphics card that should offer satisfying gaming performance.

Klipsch's ProMedia 2.1 three-speaker set may not provide surround sound, but does offer loud, incredibly crisp audio and thunderous bass.

The 64MB GeForce4 MX 440 graphics card includes dual-display capability so you can hook up a TV and a monitor or a digital and analog monitor to this Talon for an expanded desktop or to watch a full-screen DVD while working or playing on the other display.

WHAT'S NOT: The model we reviewed didn't include a CD-RW drive, a feature that's included on many PCs costing less than the $1375 Talon 4.3. If you can't live without a CD-RW drive (and most PC users shouldn't), then upgrade to the Talon 4.4--$300 extra--or add one yourself.

WHAT ELSE: With a 1.53-GHz Athlon XP 1800+ and 256MB of DDR memory, our Windows XP Home-based Talon earned a score of 115 on our PC WorldBench 4 tests, comparable to similarly equipped systems; in fact, the Falcon's PC WorldBench score nearly matches those of the competing Systemax Ascent EX A17 and Polywell Poly 880NF-1900+ systems on the chart, but those machines have faster AMD processors.

This model's 17-inch Optiquest Q71 monitor delivered crisp, readable text in our document tests with bright, rich colors and realistic flesh tones in our photo. Gaming images, on the other hand, appeared slightly washed out in Quake III Arena and Unreal Tournament. We recorded fast frame rates in Quake, but mixed performance in Unreal Tournament, mostly due to sporadic slowdowns when the system accessed the hard drive.

Falcon includes a setup poster to aid in system assembly as well as thorough documentation for components. No overall system manual ships with the Talon line, but detailed online manuals are available.

Opening this basic beige box required removing two screws, and then popping off its metal side panel. In our test system, four PCI slots and four removable media drive bays were unused. You'll need a screwdriver to add or remove components.

Although typing was smooth and accurate on this PC's basic keyboard, the small backspace key was annoying, and the keyboard felt a little flimsy.

UPSHOT: If you are not a serious gamer, the Talon is a suitable alternative to the more powerful Mach V line. Still, this system seems pricey for a somewhat generic PC.

SUMMARY

Falcon Northwest Talon 4.3 PC WorldBench 4 score of 115, 1.53-GHz Athlon XP 1800+ CPU, 256MB of DDR-266 SDRAM, Windows XP Home, 40GB hard drive, 16X DVD-ROM drive, GeForce4 MX 440 graphics card with 64MB of DDR SDRAM, 17-inch Optiquest Q71 monitor, NVidia NForce-based built-in audio, Klipsch Promedia 2.1 speakers, network adapter, V.90 modem, midsize tower case. One-year parts and labor warranty; free, unlimited, 9-hour toll-free tech support. $1375 888/325-2661 www.falcon-nw.com