Top 20 Budget Desktops

SUMMARY

Micro Express MicroFlex C400B PRO: Very affordable, nimble performer, excellent support policies CON: Mediocre monitor, outdated documentation, no business software

Since January, when it first arrived on our chart, we've praised Micro Express's C400B as an affordable small-business system with strong multimedia components. Now a $100 price cut to $1399 vaults this PII-400­based midsize tower back into the Best Buy ranks and makes it the least-expensive PC ever to score over 200 on PC WorldBench 98. You typically have to pay $1600 to $1700 for this level of performance.

What kept the C400B from rising even higher? A few features drawbacks. First, you have to pay extra for productivity programs such as Microsoft Office; and second, the display on the 17-inch Impression 7 Plus monitor had fuzziness in the corners that we couldn't tune out. In addition, the seriously outdated owner's guide contains nary a word about Windows 98, and we had to struggle a bit to remove and replace the PC's three-sided case cover--an issue for people who intend to add new peripherals regularly.

Even so, the good far outweighs the bad. Once we got the cover off, we found plenty of room to move around inside, and adequate space to accommodate new devices. Also, the C400B has some terrific features for such a low-priced system, especially in the multimedia category. The Altec Lansing PowerCube speakers, when used with the bundled subwoofer, deliver surprisingly rich audio for their compact size (just 5 cubic inches), and this PC is one of only six on the chart to come with a 4.8X DVD-ROM drive.

Micro Express backs the MicroFlex C400B with an exceptionally long four-year warranty on parts and labor and provides free phone support around the clock.