WHAT'S HOT: Sys paired a 1.53-GHz Athlon XP 1800+ processor with 256MB of 333-MHz DDR SDRAM in our test system. It earned a PC WorldBench 4 score of 116--making it one of the faster value systems we've seen.

WHAT'S NOT: If you want a snazzy-looking system, you won't be pleased with Sys's basic beige box--especially because the faceplate of the CD-RW drive is a different shade of white than the rest of the case.

WHAT ELSE: The 15-inch Sys 152L LCD monitor delivered sharp, easily readable text in our test document, as well as natural-looking flesh tones and vibrant colors in our test photograph. The unit's viewing angle is not as wide as that of other LCD monitors we've seen, however. For the most comfortable operation you must sit directly in front of the screen.

At least that off-color CD-RW drive is a good one--the Lite-On 40X/12X/48X is ideal for quickly backing up data to CD-R or CD-RW discs. The Matrox Millennium G450 graphics board is not as fast as the GeForce4-based cards in some other systems, but it's more than adequate for general business use.

The case opens easily: After you loosen two thumbscrews, the sturdy side slides off smoothly. The neat interior boasts four open PCI slots and five open bays (three externally accessible bays for adding CD-RW or tape drives and two internal bays for adding extra hard drives). The case also features a loop case lock.

Sys now includes a spiral-bound manual that has thorough chapters on troubleshooting and upgrading, but it could use a few more illustrations. Corel's WordPerfect Office 2002 comprises the software bundle.

UPSHOT: With a reasonably low price and some high-end components, the Performance 1800+ will appeal to the small-business user who wants a little more than the ordinary value system can offer.

SUMMARY

Sys Performance 1800+ PC WorldBench 4 score of 116, 1.53-GHz Athlon XP 1800+ CPU, 256MB of DDR333 SDRAM, Windows XP Professional, 40GB hard drive, 40X/12X/48X CD-RW drive, Matrox Millennium G450 graphics card with 32MB of DDR SDRAM, 15-inch Sys 152L LCD monitor, integrated Creative Labs CT5880 sound, Altec Lansing AVS300 speakers, network adapter, V.92 modem, midsize tower case, WordPerfect Office 2002. Three-year parts warranty (five years on CPU and RAM), three-year labor warranty; free, unlimited 24-hour daily tech support. $1491 800/613-9963 www.sys.com