Photograph: Rick RiznerFor $3395, Polywell's Poly 916NF4 (number seven in this month's power desktop rankings) doesn't offer the sci-fi looks that we've come to expect from gaming systems. Instead, what's futuristic about this new Polywell is on the inside: It's the first desktop system we've tested that uses NVidia's scalable link interface (SLI) technology, which enables you to connect two PCI Express graphics cards in the same PC. A typical PC user may not notice any performance enhancement, however. The two games we use in our video game tests don't exploit SLI's capabilities, though Doom 3 and a handful of other recent games do. You'll pay a lot for the feature, too: The same computer with a single graphics card costs about $600 less.
Unlike the pricey Polywell, the two new value systems on this month's chart are inexpensive. The $1377 Velocity Micro Vector PCX delivers plenty of computing power for the money; it performed on a par with similarly configured (yet more expensive) systems, earning a WorldBench 5 score of 89. Our test system came equipped with a CRT monitor, although many buyers may want to upgrade to an LCD.
Gamers on a tight budget will appreciate the flashy IBuyPower Gamer FX. This $1395 system sports LED lights on some components, and cold-cathode illumination gives the interior an otherworldly glow. In our video game tests, the Gamer FX delivered above-average frame rates, and its WorldBench 5 score of 98 is the highest for any machine appearing on the value list.
Notebooks
If Acer's trademark curvy ergonomic keyboard doesn't turn you off, you'll love the company's latest desktop replacement, the TravelMate 8100. This update improves on the not-too-shabby TravelMate 8000 by introducing a smarter case design as well as a sleek 15.4-inch screen. A very well-rounded machine for home or office, the 8100 supports both short- and long-range wireless communications, and has a DVI port for connecting a digital monitor. Regrettably, however, the notebook's weak speakers have not improved.
Two other newly tested laptops made the cut: Alienware's Area 51-M D9T and Medion's Akoya EX. The Area 51-M D9T's $3214 price tag may be out of this world, but the machine is light years ahead of the competition in expansion options, with dual hard drives, dual optical drives, and four memory slots. We also liked its 17-inch wide screen, four speakers, and built-in Webcam. Options not present in our test unit include Microsoft's Windows Media Center Edition OS and a built-in TV tuner.
The Medion Akoya EX all-purpose laptop is a steal for $1200, especially if you need a lightweight portable that can connect to a digital LCD. The unit's white case, however, will likely take extra effort to keep smudge-free.
Laser Printers:Like many other devices, monochrome laser printers keep shrinking in size and price. Two compact models from Samsung and HP print crisp text, yet cost less than $180 each. That's not to say that a workgroup printer has to break the bank: The model with the highest-quality output costs just $300.
More on the Web:PC World uses its industry-standard benchmarking application, WorldBench 5, to evaluate the performance of desktop PCs, notebook PCs, and tablet PCs. Our benchmark runs a number of real-world applications performing real-world computing tasks. For more information on the WorldBench 5 tool, go to click here. Visit For more details about PC World's Star Ratings, click here.
The Top 100 Team:Freelance writers Paul Jasper and Melissa Riofrio, Contributing Editor Carla Thornton, and PC World editors Laura Blackwell, Eric Butterfield, Tracey Capen, Kalpana Ettenson, Tom Mainelli, Melissa J. Perenson, Narasu Rebbapragada, Dan Sommer, and Alan Stafford contributed to the Top 100 section this month. Ulrike Diehlmann, Julio Giannobile, Elliott Kirschling, Jeff Kuta, Tony K. Leung, Thomas Luong, and William Wang of the PC World Test Center tested the products that are reviewed in this issue.
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