Dell Dimension L866r

WHAT'S HOT: Images and text looked rich and clear on Dell's E770s 17-inch monitor. The bundled Harman/Kardon HK195 speakers produced solid audio, with surprisingly good bass for satelite speakers. A modem card and integrated ethernet port double your options for getting onto the Internet. Opening the case for upgrades is exceptionally easy: A side panel pops off at the push of a button. Once inside, you can remove the front bezel and release the swing-out power supply (with some effort) by pushing other buttons. The midsize tower case provides clear access to three open PCI expansion slots. In our latest Reliability and Service survey of PC World readers, Dell earned scores of Outstanding in both categories.

WHAT'S NOT: The Dimension L866r's PC WorldBench 2000 score of 144 was slower than the average score for PIII-866-based systems with 128MB of SDRAM we've tested. The system's noisy 10.2GB hard drive whirs like a coffee grinder whenever you access files. For future expansion, you get a single open 3.5-inch drive bay. The standard-issue beige-box case lacks a reset button.

WHAT ELSE: The integrated Intel 810 graphics processor doesn't support 32-bit color, but it pumped out respectable frame-rate scores at other color depths. Dell's corporate-looking QuietKey keyboard should withstand plenty of heavy use, but it provides no programmable buttons, CD-ROM controls, or other frills. Documentation includes a clearly illustrated setup poster, a setup booklet, and a newsletter covering topics such as how to configure a home network. Bundled software includes Microsoft Works Suite 2000 (with Microsoft Word and Encarta) and Norton AntiVirus.

BEST USE: Not the best choice if you're looking for stunning game machine, but a solid, reasonably priced workhorse for home-office computing.

SUMMARY

Dell Dimension L866r PC WorldBench 2000 score of 144, Pentium III-866 CPU, 128MB of SDRAM, 256KB of L2 cache, Windows Me, 10.2GB hard drive, 22X-48X CD-ROM drive, integrated Intel 810 graphics with UMA, 17-inch Dell E770s monitor, integrated Creative Ensoniq ES1 sound, Harman/Kardon HK195 speakers, built-in ethernet port, V.90 modem, midsize tower case, Microsoft Works Suite 2000, Symantec Norton AntiVirus 2000. Three-year parts warranty, one-year labor warranty; free, unlimited 24-hour tech support. $1129 800/388-8542 www.dell.com