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Dell Dimension 4100 PIII-933

A speedy, affordable home office system with blazing graphics performance.

  

WHAT'S HOT: Equipped with a Pentium III-933 processor and an NVidia GeForce2 GTS-based graphics board, the $1749 Dimension 4100 logged a zippy 154 on PC WorldBench 2000 and posted front-of-the-pack frame-rate scores in our gaming tests. It set record scores for Quake III and came in second place for Rage Expendable.

WHAT'S NOT: In spite of its sexy design, the Harman-Kardon sound system is not spectacular. Its wand-like satellite speakers are a bit weak on vocals. Controlling the audio can be a chore: The right satellite speaker has push buttons to raise and lower volume (a knob would allow finer adjustment), and all other controls are inconveniently located on the subwoofer (which bears an uncanny resemblance to an electric space heater).

WHAT ELSE: Dell's basic case opens easily to a roomy interior with access to three free PCI slots and four drive bays (including one 5.25-inch bay and two 3.5-inch bays that provide external access). An instruction poster and a setup guide show clearly how to get the system up and running, while a "solutions" manual covers the details of upgrading. Dell's basic QuietKey keyboard offers the rugged design and smooth operation that heavy desk-jockeys demand.

BEST USE: This Dimension 4100 is a fast, rugged home-office machine; upgrade the sound system, and it could pinch-hit as a respectable gaming or entertainment machine.


SUMMARY
Dell Dimension 4100 PIII-933


PC WorldBench 2000 score of 154, Pentium III-933 CPU, 128MB of SDRAM, 256KB L2 cache, Windows Me, 20.4GB hard drive, 12X DVD-ROM drive, NVidia GeForce2 GTS graphics board with 64MB of DDR SDRAM, Dell M781S 17-inch monitor, Creative Labs SoundBlaster Live CT4780 sound card, Harman-Kardon HK695 speakers, V.90 modem, midsize tower case, Microsoft Works Suite 2000, Symantec Norton AntiVirus 2000. 3-year parts warranty, 1-year labor warranty; free, unlimited 24-hour tech support.

$1749
800/388-8542
www.dell.com

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