HP E-PC s10

WHAT'S HOT: This compact blue-and-beige system is little bigger than a dictionary, and it can either stand up as a minitower or lay flat as a tiny desktop; either way, it takes up very little desk space. Its sleek 15-inch flat-panel monitor, the HP L1510, can be turned 90 degrees to display in portrait mode. The monitor produces rich colors, and text looked crisp at the maximum resolution of 1024 by 768. However, as is common among flat panels, text was not as crisp at the lower, non-native resolution of 800 by 600.

WHAT'S NOT: Expansion is not an option: The system provides no open slots or drive bays, and it has only one, already-filled RAM slot, which is difficult to get to. The system features integrated audio, and also integrated video, which can lead to performance slowdowns with large graphics files.

WHAT ELSE: With a PIII-800E processor and running Windows 2000, the E-PC s10 earned a 167 score on our PC WorldBench 2000 tests--about average for similarly configured systems. You won't need tools to open the case--a panel slides off the top to reveal the hard drive, which can also be removed without tools. A sturdy case lock (which comes complete with key) provides security, as does the protective shroud that encloses the rear connectors. The sturdy HP multimedia keyboard offers 13 programmable hot keys and multimedia controls, and allows smooth typing--though the keys feel a little loose and tend to clack.

BEST USE: A small to medium-size business would appreciate the E-PC s10's small footprint and impressive flat-screen monitor. Corporate users might want to check out the system's sibling, the E-PC c10, which adds HP's TopTools management software.

SUMMARY

HP E-PC s10 PC WorldBench 2000 score of 167, Pentium III-800E CPU, 128MB of SDRAM, 256KB of L2 cache, Windows 2000, 20GB hard drive, 12X-24X CD-ROM drive, integrated Intel 815 graphics with UMA, HP L1510 15-inch LCD monitor, integrated sound, V.90 modem, integrated network interface, compact case. Three-year parts and labor warranty; 24-hour tech support (toll charges apply). $2298 800/752-0900 www.hp.com/desktops