IBM NetVista A40i

WHAT'S HOT: This black-encased NetVista A40i performed solidly on both application software and our 3D game tests. Its PC WorldBench 2000 score of 160 was within a stone's throw of the best scores we've seen for an Athlon 1000. And with its VisionTek GeForce2 GTS graphics card, game play was smooth and crisp on Quake III, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000, and Rage Expendable. Though the system's frame-rate scores for these tests are not the highest we've recorded, they're well above average. IBM's 17-inch P76 monitor displayed great images; color looked rich but realistic, and even small text was easy to read at 1280 by 1024 resolution. Furthermore, the NetVista's clean interior and two free PCI slots will take the hassle out of future upgrades.

WHAT'S NOT: Though this PC comes with Lotus SmartSuite and Microsoft Works 2000, given the price tag of $1637, we would have liked to see at least one more extra. The 30GB hard drive and lone 8X/4X/32X CD-RW drive offer lots of storage, but an additional DVD-ROM drive or at least a CD-ROM drive would make the price more palatable. Should you decide to add an extra drive, you'll have to contend with an annoying plastic door that covers the lower external drive bay. IBM limits free tech support to three years.

WHAT ELSE: The IBM345 speakers and subwoofer sound surprisingly good for a low-cost speaker system. The IBM keyboard not only has a solid feel but also comes with CD/audio controls and seven colorful Internet buttons. We saw adequate printed documentation plus well-written online documentation, but the package included no quick-reference posters for system setup. In PC World's annual Reliability and Service survey, IBM received a Good rating for system reliability.

BEST USE: Anyone attracted to the IBM logo and willing to pay more for a reliable, well-built PC with plenty of power should consider the NetVista A40i.

SUMMARY

IBM NetVista A40i PC WorldBench 2000 score of 160, Athlon-1000 CPU, 128MB of SDRAM, 256KB L2 cache, Windows Me, 30GB hard drive, 8X/4X/32X CD-RW drive, VisionTek GeForce2 GTS graphics card with 32MB of SGRAM, 17-inch IBM P76 monitor, integrated SoundMax Digital Audio sound, IBM345 speakers, V.90 modem, minitower case, Lotus SmartSuite 9.5, Microsoft Works Suite 2000. One-year parts and labor warranty; free, limited 24-hour tech support. $1637 888/746-7426 www.ibm.com/netvista