Sys Technology Sys Performance 233K6

Sys Technology Sys Performance 233K6

SUMMARY

PRO: Fast, sturdy, big hard drive CON: Warranty varies depending on the component, monitor controls could be easier to use

At $2721, Sys Technology's Sys Performance 233K6 packs a lot of value. The combination of a relatively inexpensive AMD K6-233 CPU with a very fast IBM Ultra DMA hard drive results in a machine whose performance rivals that of much more expensive Pentium II systems. In fact, its PC WorldBench score of 251 is only about 4 percent slower than that of the average Pentium II-266 PC we've reviewed. Yet the 233K6's price beats the 266-MHz system's average cost by almost 30 percent. That makes for a highly tempting value. And you don't have to settle for cut-rate components. The 6.4GB IBM hard drive, for example, is one of the best available.

Sys put this PC together well. Its wide-body minitower design is exceptionally sturdy and stable, and it provides plenty of room inside to maneuver when doing upgrades or repairs. It features round, sleeved cables instead of the bulky ribbon types found in most systems. The machine is also well ventilated, with a total of three fans--one on the CPU, another on the power supply, and yet another on a vent for the case.

The 17-inch Sys monitor provides a sharp, clear picture, and its controls are fairly extensive, although it took a lot of fiddling to get the screen geometry exactly the way we wanted it. The good display is more than matched by the impressive 128-bit Number Nine Revolution 3D video card with 8MB of WRAM on board.

System documentation could be better. It consists of component manuals with no unifying user guide. If you're technically adept, you probably won't be bothered by this approach, but average users will have a hard time finding the information they need. We have little fax-back information on the quality of Sys Technology's support or the overall reliability of its PCs. The Performance 233K6's warranty is a mixed bag: Labor and on-site service are free for one year, and parts are covered for different periods depending on their manufacturers' policies. The CPU and memory (the parts least likely to fail) are covered for six years, and the other parts are covered for one to five years. You get toll-free technical support around the clock for the first year, but then support drops to 9 hours per weekday, and you pay the toll.