Dell Dimension XPS R450

Dell Dimension XPS R450

If you're venturing away from the corporate fold, Dell's latest Windows 98 midtower is a terrific choice. It's a bit pricey at $2579, but its fast performance, multimedia features, and strong reliability and support combine to make it one of our top picks for power-hungry small or home businesses.

This Dimension sports the latest Intel processor on the market, the 450-MHz Pentium II, and it shows: The R450 loads Microsoft Word and Internet Explorer on the screen almost instantly, chalking up a PC WorldBench 98 score of 212. File junkies and pack rats will benefit from the 10GB hard drive and Iomega Zip drive.

Multimedia capability is one of this system's strengths. DVD video plays back as smooth as a baby's forehead, thanks to the XPS R450's effective MPEG-2 playback, substantial 128MB of RAM, and 17-inch Trinitron monitor. Even with half a dozen apps churning in the background, playback remained flawless. The included Altec Lansing ACS295 speaker-subwoofer combination offers powerful sound with a crystal-clear tone. Just make sure you have enough space under your desk to accommodate it all: The subwoofer's the size of a small microwave oven.

Besides price, the only nit we found to pick involves the system's x2-standard 56-kbps modem. Unlike many of its competitors, Dell has yet to offer bundled modems with the global V.90 56-kbps standard. In every other respect, though, the Dimension XPS R450 is a well-built, well-documented system. Dell backs it with a support policy that includes around-the-clock telephone support every day of the week. Our readers rate Dell's system reliability as good.

SUMMARY

PRO: Impressive performance, extensive features including high-quality DVD playback CON: 56-kbps modem not V.90 standard