WHAT'S HOT: IBM's all-in-one NetVista line has a sleek, attractive look, and this X40 is no exception. The all-black monitor with integrated CPU matches the keyboard and mouse--an ensemble that will look sharp on any desktop. All-in-one systems are notoriously expensive, but this X40 sells for a reasonable price of $1695. With IBM's Universal Manageability suite installed, it's easy to administer and upgrade software on the system as well. The X40 offers no serial or parallel ports but has seven USB ports, including two on the keyboard and five on the system (though the keyboard takes one of those).

WHAT'S NOT: This system's expansion potential is extremely limited, with only one open low-height PCI slot and one open RAM slot. The X40 uses integrated audio and graphics, and the graphics memory is borrowed from main system memory. To open the small case, you push the monitor forward and disconnect the cables, then slide the top of the case back. The X40's components aren't top-of-the-line, such as a 20GB hard drive and a laptop-style 10X-24X CD-ROM drive with a plastic spindle for snapping in the CD. IBM's tech support earned a rating of only Fair in our latest round of anonymous calls--the advice its representatives gave was generally correct, but not very specific.

WHAT ELSE: All-in-one systems traditionally perform lower on our PC WorldBench 2000 benchmarks, and this NetVista follows suit. With a 1-GHz PIII processor and 128MB of PC133 memory, the X40 earned a score of 168--14 points below the average for similarly configured Windows 2000 systems. The 15-inch flat-panel monitor produced average text and colors. Lotus SmartSuite 9.5 comes bundled with the system. In addition to the two USB ports, the keyboard features eight Web and programmable hot-keys, as well as CD-player controls. Typing on the keyboard was comfortable and quiet. The X40 ships with only a quick-reference system manual that offers basic setup information, but a detailed software manual is included.

UPSHOT: If you're in the market for a slick-looking, workgroup-ready, space-saving machine, the NetVista X40 is an affordable option.

SUMMARY

IBM NetVista X40 PC WorldBench 2000 score of 168, Pentium III-1000 CPU, 128MB of SDRAM, 256KB L2 cache, Windows 2000, 20GB hard drive, 10X-24X CD-ROM drive, SiS integrated graphics, 15-inch IBM LCD monitor, integrated sound, built-in speakers, network adapter, all-in-one case, Lotus SmartSuite 9.5, IBM Universal Manageability software, three-year parts warranty, one-year labor warranty, free 24-hour tech support. $1695 800/426-2968 www.ibm.com/pc