WHAT'S HOT: USB ports abound on the Valera, with two 1.1 ports up front (in addition to headphone and microphone jacks) and two more around back. Also in back are four USB 2.0 ports, thanks to an add-in card.

WHAT'S NOT: The component bays and slots are tough to reach--especially the open memory sockets. The very busy interior has cables crisscrossing the system and a large support bar running down the middle.

Also, with three video capture and editing applications included (InterVideo, WinCoder, and WinProducer), it's odd that the system didn't come configured with a FireWire (IEEE 1394) port.

No office suite software is included.

WHAT ELSE: With the 1.67-GHz Athlon XP 2000+ CPU, Windows XP Professional, and 256MB of DDR memory, our test Tangent Valera DDR 2000+ scored 117 on PC WorldBench 4. While that score is typical for similarly configured 1.6-GHz Athlon XP 1900+ systems, it's still a respectable performance number. The system we tested came configured with an 80GB hard drive.

The 19-inch ViewSonic Optiquest Q95 monitor, number four in our Top 10 19-Inch Monitors review, delivered crisp, readable text, as well as realistic flesh tones and vibrant colors in photos.

For the most part, you can upgrade the system components without using tools--after you use a screwdriver to remove a single screw (and then press two tabs) to pop off the system side panel. To insert a PCI card into one of the two available slots, simply loosen a single thumbscrew on the slot cover; to add a drive to one of the three open bays that can accept removable-media drives, slide a switch to the "unlock" position and then slip the drive into the front of the system. The three available internal drive bays require tools for installation, but the drive cages slide out, which makes the bays easier to access.

The MSI MS-8850 GeForce3 Ti 200 graphics card includes AV output, S-Video output, and S-Video input ports, as well as an S-Video cable and a composite adapter, allowing you to transfer video from multiple sources. The system's Tangent-branded input devices include a keyboard with three programmable shortcut keys and a five-button, two-wheel mouse, which allows simultaneous horizontal and vertical scrolling in Web browsers and other applications.

UPSHOT: Add a FireWire adapter and the Tangent Valera DDR 2000+ would make a fine system for aspiring videographers.

SUMMARY

Tangent Valera DDR 2000+ PC WorldBench 4 score of 117, 1.67-GHz Athlon 2000+ CPU, 256MB of DDR SDRAM, Windows XP Professional, 80GB hard drive, 16X DVD-ROM drive, 24X/10X/40X CD-RW drive, MSI MS-8850 GeForce3 Ti 200 graphics card with 64MB of DDR SDRAM, 19-inch ViewSonic Optiquest Q95 monitor, integrated sound, Altec Lansing ACS 45.2 speakers, network adapter, midsize tower case. Three-year parts and labor warranty; free, unlimited 16-hour daily toll-free tech support. $1649 800/800-5550 www.tangent.com