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WHAT'S HOT: Sys's Performance 1700+ put up impressive numbers on our PC WorldBench 4 tests. Equipped with a 1.47-GHz Athlon 1700+ CPU, 256MB of DDR memory, and running Windows XP Professional, it earned a score of 111.

The system we tested came with a 19-inch ViewSonic Optiquest Q95 monitor, a recent Best Buy on our Top 10 Monitors chart. The monitor exhibited vibrant colors and sharp text in our graphics and document tests.

WHAT'S NOT: No overall system manual shipped with the Performance 1700+, though experienced users will appreciate the inclusion of a setup poster from motherboard manufacturer Gigabyte and documentation for individual components.

WHAT ELSE: The plain beige-box system is utilitarian and functional. For a measure of security, it has a loop in back to which users can attach a lock to prevent unwanted entry into the case.

Getting into the system is a breeze: After loosening two thumbscrews, the side panel slides off and goes back on smoothly thanks to top- and bottom-mounted guide rails.

The chassis' interior is neat and well organized; cabling for drives and PCI cards is folded and bundled out of the way. You'll need tools in hand to add components to the four open PCI slots and four open drive bays (two for removable-media drives, two for hard drives), but the bays are easy to access. The system ships with a midrange Gigabyte AV64S-T Radeon 7000 Pro Maya graphics card with 64MB of SDRAM.

Also bundled are Corel's WordPerfect Office 2002 and a Microsoft Internet Keyboard. The keyboard allows for smooth and crisp typing, and it's equipped with ten hot-key shortcuts for Internet functions and an attachable wrist rest.

UPSHOT: The Sys Performance 1700+ is a solid, generic PC for the more experienced PC user.

SUMMARY

Sys Performance 1700+ PC WorldBench 4 score of 111, 1.47-GHz Athlon 1700+ CPU, 256MB of SDRAM, Windows XP Professional, 41GB hard drive, 16X DVD-ROM drive, 40X/12X/48X CD-RW drive, Gigabyte AV64S-T Radeon 7000 Pro Maya graphics card with 64MB of SDRAM, 19-inch ViewSonic Optiquest Q95 monitor, VIA AC 97 Audio Controller sound card, Altec Lansing AVS 300 speakers, network adapter, midsize tower case. Parts warranty varies depending on the component, five-year labor warranty; free, unlimited 24-hour daily toll-free tech support. $1272 800/613-9963 www.sys.com