Dell Dimension 4550

WHAT'S HOT: Like all of Dell's Dimension line, this model is an easy-to-service box. The clam-shell case opens wide, giving exceptionally good access to all of the Dimension's components. We found a neat and spacious interior with moderate upgrade options: two open PCI slots, two drive bays (one for a hard drive only), plus two additional memory sockets. The drive bays feature latches that, when unhinged, allow you to slip drives in and out without tools, plus rubberized mounts that keep hard drives quiet so they don't reverberate against the case. (See " Your PC Has the Right to Remain Silent.")

The midnight-gray 17-inch Dell E171FP LCD is a nice perk for a system in the under-$1500 price range. In tests for image quality, the LCD produced very sharp text on both a newsletter and a screen showing various font sizes. Colors looked bright overall with good detail on a test photo.

WHAT'S NOT: We weren't impressed with the bundled Harman Kardon HK-395 two-speaker and subwoofer set. The speakers are small and squat, while the subwoofer is quite large. Despite the hefty subwoofer, we had to crank up the volume to full throttle to hear vocal tracks and DVD movies clearly.

It may be hard to believe, but this Dimension's 60GB hard drive is relatively small for value PCs we've tested recently.

WHAT ELSE: Equipped with a 2.67-GHz Pentium 4 CPU and 256MB of 333-MHz DDR memory, our test unit earned a score of 118 on our PC WorldBench 4 tests--which puts it in the right performance ballpark for a system with this processor.

The software bundle--consisting of Microsoft Works Suite 2002 plus preloaded versions of Image Expert 2000 and Paint Shop Pro, as well as an app for recording CDs--suits homes and small offices. The black Dell keyboard is basic fare--it doesn't sport any preprogrammed hot keys for launching e-mail or adjusting the volume.

UPSHOT: A fine small-business or home-office system, the Dell Dimension 4550 offers ample features and an affordable price for general computing applications. You'll want to upgrade the speakers if audio is important to you, and upgrade MS Works if you're using the Dimension for daily work.