HP Presario S3000NX

WHAT ELSE: The minitower case in the configuration we received provided enough room for modest upgrades, including two open drive bays (one for removable-media drives and one for hard drives), one open memory socket, and two open PCI slots. The S3000nx's interior was somewhat untidily organized. For instance, to add memory you'll have to unplug the power connectors to the 40GB hard drive and the 48X/24X/48X CD-RW drive so you can access the open memory socket. If you want to watch DVD movies, you'll have to add a DVD-ROM drive in one of the external drive bays--but this particular model cannot be customized. Compaq sells it only in the tested configuration; so if you want any upgrades to the system, you should buy one of the customizable models in this range and get the upgrades at the outset.

The image quality on the 17-inch Compaq FS7550 monitor was average: Text was legible and sharp at all but the smallest font sizes, and colors on a photo screen looked bright. The JBL Platinum two-speaker (no subwoofer) set delivered adequate sound quality, though the bass notes were a bit overpowering. One of the satellites includes a handy headphone jack, and each speaker has small hooks so you can attach them to the sides of the CRT's cabinet--a neat and convenient space-saving idea.

The black-and-silver keyboard has only three hot-keys--two for adjusting volume settings, and one for powering off the computer. None of the programmable keys we've seen on other Compaq models are included. Keystrokes on the keyboard felt mushy.

The bundled software is aimed at families. It consists of Microsoft Works 7.0, Encarta Encyclopedia Deluxe, Microsoft Money 2003, and an array of Disney games. The user's guide covers troubleshooting and upgrading, and the system comes with a well-illustrated setup poster.

UPSHOT: The S3000nx is attractively priced, but its performance falls well below what you can get from slightly more expensive systems.