Acer Veriton 7600G

WHAT'S HOT: Part of Acer's corporate line with fast processors, the Veriton 7600G features a 3-GHz Pentium 4 CPU, 1GB of 333-MHz DDR SDRAM, and an 800-MHz frontside bus. At $1937, it is also the least expensive system with a 3-GHz processor that we've seen. Proprietary extras include network management software, one-button system restore, and a USB lock that guards against unauthorized file transfers.

WHAT'S NOT: Though the Veriton 7600G has business savvy, it stumbles when it comes to entertainment features. We had major gripes with the included 17-inch Acer AL722 LCD monitor. Paired with an NVidia GeForce4 Ti 4200 graphics board with 128MB of memory, the monitor rendered colors that looked too dark and overly orange on a DVD movie, as well as in games and photo screens. Text looked better, though it appeared smudgy at 7.5 points and smaller. The monitor also lacks an auto-adjust button, which is inconvenient when you need to quickly recalibrate a display's appearance.

The speakers provided with our test system were integrated into the monitor--but their sound quality made us want to head to the nearest store for a separate set. In our tests they produced thin, tinny trebles and difficult-to-hear bass notes.

WHAT ELSE: The Veriton 7600G didn't wow us with its performance--in fact, its PC WorldBench score of 122 was the lowest of those earned by other similarly configured systems we've tested.

The 7600G provides enough slots and bays for modest expansion needs. Our test unit had two drive bays free (one internal and one external), two open sockets for system memory, and three available PCI slots. At upgrade or repair time, you'll have to contend with a somewhat messy interior; wires and cables impede access to memory sockets, for instance. The system has six USB 2.0 ports; two of them are on the front panel, but near the bottom of the case, which can prove awkward for connecting devices if you place the system on the floor.

The keyboard's blue-and-ivory design matches that of the desktop. The keyboard typing action was quiet in our tests. Using the attached palm rest made typing comfortable. The keyboard has five programmable keys for launching Internet-related applications and four audio controls.

UPSHOT: Though the 7600G's price is right for its performance level, users looking for a good multimedia experience should opt for a better-equipped system.

SUMMARY

Acer Veriton 7600G PC WorldBench 4 score of 122, 3-GHz Pentium 4 CPU, 1GB of DDR333 SDRAM, Windows XP Professional, 80GB hard drive, 16X DVD-ROM and 48X/24X/48X CD-RW drive, NVidia GeForce4 Ti 4200 graphics with 128MB of DDR SDRAM, 17-inch Acer AL722 LCD monitor, network adapter, midsize tower case. Three-year warranty on parts and labor, 24-hour daily toll-free tech support. $1937 800/733-2237 www.acer.com