Panamax Power P4

WHAT'S HOT: The MicroPlex Power P4 we tested has a striking, modern look--its sleek, glossy black case is accented with two faceted cobalt-blue lights. The steel case makes the system feel rock solid, too. The case has rubber mounts for the hard drive and a quiet power supply, both of which are designed to keep system noise at a minimum (more on that later). The internal drive bays are oriented at 90 degrees to the case centerline, which allows very easy hard drive access.

Other up-to-date fare includes Intel's 3-GHz Pentium 4 CPU with 512MB of 400-MHz DDR SDRAM. That helped this system earn a score of 123 on our PC WorldBench 4 tests--speedy, but not the fastest we've seen with this configuration. Useful extras include a Plextor PX-504A DVD+R/RW drive and a front-mounted media reader that accepts SmartMedia, CompactFlash, and Memory Stick cards.

This midsize tower offers plenty of ways to upgrade, including five open PCI slots; five available drive bays (two that can accept removable-media drives, and three for hard drives only); and two open memory sockets. You can also connect plenty of peripherals to this system. On the back, we found an integrated FireWire port and six integrated USB 2.0 ports. To use the optical drives, you must swing open a door on the top front of the case. Locks on the front and side panels help keep the system secure.

WHAT'S NOT: Despite the aforementioned noise-reduction features, the CPU fan was distractingly loud.

The 17-inch Impression 7LSP LCD monitor that we received with our system delivered mixed results in our image quality tests. Text screens showed crisp fonts at all sizes, but colors were overly dark, even after adjusting brightness levels. Because our review unit didn't arrive with a set of speakers, we relied on those built into the LCD. Unfortunately, in audio tests running MP3s and a DVD movie, trebles sounded hollow and bass notes weak.

WHAT ELSE: The 128MB Sapphire Radeon 9700 Pro graphics card delivered middling frame rates (compared with similarly equipped systems) in our test games Return to Castle Wolfenstein and Unreal Tournament 2003. Though the keyboard seems flimsy, typing on it felt steady and sure. Unfortunately, the keyboard lacks extras such as hot-keys for launching Internet-related applications and adjusting volume settings.

Aside from a few preinstalled apps, this PC did not ship with any software suite. Most systems at its price level offer one of the major office productivity bundles--at least the inexpensive Corel WordPerfect Office Suite. At the company's Web site, you can order Microsoft Office XP Small Business Edition for an extra $200.

Amax's documentation is bare bones and mostly useless. The user manual discusses the quiet power supply, but it leaves out important information such as setup instructions, troubleshooting tips, or upgrade advice. The guide also referred to a motherboard manual, but our test system didn't include one.

UPSHOT: This PC offers a highly expandable, state-of-the-art case and has the wherewithal for business tasks. But opt for an LCD with better color quality.

SUMMARY

Amax Power P4 PC WorldBench 4 score of 123, 3-GHz Pentium 4 CPU, 512MB of DDR400 SDRAM, Windows XP Professional, 80GB hard drive, DVD+R/RW drive, Sapphire Radeon 9700 graphics with 128MB of DDR SDRAM, 17-inch Impression 7LSP LCD monitor, network adapter, midsize tower case. Three-year warranty on parts, one-year warranty on labor, 24-hour daily toll-free support. $1995 800/800-6328 www.amaxit.com