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Alienware, better known for high-end, souped-up gaming machines, has taken a different tack with this $1583 system aimed at home and small-office users. The professional-looking, black-and-silver minitower with a side-loading DVD burner is thinner than most tower cases, letting it more easily fit under or on top of your desk. The front panel has two doors: one at the top that hides a media reader, and the second at the bottom (a less-than-ideal location) that opens downward to reveal a FireWire port, two USB 2.0 ports, and audio jacks.
Alienware paired the Bot with a terrific 17-inch NEC MultiSync 1760NX LCD. We found the compact display excellent for both text and photos, with clear, readable text at the lowest pixel levels and sharp photo detail with vivid colors. In our DVD playback test, the audio that pumped out of the bundled Logitech Z-640 5.1 speakers was pleasingly crisp; the scenes we played, though slightly grainy, earned above-average scores.
Outfitted with a 3-GHz Pentium 4 530 processor and integrated graphics, the Bot doesn't break new ground in performance. But its WorldBench 5 score of 83 is comparable to similarly configured systems and quick enough for most home and small-business productivity applications. True to its business focus, the Bot does not emphasize graphics horsepower. It turned in lower frame rates on our Return to Castle Wolfenstein and Unreal Tournament 2003 tests than similar machines with graphics cards. If gaming is on your agenda, consider footing $216 for the optional 128MB ATI Radeon X600 XT PCI Express graphics card for the Bot's open PCI Express x16 slot.
The back of the Bot sports four USB 2.0 ports and well-labeled audio jacks. Alienware also includes a case lock and tool-less access to the well-organized interior. The compact size, of course, comes at a cost: no open expansion bays and difficult access to the two open RAM sockets.
As a final plus, the Bot gets high marks for its complete and well-organized documentation.
Upshot: The Bot doesn't deliver screaming performance, but home and small office users will appreciate its compact case and fair price.
Scott Plamondon
