ABS Ultimate M6

Graphics performance was very good but not quite stellar, given that the PC comes with ATI's top-of-the-line Radeon X850 XT graphics board. At 1280-by-1024 resolution in our Return to Castle Wolfenstein game, the system managed 149 frames per second (a fourth-place ranking in this test); in Unreal Tournament 2003, it achieved 356 frames per second (a fifth-place ranking).

The Ultimate M6 looks as good as it performs. The matte metal case has a unique industrial design to it. It's heavy, so ABS added a set of wheels, making it easier to move around. The M6 comes with a generous ten USB 2.0 ports (two on the front and eight on the back). The front panel has a FireWire port, a DVD±RW drive, and a DVD-ROM drive, while the network-friendly rear includes two gigabit network ports, a D-Link wireless card, and two FireWire ports.

We have only two minor design complaints. First, the front USB and FireWire ports are placed at the bottom of the case, where they're hard to reach (with its wheels, the PC is likely to be on the floor). Second, a brake lever for the wheels is at the bottom rear of the case, below all the external cables; this means you must reach around and unlock the wheels to move the system.

Taking off the case cover was a little bit difficult due to its snug fit; however, the inside of the case is anything but snug. The M6 is designed for expandability, and all expansion cards and drives can be installed or removed without the use of tools. We were impressed with the way the cables are organized and held out of the way to allow free access to components.

The graphics and audio components make watching DVDs a dream. Though this PC can be configured to hold dual NVidia graphics boards in an SLI configuration, our test unit came with an ATI Radeon X850 XT board; the board, combined with a 19-inch Samsung SyncMaster 997DF CRT monitor, produced fabulous results in our hands-on testing. Even the smallest fonts were crisp and easy to read. Colors on our photo and DVD tests were vivid. We also liked the combination of the Sound Blaster Audigy 2 sound card and the Logitech Z-5500 speakers, which together produced simply amazing sound.

Upshot: A fast processor and excellent graphics performance make this PC a top contender for gamers.

Andre Kvitka