Microsoft Money 2003 and Inuit Quicken was a nice touch, but we thought the package was really geared toward the personal consumer rather than business users.
As far as technical support, we were impressed with the VAIO Support Agent. It offers updates to users while they are connected to the Internet.
A Less-Expensive Alternative
Although not part of the desktop roundup, the NetVista A30 is helping Big Blue keep its old school image. The sleek, black desktop PC comes with big speakers and a sound to match. The Net Vista A30 came in at $579.00, which is less expensive than the PCs in our roundup. Adding a few more features (such as an additional drive or a faster processor) would have increased the price point on this machine to compete with the likes of the eMachines or the Sony VAIO.
The Net Vista came with a 2GHz Intel Celeron processor, a 400MHz front side bus, 128MB of SDRAM, a 60GB hard disk, a 48x CD-RW, and a 56K modem.
From the start, there was a snag with the software. We expected the NetVista A30 to arrive with Lotus SmartSuite Millennium, but it did not. It was after hours, so we called the support line (we received an immediate response without long menus or waiting times). The machine was equipped with Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, Access IBM, IBM Rapid Restore PC, and Norton AntiVirus 2003.
The Access IBM tool provided useful information about our machine, how to reach IBM, and much more. Overall, the IBM support was exceptional. The NetVista is a strong alternative if your business budget is limited.
HP COMPAQ d330 MICROTOWER
This $649 PC with its sleek, silver and black design, looks almost as impressive as its price. The HP d330 comes with a 2.66GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor, 40GB (7200 rpm) hard drive, a DVD-R drive, and 256MB of RAM. The other PC we tested offered two drives. We got used to the idea of having that feature as a standard.
The HP came bundled with Windows XP Home Edition (make the upgrade to Windows XP Pro for $70), software that is similar to the others in the roundup such as Microsoft Works 7.0, Norton AntiVirus, and Windows Movie Maker. It also came with a nifty administrative tools section, which allowed us to act as our own IT specialists. We were disappointed, however, that the unit didn’t include any accounting or publishing software.
We were impressed with the remote assistance feature. This function allows someone to chat with you about an issue, view your screen, and if invited, access your computer remotely. There are also three-year parts, one-year labor, and one-year next day business on-site warranties.
DELL DIMENSION 4600
Remember when beige boxes ruled? We’re happy that computer manufacturers have caught on that beige is, well, boring. The $849 Dell Dimension 4600 is a solid machine. It features a 2.40GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor, 256MB of DDR SDRAM, a major DDR NVIDIA GeForce4 MX with TV out, a 40GB hard drive, and a CD-RW.
We were also pleased