For small business owners, a desktop PC is an essential tool for running a successful company. But how do you get the best for your office without breaking the bank? BLACK ENTERPRISE tested PCs from eMachines, Sony, Dell, and HP for ease of setup, functionality, and form. Each manufacturer was expected to meet a $700 price point, which didn’t include the monitor. (Some manufacturers asked us to allow them to add more money to bring the machine up to business standards.) We also investigated the quality of technical support. Furthermore, we looked at what came standard, what was necessary, and what was lacking in the hardware and software packages.
eMACHINES T2615
The eMachines T2615 has “the look,” and at $649.99 you can probably envision it residing happily in your office. Besides looking good, this desktop features color-coded plug-ins and a handy poster-size installation guide.
We especially liked that the PC came with USB ports on the front for easy plug-in of peripherals. The T2615 came with an AMD Athlon XP 2600+ Processor, dual drives, a 48x CD-RW drive and a 16x DVD drive, DDR RAM, a 120GB hard drive, a 56K Modem, 10/100 Mbps Ethernet connection, six USB ports, and a S3 Pro Savage8 card. We found the bundle more than adequate to meet our small business needs. For $100 more, you can upgrade to the T2625, which comes with a DVD-RW and an additional DVD drive.
Along with Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, the software bundle includes Microsoft Works 7.0, Microsoft Money 2003, Encarta Online, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Internet Explorer, and a free 90-day trial of America Online and Norton AntiVirus 2003 software. Although the package would work, we still think the small business user needs Microsoft Word and a higher level accounting software.
The eMachines also features BigFix, which monitors a wide range of hardware and software characteristics. The Customer Care program includes free parts for one year, labor, technical support, and on-site service for a two- and three-year extended service plan for $89 and $139, respectively.
SONY VAIO RS310
The Sony VAIO RS310, the newest VAIO on the block, was the heavyweight in our roundup — and not just in price ($849.99). This PC is a multimedia powerhouse if you want to maximize your use of photos, digital music, and video.
We liked the silver-gray design, which added a professional yet stylish look to our small test office. Setting it up with a flat panel monitor was a definite bonus. The RS310 came with a 2.40GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor, an 80GB hard drive, 256MB of RAM, a DVD-RW/CD-RW drive, and four USB ports. The RS310 has more than enough power to accomplish business tasks, with the fast Pentium 4 processor and ample hard disk space for storage.
But the RS310 was a bit light on business-grade software. It came standard with Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition, and software such as Microsoft Works 7.0, PictureGearStudio, Microsoft Money 2003, SonicStage, McAfee Security Center, Inuit Quicken 2003, Adobe QuickTime, Network Smart Capture, and Java Web Start. Including both 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 that the Dimension 4600 came with Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition and WordPerfect Office 11 — finally, a desktop with business-level software. The one missing option is accounting software. However, there is another helpful feature: the Dell Picture Studio, which offers Image Expert 2000 to view, find, and organize all your digital prints.
We found the Dell Solution Center to be one click away. It helped to find information on Dell support, customer care, and more. Depending on which warranty you purchase (a one-year, two-year, three-year, or four-year warranty), you’re covered for any defects in materials or workmanship.