For Windows users who need spreadsheet calculations or screen graphics updates in an instant, these 60- and 66-MHz Pentium systems are a delight. The newer and more expensive P54C (90- and 100-MHz clock speeds) Pentium chips have moved the 60- and 66-MHz chips quietly into the mainstream of the high-end desktop market. Even though these chips are no longer the fastest Pentiums available, they still scream through Windows tasks an average of 30 percent faster than 66-MHz 486DX2s (their speed advantage over the latest 100-MHz 486DX4 systems isn't as clear-cut, however; see the text box on this page).
Prices for these systems are falling but are still at levels only power users can easily justify: The average was $5100. Note that the prices we quote
include a minimum of a 1-GB hard drive, 32 MB of memory, a CD-ROM drive, 1 MB of video memory, and a 1024- by 768-pixel 15-inch monitor (unless otherwise noted). Also, we ranked six Pentium systems for Low Cost honors that all sold for under $5000.
All these systems offer more than just a high-end processor. The rule was a video accelerator with 1 MB of RAM and PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) or VL-Bus (VESA Local Bus) local-bus slots to accelerate video and hard disk access (PCI far outnumbered VL-Bus: It was the choice for 12 of the 15 systems with local bus). The Duracom Mini Pro 586/66 came configured with all its PCI slots empty. Using a standard ISA hard drive controller and a 1-MB ISA video adapter, it finished predictably last in our Windows performance tests. The Wyse Series 6000i Model 665 doesn't offer local bus; its Windows performance was the third slowest.
Although most of these systems are designed with an IDE controller integrated into the motherboard, our 1-GB storage re
quirement prompted most vendors to supply a fast SCSI hard drive and install a SCSI adapter card in one of the expansion slots. Tangent's PCI 566 came with a new 1-GB IDE hard drive from Connor. Our low-level tests showed that random-access times were equivalent to those of the Micropolis 1-GB SCSI drive in the Cornell Power Paks. We did note that sequential reads and writes were faster with the IDE drive.
IDE is widespread on the 80x86 platform, usually with a motherboard-based IDE controller, which offers easier system assembly and no overhead cost for an adapter card. The new IDE standard expands capacities beyond its traditional 528-MB limit to enable IDE to compete better in high-end systems. As a point of reference, the IDE drive-based Tangent system is $3795 (without a monitor), making it the lowest-priced 66-MHz Pentium we tested.
Although the 66-MHz Pentium Power Pak from Cornell took top honors in our Best Overall rankings, a number of competitors also made strong showings. Advanced Lo
gic Research's Evolution VQ 66, a 66-MHz tower with 13 drive bays (and a winner in three categories in our April systems report) performed near the top against the current Pentium field. It relies on EISA combined with VL-Bus video and a DPT EISA SCSI controller.
The intelligent design of the ALR Evolution earned the top rating for features because its large motherboard is unobstructed by cables and wiring and there's a separate section for mass storage. This section helps keep drive racks from overhanging bus slots and other areas of the motherboard. Two large fans reside in the front of the motherboard to cool the main section, where the CPU resides. Another fan cools the power supply. Outside, nine LED displays give system status information at a glance. These features and solid documentation made this system one of the easiest to configure and use.
The DECpc XL 566, third-runner-up for Best Overall honors, is a well-designed tower system that can be easily expanded. The case fits together w
ithout screws, allowing quick entry to system internals. The idea behind this design is good; unfortunately, in practice, the cover is difficult to remove and replace.
This system uses a proprietary CPU board, useful for systems integrators or others who want the option of upgrading to a 90- or 100-MHz system. However, you must remove the CPU board to add memory. The system's Toshiba XM-4101B CD-ROM drive has a locking center spindle that works whether the system sits horizontally or stands vertically.
Duracom's Mini Pro 586/66, a mini-tower, is congested inside with mass storage and power cables. A drive bay blocks one expansion slot, and the CPU fan blocks full-length cards from two more slots. On the plus side, the system has clear, complete documentation.
The Hertz P 6e has similar congestion problems: The CPU fan blocks three slots from accepting full-length cards. The situation is somewhat alleviated by pop-out 3 1/2-inch drive bays that reside over the motherboard: Removing the ru
nners on the drive bays gives you easy access to the SIMM slots.
Data Storage's P5-60 PCI was the only 60-MHz system we ranked for Best Overall (its $4495 price also made it a runner-up in Low Cost). Its Windows speed, while the lowest in the Best Overall group, was only imperceptibly slower than the 66-MHz DECpc XL 566's. The system uses the same motherboard as the winning Cornell system. The P5-60 PCI's drive bays and SIMM slots are all easily accessible.
The Insight PCI P60 is a notable Low Cost runner-up for its expansion possibilities: All of its 13 drive bays--among the highest number of bays of the systems we tested--are accessible. The SIMM slots are partially obstructed by one of the drive bays, making it difficult but not impossible to add memory.
Rankings For This Category
WINDOWS
PERFORMANCE 60%
FEATURES 30%
EASE OF USE 10%
General-Performance Windows
Need the best all-around Windows performanc
e?
BEST OVERALL
Cornell Pentium Power Pak
This ISA system, along with its EISA sibling, breezed through our Windows performance tests (Cornell ISA and EISA systems also ranked as the fastest 66-MHz 486DX2 systems we tested in our April report). The winning ISA system outpaced one of the 90-MHz systems in our Windows tests and trailed the remaining 90-MHz systems by an insignificant 3 percent. The ISA system uses an ATI Mach64 PCI graphics adapter (the EISA system uses a Matrox MGA PCI adapter). The Power Paks also offer expandability in their large tower cases, each offering a total of five slots and seven drive bays. For upgrading, both drive bays and SIMM sockets are accessible. Documentation is specific and includes a detailed motherboard manual.
CASE PERFORMANCE EASE OF FEATURES
PRICE TYPE WINDOWS DOS USE SCORE
BEST Cornell Power Pak $4295 *** 7.30 7.64 4 4
RUNNER-UP Cornell EISA
Power Pak $4395 *** 7.24 6.67 4 4
RUNNER-UP ALR Evolution VQ 66 $8817 *** 6.53 7.95 3 4
RUNNER-UP DECpc XL 566 $5948 *** 6.37 6.84 3 4
RUNNER-UP Data Storage P5-60 PCI $4495* *** 6.31 6.49 3 3
RAM (MB) HARD DRIVE
BUSES STD./MAX. (MB, TYPE)
BEST Cornell Power Pak ISA, PCI 32/192 1050, SCSI
RUNNER-UP Cornell EISA Power Pak EISA, PCI 32/192 1050, SCSI
RUNNER-UP ALR Evolution VQ 66 EISA, VL** 32/1024 1370, SCSI
RUNNER-UP DECpc XL 566 ISA, PCI 32/192 1024, SCSI
RUNNER-UP Data Storage P5-60 PCI ISA, PCI 32/192 1054, SCSI
WARRANTY
(MONTHS) VIDEO
BEST Cornell Power Pak 36 ATI Mach64
RUNNER-UP Cornell EISA Power Pak 36 Matrox MGA
RUNNER-UP ALR Evolution VQ 66 1
5 ATI Mach32
RUNNER-UP DECpc XL 566 36 Diamond Viper PCI
RUNNER-UP Data Storage P5-60 PCI 36 Tseng W32P
* Without monitor
** VL-Bus
KEY
Ease of Use:
Excellent 4
Good 3
Fair 2
Poor 1
Case:
Tower ***
Desktop ****
Mini-tower *****
For high speed and economy...
LOW COST
Cornell Pentium Power Pak
The cost for this 66-MHz system's 90-MHz-class speed is relatively economical: At $4295, the Power Pak is one of the lowest-priced Pentiums we tested. The system comes with 512 KB of secondary cache on the motherboard. If fast Windows speed is essential but your budget is even more limited, consider the 66-MHz Tangent PCI 566, which places second among Low Cost winners for speed and costs $3795 (not including monitor) in our configuration.
CASE PERFORMANCE EASE OF FEATURES
PRICE TYPE WINDOWS DOS USE SCORE
BEST Cornell Power Pak $4295 *** 7.30 7.64 4 4
RUNNER-UP Tangent PCI 566 $3795* *** 6.86 7.65 2 2
RUNNER-UP Swan Pentium 60 $4299 **** 6.08 6.31 3 3
RUNNER-UP Insight PCI P60 $3999 *** 6.04 6.46 3 3
RUNNER-UP Cornell EISA Power Pak $4395 *** 7.24 6.67 4 4
RUNNER-UP Data Storage P5-60 PCI $4495* *** 6.31 6.49 3 3
RAM (MB) HARD DRIVE
BUSES STD./MAX. (MB, TYPE)
BEST Cornell Power Pak ISA, PCI 32/192 1050, SCSI
RUNNER-UP Tangent PCI 566 ISA, PCI 32/128 1024, IDE
RUNNER-UP Swan Pentium 60 ISA, PCI 32/128 1024, SCSI
RUNNER-UP Insight PCI P60 ISA, PCI 32/128 1052, SCSI
RUNNER-UP Cornell EISA Power Pak EISA, PCI 32/192 1050, SCSI
RUNNER-UP Data Storage P5-60 PCI I
SA, PCI 32/192 1054, SCSI
WARRANTY
(MONTHS) VIDEO
BEST Cornell Power Pak 36 ATI Mach64
RUNNER-UP Tangent PCI 566 12 Tseng ET4000W32P
RUNNER-UP Swan Pentium 60 12 Tseng ET4000W32P
RUNNER-UP Insight PCI P60 12 ATI Mach32/68875
RUNNER-UP Cornell EISA Power Pak 36 Matrox MGA
RUNNER-UP Data Storage P5-60 PCI 36 Tseng W32P
* Without monitor
** VL-Bus
KEY
Ease of Use:
Excellent 4
Good 3
Fair 2
Poor 1
Case:
Tower ***
Desktop ****
Mini-tower *****
The Best Pentiums For General-Purpose Windows
