, a Cyrix 6x86MX-based machine.
The unit came with 32 MB of RAM and a 4-MB Matrox Millenni
um II graphics adapter. (CyberMax's Web site lists a 4-MB Matrox Mystique card as standard.) The test unit also had a 6-GB Enhanced IDE (EIDE) hard drive, a 24X CD-ROM drive, an Ensoniq AudioPCI wave-table sound card, and a Computer Peripherals 56-Kbps flex modem with speakerphone features. The system also included two universal serial bus (USB) ports with the connectors installed.
I was impressed with the choices CyberMax made for the internal hardware, but not with the external components. For example, the ValueMax C5's case, keyboard, and mouse are flimsy.
I loaded such familiar applications as Microsoft Office 97 and Microsoft's Visual Studio development tools. They installed and ran fine, and I was pleased with the performance. To test OS compatibility, I loaded Windows NT Server 4.0 and Caldera OpenLinux. Both installed effortlessly, thanks partly to BIOS support for bootable CD-ROMs.
The Hellbender game ran smoothly at 640 by 480 pixels, taking advantage of the Millennium II's hardwar
e-accelerated 3-D graphics. Doom II was mute under DOS, but it successfully ran (with wave- table orchestration) in a Windows 95 DOS box. However, Kinetix 3D Studio Max under Windows NT 4.0 crashed when I tried to load certain scene files.
I ran BYTEmarks on this system and compared the scores to those of a 180-MHz Pentium Pro machine. Integer tests on the ValueMax C5 were comparable, yet floating-point scores were well below the Pentium Pro's (see the
benchmark table
). Running my 3D Studio Max test, it took 36 seconds on the ValueMax C5 to render a scene with ray-traced shadows. That's nearly double the 19 seconds for the Pentium Pro machine to draw the same scene.
For $2000, you can't buy a Pentium Pro or Pentium II system configured as well as the ValueMax C5. If you're running CAD, heavy graphics, or financial or statistical applications, this system might not be right for you. But for general-purpose applications, software development, home offices, or even light server
duty, floating-point doesn't matter. The ValueMax C5 is an impressive buy, a real power machine at the price of a basic desktop unit.
Where to Find
ValueMax C5 PR 233.....................$1999
CyberMax Computer, Inc.
Allentown, PA
Phone: 800-345-8939
Phone: 610-770-1808
Fax: 800-599-7576
Internet:
http://www.cybmax.com
Enter 978 on Inquiry Card.
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First 6x86 PC: Generally a Winner
