Cost-conscious computing: for some people, buying a bargain-priced 386 makes sense - Intel 80386-based computer - minievaluations of 10 80386-based microcomputers - Evaluation

Home Office Computing, March, 1993 by Henry F. Beechhold

In speed and power, the 386 is far from claiming top of the line--bad news if you own one, but good news if you're in the market for a personal computer. Yesterday's 386 wonder machines-complete systems, with generous hard drives and SVGA monitors-can be found for as little as $800, give or take a bit. Think of it this way: If these were terrific machines a year or so ago, what's wrong with them today?

Unless your computer applications require the latest high-performance equipment-and in my experience, many do not--a 386 may suit you just fine. You probably don't really need a 486 if you rely mostly on nongraphical applications--a DOS word processor, for example. I've found another reason to pick up one of these bargain-basement beauties: It may be the ideal choice for a second business computer. A 386 can aptly serve as a backup computer or can be dedicated to a special purpose, such as your CD-ROM applications or fax/modem operations.

Of the 10 modestly priced computer systems reviewed here, all are recommended in terms of functionality and are about the same price. But we looked carefully at some important elements--frequency rating, monitor, keyboard, hard disk capacity, floppy-disk complement, expansion capability, bundled software, and the company's service contract--to help you with your purchasing decision.

Frequency rating. You'll notice that all of the computers reviewed here are rated at either 25 MHz or 33 MHz. All else being equal, throughput (how fast data moves around the system) will be higher in a 33-MHz computer. But all else isn't always equal, which means that the frequency rating doesn't tell the whole story. Of the two fastest computers in our list, the IBM PS/ValuePoint is a 25-MHz machine, and the Hyundai 333SP is a 33-MHz machine, yet both run at approximately the same speed.

Measuring the monitor. All the monitors supplied with our computers have VGA color support. But they are not equal in terms of either color saturation or "grain," that is, the dot-pitch measurement. Dot pitch refers to the distance from the center of each screen dot to the next, The smaller the number, the finer the grain and the clearer your picture becomes. A .28mm dot-pitch monitor (like the one found with the ALR system reviewed here) will look considerably sharper and crisper than a monitor rated at .52mm (the Tandy 2500 RSX). Color saturation refers to the intensity of the color; the more intense the better. Some monitors seem to reach out and grab the eyes; others hang back, looking a little washed out and wimpy. One other consideration is the monitor's aspect ratio (the dimensions, horizontal-to-vertical). The actual image in most systems is slightly more wide than high. The AST Advantage! Pro, however, gives you more of a CinemaScope effect; the image is noticeably stretched from side to side and compressed from top to bottom.

Keyboard touch. I'm partial to the crisp, clicky approach to keyboard design. Almost all of our computers offer a clicky keyboard, but some are less crisp than others. ALR, for example, leans toward mush. IBM, on the contrary, offers the right touch: a nearly perfect balance of resistance, click, and springback.

Hard-disk drives: Bigger is better. You can never have enough disk space, even in your second-team computer and especially in your sole system. Also, while you're comparing, pick the hard-disk drive with the shortest average access time (measured in milliseconds, ms); in a nutshell, this is how long it takes the hard-disk drive to locate data.

Floppy disk drives. It's true that the 5.25-inch floppy has fallen on hard times and that nearly all the software entering the marketplace is distributed on 3.5-inch disks. Still, there's lots of 5.25-inch stuff out there--and in your own disk boxes, no doubt. I like a system with both sizes. The AST Advantage! Pro, Canon Innova, and CTC ESP see it that way, too.

Expansion vs. space savings. The price you pay for the daintiness of a small box is limited expansion capability, which may be of no concern. The larger boxes generally provide four or five free expansion slots. If you're planning to install a CD-ROM, fax/modem, scanner, and video capture or other equipment requiring add-in cards, expansion slot availability takes precedence.

Bundled software--good if you use it. All the machines come with MS-DOS 5.O, various system utilities, and diagnostics. Some--but not IBM, the most expensive-include Windows. Two systems, AST and Canon, also provide Microsoft Works for Windows. Tandy offers its own Windows-like executive called DeskMate, which, alone among our systems, includes a fairly sophisticated audio capability-- fun to play with but of limited practical use in a business setting.

Warranty and service. Our computers come from established companies, so you needn't worry about finding service. There are differences, however, in length of warranty and other details. Hyundai's 18-month and NCR's three-year coverage stand at the high end. The rest conform to the industry standard of one year.