Group Test: Budget PCs - Express Micro Rapier ELS K6 166MMX

The Rapier ELS is a well-packaged, quality machine which performed extremely well in our tests. It worked straight from the box with no hassles and our tests ran without difficulties.

The external design of the machine is unusual, with long strips of lights and mauve buttons, but unfortunately the rear ports were unlabelled. Internally things were more standard, with tidy cables, and the same case as seven of the other machines in the group. The main problem was the memory slots.

Access to these was difficult, and although nothing needed to be removed or unplugged to get at them, they could have been more conveniently located.

Also, once you've reached them, you'll be disappointed to find both SIMM slots full. To expand the memory you would have to replace the supplied SIMMs with newer, larger modules.

The keyboard was fine, but the mouse was annoying because the left button needed to be pushed completely down before it would work, which inevitably led to slow double-clicking.

There was a slight problem with a filename for the CD-ROM drivers which Scandisk had to fix, but it did so in a short time. The software bundle was the largest in this group and the inclusion of SmartSuite 97 was particularly impressive. All the software came fully set up and all the components of SmartSuite 97 were in the startup menu ready for action.

The 2.1Gb hard drive was larger than that of six other machines in this group, and the configuration and performance far out-stripped most of the other PCs - and the only other K6 166MMX.

Monitor The ADI Microscan SV 15in monitor had a 50-100Hz vertical refresh range and operated without flicker. There was some moire at full resolution and some ghosting, but there was no streaking and the screen regulation was comparatively okay. The maximum resolution was 1024 x 768 and the dot pitch was 0.28mm.

PCW DETAILS

Price #821.33 (#699 ex VAT)

Contact Express Micro 0114 238 2050 www.express-micro.co.uk

Good Points Design. Monitor. Performance. Software bundle.

Bad Points Scandisk error. Only two SIMM slots. No USB ports.

Conclusion Great machine with a good monitor, good performance and a nice software bundle.