Zoom! Make Way for the 133s
by: Jonathan Blackwood, First Impressions Editor, Hardware, and Jim Forbes, Silicon Valley Bureau Editor
They're here, all at once, from many manufacturers. They've stormed onto the scene like the wildebeests stampeding in The Lion King. We've lassoed four preproduction speed demons from four top manufacturers: AT&T, Dell, Gateway 2000 and Micron. These machines reign, for now, as this planet's fastest single-processor Intel-architecture machines.
How fast are they? Fast enough to warm any AutoCAD user's heart. Up to 48 percent faster than a 90MHz Pentium on raw CPU scores, they're also up to 41 percent faster on applications. There's a catch: The reign of the 133MHz monsters will be short-lived. Look for 150MHz Pentiums--even the first of the P-6 machines--before the end of the year. Nothing is static in this industry.
These four machines were designed somewhat differently. The most distinctive is the AT&T, which is the only one that does not use the new EDO (extended data out) RAM or Intel's Triton chip set. Not using EDO RAM allows the use of parity memory, an important consideration for AT&T's corporate and public clients. The benchmarks, nonetheless, show that all four machines perform similarly. A user would not notice performance differences between any two machines in this group, though there might be a feature here or there that would influence a purchasing decision. All four machines are worth your consideration.
AT&T was never one to slavishly copy other vendors' designs, and the latest Globalyst is no exception. Its system board, for example, has sockets for two processors, though the unit we examined used only one of them. The AT&T Globalyst 730 supports full SMP (symmetric multiprocessing) capability. The system has six slots for parity-style SIMMs--it does not use EDO RAM--along with five ISA slots, one PCI slot and one combination PCI/ISA slot. The SIMM slots were on the system board, while the ISA/PCI slots were housed on a riser card.
To support the multiprocessor capability and the parity RAM, AT&T uses a VLSI 590 chip set, rather than the Intel Triton chip set found on the other machines. The 256KB of synchronous Level 2 cache is upgradable to 1MB. The case holds three 3.5-inch drive bays, one of which is externally accessible. One of the internal bays holds the 850MB Mode 4 EIDE hard disk. There are also three 5.25-inch drive bays, all externally accessible, one of which is occupied by the EIDE, quad-speed Sony CD-ROM drive.
In typical AT&T fashion, there are two things that make this system a pleasure to use: the rock-solid construction and the extras built into the basic configuration. SCSI, 16-bit sound and S3 968-powered video are all built into the motherboard. The system shipped with the Sony CD-ROM drive and a 17-inch monitor. Naturally, the hardware supports Plug and Play.
The downside includes the relatively high price, and a monitor, keyboard and mouse that were not of the same high quality as the computer. And it seemed strange that a machine with on-board SCSI used an EIDE hard disk and an EIDE CD-ROM drive. (SCSI hard disks and CD-ROM drives are available.)
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AT&T Globalyst 730
Price: $5,198
In Brief: AT&T's 133MHz machine shows the attention to quality and reliability its corporate clients demand, while providing good performance.
AT&T Global Information Solutions
800-447-1124, 513-445-5000
When designing the Dimension XPS, Dell's engineers started with an Intel system board that has EDO RAM, 512KB pipeline-burst cache and the Triton chip set. They did not use the Intel Aladdin motherboard found on so many other fast Pentiums. Instead, the Dell engineers designed a makeover of the Intel board that allowed the Dimension to nose just ahead of the Gateway to win this group race. Moreover, the Dell took top honors where it matters most--running real-world applications. It was the fastest in all four application benchmarks.
The Dimension's outstanding feature is its video performance. This unit's Number Nine Imagine-128 video card provided startling test scores, something AutoCAD users should note. The system also arrived with a 5400rpm, 540MB Quantum Fireball 540 Alpha hard disk. As with the other machines, this is an EIDE Mode 4 model that proved to be fast. The Dimension ships with a Sound Blaster sound card and a U.S. Robotics V.34 modem.
There are three ISA slots, three PCI slots and one combination ISA/PCI slot. Our test system had only two PCI slots and one ISA slot available. There were two drive bays available, one 3.5-inch and one 5.25-inch, both externally accessible. If you like Dell's 17-inch monitor, standard keyboard and mouse, you'll like these components in the Dimension. Overall, the Dimension measures up to Dell's usual high-quality, high-performance standards.
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Dell Dimension XPS P133c
Price: $3,599 (direct)
In Brief: The Dimension XPS P133c performed impressively. It comes with quality components such as a Number Nine Imagine-128 video adapter and a 5400rpm 540MB Quantum hard disk.
Dell Computer Corp.
800-613-3355, 512-338-4400
Fast processor performance, the ability to load and sequentially use multiple CD titles, and room to grow are reasons we like Gateway 2000's new 133MHz Pentium mini-tower. This machine is based on a 100MHz system board that comes equipped with 16MB of EDO RAM, a Western Digital Caviar hard disk and a wickedly fast video subsystem.
The P5-133XL's basic configuration has been enhanced to take advantage of new components such as a quad-speed CD-ROM drive that lets you load three compact discs.
The basic configuration is impressive. It has 256KB pipeline-burst synchronous Level 2 cache, a 1.6GB EIDE Western Digital Caviar 31600 hard disk, two ISA expansion slots, three 32-bit PCI slots and one combination PCI/ISA slot. This system comes standard with a 28.8Kb per second modem, a 17-inch Vivitron monitor, keyboard, mouse, DOS 6.22, WFWG 3.11, MS Office Professional 4.3 and other applications. This system uses an Ensoniq WaveTable synthesis card (and comes with a nice set of Altec Lansing AS-31 speakers) and a PCI-based ATI video card with 2MB of video memory.
This system's configuration is very well suited for any high-performance computing task, including precision graphics for AutoCAD, multimedia authoring or other applications. The unit's quad-speed CD-ROM drive employs a three-disc cartridge, which is similar to the ones used on high-end stereo systems that allow you to load and use multiple discs.
Gateway offers a high-end 64-bit PCI video subsystem for this unit that includes 4MB of video memory. The addition of this video card should enhance the already impressive performance of the Gateway P5-133XL.
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Gateway 2000 P5-133XL
Price: $4,299 (direct)
In Brief: The Gateway 2000 P5-133XL comes with 16MB of EDO memory and a quad-speed CD-ROM drive that allows you to load up to three discs.
Gateway 2000
800-846-2000, 605-232-2000
Micron's 120MHz Millennia was reported to be "the fastest Intel-architecture machine we've yet tested" in these pages in our June issue. In the competitive world of computer manufacturing, though, such king-of-the-hill status never lasts long. Though this Micron served up impressive performance, the Gateway and Dell systems won the benchmark race by a nose. The EDO RAM and synchronous, pipeline-burst Level 2 cache and Triton chip set that were so remarkable in June are now employed by Gateway, Dell and others.
Still, the Micron is a solid performer and incorporates quality components. It was this group's only system to employ a six-speed CD-ROM drive, the excellent Plextor 6PleX SCSI model. Its 1.2GB Mode 4 EIDE Conner hard disk was nearly as fast as the Gateway's. The system board provides three ISA and three PCI slots, plus one combination ISA/PCI slot. Two ISA and two PCI slots were available. The other slots were occupied by the 16-bit sound card, the SCSI controller for the CD-ROM drive and the Diamond Stealth 64 video adapter, which came with 2MB of VRAM. This system also comes with Jensen JPS45 speakers, a cut above the speakers included with many systems.
The Millennia's case slides off quickly and easily with only one thumbscrew--a very nice touch. There are three 5.25-inch drive bays, all externally accessible and two available. Of the three 3.5-inch bays, one is externally accessible and occupied by the floppy disk drive, and one of the two internal bays is available for an additional hard disk if it's needed.
Naturally, the Micron ships with a 17-inch Micron monitor and keyboard, and a Microsoft mouse. This is a fine, fast machine--virtually indistinguishable in performance from the Dell and the Gateway 2000 systems.
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Micron P133 Millennia
Price: $4,598 (direct)
In Brief: The Millennia combines superb performance with desirable extras such as the Plextor 6PleX CD-ROM drive.
Micron Electronics
800-243-7615, 208-463-3434
The stampede of 133MHz machines has begun. Here's how four systems compare with a 90MHz Zeos.
The Dell Dimension XPS bested all comers where it really counts, in the application benchmarks. Its speed was due to the combination of the Number Nine Imagine-128 video adapter and the fast 5400rpm Quantum Fireball Mode 4 hard disk. The Gateway 2000 and Micron machines were virtually as fast. These three machines all use EDO RAM and pipeline-burst, synchronous Level 2 caches. The AT&T machine offered blazing performance as well, but it lagged in this fast pack primarily because of its slower hard disk. No end user would notice a difference.
Steer Clear Through Win95 Waves
by: James E. Powell
Windows 95 brings many new features to the operating system table, but it's a rare OS that can't use a little doctoring. Norton Navigator plugs a few of Windows 95's gaps and eases the transition from Windows 3.x with some shock-reducing bridges.
I tested the beta preview version of Norton Navigator on a final beta of Windows 95.
Windows 3.x add-ons often featured multiple desktops that can effectively increase your screen real estate by letting you create virtual desktops. Navigator brings this capability to Windows 95 with MultiDesk. You can use MultiDesk to set up separate desktops so you have, for example, one for your word processing program and its related documents, another for number-crunching applications like a spreadsheet and an expense reporting program, and so on. And if you spent a lot of time arranging multiple desktops "just so" using PC Tools, don't fret. Navigator's Desktop Importer converts PC Tools desktops so you don't have to start from scratch.
My favorite Windows 95 feature is the Taskbar. Although it's a solid addition, Navigator's replacement is better. In addition to the small buttons that show which applications are running, the Navigator TaskBar includes small bitmaps for each desktop so you can quickly switch among them. The Norton TaskBar also has a section called Quick Launch, which has tiny icons that enable you to launch your favorite applications. Add applications to Quick Launch by dragging the filename from Explorer or the Navigator File Manager, or by dragging a shortcut from the desktop (the second method wasn't working yet in the beta I tested). Adjust the MultiDesk and Quick Launch areas' sizes by dragging a pane splitter bar.
SmartFolders let you group files together. I set up a SmartFolder with only the word processing files from a single subdirectory. Whenever I open the folder, Navigator updates it so every .DOC and .WPD file is listed per my criteria. You can designate multiple file extensions for a single SmartFolder. You can also specify date and time limits, so your SmartFolder will include only files that were modified after the first of the month, for example, and you can limit the number of files in a SmartFolder.
Long filename support for older Windows 3.1 applications is promised for Navigator, but only if the applications use the common file dialog boxes. Unfortunately, many of the most-used applications, such as Microsoft's Word and Novell's WordPerfect, don't.
You set most of your desktop options in Navigator's configuration program. For instance, you can decide if you want to add a list of applets to the Control Panel command. Most of these applets are simply commands found in Navigator's File Manager, such as copy a disk or compress a file. Add folder navigation and drag-and-drop pop-up menus, so Navigator's file management functions are always at hand. For example, if you right-click on a folder, Navigator offers options to compress the folder, manage files, and copy or move the folder.
Navigator's FileAssist adds file management commands to most applications' Open, Save As and Browse dialog boxes. For example, when I accessed the File/Save As command in Lotus 1-2-3 Release 5.0, the Save As dialog box had extra buttons in the Title Bar. The first button provides additional commands, such as move, copy, delete, rename, compress, expand, view the file, UUencode the file (useful for Internet file transfers) and create a folder or format a diskette. That long list represents the default functions, but Navigator lets you configure these options, too. The second button in the Title Bar provides a list of the last files you've worked with, and the third does the same for folders. With the beta, the last-file feature didn't work consistently, especially with programs such as WordPerfect that use their own file-management dialog boxes.
Windows 95's Explorer may leave new users feeling a little lost and pining for File Manager's familiarity. Navigator addresses Explorer's shortcomings and even adds a file archive wizard for instantly zipping files. Navigator's
File Manager, complete with customizable toolbar, menu, shortcut keys and bubble help, has the most extensive file-management feature set you're likely to find. It makes Explorer seem a little anemic.
The tabbed display is similar to Explorer's File Manager and offers the default file list. But Navigator's also provides the classic look of the Windows 3.x File Manager (filename, size, date and time
modified), a view where all files are represented by icons and a view that lists deleted files. Everything you can do in Explorer you can do here--move, copy, delete and rename files, print or view a file, or run a program. Navigator's File Manager adds ZIP, ARC and LZH compression, as well as the ability to create a self-extracting ZIP file.
There's also an expand feature on the flip side of the process, with options to remove the extracted files and to extract only those files that are newer than what's already on your hard disk. The Undo option lets you undo a previous action. It lists each action you've taken with a date and time, and lets you pick the one to undo. You can set how many file operations are tracked (the default is 5,000), and you are able to track all file actions in all Windows 95 and DOS boxes, too.
Navigator's File Manager also lets you find a file, compare files or folders, and synchronize folders. The synchronize feature is handy for moving files between desktop and notebook PCs, and is a good substitute for Windows 95's Briefcase. The delete command offers a Wipe option to completely remove the file--thus disabling a future attempt to undelete it. When confirming delete, there's a Yes to All option and a No to All option. The program also lets you set which actions require confirmation. Choose from various file-sorting options, including by filename, DOS name, file extension, size and compression method.
With Navigator, you can create File Sets, which are predefined file masks. For example, create a set called Microsoft Word Documents and define it as all files with the file extension .DOC. Similarly, you can create a Location Set. Default location sets include all drives, the current drive, and the current folder and subfolders. You could define a Location Set for a File Set of Excel Budget Spreadsheets and restrict the location to C: \EXCEL\BUDGETS. File and Location Sets can be used as shortcuts when working with Norton File Manager, so you can quickly scan all files in the Budgets subdirectory by referring to the Location Set. Use these features and you may never have to type a long path name again.
The File Archive Wizard can help unclutter your hard disk by using your specifications to search for files and then deleting the found files or archiving them to a compressed file.
Norton Navigator is a must-have utility for Windows 95. The File Manager is priceless. Though some of the features weren't fully implemented in the beta, I expect they'll be by the time the program ships, which will be the same as Windows 95's ship date, according to Symantec.
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Norton Navigator for Windows 95
Price: Not determined at press time
In Brief: The first utility you should buy after loading Windows 95, Navigator has an excellent File Manager/Explorer replacement, a file finder and multiple virtual desktops.
Symantec Corp.
800-441-7234, 503-334-6054
Super Sub Sets Standard
by: Jim Forbes
There's a biblical injunction against coveting things that don't belong to you. Since I've seen the new Toshiba Portégé 610CT subnotebook, I have to admit I'm guilty of breaking this commandment.
The Portégé 610CT includes 16-bit sound, fast graphics and a lithium ion battery. I was impressed with its video performance and small size. Add a 90MHz Pentium to the mix and you've got a pocket rocket, the fastest subnotebook on the market.
This unit is an ultracompact 2 by 9.9 by 7.9 inches. Its total travel weight, including the external battery charger and external 3.5-inch floppy disk drive, is around 6 pounds. The Portégé boasts performance, functionality, size and weight that could set a new standard for subnotebooks.
It comes standard with 8MB of EDO (extended data out) system memory, a 686MB enhanced IDE hard disk, two stacked Type II PCMCIA slots and a 4.0-amp lithium ion battery. Also included are an integrated 16-bit Sound Blaster Pro- compatible sound chip, an external 3.5-inch floppy disk drive and a 9.5-inch active-matrix color screen. The Portégé uses VL-Bus architecture and has an 82-key keyboard and an AccuPoint pointing device.
External connections include a serial port, a parallel port, a Super VGA connector and the floppy disk drive connector. An optional port replicator allows you to connect additional peripherals. Windows for Workgroups 3.11, Ecco (a PIM), DOS 6.22 and software utilities are preinstalled.
The unit I examined was a preproduction engineering system. You can expect shipping versions to have better video throughput than my test unit.
I liked the feel of the Portégé 's keyboard and its AccuPoint pointing device. I could easily reach the controls for the AccuPoint, as well as the power switch.
The color active-matrix screen measures 9.5 inches diagonally, which is large for a subnotebook. It's bright and produces sharp colors. The unit's 16-bit sound system has the volume and clarity necessary for making presentations in small settings. An external speaker jack and volume control wheel, on the system case's left-hand front portion, should make attaching and controlling external speakers a simple exercise. The Portégé 610CT would do well for small, mobile presentations.
This is the first 90MHz Pentium notebook I've examined, and I was surprised by how cool it was when operating. The Portégé 610CT's thermal sensor controls the fan, turning it on and off as needed. The back of this computer has numerous vents to further aid cooling. The 610CT's EDO RAM reduces--but according to our benchmarks, does not eliminate--the need for external Level 2 cache.
The Toshiba 610CT's lithium ion batteries can yield more than four hours' usage. To get the most life out of the batteries, use disk access sparingly, and limit the use of sound and your screen's brightness. Also, if you charge the computer with the case opened like a book, it will help dissipate heat during charging and allow your battery to take a deeper charge.
The Portégé racked up high scores on our WINDOWS Magazine Wintune 2.0 benchmarks: 95.4 MIPS and 19.5 MFLOPS for the CPU, 3.3 million pixels for the video assembly (the commercial versions will use a more powerful video controller--the Chips and Technology 65385--that should produce approximately 5 million pixels per second) and 6.1MB per second for the hard disk. Toshiba does not ship its notebook computers with 32-bit disk access enabled. Our tests were conducted with this feature enabled.
The 610CT is a fast, solid machine, capable of withstanding the wear and tear of portable use. It comes with a three-year warranty. The only complaint I have is that I don't yet own the Portégé 610CT.
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Toshiba Portégé 610CT
Price: $4,649
In Brief: The high-performance, ultracompact Toshiba Portégé 610CT notebook uses a 90MHz Pentium processor and 8MB of EDO DRAM memory.
Toshiba America Information Systems
800-334-3445, 714-583-3000