The orange acrylic fascia of the Xi 1000K
Mtower SP makes this $2,499-direct system a visual standout, but
that's not the only reason to take notice of it. This 1GHz Athlon
system provides some solid performance numbers, charging through
Business Winstone 99 with a score barely 4 percent behind the
1.1GHz Athlon systems. Its other benchmark scores are equally
impressive, and its gaming tools aren't too shabby, either.
The Xi also has the distinction of bundling
the only force-feedback joystick of the group. It's a hefty beast
from Guillemot that will keep you blasting away with a multitude
of programmable buttons. Added immersion comes courtesy of Altec
Lansing's ADA880 five-piece digital speaker system, which makes
you feel like you're in the game, not just playing it. These
speakers also work incredibly well with DVDs and audio CDs. The
19-inch Optiquest Q95 monitor is almost flat, providing good color
and crisp images that are essentially free of distortion along the
edges.
| Pros |
| Pros |
| • |
Reasonable price |
| • |
Good benchmark
performance |
| • |
Force-feedback
joystick |
| • |
Three usable PCI
slots |
|
Xi provides toll-free, round-the-clock
technical support. The system is covered by a three-year
parts-and-labor warranty, and you can either send it back for
repairs -- in which case, Xi pays shipping both ways -- or have
the replacement parts sent to you and do the repair yourself. An
optional extended onsite contract is also available.
We found the Xi 1000K Mtower SP to be just
about right for the games people play.
