IBM NetVista S42 PCM25UK

With high-tech innovations such as the Microdrive and embedded security chip, IBM's often ahead of the game with new technology. In fact, we've arguably got IBM's XT and AT to thank for the desktop PC as we know it. So it should follow that IBM's latest and greatest PCs are bubbling over with new technology, but the NetVista S42 is curiously lagging behind current standards.

It may be finished in black, but the S42's square edges and huge floppy drive fascia look like they're hiding a 386SX/20 inside. Plus, while you can buy it with Windows XP Professional at no extra cost, it only comes with Windows 2000 as standard, and the specifications are last year's news. While the Dell OptiPlex SX260 (see opposite) and NEC PowerMate ML5 (see Reviews, issue 100, p110) come with 533MHz front side bus 2.8GHz and 2.66GHz Pentium 4 CPUs respectively, the S42 is using an elderly 400MHz front side bus 2GHz chip.

Luckily, IBM knows how to tweak its machines to get the maximum performance, and even with just 256MB of RAM the S42 managed a cracking benchmark score of 1.10. One possible reason for this performance advantage is IBM's full-size 3.5in 7,200rpm hard disk compared to the Dell's 5,400rpm 2.5in disk.

In fact, the use of standard components is something IBM can be applauded for - the full-size 5.25in CD-ROM will be easy and cheap to replace or upgrade too. Opening the case is as simple as unscrewing two thumbscrews and sliding off the top, and then you can gain access to two full-size PCI slots on a riser, as well as a spare DIMM socket.

The S42 also has all the ports you're likely to need, including parallel, PS/2, two serial ports and a huge tally of six USB 2 ports. Four of these are mounted on the front for easy access along with the headphone and microphone jack sockets. It's not all good news, though. The hard disk and processor are notably buried under other components and will be difficult to manoeuvre for upgrade, unlike the Dell's easy-access hard-disk panel and pop-out optical drive.

There's also a notable omission inside, and that's an AGP slot. The NEC has space in the chassis for a half-height AGP graphics card, which would be ideal for adding a DVI graphics card, although to be fair this can also be done with a PCI card. It's worth thinking about though, especially as IBM's standard 15in £357 T541 monitor - like the Dell - comes with both DVI and analog inputs.

However, IBM's monitor was also a long way off Dell's standard. The horizontal viewing angles were comparatively poor and the colours were over-saturated, even after some OSD tweaking. It's not bad by any means, but it would be worth considering a high-quality, third-party TFT, especially as the IBM is available without a monitor, unlike the Dell. We also advise a mouse upgrade, as the standard IBM two-button affair with no scroll wheel becomes frustrating after a while.

In a similar way, the NetVista S42 itself isn't a bad machine - it's well built, solidly designed, fast and expandable. It also, unfortunately, costs £776 - £177 more than the NEC, which comes with a 2.66GHz Pentium 4, an AGP slot and otherwise comparable specifications. That said, the IBM has the added bonus of easy expandability with standard drives and, despite its square edges, its black finish and slightly smaller dimensions make it more stylish than the NEC. The S42 is a good effort at a small form-factor expandable business PC, but the specifications are behind expectations and you'll get more for your money from NEC.

Author: Ben Hardwidge