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Hardware Review
Created: September, 2000
If you eyed the Apple iMac and passed on it because it wasn't
a PC, chances are you're now looking at the IBM NetVista X40.
This charming machine is the iMac of the PC world. It looks
like a pregnant 15-inch flat panel monitor, but it's actually
a full computer. The processor, hard drive and PC components
are all tightly packed into the back
of the monitor.
The CD-ROM and floppy disk drive are hidden in a drop-open door
in the neck of monitor stand and the speakers are built into
the base.
The PC is legacy-free; so don't expect to be able to plug in
yourold serial or parallel devices into this machine without
a USB port expander.
Speaking of which, the NetVista comes with five Universal Serial
Bus
ports, two in the monitor and three in the back to accommodate
add-on
devices such as a scanner or printer. That's three more than
you'd get in a typical desktop PC.
You can also add a low-profile PCI card for further expandability.
NetVista also sports a built in 56K modem and Ethernet port.
They
are both hidden in a hard-to-find cranny in the back of the
device.
The system features a 566 MHz Pentium Celeron or a Pentium III
667
MHz processor, a 10.1, 15 or 20 GB Ultra ATA hard drive (6x
DVD drive also available) and 64 MB or 128 MB of memory (RAM)
expandable to 512 MB.
The 24X CD-ROM is adequate and nicely hidden, but it displays
the same flimsiness as a notebook CD-ROM drive.
The all-black system also comes with a USB QWERTY keyboard.
It is
adequate, but many of the extraneous function keys are rearranged
to fit
into the device's smaller footprint. This takes some getting
used to.
The USB mouse is also a little odd. IBM has engineered the roller
button into the mouse so that it will work to scroll vertically
or
horizontally. The button is stiff and unyielding. As a result,
you have to
work harder to move the cursor across the screen. It can be
modified with software to be more forgiving, but the cursor
vacillates between being hard-to-move or ultra-sensitive.
While the memory on the NetVista is upgradeable to 512 MB, the
machine only comes with one open memory slot. This means that
if you bought the 64MB edition and want to upgrade, you'd have
a choice of buying a 64MB, 128 MB or 256 MB memory chip, But
if you want to upgrade further, you would have to remove the
initial 64 MB and replace it with a 128 MB or 256 MB chip.
One of the biggest flaws: there is no reset button. The power
button
serves this purpose when the system is functioning correctly.
When Windows crashes, which is usually a daily occurrence, the
system hangs in Limbo. To get it rebooted, you have to unplug
and re-plug it, which requires crawling under the desk.
Despite these shortcoming, the NetVista is a handsome machine
and
because of the integration of the 15 inch flat-panel TFT screen,
it takes up a lot less space on the desktop.
Reviewer's rating: 4/5
Comments: This PC is a pleasure to have in a small office
that needs
machines with a small footprint and the latest flat panel display
technology. The engineers could have done a better job with
memory expansion
and the reset button.
Price: $1949 US to $2499 US / $2539 to $3799 Canadian
System specifications:
Processor choices: Intel Celeron 566 MHz through Intel
Pentium III 667 MHz.
Memory: 64 or 128 MHz upgradeable to 512 MB.
Hard drive: 10.1 Gb, 15 Gb or 20 Gb
Operating System: Windows Me or Windows 2000
Internet connection: 56K modem and/or 10/100 network
card
CD-ROM: 24x CD-ROM, 6x DVD-ROM drive
Floppy drive: 3.5 inch drive
Graphics card: 16 MB video card with maximum resolution
of 1024x768 pixels
Monitor: Built in 15 inch TFT flat panel display.
Other: built-in 6 watt speakers, 16-bit sound card, mouse,
keyboard
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Adding RAM is easy, 
