Xi  AMD-Powered Workstation
 
December 2001
by Ron LaFon, William Adams, and Art Liddle

1800+ MTOWER SP/4200 SP
XI COMPUTER



5 stars out of 5

Though our "official" review covers the Xi Computer 1800+ MTower SP, Xi also sent an SDRAM-based Pentium 4 system. The test results from both systems appear in the accompanying table. Both Xi Computer workstations performed well above average and carry excellent prices—they are the lowest priced systems in this roundup by a substantial margin.

This Xi 1800+ MTower SP is the first system we've tested that's based on the new 1.533GHz AMD processor. In a bid to represent performance relative to the Pentium 4 chip, AMD lists this processor as having a speed of 1800+ (MHz). Even though the actual speed is some 500MHz slower than the

Intel Pentium 4 processor, the Athlon's tested performance was actually faster.

The Xi 4200 MTower SP is based on the Intel Pentium 4 processor but uses inexpensive SDRAM. As is obvious from the test results, the impact on performance is negligible, making this an exceptional value for those who need lots of system RAM and excellent, but not absolute leading-edge, performance.

At less than half the cost of some of the systems reviewed in this roundup, with performance only slightly off the leading pace, these systems from Xi are great bargains.

Both systems were housed in Xi Computer's stylish and highly functional new case, which is distinguished by a covered panel at the bottom front that conveniently houses two USB connectors.

This case is much quieter than previous Xi cases.

Xi Computer's warranty covers 36 months for both labor and parts and 12-month onsite coverage. Additional coverage is optional. Highly Recommended. —R.L. & W.A.

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