The Computer from Outer Space
Written: May 27 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Inexpensive, solid built, non-proprietary, FIC SD11 motherboard
Cons: No monitor, somewhat cheap speakers
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| Gr8ful's Full Review: Pogo Altura |
These computers are solid built and have a space age looking design that makes them stand out at computer shows. They are easy to set up, easy to upgrade and easy to like. This computer has several features that make it a nice home or office computer.
First, it features the famous AMD K7 Athlon processor at 500MHz. The Athlon processor runs on a 200MHz system bus and delivers excellence in multimedia, multitasking, and 3D acceleration. It has AMD's 3DNow! technology so gamers and professionals alike can benefit from the technology in this processor.
This machine comes with 64MB of ECC PC100 SDRAM with 2 nore empty memory slots for upgrading. It has a 13GB UDMA66 hard drive and Creative Labs Sound Blaster Live! 128bit sound. It also has built-in 10/100 Realtek Network interface. It has the Voodoo3 3000 AGP 3D graphics accelerator card for descent 3D gaming and 3D graphics.
A nice touch is the motherboard they use, which is the FIC SD11. This is a standard motherboard manufactured by FIC and not a proprietary board like some computer manufacturers use. All peripherals are installed in card slots and not built into the motherboard. This is really nice if you like to upgrade down the road. You can also choose which operating system you want, either Windows 98 or Linux.
The Pogo Altura does not come with a monitor, you must buy one separate. Most computer manufacturers do not provide a monitor with their systems so this is really nothing new. It does, however, come with 12watt Midiland speakers (these are not that great), 104-key keyboard and a Logitech cordless 3 button mouse.
All the features can be upgraded to better specifications for a little more money. For instance, you can get a Diamond Viper V770 3D video accelerator instead of the 3dfx Voodoo3 3000 for a little higher price. You can order it with more memory and add a CDRW or DVD if you like. All these features can be added or upgraded when you order.
This is the most non-proprietary computer that I have reviewed so far and it's price is comparable to building one yourself. I would recommend this computer to anyone shopping for a good reliable system that won't break your check book.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): N/A Retail $1199
Processor: AMD Athlon (K7)
Processor speed: 401-500
RAM: 64
Internal Storage: CD-ROM
Hard Drive (GB): 13-20
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