NetVista x40i: I still like it.
Written: May 18 '01
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Ease of Use: |
 |
|
|
Pros: Clean, compact design.
Cons: Limited expansion, bit pricey.
The Bottom Line: Great machine with an innovative design. Excellent computer for most users who have the extra cash, are not gamers, and want a machine that looks good in the den.
|
|
|
| TCar's Full Review: IBM NetVista X40i all-in-one |
Last fall, I bought an IBM NetVista. Read my thoughts at:
http://www.epinions.com/cmd-review-73F7-DF14FA5-398B21AB-prod1
Last month, my former boss (who is computer-impaired although not computer-illiterate) was shopping for a new computer, and ended up buying a NetVista based on my advice.
He had an old Pentium 133 Dell. It was getting obsolete, not able to run the newest software. Plus, he runs his business on it and he was getting concerned about the reliability of the old machine. Also, he hated the size of the thing. It took up to much space, and he was always kicking the tower under the desk. He refused to put the tower up on his desk, and his bad back pained him when he bent down under the desk to change disks.
The NetVista x40i did the trick. He got a PIII 850 processor, 128 MB RAM, DVD drive, 20 GB hard drive, and 56k + 10/100 ethernet card. Check out the product views at ibm.com. The power supply serves as the base for the 15" LCD screen. The entire computer is built into the back of the monitor. The floppy drive and DVD drive are in a drop down drawer that is hidden beneath the front of the screen. The computer takes less space on the desk than a 15" tube monitor. Plus, it is a clean package, with only 2 cables leading to the keyboard and mouse. New wireless keyboard and mouse options will eliminate even those. (When shopping, be sure to go for the x40i. The x40 is intended for businesses and has no modem.) Finally, gamers should move on to another machine. The video adaptor isn't upgradeable to meet your needs.
Everyone who comes into his office stops to look at his computer. People cannot believe that the thin black monitor is the entire machine. Most even peek under the desk to try and find a tower! It is similar to the effect the PT Cruiser has on people.
When the computer arrived, I had it set up for him in less than 10 minutes. He was online right away. IBM has everything packaged and labeled nicely. The novice computer user should have no problems.
The NetVista does have some drawbacks. There are only 2 PCI slots in the machine. With the modem in one, there is only one slot left in the machine for expansion. (Not that I can think of anything he'll need to put in there anyway.) More importantly, the NetVista has no legacy ports, only USB. That is not a big deal for the new user who is buying new products with USB as well, but it can cause problems for those who already have a scanner or printer they want to plug in. Also, you do have to pay for the innovative design. You can get an equivalent computer for much less. Keep in mind that some of the price differential is tied up in the LCD screen.
There is good news for those shopping for a machine today. An x40i with a 1 Ghz processor and the rest of the specs the same, runs only $1619 today.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 2099
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Pentium III
Processor speed: 801-900
RAM: 128
Internal Storage: DVD
Hard Drive (GB): 13-20
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
TCar
|
|
Location: Bangor, Maine
Reviews written: 36
Trusted by: 3 members
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.