 
c|net
Recommends Aberdeen
Power6
From
September 1996 c|net
There is an
obvious standout in our group of 166-MHz class
machines: the Aberdeen Power6. Not only is this
Cyrix-based PC the fastest system in this
roundup, but it's also among the least expensive,
at a tantalizing $2,334. And Aberdeen didn't cut
many corners to keep the price so low: the system
is loaded with 32MB of RAM, 512K of secondary
cache, the fastest modem you can buy, and an 8X
CD-ROM drive. If there's an Aberdeen in your
future, however, you'll want to consider
replacing the monitor that comes with the Power6.
Aberdeen
may not be a big name in the systems world, but
with low-priced high performers like the Power6,
the company deserves a closer look.
They say
you can't tell a book by its cover, and the
Aberdeen Power6 is a case in point. This large
but otherwise ordinary-looking tower system
turned out to be one of the fastest PCs we've
tested--faster than any other system based on
Cyrix's 6x86-P166+ CPU and faster than the
200-MHz Pentium systems we've seen. The Power6
ran second only to a couple of systems built
around Cyrix's higher-speed Pentium 200
challenger.
If gaudy
performance scores make you sit up and take
notice, the Power6 has another number that'll
grab your attention: its price. At $2,334, this
system might just offer the best
price/performance ratio to date. To keep the
price down, however, Aberdeen did cut some
corners. The system's 15-inch Orchestra French
Horn II monitor provides a display that's neither
sharp nor clear, and its hard disk is smallish at
1.28GB. Aberdeen was more generous with other
components, such as the system's 32MB of EDO RAM,
a 512K pipeline burst secondary cache, and a
Matrox MGA Millennium graphics card with 2MB of
WRAM.
Aberdeen
didn't skimp on the system's modem, either--it's
a U.S. Robotics Sportster Voice 33.6 PnP, a
top-of-the-line 33.6-kbps unit that supports
telephony. The multimedia components measure up
well, too, with a Toshiba 8X CD-ROM drive, a
Sound Blaster 16 PnP card, and large, triangular
speakers. For the ergonomically minded, a
Microsoft Natural Keyboard is included.
Besides the
poor monitor, the only quibble we have with the
Power6 is its one-year warranty and $200 premium
for a four-year onsite service plan. Even so, the
overall value is staggering. Aberdeen is a
relative unknown among systems vendors, but if
that's not cause for concern, call the company
now. But ask if they can swap in a better
monitor. (9/18/96)
Reprinted
with persmission from CNET:The Computer Network
©1996.
Click here
to customize and order your very own Aberdeen
Power6 system today!
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