Sometimes good things come out of small packages. That is the case with the $400 Compaq Presario SR1710NX desktop PC. At first blush, we were not overly excited about this new model, which ships with barely-adequate memory and some low-end components. But we found that with an infusion of RAM and a decent monitor, this unit can be one of the best deals available as an entry-level or secondary PC.
Look and Feel
The SR1710NX comes in a functional but cheap-looking tower case. Although the exterior looks like a traditional Compaq design, right down to the logo in the lower center of the front panel, this tower doesn't look as sturdy as other models. The size, at 15.4 x 7.2 x 16.5 inches, bucks the trend toward smaller towers. It is slightly larger than a typical minitower.
The designers had convenience in mind with this computer. A prominent service area in the front houses a 9-in-1 memory-card reader and three audio jacks. The top portion of the front panel holds a DVD/CD-RW combination drive; a vacant expansion bay sits underneath.
The keyboard is a standard Compaq-issue. Is it a straight design with full-size keys. We were pleased to see the keyboard has the traditional long space bar with the ancillary keys placed where we expected them. Typing on the keyboard has a reassuring, solid feel.
Features
The SR1710NX includes some of the newest -- although not always the best -- components available. But we had no complaints about the 100-GB hard drive, which provides ample room for storing programs and data  , along with movies, music, and photos. The drive runs at 7,200 rpm, a noteworthy speed given that most computers in this price range don't come with drives that are nearly as fast.
We were a bit disappointed in Compaq's choice of optical drive for this model. The CD-RW/DVD-ROM combination prevents users from burning data to DVDs, which offer much larger storage capacity than CDs.
The choice of graphics processor for this machine is also ho-hum. The ATI Radeon Xpress 200 uses shared memory from the minimal 256 MB of RAM in this unit. The Radeon processor renders images well enough for most purposes, but gamers won't give this Presario a second look.
Performance
The unit is powered by the 2.0-GHz AMD Sempron 3400+ processor, with 128 KB of Level 2 cache. The Sempron chip is a second cousin to the AMD Athlon and is similar in performance to an Intel Celeron chip. (continued...)
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