again, we wish the subscription was at least a year. Like the other compaq presarios and hp pavilions tested recently, the sr1030z comes with a 60-day subscription to norton internet security. there is room inside if you want to upgrade to better graphics: in addition to the open pcie x16 slot, there are three free ram dimm slots, two free pci slots, and even space for an additional hard drive if you need it. with the number of frames per second on doom 3 and splinter cell measured in single digits, running these games is an exercise in futility. Like most entry-level systems and many mid-level systems, the sr1030z struggles mightily with 3d gaming. although these show that the system can adequately handle day-to-day tasks, there are cheaper, entry-level systems, such as the emachines t3302 that can achieve comparable performance. the athlon 64 3500+ is a mid-level processor and it garners appropriately mid-level scores on sysmark.

The sr1030z is a good, if uninspiring, performer. and of course, you can still view dvds and download videos. regardless, you will still be able to view pictures and listen to music using the mce interface. of course, external tv tuners are easy enough to purchase and install, but a true multimedia system should have a tuner built-in. the dell dimension e510 mce comes with a tuner for about the same price. we're sure the tuner was omitted to save money, but even at this bargain price the system should have one. but it's a bit strange that the sr1030z includes windows mce and not a tv tuner. the 250gb hard drive can store tons of photos, music, and videos. The sr1030z is packed with features: 250gb of hard drive space, a dual-layer dvd burner, seven usb ports, two firewire ports, a 17-inch lcd monitor, and the microsoft windows xp media center edition 2005 operating system.

unfortunately, the lack of a built-in tv tuner card limits its multimedia flexibility. this is a solid system with a killer price tag that will appeal to many users. for just a couple hundred dollars more than an entry-level price-around $500 without a monitor-the sr1030z delivers a lot more features. The compaq presario sr1030z ($990 direct, $660 without monitor) is a bargain among mainstream desktop pcs.

Compaq presario 2000 specs