188 lines
7.8 KiB
Plaintext
188 lines
7.8 KiB
Plaintext
|
||
The developer's guide to buying a 386
|
||
-------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
With Presentation Manager now ready, now is the time to upgrade your
|
||
development machine. Robert Schifreen surveyed the recent PC show
|
||
looking for a 386 machine with colour VGA graphics that wouldn't break
|
||
the bank.
|
||
|
||
-----
|
||
|
||
Although there were very few major product launches at the PC Show this
|
||
year, the event was an ideal opportunity for those in search of a new PC
|
||
to take a look at what was on offer. As a software developer, I was
|
||
after a cheap 386 machine with a fast hard disk, that would allow me to
|
||
edit and compile my code as fast as possible. I wasn't too bothered about
|
||
looking to buy from a major manufacturer - I wanted a VGA system (ready
|
||
for Presentation Manager) with hard disk, at least 1 MB of RAM (very
|
||
expandable, too) and a price tag of around œ3000. Surprisingly, I found
|
||
quite a few machines. Each has different points in its favour, so I'll
|
||
refrain from the customary tables of figures and specifications.
|
||
Instead, I'll give the basic facts on each, plus phone numbers in case
|
||
you want to find out more.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Amstrad 2386
|
||
------------
|
||
|
||
If you need your machine to be available now, don't bother reading any
|
||
more of this section. Amstrad's 386 won't be on sale until January. By
|
||
then, the company will have a 20 MHz machine with 4 MB of RAM as
|
||
standard, expandable to 16, and a custom cache controller chip with 64K
|
||
of 35ns static RAM. There will be a socket for a 387. The Amstrad BIOS
|
||
will be 32 bits wide, whereas some (like Walters's) are only 16. The
|
||
fast BIOS makes it unnecessary to copy it into cache memory, as some 386
|
||
machines do.
|
||
|
||
Storage comprises one 1.44 MB 3.5 inch floppy, and a 65 MB RLL hard disk
|
||
with 40 ms access time. External 5.25 inch drives will also be
|
||
available. You get Microsoft Windows/386 and MS-DOS 4.0 thrown in, and
|
||
the on-board VGA adaptor (chips by Paradise) is coupled with a new
|
||
Amstrad 14 inch hi-res colour monitor. The graphics system will emulate
|
||
MDA, CGA, EGA and Hercules. The whole lot will retail for œ2999+VAT
|
||
which, taking the amount of RAM into account, will make it the cheapest
|
||
machine on the market.
|
||
|
||
Amstrad are currently overhauling their dealer network, and only the more
|
||
upmarket ones will be allowed to sell this machine. More on 0277 230222,
|
||
but it's not worth calling this side of Christmas.
|
||
|
||
CAS Computers Ltd
|
||
-----------------
|
||
|
||
CAS provide a range of 386 machines. Perhaps the best value comes from
|
||
their 20 MHz system with 40 MB 28ms hard drive, 1MB of RAM, a 1.2MB 5.25
|
||
inch floppy, keyboard and VGA card, with NEC Multisync II monitor. This
|
||
retails at œ2425, to which you add VAT, and œ50 for DOS. More on 01 291
|
||
5777.
|
||
|
||
Dell System 310
|
||
---------------
|
||
|
||
Dell launched the 20 MHz system 310 last year. It's now been reduced in
|
||
price, following the launch of their 25 MHz system 325. The 310 (the 325
|
||
is too expensive for this sub-œ3000 list) contains 1 MB of RAM, a 102 key
|
||
keyboard, two serial and one parallel ports, one floppy drive (choose
|
||
which size) and monitor. A colour VGA system with 40 MB, 28 ms hard disk
|
||
is now down to œ2999 + VAT. A mono VGA system is œ200 less. Call Dell
|
||
(free) for more information, on 0800 414535. One reason why the systems
|
||
are so cheap is that Dell operate a mail order service - there are no
|
||
dealers.
|
||
|
||
Elonex
|
||
------
|
||
|
||
Elonex have a 20 MHz 386 machine called the 386-S. This runs at 20MHz
|
||
and has 2 serial ports and one Centronics. It comes with a 44 MB, 28 ms
|
||
hard disk, 2 MB of RAM and a 1.2 MB floppy. A VGA system with VGA
|
||
monitor is œ3195 + VAT. Add œ100 for an NEC Multisync. More on 01 965
|
||
3225.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Hi-Grade
|
||
--------
|
||
|
||
You may not have heard of the name, but it's well worth looking at the
|
||
prices before you turn away. Hi-Grade have 2 machines. The first is
|
||
based on the Micronyx motherboard and contains a 386-20, running at 20
|
||
MHz. You get 1 MB of RAM and a 20 MB, 28 ms hard drive for œ2165. This
|
||
is a mono system, and includes one of each floppy. Add œ335 for VGA
|
||
(card and monitor) and you get œ2500. This includes 2 serial and 2
|
||
parallel ports, but not DOS. The other machine is similar spec, but runs
|
||
a 386-16, though also at 20 MHz. This is œ2085 for the full VGA system
|
||
and is based on a chips and technologies motherboard. Hi-Grade are on 01
|
||
482 4024.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Samsung
|
||
-------
|
||
|
||
The Samsung S800 is a desktop 386 running at 20 MHz. The VGA system is
|
||
due out later this month. Meanwhile, the EGA system with 1 MB of RAM (of
|
||
which the top 384K holds a copy of the BIOS), a 1.44 MB and 1.2 MB floppy
|
||
and 20 MB 65 ms hard drive retails for œ2970 + VAT. You'd need to add a
|
||
monitor to this. For a 40 MB hard drive with 28 ms access, the price
|
||
goes up to œ3475. These are official retail prices, and you can get them
|
||
much cheaper. The best reductions I have found are from Fast Micro Ltd
|
||
in London, who charge œ2348 and œ2772 respectively, plus VAT. Fast Micro
|
||
are on 01 291 6565, which makes Samsung's phone number irrelevant.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Vegas
|
||
-----
|
||
|
||
Vegas are new to the UK. Rather than having a catalogue of two or three
|
||
machines, the company sells each component separately. You specify all
|
||
the bits you want, and they will be assembled into the system of your
|
||
choice. To build a 386 system you start with a cabinet (floor standing)
|
||
containing a 16 MHz 386 motherboard and an unpopulated memory card. This
|
||
is œ1378.50. One way of making this into a usable system is to add 2 MB
|
||
of RAM (œ748.50), a Mitsubishi 1.2 MB 5.25 inch floppy (œ96.75) and
|
||
Mitsubishi 720K 3.5 inch drive (œ97.50), a 30 MB Seagate RLL hard drive
|
||
(œ217.75 plus œ100 for controller), Genoa Super VGA card (œ230.25), 2
|
||
serial ports and a parallel port (œ34.50), keyboard (œ41.75) and mono VGA
|
||
monitor (œ93.25). This comes to œ3039.25, plus VAT. More information
|
||
from Vegas on 01 659 9166.
|
||
|
||
Viglen
|
||
------
|
||
|
||
Viglen introduced a 386 machine at the PC show. The V4411 has a 40 MB
|
||
hard drive and runs at 8, 16 or 20 MHz with zero wait states. There is 2
|
||
MB of RAM on board, 2 serial and 2 parallel ports, a games port and
|
||
mouse, a 1.2 MB floppy, DOS, Windows and BASIC. With VGA card and
|
||
monitor, the price is œ3444.25 + VAT. Another œ402.50 ups the clock
|
||
speed to 25 MHz. Further details from Viglen on 01 843 9903.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Walters
|
||
-------
|
||
|
||
Walters launched the cheapest 386 machine of the year at the PC show.
|
||
For œ1260 + VAT you get a 16 MHz machine with 1 MB of RAM, expandable to
|
||
16. The system has 8 slots and a 1.2 MB drive, plus parallel port and
|
||
Hercules graphics monitor and card. To this, you must add œ800 for VGA,
|
||
œ30 for a serial port and œ330 for a 20 MB, 65 ms hard disk, which brings
|
||
the total to a very respectable œ2420 + VAT. More on 0494 32751.
|
||
|
||
--------
|
||
|
||
<1f>
|
||
Please be aware that, although the quoted prices were current at the time
|
||
of writing, exchange rates and RAM shortages may well cause them to
|
||
change slightly.
|
||
<1t>
|
||
|
||
------
|
||
|
||
|
||
Colour VGA, 386 machines including monitor and keyboard but not VAT.
|
||
|
||
|
||
MHz RAM HD MB HD speed FDD Price
|
||
|
||
Hi-Grade 20 1 20 28 Both 2085
|
||
Samsung 20 1 20 65 Both 2348 (EGA)
|
||
Walters 16 1 20 65 5.25 2420
|
||
CAS 20 1 40 28 5.25 2425
|
||
Amstrad 20 4 65 40 3.5 2999
|
||
Dell 20 1 40 28 5.25 2999
|
||
Vegas 16 2 30 28 Both 3039
|
||
Elonex 20 2 44 28 5.25 3195
|
||
Viglen 20 2 40 28 5.25 3444
|
||
|
||
|
||
NOTES: 1. Viglen's price is INC VAT
|
||
2. CompuAdd's phone number is 0272 637488.
|
||
|
||
|
||
This article taken from .EXE Magazine, November 1988. You may distribute
|
||
copies of this file, as long as this notice is not removed. For details
|
||
of .EXE, please call 01 994 6477.
|
||
|
||
|
||
ends
|
||
|
||
|
||
|