The Amax V4550+ is an attractive, small system that would fit well in a tight space, though it's not a top performer. The $1499 V4550+, using an Intel 3.4-GHz Pentium 4 550J and 512MB of DDR400 SDRAM, earned a midlevel WorldBench 5 score of 89. That places it near the bottom of its CPU class but only 5 percent behind the leader. Its performance in our graphics game tests was relatively lackluster, a bit below the median in all tests. Such performance may be good enough for undemanding games, but serious players will want a much faster system to enjoy 3D action games because the graphics system is not upgradable.
The V4550+ has a convertible case--you can set it either horizontally or vertically--and it also comes with a small adjustable stand. Although I tested it in both positions, I preferred using the V4550+ as a flat desktop model since I could also place the monitor on top to save space.
Laid flat, the trim black-and-silver case measures only 4 inches high and looks more like an audiovisual component than a computer. Behind a black panel on the left side (with the PC horizontal) is a double-layer DVD
When looking at the back of the system, I had no problem identifying the other connectors, including one for gigabit ethernet, but it has no modem or FireWire ports. The lockable side cover was easy to remove via thumbscrews; you'll need tools work inside, however. Expansion options are limited to one internal drive bay, two memory slots, and four open 32-bit slots. And adding components could get tricky: To add memory chips, for example, I would probably have to temporarily remove one of the installed drives just to access the empty sockets. Adding expansion cards requires removing the stamped-metal slot covers--less convenient than with cases that have inserts you screw in place.
Such chores may be routine to veteran users, but novices may find them a bit daunting. Of course, if you're happy with the V4550+'s configuration out of the box--which includes a 200GB hard drive--expansion may not be an issue.
Amax provided a stylishly designed AG Neovo M-17 LCD monitor with our test system, and I generally liked the controls and performance this 17-inch model offered, including its ample tilt axis and the easy-to-adjust controls on the lower right. I particularly liked the display's dedicated mode key, which let me cycle through a series of optimized image settings for text, games, and movies. In our tests, text was sharp and legible overall, and graphics had vibrant colors and clear details.
Although the monitor has small built-in speakers, they're suitable only for listening to Windows system sounds. For playing music or watching movies, Amax provides Creative's SBS560 5.1 speakers, which connect to the motherboard's integrated audio. The sound quality was generally good--though not earthshaking--when listening to music and DVDs. The image quality of DVD movies was fairly strong, with bright rich colors and mostly smooth action.
The keyboard, an Impression K296, and the optical mouse are relatively standard units, and they worked fine overall. The sparse documentation that Amax provides is limited to quick references for the monitor and motherboard, but overall system or component manuals are not included.
The slim Amax V4550+ is well suited for a home or office where space is limited. But its unremarkable performance and expansion difficulties make this system best for those with modest computing needs.
Richard Jantz
