Search for speed can lead to clones

Financial Technology

Lawrence J. Magid
Chicago Sun-Times

December 16, 1986

If you're in the market for IBM's AT computer, you can save money and possibly get a superior machine by purchasing a "clone" from a local dealer or a discount mail-order house.

Most mail-order companies distribute machines imported from overseas. But PCs Limited, headquartered in Austin, Texas, designs and manufactures its own machines.

President and founder Michael Dell, now 21, began his career by selling computers from the back of his car to fellow students at the University of Texas. His is a Texas-sized success story. He currently presides over 82,000 square feet of manufacturing space and 250 employees, and says he ships about 4,000 units per month.

Unlike most U.S. manufacturers, PCs Limited does not have a dealer network. It advertises in computer publications and sells direct by mail order or through a toll-free 800 number. The company makes several PC-compatible machines, beginning with a $795 Turbo PC. That machine, like all PCs Limited systems, is less expensive but laden with more features than the IBM model it imitates.

Three of the machines are compatible with IBM's high-performance PC/AT. The least expensive AT compatible, called the PCs Limited 286/8, operates at the same speed (eight megahertz) as IBM's AT but sells for only $1,495. For $2,195 you can order a complete system with a monochrome display and a 30-megabyte hard disk. IBM's 30-megabyte AT has a suggested retail price of $5,295 with only 512K of RAM and no display. IBM machines are frequently available at a discount.

Like the IBM AT, all PCs Limited compatibles are equipped with the Intel 80286 central processor and come with a 1.2-megabyte floppy disk drive. All PCs Limited 286 machines have a megabyte (1024K) of RAM on the system board and a controller board that runs both floppy and hard disk drives.

The company sells a 10-megahertz AT machine for $2,295 and a 12-megahertz system for $2,695. It will soon introduce a $2,995 16-megahertz version as well as a 386 machine that, according to Dell, runs about 30 percent faster than the recently released 386 from Compaq. He expects the 386 to sell in the "mid $4,000 range."

Dell's stock in trade is price and speed. His customers get a lot of speed and performance for their money. Whether that speed is necessary depends on your needs and tastes. An off-the-shelf IBM PC or XT runs at 4.77 megahertz per second. So, a standard AT, at 8 megahertz, is nearly twice as fast.

People using their machines as the nexus of a network - to be shared by many users - can definitely use that extra speed. Multiple users slow down the processing, so the faster the machine, the less delays. People with large spreadsheets or data bases, or who are using their machines for desktop publishing or computer-aided design, are likely to appreciate anything that speeds up these tasks.

In any case, PCs Unlimited and other mail-order companies have made speed an affordable commodity, even for those who don't absolutely need it. Why not indulge when an 8 megahertz AT costs about the same as a standard IBM PC? Even the 12 megahertz and 16 megahertz are affordable, compared to what I paid for my 64K PC in 1982 or compared to what some of the larger companies currently charge for their slower equipment.

I tested the 12 megahertz version, called the 286/12. Based on Norton Utilities' Sysinfo program, the machine processes data more than 10 times faster than a standard IBM PC. But that's a theoretical number.

I created what I consider to be a more "real life" test by having the machine perform a series of calculations with a Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet. In this case the PC's Limited AT performed about 3.5 times faster than a normal PC. That's still quite an improvement, but far from the difference when you just measure the machine's "clock speed."

Other speed tests will yield varying, and sometimes contradictory, results. The speed of the central processing unit is only one factor. The type of display device and the hard disk also play a part.

PCs Limited machines are not just clones. There are a number of added features, including a diagnostic panel on the front of the machine that gives you information about various internal operations of the computer. A set of small green lights (light-emitting diodes or LEDs), called the "SmartVu Display," provides information about what drive you're using, what speed you're operating at (the machine can work at either 6 or 12 megahertz) and any error messages.

If an owner does have a problem, or just a question, help is available via a toll-free technical support line. Surprisingly, I was able to get through immediately when I called. The person was helpful and friendly. PCs Limited offers a one-year warranty. However, anytime you purchase from a mail-order house it'll be less convenient to return your machine than if you had bought it from a local dealer.

The base price covers the main system unit, the keyboard and one internal 1.2-megabyte floppy disk drive. You'll also need a display adapter, a monitor and probably a hard disk. The company offers a full line of peripherals. PCs Limited can be reached at 1-800-426-5150.

The Computer File welcomes readers' comments but regrets that the authors cannot respond individually to letters. Write to Lawrence J. Magid, 100 Homeland Court, Suite 100, San Jose, Calif. 95112