Although it didn't place first on any of our performance tests, the Velocity Micro Vector VX was certainly in the hunt on all of them. And with just one change (again, thanks to the company's built-to-order model), this nicely priced system would make a power user quite happy indeed.

Power users buying a leading-edge platform like the 3200+ will want to add another 180GB drive in a RAID 0 configuration to make this system complete. With such an upgrade, we're sure the Vector VX would have done even better on our tests.

The rest of the components are top-notch. The silver case housing the 3200+ core doesn't have a transparent side, but it has some nice cooling fans inside, including one for the video card—the excellent ATI Radeon 9800 Pro. We also loved the 19-inch ViewSonic E90F monitor, which is a good reminder of how a high-end CRT can still stand out in these days when LCDs get all the attention.

As with the Polywell, there's no video-editing software, but FireWire ports are waiting for the addition of a package. Paired with the integrated audio is a potent set of Klipsch ProMedia GMX-D 5.1 THX-certified speakers.

We liked the choice of the Pioneer DVD-RW and 16X DVD drives. Ahead Nero was the chosen CD-burning package and represents the only notable software in the system. But with three-year coverage on parts and labor—all on-site—Velocity Micro makes a strong argument for choosing this system. And with a minor change to the hard drive setup, the Vector VX could be a real winner for the money.