IBM has a well-earned reputation within the corporate sector for providing exceptional quality desktop workstations. Their latest model – the ThinkCentre S50, is set to keep that reputation on track.
Striking the perfect harmony between form and functionality, this small form factor workstation is available as a fully customisable system, which means that customers are able to configure a machine tailored to their specific requests and needs.
The super small desktop case measures a mere 309 x 359 x 85mm and features quite possibly the single most user-friendly disassembly we have seen to date, making upgrades a snap. Taking tool-less access to the next level, this case allows for complete stripping with almost no need for tools at any point, with each and every peripheral secured by tabs and removable panels. The case also features an intrusion detection system for tighter security measures.
The system came packing a 2.6GHz Pentium 4 processor; 256MB of PC2700 (supporting up to 2GB); Intel 865G motherboard with integrated Extreme Graphics2; 40GB HD and Windows XP Professional, which is a good spec for a business system, although a little more RAM wouldn't go astray, especially if you're running Windows and Office XP.
Unfortunately with a case of this size, there's only a single PCI slot, expanded using a dual input PCI daughter board, so there is little room for expansion here – although given your Ethernet, audio and video are on-board, there shouldn't be too much more you'll need to add. Two front-mounted USB ports and audio connectivity makes for easy peripheral plugging and removal, while we found a further six USB ports on the rear of the unit.
IBM offers a three-year parts and single year labour limited warranty to safeguard your investment purchase.
Returning a reasonable SYSmark2002 overall result of 208 this system performed slightly better than the IBM NetVista M42 (June 2003, page 36) and is $700 cheaper.
The small and easy to manipulate case is flexible while maintaining robustness. A decent spec and the reasonable price tag make it a respectable choice.