Atlas Micro RS 6000 review: Atlas Micro RS 6000

Atlas clearly focused on speed when it created the RS 6000. This system's no-nonsense approach to power left every other PC in this roundup in the dust. If you find a heartier machine for the money, buy it. Atlas clearly focused on speed when it created the RS 6000. This system's no-nonsense approach to power left every other PC in this roundup in the dust. If you find a heartier machine for the money, buy it.

Cheap Thrills
Thanks to its powerful 700-MHz Athlon K7 chip, 128MB of RAM, and strong GeForce 256 graphics card, the RS 6000 is the only truly qualified gaming machine in this roundup, crushing the competition in SysMark's 3D tests.

The system's incredible 62.5 frames-per-second score in Quake III matches the speed of better-equipped, higher-priced PCs, such as the 800-MHz Quantex SM800. The RS 6000 bested every other system in business applications tests, too. This is the fastest sub-$1,000 PC we've tested.

All Play
However, to pack in all that power and keep the price at $999, Atlas had to cut some corners. The included mouse was comically shoddy, and the keyboard wasn't much better. The Atlas's GeForce 256 graphics board supports DVD, but our test unit ships with only a CD-ROM drive. A fair 17-inch monitor and a competent pair of MidiLand speakers with a separate subwoofer are also part of the Atlas's multimedia package. In terms of software, the unit ships with Lotus SmartSuite Millennium. A solid three-year labor and limited parts warranty, with telephone support during business hours, completes the deal.

For the money, the Atlas RS 6000 is impossible to beat. Kudos to Atlas for offering this breakthrough configuration--but what's up with that mouse?