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Smaller is better for NEC

NEC announces a new line of PCs targeted at small businesses and will be the first major manufacturer to offer Pentium Pro systems through the retail channel.

2 min read
NEC today announced a new line of PCs targeted at the small-business market and will be the first major manufacturer to offer Pentium Pro systems through the retail channel.

The Ready Office line is being targeted at small businesses that don't have the administrative, legal, and systems support that larger companies can afford. The computers will be available nationwide at stores such as CompUSA and Circuit City.

A top-of-the-line Ready Office 1629 will feature a Pentium Pro 180-MHz processor with 256K cache, 16MB RAM, 2.5GB hard drive, and a 16-watt sound system. Street price for the system without a monitor is expected to be $2,999.

The entry-level Ready Office 1620 comes with a 133-MHz Pentium processor and a 2GB hard drive and is expected to retail for $2,199 without the monitor. Features common to all the models in the Ready Office line include an 8X CD-ROM, Iomega Zip drive backup storage, a telephone headset and microphone, 33.6-kbps modem, integrated, uninterruptible power supply, and surge protection.

NEC will also be shipping the Windows NT-based PowerMate Office line for resellers. The PowerMate Office Pro 2620 will come with a Pentium Pro 180-MHz processor with 256K cache, 32MB RAM, 2.5GB hard drive, and Windows NT Workstation 4.0. The system has an expected street price of $3,200.

The PowerMate Office 2513 comes with a 133-MHz Pentium, 16MB RAM, and a 1.6GB hard drive. This is expected to retail for $2,100. All models in the PowerMate Office line will have an 8X CD-ROM drive and 33.6-kbps modem.

Bundled software for both lines include Microsoft Excel, Word, Money, and Publisher 97. NEC will also bundle legal advice programs, diagnostic-repair programs, and voice dictation capabilities. VocalTec's Internet Phone is included along with Internet Explorer 3.0 for Web surfing. The company stated the new computers are also certified by Novell.

Both lines are scheduled to ship by mid-October, NEC said.