4. Intangibles

Both screens were beautiful to look at. Look at the shine of the surface. This is looking backwards off the screen at the keyboard.

"So why is THG comparing two nearly identical systems? Won't the outcomes be the same?" The first answer is that looks can be deceiving. The sticker price, the options, and the physical appearance may be the same, but are they really identical underneath? Even when you can take it off the shelf and give it a good once over, some things that go into a system are not always easily recognizable. That is why we like to put products through their paces.

In addition, I would like to point out the other things you get when you purchase a PC from one of these vendors. Even though some of these don't come in the box, they help make one builder better than another. You need to know - are there any intangibles that come with the system? This is where we break out the magnifying glass and read the fine print.

Both system builders offer a 30-day money back return policy. Each has the proverbial legalize, but they boil down to this: if you are not satisfied with your purchase you can return it for a full refund of the purchase price less shipping and handling charges.

Hypersonic also allows buyers the option of purchasing accident insurance. It isn't cheap, but if you purchase it and the system breaks, you can get it fixed up to one, two or three years later, depending on which level you purchase.

Speaking of breaking, both system builders break in their systems. Hypersonic runs a full diagnostic for 72 hours with a 128-point check. They state, "This process helps ensure that your system will work flawlessly out of the box and for years to come." CyberPower also runs a similar test for 72 hours but does a 250-point test making sure it is ready for use when it gets to your house.

The picture does not do it justice. This puppy shines brighter than a new car.

One other nice feature of Hypersonic is that they can do a custom paint job on your PC for an additional charge. The system they sent us has the Fire Mist Pearl custom finish and it is very nice.

Even the PCMCIA slot place holder was painted to match.

Wait, there is more. Hypersonic puts yet another guarantee on their systems. Their "Dead Pixel Policy" states that there will be "no dead or partially-lit pixels in the center screen area and no more than a single dead or partially-lit pixel outside of the center area."