Gateway bundles a suite of phone tools for Internet telephony and faxing, and also includes software that allows parents to screen Web sites visited by their kids. The vast majority of computers come with Microsoft Works , which includes basic versions of Word , Excel , Money and other Microsoft titles. IBM and Toshiba bundle Lotus SmartSuite rather than a Microsoft package. The fact that most computer users work with competing Microsoft programs makes SmartSuite less desirable. Warranties and tech support are extremely important.
Many computers work perfectly well right out of the box, but plenty have some kind of glitch.
Of the computers we reviewed, roughly one-third of them had problems that might have caused you to call tech support. DVD drives didn't work. Look over your warranty and tech-support options carefully. You can do better, and you should, especially if you plan to upgrade the hardware regularly, or if you're buying a high-end machine. Insist on a longer warranty and telephone support that extends through the life of the warranty.