As we often see on pricier systems, the 97B comes completely equipped to handle any external device you want to link to it. The desktop's front is a touch anemic, however, with a mere trio of USB ports and a multiformat card reader to its name--a stronger chassis would have addressed that.

The system's rear is a bit more generous. Six USB ports--including two USB/eSATA combination ports--join an S/PDIF coaxial and optical connection, dual gigabit ethernet ports, integrated 7.1 surround sound, one mini-FireWire 400 port, one FireWire 400 port, and two USB 3.0 ports. The system's nVidia GTX 480 graphics board carries two DVI ports and one HDMI port, as well.

Though the mouse that ships with the 97B is generic and boring, the bundled Microsoft keyboard comes with a number of additional buttons for launching applications, controlling multimedia playback, and raising and lowering the system's volume. That isn't anything new, but it is appreciated, considering the generic keyboards often packed with systems at this price point.

While it's neither the fastest nor the best-designed PC on our performance-PC charts, Micro Express's MicroFlex 97B delivers substantial, enjoyable computing without blowing up your bank account. Its price-to-performance ratio on general tasks and gaming is equally impressive, and the system comes with all the connections to make for a rich, next-generation desktop.