Creating a new Intel-based PC is like creating a better mousetrap - so many do the job adequately that choice almost always has been based on other things.
If you look at a Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Acer or Dell, there is not much to distinguish one from the other. The defining feature, however, is often price and rarely performance, so nobody should underestimate the ability of buyers to find the cheapest deal.
Dell's direct-order, made-to-configure system allows it to cut out middlemen margins and offer customers lower prices. This has been so successful that a company the size of Compaq has tried to emulate it, although it is reluctant to admit so openly.
Ordering a Dell computer could not be easier. If you have a computer with Internet access you can purchase it over the Net, or by phone.
The advantage of using the Internet is that you can design your machine in its entirety, simply by picking elements you want.
The Pentium II chip is a Pentium Pro with MMX built in. Although it is the best thing available, there is a certain amount of cynical hype involved.