OEMs are far more a matter of emotion and personal connection than any objective quality. Back in the day and today you can get more machine for less money by buying separate components. So it's all a matter of what you like and have warm fuzzy feelings for.
I worked the Packard Bell UK/IE helpdesk for two years around the turn of the millennium, and despite PBNEC being the worst employer bar none I have ever had, I have a weak spot for Packard Bell systems, at least some of them from that specific time. That's enough reason for me to have a few, but probably not for you 😉
Edit - as for your specific questions:
I'm basically good with anything as long as it can run Windows 95 (laptops count too) and it's easy to find parts for. However I […]
Show full quote
I'm basically good with anything as long as it can run Windows 95 (laptops count too) and it's easy to find parts for. However I'd prefer:
* ISA support, to put in an AWE64 Gold
* Room for full length cards, to put in a Voodoo 3
* Slot 1, to put in a Pentium II Klamath 233MHz
* BTX/SFF format in desktop configuraiton.
This is a highly unlikely combination. BTX was from well after the Slot 1 period, so you're not going to find those two. If you mean LPX instead of BTX you get more options, but there again the LPX+AGP slot is a rare combination. You did see NLX+AGP quite a bit, but that was invariably from the post-ISA period. Tbh, if you want ISA and AGP, you'd be best off looking for simple uATX OEM systems. They were common enough.
Note that a Voodoo3 isn't even half-length AGP, let alone full-length. Even a Voodoo 5 isn't full-length, so this requirement is hardly a challenge.
Also note that when it comes to OEM systems, there could be huge differences between markets. With PB for example, the combination of uATX, Slot 1, AGP and ISA did not occur in EU models, but was available (courtesy of the PB 911 motherboard) in US systems. In EU I believe some Compaq Presario minitower systems from ~1998 had Slot 1, AGP and ISA, but I don't recall the exact models. Where are you from? It's not impossible to find systems from other markets, but unless you have a very very clear reason to do so, it's much cheaper and easier to stick to what was sold locally.