  The Faddeev equations for the atomic helium-trimer systems are solved
numerically with high accuracy both for the most sophisticated realistic
potentials available and for simple phenomenological potentials. An efficient
numerical procedure is described. The large-distance asymptotic behavior,
crucial for weakly bound three-body systems, is described almost analytically
for arbitrary potentials. The Efimov effect is especially considered. The
geometric structures of the bound states are quantitatively investigated. The
accuracy of the schematic models and previous computations is comparable, i.e.
within 20% for the spatially extended states and within 40% for the smaller
^4He-trimer ground state.
