Handy Computer Guide

CNET have published a review of the AVADirect Custom Gaming PC. 'The cabling, overclocking, and cooling of this system were all expertly done, on par with the build quality of the likes of Falcon Northwest, Maingear, and Velocity Micro. The ThermalTake Element S case is attractive and straightforward enough. The top-mounted USB, eSATA, and audio ports are an easy-to-reach convenient touch; you'll find a Blu-ray, DVD burner, and media card drives behind the front-panel door. We don't find Blu-ray a necessity in a full-tower PC, but it also doesn't hurt. If you're not interested in Blu-ray you can always opt out, and save yourself about $235.'

Continue reading " AVADirect Custom Gaming PC - CNET" »

Posted by Admin at 5:09 PM | Permalink

HotHardware have published a review of the iBuyPower Gamer Paladin F970 system. 'The Gamer Paladin F970’s HAF (High Air Flow) 932 is a big, full tower chassis that has a front 230mm red LED fan, a side 230mm fan, a top 230mm fan, and a rear 140mm blue LED fan. Combined, these fans push a lot of air over the system components inside the case. The benefit of using large fans such as those included in the HAF 932 is they can spin slowly while still pushing a lot of air. As a result, you’ll enjoy a comfortable noise level (Cooler Master's website claims the large fans are rated at 19 dBA). In the pictures, you’ll also notice that both sides of the case have five slits near the base to improve airflow.'

Continue reading "iBuyPower Gamer Paladin F970 System - HotHardware" »

Posted by Admin at 11:24 AM | Permalink

A review of the Digital Storm Custom Core i7 Gaming System has been posted over at HotHardware.com. 'Our test system was powered by an Intel Core i7 920 processor (2.66GHz), overclocked to 3.79GHz and was built upon EVGA's X58 3X SLI motherboard that we evaluated for you here recently. Also installed was 6GB of Corsair DDR3 system memory set to 1600MHz with latency settings of 9,9,9,24. For graphics, the system was powered by a single GeForce GTX 285 card though dual and 3-way SLI configurations are also available. Finally, we had a single 1.5TB Seagate Baracuda 7200.11 hard drive installed in our system though smaller and faster 10K RPM drives are available as well as larger RAID setups.'

Continue reading "Review: Digital Storm Custom Core i7 Gaming System - HotHardware" »

Posted by Admin at 12:34 PM | Permalink

Trusted Reviews have published a review of the CyberPower Gamer Ultra Perseus PC. 'The Gamer Ultra Perseus uses Antec's Twelve Hundred gaming case which, at almost 60cm high, towers over most other... well, towers. The main chassis is made of strong steel, which is covered both inside and out with a matte black finish while the top part of the case is made from thick moulded plastic, with matching pillars running up the front to either side of the mesh drive bays. On the outside, the Twelve Hundred has some distinctive features such as the huge top-mounted 200mm fan, which together with the other five 120mm fans is illuminated by blue LEDs.'

Continue reading "CyberPower Gamer Ultra Perseus - Trusted Reviews" »

Posted by Admin at 11:03 PM | Permalink

A review of the Polywell MiniBox desktop PC has been posted over at PC World. 'The MiniBox's included two-button mouse is a bargain-bin throwaway, not nearly the type of input device that the gamers using this PC would want. The keyboard is a slight improvement, offering the sort of media and function buttons that you find on fancier models. On the other hand, Polywell pulls out all the stops for the MiniBox's connectivity. The rear of the case boasts six USB ports, one HDMI port, a single DisplayPort connection (excellent!), optical S/PDIF, a FireWire 400 port, an eSATA port, a single ethernet connection, and 5.1 surround sound. But wait, there's more on the front--there you get two USB ports, one FireWire port, and a multiformat media card reader for all of your handheld gadgetry.'

Continue reading "Polywell Minibox 798G-940 Review - PC World" »

Posted by Admin at 11:22 PM | Permalink

PC Advisor have published a review of the RL Supplies Modula i8470 gaming desktop. 'The RL Supplies Modula i8470 is a dual-core system but, rather than use the top-of-the-range Core 2 Duo E8600, RL Supplies has gone for a less expensive E8400 model and overclocked it to 3.6GHz. This way, you get a considerably faster PC and save around £60 on the CPU. We test all machines at their processor's stock speeds and, in this configuration, the RL Supplies Modula i8470 achieved 122 points in WorldBench 6. When overclocked, however, the machine recorded a staggering 136 points.'

Continue reading "RL Supplies Modula i8470 Review - PC Advisor" »

Posted by Admin at 11:10 PM | Permalink

PC Magazine have published a review of the iBuypower Gamer Paladin 998 gaming PC. 'The Paladin 998 comes in a black Cooler Master HAF 932 case, designed for maximum airflow over the components, which is unusually open inside: There is space for up to five hard drives and up to six optical drives. There's also enough room in the chassis to install a wealth of components. My test system included a gigabyte motherboard with DDR3 support, an Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 processor, an 800W power supply, and an ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 graphics card. There's still room for another PCIe x16 graphics card, a PCIe x2 card, two PCI cards, and two additional DDR3 DIMMs. All of the components, including the hard drives, can be installed without the use of tools—a big plus.'

Continue reading "iBuypower Gamer Paladin 998 Review - PC Mag" »

Posted by Admin at 11:14 PM | Permalink

PC World have published a review of the Uberclok Reaktor gaming desktop. 'Rather than putting in one of the new quad-core Intel Core i7 processors, Überclok opts for a "standard old'" Core 2 Extreme Q9550. At least the company overclocks this 2.83-GHz processor to a pleasing 3.41 GHz (just over 200 MHz higher than the fastest stock-clock Core i7 chip). The overclocked processor helps this system achieve a WorldBench score of 145. It's a high score, but still less than the performance of the fastest gaming PCs we've tested, including Falcon Northwest's mighty Mach V system.'

Continue reading "Uberclok Reaktor Review - PC World" »

Posted by Admin at 12:40 PM | Permalink

A review of the Mac OS X-based Psystar OpenPro desktop computer has been posted over at CNET. 'Like the Open Computer, the OpenPro lacks the aesthetic appeal of an Apple-made desktop, as well as some of Apple's distinctive features. And, while Psystar offers a more powerful computer than Apple for the money, its price-performance advantage is less apparent compared with a similarly priced Windows PC. As long as Psystar remains in business, the risk involved in owning one of its OS X systems has lessened, thanks to its improved software tools, but for overall value, you can find more polished and generally faster Windows systems for less.'

Continue reading "Psystar OpenPro Review - CNET" »

Posted by Admin at 1:36 PM | Permalink

PC Advisor have published a review of the Mesh Elite GTX260 Pro gaming desktop PC. 'Mesh has an ace up its sleeve: a massive 8GB allocation of RAM. If you’re a major multitasker, the Mesh Elite GTX260 Pro will fly. You’ll need to run a 64bit OS to make full use of this memory, however, so make sure that your peripherals and installed applications are happy to run in this environment before you rush out and buy this machine. Our WorldBench 6 processing-speed test suite doesn’t fully exploit the Mesh Elite GTX260 Pro's full amount of memory but, if you’re used to working with multiple large images or editing HD video, you’ll find the performance gain profound.'

Continue reading "Mesh Elite GTX260 Pro - PC Advisor" »

Posted by Admin at 11:23 PM | Permalink

The Register Hardware have published a review of the Mesh Ultimate Q8 Tri-SLI gaming PC . 'Tri-SLI is a finicky beast and requires precise levels of Volts and Amps to ensure it works correctly. The OCZ has a single 80mm fan at the rear of the unit which has to draw air through the length of the PSU. It’s a long time since we saw a power supply that had any pretension to greatness that didn’t have some sort of venting or cooling on the large inner surface of its casing, the bit that faces the motherboard.

Continue reading "Mesh Ultimate Q8 Tri-SLI Review - Register Hardware" »

Posted by Admin at 10:09 PM | Permalink

Digital Trends have published a review of the Uberclok Reactor gaming desktop. 'Uberclok has chosen the Antec 900 as its chassis of choice for both of the PC configurations it sells, and it’s easy to see why. This is a long-time favorite among gamers due to its tremendous airflow, good looks and spacious interior. Since everything in this PC is overclocked, airflow is supremely important, and the Antec 900 delivers with two 120mm intake fans in the front, one 120mm exhaust fan on the back, and a giant 200mm fan on top of the case.

Continue reading " Uberclok Reactor Review - Digital Trends" »

Posted by Admin at 1:12 PM | Permalink

A review of the Medion 6615 PC desktop computer has been posted over at Computeractive. 'The pace of change is continuous, and the Medion 6615 PC is just one example of that, having just been given a £100 price drop in the January sales compared with its price before Christmas. That pitches it at £579, which is a low price for a desktop computer featuring Intel's Core 2 Quad Q6600 processor running at 2.4GHz. Intel's rival AMD has recently started making similar, cheaper processors, but the Q6600 remains faster than any AMD chip we've tested. The 'quad' means it is effectively four processors in one, letting it do more things at once, while speeding up some individual programs and games.'

Continue reading " Medion 6615 PC Review - Computeractive" »

Posted by Admin at 10:11 PM | Permalink

Pocket-lint have published a review of the Medion MD8828 multimedia desktop PC. ‘Core specs include an Intel 2.66GHz Core 2 Duo E6750 processor, an NVIDIA GeForce 8600GS DirectX 10 graphics card with DVI-I connector and HDMI port (with HDCP support), 2GB of RAM, 500GB of SATA hard disk space and Medion's triple TV tuner, incorporating Freeview DVB-T, DVB-S Satellite and analogue TV tuner card with MCE0 remote control alongside high definition eight channel audio. Get into the multimedia side of things and you've got that super multi blue player from LG. Giving you the ability to play both HD DVD and Blu-ray movies the device is considerably faster than the standalone player and even if you're not including the PC and everything that goes with it, still cheaper than buying the standalone.’

Continue reading "Medion MD8828 Review – Pocket-lint" »

Posted by Admin at 11:09 AM | Permalink

A review of the Mesh Elite Quad Q6600CA desktop configuration has been posted over at Computeractive. 'The computer uses an Intel quad-core processor (a Q6600 running at 2.4GHz), which means it has, effectively, four separate processors. It's the next step up from the dual-core computers we've been reviewing for a year or so, and it means a good performance boost for Windows Vista and programs that are capable of using the four processors (more and more programs are being written in this way). It also includes 2GB of memory, which together with the processor provides a good computer that should be capable of dealing with most applications with ease. The case, a small tower model, doesn't look particularly impressive from the outside, but this certainly is a powerful computer. That fact was borne out in our lab testing, the results of which pitched it at the level of computers that, a few months ago, cost nearly twice as much. In fact, it posted a higher score than the similarly specified Advent T9509, with the same processor and amount of memory.'

Continue reading " Mesh Elite Quad Q6600CA Desktop Review - Computeractive" »

Posted by Admin at 1:06 PM | Permalink

PC Authority have published a review of MegaPC's Magnum desktop configuration. 'It’s an imposing beast thanks to a monolithic SilverStone TJ06 case and 22in ViewSonic ViewDock monitor. The latter sports integrated speakers, subwoofer and iPod dock. If you don’t have an iPod there’s a redundant, ugly socket, but at least you can use other MP3 players too. It also sports a four-port USB hub, microphone, 3.5mm in/out audio jacks and headphone socket. Despite this, while sound was well-rounded, with punchy bass and clear top end, it didn’t get nearly loud enough. However, the 1680 x 1050 display was crisp, sharp and clear, and good colours made our games and videos look great.'

Continue reading "MegaPC Magnum Review - PC Authority" »

Posted by Admin at 10:08 PM | Permalink

Trusted Reviews have published a review of the Medion 6486 desktop PC. ‘The Medion 6486 system box is a typical tower, but with a smarter than average front panel that includes a LightScribe DVD rewriter and a separate player, as well as a multimedia panel which sits behind a push-to-open, vertically sliding door. There's a wide array of sockets behind this door, including slots for all the popular memory card types, twin FireWire sockets, stereo audio inputs, plus composite and S-Video. This suggests the multimedia nature of the machine and indeed, it’s a full Media Center system that positively encourages you to play around with audio, video and DVD.’

Continue reading "Medion 6486 PC Review – Trusted Reviews" »

Posted by Admin at 10:16 PM | Permalink

A review of the PC Specialist Fusion 6000XT gaming desktop has been posted over at Personal Computer World. 'At first glance the Fusion 6000XT looks expensive, but a quick scan through some online component dealers reveals that you couldn’t do it much cheaper if you built it yourself. At the heart of the PC is an Asus M2R32-MVP Socket AM2 motherboard, using AMD’s 580X/SB600 chipset combination. This setup supports all AMD’s AM2 processors – in this case an Athlon64 X2 6000+. Backing the Asus up is 2GB of Corsair XMS2 800MHz DDR2 memory, which enabled the Fusion 6000XT to post a solid score of 110 in Sysmark 2007 Preview. The Vista Benchmark overall score sits at 5.4 – although not spectacular (mostly due to the CPU), it indicates this PC is more than adequate for most jobs.'

Continue reading " PC Specialist Fusion 6000XT Review at - Personal Computer World" »

Posted by Admin at 10:26 PM | Permalink

Trusted Reviews have published a review of the Commodore XX gaming desktop. 'The case itself has the Commodore logo all over it in a ‘we own it, and darned we’re going to use it’ kind of way. It’s embossed into the front door that covers the drive bays and when you open that up, you'll find the full logo on the inside of the door and on each of the blanking plates. It could easily have been naff, but the slighty raised embossed logo is subtle. The hinge on the front door is effectively double-jointed so can fold all the way back, which is good - normally these doors don't open all the way, which is a pain. Another stand out feature is the large Commodore shaped logo in the side of the case, behind which sits a 200mm cooling fan, which is the largest I've ever seen on a system. There's a large circular grille at the front too, behind which sits a 120mm fan with another 120mm fan at the rear. This flashes in an array of disco lights too, but patently, with the door closed you won’t be able to see it.'

Continue reading "Commodore XX - Gaming PC Review at Trusted Reviews" »

Posted by Admin at 12:41 PM | Permalink

Trusted Reviews have published a review of the high-end Vadim Custom Fusion LQX gaming desktop. 'The PC I'm looking at today packs in every bit of performance hardware available and it's quite a long list, so take a deep breath. It contains an Intel Core 2 QX6800 quad core CPU, 2GB of OCZ Reaper DDR-II memory, two ATI Radeon HD 2900 XTs running in Crossfire, two 150GB Western Digital Raptor hard drives in RAID 0, a 750GB Seagate Barracuda hard drive, a Creative X-Fi ExtremeGamer Fatal1ty sound card, a Dual layer rewritable DVD drive, a 1000Watt Enermax Galaxy modular power supply, an Asus P5W DH Deluxe motherboard, a full water cooling setup, and no less than 11 fans all housed in a Silverstone TJ07 aluminum case. This is one hell of a specification that will make mincemeat of anything you throw at it, all that's missing are the custom paint job and custom-cut side panels.'

Continue reading "Vadim Custom Fusion LQX - Trusted Reviews" »

Posted by Admin at 12:31 PM | Permalink

PC Magazine have published a review of the Systemax Venture VX2 B67IVU gaming desktop. ‘The Venture VX2 uses the same drab, utilitarian case that lower-priced Systemax Venture PCs use for lesser machines such as the mainstream Venture DH531IV. It's a tractable case. This is a system to consider if you like to tinker, but don't want to do the initial build yourself. There's lots of space for upgrades, including PCIe x16 slots on the Intel 975X-based motherboard for two additional graphics cards.

Continue reading "Systemax Venture VX2 B67IVU – PC Mag" »

Posted by Admin at 1:58 PM | Permalink

A review of the Cyberpower Gamer Ultra 8500 SE (AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000 ) desktop PC has been posted over at CNET. ‘As usual, Cyberpower assembled a very attractive system for us to review. For the hardware alone, the Gamer Ultra 8500 SE is a steal at $999. Even if we don't love the case, anyone in the market for a budget gaming PC will be impressed, especially because the deal includes a 19-inch Viewsonic wide-screen LCD and a set of Logitech 2.1 speakers (not pictured). But in looking back on older Cyberpower reviews, we noticed a disturbing trend. In the user opinions for every single Cyberpower desktop, CNET readers rail against the Cyberpower buying experience. In addition to reviewing this PC, then, we also grilled Cyberpower about this wash of complaints. The system is a deal, but whether it's worth the apparent hassle to go through Cyberpower to get it still remains to be seen.

Continue reading "Cyberpower Gamer Ultra 8500 SE - CNET" »

Posted by Admin at 10:53 PM | Permalink

CNET have published their review of the AVADirect Core 2 Duo SLI gaming desktop PC. 'We went to some of the better-known gaming PC vendors for a price check on the AVA Direct Core 2 Duo SLI and we found that it costs roughly the same as other, similar PCs. Alienware and Velocity's prices were nearly identical, Maingear's was about $3,100, while a similar rig from Falcon Northwest hovered around $2,500. So our AVA Direct PC costs about what it should.

Continue reading "AVADirect Core 2 Duo SLI - CNET" »

Posted by Admin at 10:33 PM | Permalink

Trusted Reviews have published a review of the Scan 3XS OC-GTS gaming desktop PC. 'Opening the front door of the case reveals four 5.25in and two 3.5in drive bays. One of the 3.5in bays is occupied by a floppy drive, which is something of an unusual site these days. Surprisingly, only one of the 5.25in bays is filled – there’s a Samsing WriteMaster SH-S182M DVD writer installed. I have to say that I would expect two optical drives in a system like this, especially when there are so many free bays. That said, Scan customers can configure a PC any way they like when they order, so I guess you can have any combination you’d like.

Continue reading "Scan 3XS OC-GTS Gaming PC - Trusted Reviews" »

Posted by Admin at 2:38 AM | Permalink

CNET have published their review of the ABS Ultimate X Striker Elite gaming desktop PC. ‘Despite the fact that the ABS Ultimate X Striker Elite and its new quad-core chip don't dominate every benchmark test, its performance still ranks where it should. We can only compare this system to what we've tested before, which is why the other systems listed (with the exception of the Polywell Poly i680SLI) all have an Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 chip overclocked to 3.2GHz or (excluding the Gateway FX530XT) have Windows XP, which uses much less memory and overall CPU power than Windows Vista.

Continue reading "ABS Ultimate X Striker Elite - CNET" »

Posted by Admin at 12:28 PM | Permalink

CNET have posted their review of the Systemax Venture VX2 gaming desktop. 'The Systemax Venture VX2 isn't a gaming PC to inspire envy among your fellow fraggers. It won't net you the fastest frame rates on your block, and its plain-Jane looks cannot be classified as "head turning" or "conversation starting." But what this affordably priced, fixed-configuration, $1,999 gaming system provides is a solid foundation for playing today's current titles, and you can put the money you save now toward future upgrades. With its Intel motherboard, 500-watt power supply, and midtower chassis, the Venture VX2 will never be transformed into a bleeding-edge gaming PC, but it does provide enough wiggle room to let you at least keep pace. Its mix of components allow it to hit the sweet spot between underperforming and overpriced, resulting in a system that is priced lower than similarly configured systems from competing vendors.

Continue reading "Systemax Venture VX2 - CNET" »

Posted by Admin at 2:45 PM | Permalink

CNET have reviewed the ZT Group Reliant VPX6001 Core 2 Duo-based business PC. ‘The marketing efforts behind Intel's various platforms have met with differing degrees of success. While the Centrino mobile platform was one of Intel's more successful campaigns, it's safe to say that the Viiv platform for Media Center PCs has failed to resonate with PC buyers. The jury is still out on Intel's business platform, dubbed vPro. A vPro desktop must feature certain hardware attributes--starting with a Core 2 Duo processor--and will include IT management features that make it easier and less costly for organizations to monitor, protect, and maintain the PCs on their network. We focus primarily on consumer PCs here at CNET, but we took a look at this business PC from ZT Group because some aspects of vPro technology are expected appear on consumer desktops and laptops in the future. At $899, the ZT Group Reliant VPX6001 represents a good deal for small businesses and larger enterprises.’

Continue reading "ZT Group Reliant VPX6001 - CNET" »

Posted by Admin at 12:40 AM | Permalink

The PC Club's Enpower Velocity 05 SLI is touted as being the first quad-core CPU on the market specifically built for hardcore enthusiasts. In ZDNETs review this piece of this powerful gaming PC, a comparison is made with the Polywell Poly i680 SL1 system. 'We have to give PC Club credit, its Enpower Velocity 05 SLI gaming desktop comes in a distinctive package. Not everyone will want a blue-and-pink pastel fighting robot decorating their PC, but then not everyone will be able to shell out $3,140, the bare minimum you'll have to pay for the privilege.

Continue reading "PC Club Enpower Velocity 05 SLI - ZDNet" »

Posted by Admin at 12:52 AM | Permalink

PC Magazine has reviewed the Polywell Poly 976N4-SLI4 Quad SLI multimedia desktop package. 'The Poly 976N4-SLI4 is housed in a ginormous chassis and uses two 700W power supplies: one for the CPU, motherboard, and optical drives, and one for the hard drives and graphics cards. This is a questionable setup. I understand why Polywell went with two power supplies (to share the load and to keep each power-hungry component happy), but I think a single 1,000W (or higher) power supply would have been a wiser choice. The Poly 976N4-SLI4's 10,000-rpm hard drives and Quad SLI configuration (two graphics cards with two GPUs and two sets of memory per card) are certainly power hungry, but adding another power supply can tax your wall outlet if you're not careful, and ideally you'd want to plug each power supply into its own UPS for safety. The second power supply tempts fate by adding a layer of complexity and thus another opportunity for failure.'

Continue reading "Polywell Poly 976N4-SLI4 Quad SLI - PC Mag" »

Posted by Admin at 12:19 PM | Permalink

PC Magazine have reviewed the powerful Polywell Poly i680SLI PC. 'The Polywell i680SLI ($3,250 direct; $3,999 with 24-inch widescreen LCD monitor) packs a forceful one-two punch. Not only does it feature Intel's latest quad-core QX6700 processor, but it's also one of the first systems to carry nVidia's new top-of-the-line GeForce 8800GTX graphics card.

Continue reading "Review: Polywell Poly i680SLI - PC Mag" »

Posted by Admin at 4:52 PM | Permalink

The ABS Ultimate M6 Sniper gaming desktop was reviewed earlier in the year by CNET. 'The latest entry in ABS's high-end gaming PC line, the Ultimate M6 Sniper combines the top-of-the-line AMD Athlon 64 FX-60 CPU with two speedy 256MB GeForce 7800 GTX graphics cards running in an SLI configuration. While the $4,799 Sniper doesn't keep pace with the recently reviewed Falcon Northwest Mach V or Velocity Micro Raptor 64 Dual FX--both of which overclock their FX-60 CPUs and include dual 512MB GeForce 7800 GTX cards--it's still a respectably speedy PC, and it didn't exhibit any of the stability issues we encountered with those higher-end PCs. Although it's expensive for most of us, thanks to its monitor and the fact that it's more than $1,000 less expensive than other systems in its class, the Ultimate M6 Sniper is actually a pretty good deal.'

Continue reading "Review: ABS Ultimate M6 Sniper At CNET" »

Posted by Admin at 2:28 PM | Permalink

CNET has reviewed the Polywell Poly 590SLI2-FX62 gaming PC. 'If you're looking for blazingly fast performance but care not a whit about aesthetics, then Polywell may have the perfect PC for you. Systems from smaller vendors are often hit or miss, and Polywell is no exception. But when the company nails a concept as with the Poly 590SLI2, you can get a solid computer for less than what high-end boutique vendors would charge. The Polywell Poly 590SLI2 is one of the first systems we've seen with AMD's new Socket AM2 chipset and the new top-of-the-line Athlon 64 FX-62 CPU.

Continue reading "Review: Polywell Poly 590SLI2-FX62 Desktop At CNET" »

Posted by Admin at 3:25 AM | Permalink

If you are searching for a competitively priced gaming PC the Cyberpower Gamer Ultra X1900 XT may just fit the bill. 'The Cyberpower Gamer Ultra X1900 XT is the first system we've tested that uses ATI's dual-graphics card CrossFire technology. This gaming PC offers seemingly infinite configuration options; our $3,499 review unit paired two Radeon X1900-series graphics cards with AMD's Athlon 64 FX-60 and included a wide-screen, 19-inch ViewSonic LCD and a 5.1 Creative speaker set. While ATI's CrossFire technology has advantages over Nvidia's competing SLI setup, we don't favor the external dongle required to connect two ATI CrossFire cards.

Continue reading "Cyberpower Gamer Ultra X1900 XT Review At CNET" »

Posted by Admin at 4:07 AM | Permalink

Rich Brown writing over at ZDNet has reviewed the Systemax Sabre desktop "gaming" PC. 'Systemax is by no means alone as a vendor of affordable, spare PCs. iBuyPower, Cyberpower, Polywell, and others all reduce costs by building and selling desktops with off-the-shelf parts. This type of PC doesn't have as much of an identity as a model from a high-end, boutique vendor such as Alienware or Falcon Northwest, and you often can't buy this type of PC with factory-overclocked parts, liquid cooling, or other performance-enhancing tweaks. But once you jump over to TigerDirect.com and see the price tag on its high-end, house-brand model, the Systemax Sabre, you'll discover that the company's cost-cutting measures amount to a major advantage in price. For $3,499, the Systemax Sabre is one of the best deals we've seen for such a high-end combination of parts. It costs hundreds less than similarly equipped PCs and makes an attractive option for DIY overclockers and gamers who value price over polish.'

Continue reading "Systemax Sabre Core 2 Extreme Review" »

Posted by Admin at 3:07 PM | Permalink

Trusted Reviews reports on the announcement of the high OMEN i:121 Extreme desktop PC from VoodooPC. 'Some things naturally go together: bread and butter, strawberries and cream, England and valiant sporting defeats, mixing of drinks and vomiting and here is another: Core 2 Duo and VoodooPC. The high end performance specialist and maker of the obscene quad SLI desktop has just announced the OMEN i:121 Extreme. This beautifully styled powerhouse crams in a user definable edition of Intel’s supreme Core 2 Duo CPU and offers it in conjunction with either an nVidia SLI enabled motherboard and pair of half gig GeForce 7900GTXs or an ATI CrossFire equipped moby that straps on a couple of equally weighted Radeon X1900s. (Yes, it’s hardcore!).'

Continue reading "Voodoo OMEN i:121 Extreme Desktop At Trusted Reviews" »

Posted by Admin at 4:05 AM | Permalink

CNET reviews the pricey but feature-rich back-to-school Polywell Poly 430AM2 desktop computer. 'Polywell, a company whose high-end gaming and Media Center systems we're accustomed to seeing, has put together a basic box suitable for back-to-school shoppers, with the Polywell Poly 430AM2. This PC won't win any awards for design or performance, and at $1,350 (including a 19-inch LCD monitor and 5.1 speakers), it's more then twice as expensive as some of the more budget-minded back-to-school system's we've looked at recently, including the inexpensive but excellent Cyberpower Back to School Super Value. For the additional investment, however, you do get a decent set of specs, including a newly issued dual-core AMD processor, a decent midrange Nvidia graphics card, and 320GB of hard drive space. It's sure to last from orientation to graduation, even for those students prone to taking the occasional semester away from school.'

Continue reading "CNET.com: Polywell Poly 430AM2 Desktop PC Review" »

Posted by Admin at 8:52 AM | Permalink

CNET previews the "most up-to-date small-form-factor gaming PC on the market; great-looking PC inside and out". 'We don't usually get to make sweeping declarative statements, but Maingear has given us the opportunity. Its small-form-factor (SFF) X-Cube gaming desktop is the most advanced PC in its class. No other vendor of a pseudo-portable gaming computer offers a more up-to-date system. This $3,300 PC is by no means inexpensive, but its price is in line with the rest of the market. Due to a number of high-profile tech releases over the next six months, it's hard to recommend spending that much on this exact configuration right now. But based on the X-Cube's strong craftsmanship and its heads-up parts selection, Maingear's Web site should be your first stop whenever you're ready to make a high-end, small-form-factor purchase.'

Continue reading "Maingear X-Cube Desktop PC" »

Posted by Admin at 3:39 AM | Permalink

The "Back to School" configuration offered by CyberPower while being highly affordable, has a dual-core CPU and can be upgraded unlike some from the competion. 'The perfect student computer is a lot like the perfect student car: functional, inexpensive, and easy to maintain. Cyberpower offers all manner of both preconfigured and totally customizable systems, usually at prices below more mainstream competitors'. The company's aptly named Back to School Super Value model ushers in a new era of budget PCs by serving up a dual-core processor. You'll have to put up with a somewhat inelegant case, but the easy-to-swallow $599 price makes our design quibble seem minor. The Back to School Super Value is worth a look for students who want a basic system for schoolwork and light gaming, without going for an anonymous big-name gray box. And with plenty of room for future expansion, it's the first budget system in more than a year that we recommend over eMachines' latest budget offering.'

Continue reading "CNET.com: CyberPower Back to School 2006 Review" »

Posted by Admin at 5:48 PM | Permalink

I T Reviews examines the impressive but pricey Atlantis Fusion Crossfire desktop computer from Chillblast. 'So there you are, sitting around with three and a half grand in your back pocket, and you want a fast PC. Not just any old fast PC, mind you, but a scorching, frame-busting, games machine. Who do you turn to? Well, if you head over to Chillblast it will relieve you of that wad of cash and replace it with the Atlantis Fusion CrossFire, the fastest system we have seen to date. For that price you might expect an all-dancing, funky case, but not a bit of it. Instead the system is built into a plain-looking, but modified, Lian Li aluminium tower case. Plain it might be, but Lian Li makes some of the best built and well featured cases around.'

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Posted by Admin at 10:45 PM | Permalink

The WinBook Jiv Mini PC though hard to upgrade includes a host of up-to-date features to satisfy any craving for a satisfying experience when on or offline. 'The WinBook Jiv Mini manages to pack more features into a smaller package than any small-form-factor (SFF) system we've seen to date. Not much bigger than a standard router, it boasts an impressive array of features, including a slot-loading DVD burner, a media card reader, S-Video and DVI outputs, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and even a built-in TV tuner. At $1,099, it's a not-insignificant premium over the $799 Mac Mini Core Duo or the $899 AOpen MiniPC Duo, but when you factor in the nice design aesthetic and the need for neither an external USB TV tuner nor a media card reader, the WinBook Jiv Mini's appeal begins to make itself known. We recommend it for users eager to pack the most features into the least space.'

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Thomas Net.com reports on the launch of the $1,999 ClientPro® 424 All-in-One Computer which "offers the latest in high performance desktop PC technology in a unique space-saving form factor, with the PC literally integrated into the back of a thin flat panel display". 'The ClientPro 424 replaces the ClientPro 414 and offers many feature and performance enhancements. The new system features an option for Intel's new Pentium D processors with Dual Core Technology, which enables the processor to work on separate tasks simultaneously. Additionally, for increased overall system performance, the new system incorporates PCI Express graphics utilizing the new MXM interface, along with two DIMM sockets supporting up to 2GB of 667MHz DDR2 memory.

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CNET posts an informative review of the Sony VAIO RC310G which is the first Blu-ray PC on the scene. 'A format war is brewing for the hearts and minds of media fans everywhere. In one corner, Sony stands ready to do battle with its next-gen optical format, dubbed Blu-ray. In the other corner, Toshiba is prepared to wage war with HD-DVD. While both formats have been hampered by product delays and a generally indifferent public, HD-DVD hit the market first, in the form of stand-alone set-top players. Blu-ray is hitting PCs before set-tops, however, arriving in Sony's VAIO line of desktops and laptops. We got our hands on the first PC with a Blu-ray drive, the $2,249 Sony VAIO RC310G. Other PCs deliver more bang for the buck, but if you absolutely must be the first on the block with a PC equipped with Blu-ray (and you know who you are), you face a Hobson's choice: this VAIO desktop or none at all.'

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We live in hope that the day would come when the advertised price on an item would be the final cost irrespective of add-ons available. This scenario will be some way off as competition constrains companies to offer the "most afforable" price for items stripped of prime features which are sold separately. The Gateway® E-2600S SB would be a useful tool for your business or home but for starters you would have to add the addition of XP professional to the base price. 'Gateway's new E-2600S is aimed squarely at the small-business audience, offering platform stability along with bundled management applications. With a base price of only $579, the E-2600S offers small business features at a low price, without making businesses settle for bottom-of-the-barrel components. But adding useful extras, like a dual-core CPU, LCD display, and Microsoft Office, can almost double the price, as in our $1,313 review unit. While the low sticker price quickly evaporates as you add needed features, the system is still a good choice for buyers who need more professional features than are found in a standard consumer system.'

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The eMachines T6532 provides an intense digital entertainment experience with blazing fast 64-bit computing using an AMD Athlon® 64 3500+ processor, world-class nVidia® GeForce® 6100 graphics and high definition 6-channel audio. 'As Gateway's budget retail line, eMachines systems are available only through chains such as Circuit City and Best Buy and only in fixed configurations. Currently eMachines' top-of-the-line system, the T6532, represents a better value than comparably priced Gateway counterparts, such as the DX100X. As shipped, the T6532 is a good entry-level or second system, and its expansion options mean it will have a longer lifespan than other budget boxes.

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I hope we never come to stage where manufacturers refuse to make desktop computers. While the laptop/notebook versions of the electronic devices appear to be attracting consumers attention, I really cannot envisage a home without a handy desktop computer on a table somewhere, where all and sundry can become familiar with computing and the Internet via trial and error. CNET reviews the eMachines T6420 desktop which though reasonably priced comes equipped with some advanced features. 'As Gateway's budget retail line, eMachines systems are available only through chains such as Circuit City and Best Buy, and only in fixed configurations. The $599 T6420 offers surprisingly deep features for a bargain-basement system, and it represents a better value than comparably priced Gateway counterparts, such as the DX100X. As shipped, the T6420 is a good entry-level or second system, and its expansion options mean it will have a longer lifespan than other budget boxes.'

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Dell continues to churn out desktop computers with the latest technology which allows users to accomplish tasks such as involving the creation of DVDs and the manipulation of multimedia files. John R. Delaney reviewed one such device, the Dell XPS 400. 'While the XPS 400's $2,284 price tag may seem high, its powerful dual-core processor and entertainment-friendly feature set provide everything you'll need to watch and record TV programs, create DVDs, and manage multimedia files. A big chunk of the price goes toward the bundled 20-inch Dell UltraSharp 2005FPW wide-screen LCD monitor; pricing for the Viiv-branded XPS 400 starts at $1,758 with a 19-inch LCD. Though it has a slower processor, a less powerful graphics card, no monitor, and only a single tuner, the $1,199 HP Pavilion Media Center TV m7360n is the better value. We prefer the Dell XPS 400, however, for its configuration options, which let you equip the system with dual TV tuners, multiple hard drives, and more powerful graphics.

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Lets face it', sometimes the cash just isn't there to purchase the top-of-the-line product. What do you do in such a situation? Simple. Seek out the most reasonable item which offers the best bang for the buck. Enough of that for now. When it comes to computers and price, cheap does not always equate with quality but after examining this review of the Omega LX2400 by IT Reviews, just mabybe this one time you could take a chance with a budget item. 'Despite the low price [£350], the Omega LX2400 is a conventional enough PC. OK, it has a 17-inch CRT monitor, rather than a flat panel, but the Samtron 78E is a serviceable budget screen, if a bit round-faced. The PC itself is based on a 2.4GHz Celeron with 128MB of memory, an 80GB Western Digital hard drive and a DVD/CD-RW combo.'

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Anthony Dhanendran of Personal Computer World reviews the Mesh Matrix Vector X2-Fi and identifies its main distinguishing feature as its dual-core processor. 'The Mesh Matrix Vector X2-Fi’s main distinguishing feature is its use of a dual-core processor. Until this year, every home computer used a 'single-core' processor, which meant it could only do one thing at a time (although the computer could run many applications, the processor itself was only completing one task). AMD's dual-core technology means that there are effectively two processors running simultaneously, so the computer is capable in theory of doing things twice as fast.'

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