Desktop PCs

Dell has stood firmly by its motto to listen, learn and deliver . There is no denial regarding their deliverance especially when we come across their Inspiron series. The Inspiron desktop series that are truly designed for everyday computing have got a hottie into their family,  Dell Inspiron 620s Desktop PC. This desktop computer has got a refined design that encloses some fine enginery. This device will not burn a hole in your wallet and makes a perfect device for both home users as well as office users, (though specifically built for the former). Nowadays when desktops are being replaced by laptops, this powerful tower shows what it is to have a desktop! Let us a take Bon Voyage through its specifications and details.

Categories

Inspiron 620 PC comes in two different type of chassis. Users who are not bothered about space saving segment can opt for the mini tower model and geeks who want to squeeze lots of stuff in their PC table can go for the slim tower- Inspiron 620s (slim) Desktop PC. As for as the colour of the PC, black adorers have their wish granted and it does not  end with this; Dell offers  this desktop in four vibrant shades- solid white, peacock blue, Formosa red and deep purple. Go on and choose a colour that oozes your sense of style.

Design

Eye catchy, sleek design and an elite build make a superb combination in this desktop. The tower comprises of a black body with a silver framework. This black armored console goes along a width of 4.2″ so that you need not cram it into your table. Other measurements of this personal computer are its 14.9 inches height and 17.01 inches depth. Users are provided with an option to place the device in a horizontal position as well as in the vertical position according to the nature of the space available. The user has no need to worry about the heat build up at any of the positions Dell’s engineers have dealt with the problem by designing vents on both horizontal and vertical axis. The slim tower weighs about 7.3 kg in weight. This space saving tower has got flip panels that enclose an optical drive, a multi card reader slot, 2 USB slots, a microphone and a headphone jack.

Processor

Every desktop posses a brain and higher the brain’s clockspeed and the core formula, the higher the performance, you receive. Dell has designed this desktop for a faster world so that users manage to get organized within few strokes of the clock. This desktop comes integrated with a latest Intel product Intel Core i3-2100 Processor. Though this is a preliminary level in the core-i series of Intel, smart computing is assured with its 3.10 GHz clockspeed and 3GB  memory. Only Inspiron 620s features this i3 second generation processor, while all other desktops in this series posse’s i5 processor, which features the Turbo Boost Technology that dramatically boosts the processing, speed. Higher end multitasking and editing of high definition videos would have been easier and perfect, if Dell Inspiron 620s Desktop PC had come with a i5 processor.

Operating System in Inspiron 620s

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium OS is recommended for  this Dell Inspiron PC, primarily targeting the entertainment segment. While, Windows 7 OS is well known for its simplification of the computing experience, the Home Premium edition enriches home usage such as movies, photos and video sharing.

Memory

Dell Inspiron 620s Intel Core i3-2120M Desktop encounters graphics and other entertainment segments through its 4GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM that can be upgraded up to 6GB.

Optical Drive

This segment, particularly is not satisfactory in this slim tower compared with the other models of the 620 group. Slim tower sports an ordinary DVD player much to the disappointment, whilst the mini towers sport a Blu-ray drive to spice up fun.

Hard Drive

The 1TB capacity of hard drive of the Dell Inspiron 620s Desktop Computer provides you a peace of mind as it takes complete control over the storage of your data and files without setting much limitation. This 7200rpm SATA drive delivers a promising performance, with much ease.

Video Card and Sound card

AMD Radeon™ HD 6450 graphics card of 750 MHz engine clock, inserted inside this tower has got a 1GB memory.  The AMD App Acceleration feature of this video card fasten ups video encoding so that you don’t have to sit glaring at the monitor for a long time. Though this card supports 3D viewing and exercises some true power management, sophisticated graphics does not go well with this Inspiron 620. The 5.1 high definition sound card integrated inside the chassis complies with a perfect home entertainment criteria.

Ports

This Inspiron 620s personal computer comes with a myriad of ports. On the front side of this desktop, there are 2 USB 2.0 slots( it would have been much better if USB 2.0 was replaced by 3.0),  a headphone & microphone jack and 8:1 media card reader. The rear side of the tower sports audio jacks for 5.1 high definition audio support, 6 USB 2.0 slots, a VGA and an HDMI port. This slim tower is built with 8-in-1 media card reader that can support MS Pro, SD,XD, Micro SD Card, MS, MMC and MMC plus.

Software Bundle

Dell Inspiron 620 PC comes with the essential software package for a hassle free computing. The bundle includes Dell Data Safe Local Backup, Dell Support Centre ,Dell Sync up, Nero Control Centre, McAfee Security Centre, Roxio Creator Starter Edition, Skype,  Zinio Reader 4, Microsoft Office Starter (2010), CyberLink Power DVD, Wild Tangent games applications. Dell offers McAfee Security Centre in this PC for 15 month subscription, and its support centre offers PC check up. The Sync up software of this desktop supports sharing of files through Local Area Network.

Upgradability

Upgradability will not work well with this desktop, though you can go for up gradation in the hard drives and also the graphics card segment for improving the graphical performance level  after considering the compactness of the tower.

Dell Inspiron 620s Desktop PC – Technical Specification Table

Known as a brilliant innovator, Apple is technically the largest producer of computers in the United States and also in many other parts of the world. Right from the start, Apple has been up right there on the top when it comes to production, sales, customer satisfaction, design, features, performance, and design. It has been producing world beating products and is also an inspiration to several other manufacturing companies. Out of all of its worldwide hits, the Apple Mac stands out as the best, since it has provided a platform for innovation in the field of computer hardware. Since the advent of the Mac, every other desktop computer has been compared to it in each and every aspect. And that is how imposing, in the minds of everyone, the Mac is. The Apple Pro is a recent development of the original Mac version and has got the better off its very successful predecessor. Though it was such a daunting task, Apple has managed to bring out a model that bettered the Mac. And now today, we have an even better version of the Mac pro, which comes with a 12 core multiprocessor, the very first of its kind in the history of personal computers. Let us dive into the details of the Mac Pro 12 core, the very luring desktop computer from Apple.

Design:

Apple is known for its wondrous designs, which it somehow manages to do to all its electronic goods. These designs from Apple always stand out as the best. The Mac Pro 12 core comes with a very impressive tower, which has got a shape that only Apple can manage to design. Weighing about 41.2 pounds (18.7 kg), the tower measures about 20.1 x 8.1 x 18.7 inches (H x W x D). Apart from being an imposing figure on your desk, this Mac Pro tower also suits almost any kind of environment since it does not come in basic colours, but silver. Silver suits almost all backgrounds and it also adds a very rich look to your desk. Hence, the Mac Pro is always something you are proud of having.  The rest if the design is as usual, a trademark of Apple desktop PCs. You have two FireWire 800 ports and two USB ports on the front panel and the rest of the ports and connectivity options feature on the rear side of the tower. Anyways, this Mac Pro has got everything in it that will make you stand and wonder in awe.

Features:

Apple is known as the king of features and no wonder there are quite a lot of features on the Mac Pro. This one aspect called Features is the only difference between Apple and the other top producers of computer around the world. Apple not only provides scores of features, but makes them innovative and also at the same time, user friendly too. More and more features are listed each and every time a new computer from Apple is release and that is the reason why its products still have such a great following, given the high price tag of its products in comparison with similar products elsewhere. Speaking of innovative features, let us see what’s in store for us when it comes to features of the Mac Pro and also see whether or not they live up to our expectations.

Processor:

Speed is the order of the day and people are looking for speed everywhere. Response time is slowly becoming a prime factor in deciding the performance of a computer. Quit worrying about speed when it comes to the Mac Pro, as it is going to sport a 12 core processor, which is referred to as one of the best as well as the fastest processor in the world today. And to add to that, the all new Hyper threading technology can enhance the virtual cores to as many as 16, and hence there is no way stopping your Mac Pro from going at great knots. Some of the interesting features regarding this processor are: It comes with as many as two 2.4GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon E5620 ‘Westmere’ processors, which are specially made to boost up the performance levels of your computer, a fully shared L3 cache of 12 Mega bytes per each processor, special boosting by Turbo Boost which increases the dynamic performance up to 2.66GHz, and last but not the least, the Hyper-Threading technology, which was mentioned earlier. Then there is the advanced Intel micro architecture which features an integrated memory controller which maintains and controls your system’s memory, a 128 bit SSE4 SIMD engine, 64 bit data paths and registers which are optimized for energy efficiency, which can save you power while still being efficient. All these features combined give you a solid processing performance and your system will very seldom experience problems so you can stay happier than ever.

Operating System:

The Mac Pro comes with a new and revamped Mac OS X which comes with some of the advanced features that are specially designed to meet the requirements of the new architecture of the Mac Pro. The Mac OS X is built on a rock solid platform of UNIX and it also delivers a full 64 bit performance that lets you utilize your computer to the core, and to the best of its abilities. It also features a few tools which are industry developed and aimed at providing great serviceability to the users. Let us elaborate a bit on the two most important features of the operating system. The UNIX based platform means that you have a pretty solid infrastructure, which makes your operating system very stable, unlike some other operating systems which keep crashing quite often. And your software programs work like magic and never bother you with virus or crashes. And then regarding the 64 bit thing, it is a powerful engine that drives your system with speed and accuracy. The full potential of your system can be revealed when you use a 64 bit operating system. And since the Mac 64 bit compliant supports the 32 bit programs too, you do not need to purchase new drivers in case you need to confront the 32 bit programs. All these are hence aimed at benefiting the users so that you will not have to face issues.

Storage and RAID:

The Apple Mac Pro 12 Core Desktop PC features as many as four 3.5-inch drive bays which contribute towards a humongous amount of internal storage, which can go up to 8TB. You can add four 2 TB drives for this, which is a simple process and you need no technician for this. Apple has made its computer so user friendly that there is no more confusing circuit. There are only slots which you need to fill with the drives of your choice. Either you can choose four 2 TB drives, or you can go with four 512 GB drives. Now that gives you enormous space for your files, and you can be extravagant when it comes to storing of files. Now, the Mac Pro’s drives also come with a special mechanism, called the solid state mechanism. These drives are known as solid state drives or SSDs. They have twice the spindle speeds of normal Hard disk drives, and they are also more secure, and hence your data is not that easily lost. These SSDs are known for their fast encoding, faster reading and writing speeds, and more efficient. You are also provided with a super fast 18x Super drive, which can read and write disks at alarming paces. You also have the option to install a second optional Super Drive. This helps you when you need to back up your data, on two different drives simultaneously, at a great speed. You can burn images to files quickly, copy paste files on to your desktop, and do a lot of other crazy stuff within the blink of an eye.

Graphics:

For those of you who had very bitter experiences while playing high end games with real time graphics on normal computers, the Mac Pro is a big boon from Apple. Sporting a 1GB ATI Radeon HD 5770/5870 Graphics card which boosts up your graphics and your games and videos run at rocket speed. On an average, this card is 5 times as faster when compared to other graphics cards from notable makers, and this really is great news for all those Gaming freaks and movie lovers. From now on, your movies and games will run more than just smoothly and there will not be cases where you see frame lags or VSync problems. While Double-wide, 16-lane PCI Express 2.0 graphics slot is already filled with one graphic card, there is also an option for you to install two ATI Radeon HD 5770 cards. There is also support for as many as six displays, and for image resolutions up to 2560 by 1600 pixels. All these numbers mean that you have finally got a permanent solution to your graphics woes and hence you can sit back and relax while your Mac Pro unveils its full potency.

Memory:

Memory is also one of the most important features of a computer and it will also be a deciding factor when it comes to choosing between different computers. Coming to the Mac Pro, you have got two types of memory to choose from, and you can choose between a dual processor system or a single processor system. The dual processor system has a 2.4 GHz system which has a 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC SD RAM. There are eight memory slots, four per each processor, supporting up to 64GB of RAM, using 1GB or 2GB or 4 GB or 8 GB RAM slots. When it comes to single processor systems, there is a choice between 2.8 GHz and 3.2 GHz processing systems with 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC SD RAM. There are four memory slots similar to that of a dual processor system, which can add up to a memory space of 32 GB. Hence, depending upon how much of memory you will need from your computer, you can choose between the different combinations. Of course, even if you a select a single processing system when purchasing, you can add to those memory slots in the future.

Communications:

Apple has always been ahead of all its competitors regarding communication features on its computers. To start with, there are two independent RJ-45 Base-T Ethernet interfaces (10/100/1000), which help you connect to the internet or you can also transfer files between two different computers simultaneously. Though you can get connected to the internet using the Ethernet cable, there is always a wireless option with Mac computers. The Mac Pro comes with a Built in Airport Extreme 802.11 n Wi-Fi wireless networking. This feature is compatible with IEEE 802.11 a / b / g. Hence you can surf the web without the involvement of wires at all. This new format of Wi-Fi, the 802.11 n is a revamped mechanism that allows you to connect to weak signals easily and also the connection is secure. Your connections are also safe for longer intervals of time and you do not experience frequent network problems. Last but not least, the Mac Pro features a newer version of Bluetooth, called Bluetooth 2.1, which enables secure Bluetooth connections between your Mac and the other computers. This means that the searching of devices is faster than normal and the files are sent at a more rapid pace. A new technology, known as the Enhanced Date Rate technology, is also used here, and this is responsible for the high speed data transfer. Hence the Mac Pro is always on its toes when it comes to communications.

Ports and Connectivity:

As we have already seen under Design, the Mac Pro certainly has a great deal of ports and connectivity options. While on the front panel of the tower, there are two USB 2.0 ports and 2 FireWire 800 ports, there are two FireWire ports and there USB 2.0 ports again on the rear panel. And an interesting feature here is that the keyboard comes with two USB slots, which is a bit of a surprise. The other connectivity options seen on the Mac Pro are: Analog stereo line-level input and output mini jacks, Front-panel headphone mini jack and internal speaker,  a Multichannel audio through a Mini Display Port and Optical digital audio input and output TOSLINK ports. These ports help you in connecting your computer to other electronic devices, sync with them and share data at a very fast pace. Clearly, there are more ports on the Apple Mac Pro 12 than there are on any other desktop computer today. Apple scores over its counterparts in this aspect.

In The Box:

Have you started wondering what all you get in the complete package given by Apple? Well, here is what all you receive in the package: Mac Pro, a power cord, a keyboard that includes a numeric keypad, the magic mouse which is a trademark design of Apple, USB keyboard extension cable that lets you connect the keyboard to the Mac Pro, Printed and electronic documentation authorized by Apple, and last but not least, install and restore disks which will be useful when you need to restore your back up files or when you need to re install the Mac OS X again.

Software:

Lots of software is provided along with the Mac Pro so that you do not need to buy software packages separately from the stores. The list of software items provided are: iTunes, Time Machine, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, QuickTime, iCal, Safari, Address Book, Front Row, and Xcode Developer Tools. Along with these primary software packs, Apple also provides you with the all new iLife Package, which consists of iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, and GarageBand. All these are related to fun and entertainment. You can also download some extra software or features if at all you think these are not enough.

Environment Status Report:

The computers from Apple conform to the Environmental protection laws and so does the Mac Pro. Mac pro has of late received an Environment status certificate which states that the desktop computer is BVR free, PVC free, and is also reported to have a highly recyclable aluminium enclosure, which obviously does a world of good to the surroundings, instead of polluting them in return. The Mac Pro also meets stiff conditions like Energy Start 5.0, and is rated EPEAT Gold. Hence, there is no worry regarding harmful emissions or pollutions which may affect children and the surroundings.

Now that’s a great list of features indeed. You might have encountered similarly priced computers in the market, but you will never find a computer that has features so robust and imposing. The features list itself is the main reason behind the success of the Mac Pro 12, and at this point, none can ask for more from a desktop computer. But, the million dollar question is, can the Mac Pro sustain the pressure of expectations and perform better than any of its predecessors? Can its performance complement the staggering features that attained a lot of fame? Well, let us see.

Performance:

After having considered the fact that the Mac Pro has a solid processing mechanism and also has robust memory, it can be considered that you are going to see a wondrous computer on your desk. It is going to be fast, accurate, full of power, and almost no problems. Its performance levels are calculated in the test centres and the results were so good. We would rank this is as one of the best desktop computers in the world today and is also one of the greatest product of all time from Apple. The processor is super fast, the operating system is great in its own manner, and you have got massive memory options, the graphics are stunning as well as unforeseen, and there are lots of software packages provided. And the aftermath of all these provisions by Apple is that there is almost a super computer in front of you, and you need to only know how to use it to its full potency. We are completely satisfied with the overall performance of the system and would recommend the Mac Pro ahead of any other contemporary desktop computers under the sun.

Power Consumption:

Apple has always followed the EPA power requirements and so did the Apple Mac Pro 12. It is designed to optimize its performance by using minimum energy. The EPA has given it a Energy Star rating, meaning that the computer is energy efficient and does not either waste the energy or pollute the environment. Its power consumption, hence, is lower than what most other desktop computers can guarantee. At the end of the day, your bills will not be as high as they were in the past.

Warranty:

Apple has warranted the Mac Pro for a period of one year, starting from the date of purchase.

Verdict:

The Mac Pro is hence an incredibly powerful system that has all the latest technology and features in it. It comes with a very huge price tag, but still everything in it is worth the huge amount. You have already made a great choice if you have gone for the Mac Pro. But if you do not want to be so extravagant on your desktop computer, you can check this website for other products from both Apple as well as other potential manufacturers. Our opinion is, since there is no provision of a monitor along with the whole system, you would obviously want to buy a new piece separately. And given the already high pricing of the Mac Pro, it would be a tad too extravagant to spend so much on a desktop computer if your goal is only to buy a domestic computer. The high end technical details of the computer also indirectly inform you that this is an industrial computer and can be used in offices and work places. But should you need a domestic and a reasonably priced desktop computer, there are scores of options for you.

Apple Mac Pro 12-core Desktop PC – Technical Specification Table

Acer, the fourth largest manufacturers of desktop computers in the world, is also pretty well known for its stylish designs and bold features, when it comes to desktop computers. Ever since they have started producing computers, they have been facing stiff competition from the likes of Sony, Hewlett Packard and Dell. In spite of that level of competition, it has managed to witness success and recognition. It has of late been experimenting with technology and is pulling off quite well in the sales of such uniquely designed computers. We are now going to talk about one of such uniquely and cheekily designed desktop computer from Acer, the Revo RL100. You may not want to call it a desktop, given the size and shape of the computer, but there is something really interesting about this product that you should not miss. The Revo RL100 looks like a promising model and let us go through the pros and cons of every aspect of this computer in order to know more about it. Be the witness as we examine and one of our most interesting desktop products.

Design:

Slim model:

In the past, it was usually not necessary to take a close look on the design part of any desktop since every desktop looked alike with the same old design and the same old cuts and shaping. Now, advancement of technology meant that we are going to have a pleasant headache reviewing the structure of each product. Since the design part of computer is one of the most important factors to affect the marketability of the product, the designers at Acer have tried hard to produce something new but still stylish.
Given the fact that slim desktops are now a common knowledge to people, Acer has come up with an even slimmer desktop. With the base measuring about (H x D) 64 x 194 mm, this beauty is incredibly slim, with a width that is as less as 25 mm. We can see why you are smiling now. This is the reason we have loved this product too. It strikes you at first sight itself. Now given the size of the computer, you can now place this wherever you want and you can also carry along with you wherever you go. It is incredibly portable, the Acer Revo RL100. It is slightly larger than a normal external hard drive, and hence it can easily be carried.

Monitor:

Although there are some good accessories featured on the Revo RL100 Multimedia PC, there is, unfortunately, no monitor provided along with the system. Now, considering the fact that the computer is reasonably priced, when compared to its similar counterparts from the other eminent companies, one can exempt the absence of a monitor and also it can be bought separately. But still, it would have been even better if a monitor was provided along with the system. The average person would not have cared if the price was a bit higher, but once there is no monitor, everybody starts looking twice at the price tag. Nonetheless, the rest of the system is just very good.

Accessories:

The Revo RL 100 comes with a very special touchpad, which can also serve as a keyboard. This touch pad has got quite a charm and you will like the feel of it. It supports multi touch and of late, this touch pad had been quite a good replacement for the mouse. The keyboard is also touch responsive, unlike the old model of keyboard with real keys. Maybe e should stop calling this a keyboard, since it does not sport any keys at all. It must be a touch board. We shall leave the naming to the people at Acer. But this is seriously a very good idea from Acer. To make a touch responsive keyboard, or whatever you want to name it, is such a good idea that it received quite a few good remark from technical experts around the globe. This touchpad also has a very good response to touch and the users may not face too many problems confronting the device. This touch pad cum keyboard is wireless and hence makes the Revo RL100 an even more portable device. Not to mention that this also avoids the cluttering of wires and cables on your desk. Now that is some real good accessory, is it not?

Remote Control:

For all those lazy legs in the world, and also equally for all those techno maniacs, wouldn’t it sound superb when we say the Revo RL 100 features a remote control mechanism? Well, it might sound ridiculous to some, and they must be wondering why a remote control is necessary to operate a desktop computer. But you will understand the fun and the pride in having a remote control for everything, in due course of time because people have started to find all kinds of ways that make them stationary, and still makes them get all their works done. Now, with the remote control featured on the Revo RL 100, you can operate the system from quite a lot of distance, and this does help when you and your kindred decide to watch a movie on Blu Ray or when you want to play multiplayer high definition games. But, either way, it is a very handy mechanism and having a remote in your hand always makes you feel like a dictator.

Ports and Connectivity:

Well, you might think that since this is a pretty slim device, it may not be completely connection friendly. No, that is not the case at all here. TYou still find all the ports and connectivity options that you see on a regular desktop computer. Acer has still managed to fit in all kinds of features when it comes to connectivity, because people at Acer know that no one would want to lose their connectivity in the name of a very sleek design. The Revo RL100 has got quite a few ports and connectivity options. Here we come with a list of all the provided ports and connectivity options: a 3 in 1 card reader, a Smart Card reader, Type I/II PCMCIA, an SD card slot, an optional modem connector, which connects your system to a modem, an RJ 45 network connector port, which allows you to connect your Ethernet cable and surf the internet, Three high speed USB 2.0 ports, a microphone jack, headphone speaker in and out. Now that is quite a list of ports and connectivity options for you. Some of the other conventional desktop computers may also not have as many options, and this is the reason why Acer has scored over its similar counterparts.

Features:

We have seen some good aspects of the Revo RL100 until now and expectations may already have risen. Will the new design be complemented well with some great features? Will Acer keep the reputation it has when it comes to providing world beating features? Let us have a look at all the important features provided by Acer in the Revo RL100. There must be something in the bag for us.

Processor:

Now anyone with reasonable technical knowledge will first look at how good a processor his computer sports. Regarding any computer on the earth, the foremost thing anyone would like to use to compare two similar computers, is also the processor. Now regarding the Revo RL100 3D Multimedia PC, it sports an AMD Athlon II Neo Dual Core 1.30GHz processor. Though you might have expected it to be an Intel processor, it is a well known fact that Acer has always had a soft corner for AMD processors. But you got to accept the fact that AMD processors are not as robust as their Intel counterparts and they often are known to get heated up when your machine is working for too long. Frankly speaking, this is still a very good processor considering all the other processors from AMD. It can help your system run at a pretty good pace without many issues. 1.30 GHz is also a reasonable clock speed, although it is a fact worth noting that the average clock speed today, considering all computers, is somewhat more than 2 GHz. But unless you are a diehard fanatic of the Intel processors, there is no reason as to why you should not like this processor.

Operating System:

The operating system is another vital aspect of a computer. It adds to the beauty of your computer and more importantly, it is also responsible for the quick access to all your programs, files and stuff. The Acer Revo EL100 comes with the latest sensation from Microsoft, the Microsoft Windows 7 operating system. It is also a 64 bit operating system, which makes it better than few of its other counterparts. Though the 64 bit thing has worked absolutely well is also being received well by the customers all around the world, many producers of computers are still sticking to 32 bit. And the reasons behind sticking to that are unknown. Hence it is a commendable that Acer has taken it to the next level. But, unlike the computers of some other manufacturers, the user has no choice of operating system. There is only one version provided and you got to accept it, unlike some other systems that give you a chance to choose an operating system of your choice. But seriously, we wouldn’t mind accepting an operating system that is as good and reliable as Windows 7.

Memory:

The Acer Revo RL 100 comes with the latest memory features available in the market. It has got a DDR3 type RAM and this one is regarded by technical experts, as a wonderful successor of the far famed DDR2. The former is quicker and has better response times with lesser volatility. This helps in making your system a faster and smarter device. And it has got 2 GB of memory for you, which is pretty good, although not the greatest, for a desktop PC which is aimed at general public uses. Then there comes the Hard Disk Drive, which has lived up to the expectations. This time around, Acer has sported a 500GB SATA hard disk drive which runs at 7200 rpm at maximum. This can be considered as one of the fastest in the market. 500 GB is more than sufficient for basic purposes like storing files, music, movies, videos and stuff. We are finally glad to see a 500 GB hard drive from an Acer desktop computer. It can help you store mammoth files, music, movies, videos, games, and a lot of other stuff. Hence, you have already got your money’s worth if you are talking about the memory of the Revo RL 100.

Graphics:

These days, Graphics have almost become a part of our lives and if you have a look at the increase in the production and sales of graphic cards across the world, you would get that you are not the only one craving for top notch graphics and an excellent graphic card on your computer. The development of the gaming industry with new game engines being introduced every now and then, and the increase in the sales of Blu ray movies, show that people have started realizing the importance of graphics on their desktops. Coming to the topic of graphics on the Revo RL 100, an nVidia ION 2 graphics card is featured, which is of course a pretty solid one, and helps you play high end games comfortably and also lets you watch Blu ray high definition movies without any sorts of problems. But, a slight lag is reported to occur while playing 3 dimensional games. While this may not be a problem at all to most of the multitude, it is still a fact that is worth noting while assessing the overall performance of the machine. These days the graphics cards are featuring a dynamic graphics property, which means that the computer uses only the required amount of graphics, and hence the durability of the card is enhanced.

Optical Drives:

The Revo RL100 Multimedia Desktop PC does have a pretty good optical drive. In fact, it supports Blu ray discs along with 3D Blu ray. Sounds awesome, right? The optical Blu ray combo drive supports almost all kinds of data discs like CDs, DVDs and Blu Ray Discs. There is no better reason as to why you should not stop watching 3D and Blu ray movies on your Revo RL 100. A pretty good graphics card to supplement a wondrous optical drive, gives you an optimum visual experience especially when you are watching movies and videos in high definition. What are you waiting for? You can now sit back on a couch on a Saturday evening and watch awesome movies in awesome quality.

Wi-Fi:

Today, Wi-Fi has become an integral part of corporate life. You see Wi-Fi everywhere around you. Then, why not on your cute little Acer Revo RL 100? It features 802.11 b/g and wireless browsing of the internet is now as easy as ABC. Once upon a time, Wi-Fi used to be featured only on laptop computers. But now, they have spread their influence and are seen almost in every electronic gadget, ranging from mobile phones, and computers to even HD television sets. Considering the fact that it is such an important weapon in any gadget’s repertoire, once can say that Acer has done a world of good to it users by providing Wi-Fi facility on the Revo RL 100.
Hence, we conclude our favourite list of features and are going to move further into the performance details of the Acer Revo RL 100. One must have already been satisfied with the number and quality of features that are seen on a computer that is intended for domestic use. Let us see if the device’s performance amazes us or not.

Performance:

Since the features seen on the system are quite impressive and in fact, impressive enough to make this an overall positive review, all we can say right now is that the performance of this very slim desktop computer is simply very good. It is very suitable for domestic purposes. There were no negative results or complaints in the tests that were conducted. All results were close to what was expected and we do not have any sort of complaints too. Acer is completely being latest when it comes to the technology used and is also right up there in the rankings. Hence one would expect minimal errors and maximum serviceability. We are also happy of the desktop computer and its fast, efficient performance, and it is not one of those computers that fall sick often. So you do not need to call the technician too often. Simply put, the Revo RL 100 is fast, smart, problem free, and user friendly.

Power Consumption:

The Revo RL 100 helps you save your bills since it consumes very low power, when compared to conventional desktop PCs. Slim design means there is no place for unnecessary circuits and this means that the power consumption is reduced. Since Acer is going for all latest technology in here, we can expect a very good power consumption rate here. The tests tell us that on an average the system consumes about 21 Watts of power. And when you play high end games that involve heavy graphics, or when you play Blu ray movies or do a lot of video streaming on the internet, the consumptions rises considerably and is reported to increase to as much as 31.2 watts. But, this must not worry you at all because this power rating can be considered low, and it saves both the environment and your monthly electricity bills.

Warranty:

The Acer Revo RL 100 comes with a one year return to base type warranty, starting from the date of purchase.

Verdict:

Well, if our intentions are not already clear, we would like to tell you one last time that if you are looking for a very slim desktop computer which can fit in almost any kind of atmosphere, and which has great features and performs pretty well, then the Acer Aspire Revo RL100 is the one for you to look out for. The pricing of the system may put some of you in dilemma, and we can understand it because there is no monitor provided along with the whole system and you need to purchase it separately. This may not seem ideal to you and if you are looking for a perfect desktop computer that comes with all features and that includes a monitor, you can go for other similar products too. You will find their reviews and pricing on our site.

Acer Revo RL100 Multimedia PC  – Technical Specification Table

Over the years, we have reviewed heaps of Desktop PCs and even though most of them are quite interesting and quite impressive in certain features, it rarely comes in as a true surprise. This is mainly because of some leaked information about that highlight specification of the device, otherwise it is just because it will be simply the same design. However, today we are going to review a PC that is full of real surprises. There have been a lot of media players released over the past year and some have been successful, while others have been simply a disaster. There have been some very good advancement in this industry, but at the end of all that we end up thinking that nothing is as good as a media PC. The Sapphire Edge-HD Mini PC seems to be having all the high end features and also does not make people miss a Media Centre PC.

Sapphire might not be a famous name for PCs, but it is well-known for its AMD-based graphics cards as well as motherboards. To eradicate the name of just suppliers for AMDwares, Sapphire has delved into manufacturing PSUs and mini-projectors. But, now they have quickly moved from manufacturing accessories to producing complete PCs and they have introduced, rather erroneously called the smallest PC in the world.

Design:

The smallest PC in the world?

On the box, the Sapphire Edge HD Mini PC has been billed as the smallest PC in the world, but that is not true as that crown goes to the Anders Fit PC2. However, with the dimensions of (H x W x D) 115 x 101 x 27 mm, and weighing just 350 grams, it proves to be very compelling and also makes the Edge HD a lot smaller that most external optical drives in the market, and said that, even most media players. Matt black plastic casing is a clever choice by Sapphire, which makes the PC dust and fingerprint resistant. The finishing is rubberised, and in one corner, there is the Sapphire logo.

Build:

The very first thing that you can review about the PC is its built quality, which seems to be excellent. While handling the PC, we could not hear or feel any creaks or squeaks and there is a bundled stand that allows it to be placed upright just like the Wii, or it can also be placed on the sides like a Mac Mini. The stand is connected through a thumb screw which has also been slotted if you intend to get it tight. The top edge of the PC has an exhaust vent and the bottom simply mirrors it and also has a screw hole for the stand. The final edge also sports a Sapphire logo with a product information sticker. The fascia sports a pull out facing revealing two USB2.0 ports, and next to this, there is the drive activity indicator and power button which also indicates power. You will find other connectivity options on the rear.

Connectivity:

For Media PCs, the most important specification to look for is, Gigabit Ethernet, VGA, 802.11n WiFi, HDMI, four USB slots, audio-in and line out ports. Of course, ultra compact design is always accompanied by compromises in connectivity, a multi-card reader is the first to get the chop. For instance, a lot of compact PCs come with optical out for audio, USB3.0 and connectors ilk eSATA that may suite consumers better. That said, you do get all of the essentials such as Wireless N card, GB LAN as well as a hard drive with decent capacity.

Features:

High-end specs:

As far as the specification features are concerned, you will just get everything you will ever need. For starters, a dual core Atom D510 1.66GHz CPU has been employed, there is 2GB of DDR2-800MHz RAM. The best part is, it has Nvidia, yes you heard it right, it brings together next generation Nvidia’s ION2 Graphics chip with 512MB of dedicated memory. The D510 CPU is a Pinview-D based 45mm processor that is 64-bit compatible, running at 1.66GHz with a 10x multiplier and bus speed of 166MHz. In addition to this, this dual core model’s each of the two cores are Hyper Threading enabled, hence users will have access to four threads at the same time. Sapphire has employed the Samsung 2.5” SATA drive with a spindle speed of 5400rpm, 8MB cache and a capacity of 250GB.

The insides:

On opening the casing of the Sapphire Edge HD Mini PC, you get to see the Pegatron motherboard, and its entire clutter free designing. The low profile cooler sitting on top of the CPU and GPU are also visible, exhausting air out of the top of the system. This cooler actually features a Sunon MagLev fan that makes use of the magnetic levitation force. A highlight feature of the fan is that, the fan has zero friction with no contact between shaft and bearing, which results in extremely silent operation of the machine. In order to further enhance the cooling functionality, Sapphire has added a slim copper square on top of the ION GPU. Bottom of the PCB features the AzureWave AW-NU103 wireless N card as well as the two of the remaining graphics memory chips. There is no enough room inside in order to house the power supply, so, like most of the other portable systems, this mini PC also includes an external adaptor, which is a 65W model.

Set-up:

The set-up is very simple too. The start-up of the Edge-HD Mini PC is not just connecting the power cord to a wall socket and just connecting a HDMI cable to a screen. One part that is tricky is the fact that Sapphire has shipped the Edge HD without Windows, and instead there is a FreeDOS, which has a little more functionality than flashing C drive prompt. The good thing out of this is that, it aids Sapphire keep the expenses down and also pulls Linux fans, who as simply sick and tired of paying for Microsoft Operating Systems that they did not ask for. But the bane is for those who want the OS just like us, resulting in a few hiccups at the time of boot.

BIOS:

As far as BIOS is concerned, Sapphire has chosen the American Megatrends with very minimal configuration options available to the user. The Main settings can be set to Advanced mode in order to configure the fan settings. Under the main tab, there is BIOS info, System Time and Date settings and Memory size. There are a few sub menus too, first one is CPU configuration which is very less of configuration and more of specifications and status. In SATA configuration, you will be able to alternate between SATA controller modes and opt the primary hard drive, USB configuration has just controller enable and disable. Next is the Hardware Health Configuration, where you get to check the CPU temperature, adjust the fan control settings, fan speed and also monitor the system voltages. Finally, there is also the On-board Device Settings, with which you can Enable or Disable the on-board audio, LAN boot ROM and LAN.

Back to installation:

Sapphire offers an instruction manual that gives you step by step instructions. But in a gist, all you have to do is, connect either a USB or an external optical drive, create a Windows 7 USB boot drive with some help from the Windows 7 USB boot tool and finally, switch the device boot order so that the attached drive has taken a check before the hard drive. Just make sure that you reverse this when the Windows install process reboots so that the HDD is allowed to complete the setup. Though this can be a little complicated, it is worth doing so. It is worth noting that Sapphire offers Windows drivers on a bundled USB drive.

The ultimate deal:

Once you are done with the installation of the OS of your choice, you will get a complete desktop experience. While most media players in the market try and mimic PC functionality by having sluggish browsers with dedicated widgets, the Edge HD Mini PC is no different from your everyday desktop or laptop. All you have to do is, just pick the browser you like and just forget about the widgets, as you will get the complete websites. Yet another advantage is with the codecs. Though the Media players arrive with compatibility to multiple formats, with the desktop OS installed in the Edge HD, you will be able to install anything you wish and it will never be out of date too. You need not be relying on the media player manufacturers to update the codes via firmware upgrades. The only argument that the media player advocates will have for themselves is that, you will not be getting specialist user friendly interface; but as everybody is aware, this is not true.

One of the best User Interface in the current market is that of the Boxee Box and Boxee, which makes its User Interface fully free of cost for download on OSs such as Mac, Linux and Windows. The Windows Media Centre is good too and there are a lot of other options such as MythTV and Linux MCS that function as digital video recorders and not just as playback formats. And, unlike a media player, with a media centre, you get to choose the UI you like the most. However, none of this is of any value, unless the Edge HD Mini PC performs and has good value.

Performance:

Everyday tasks:

The first important factor that we mention above seems to be a grand success. With the Nvidia’s ION2 chip, the downloaded 720p and 1080p HD videos playback is a breeze. You will not find any skipped frames and there is very minimal strain on the system resources. Though HTML5 works just fine, make sure that you install the latest version of the Adobe Flash Player beta so that you can get the most from streaming Flash web content. The reason for this is, in spite of being dual core, the Atom is still quite a weaking to technology. It is just fine for everyday tasks of desktop work and web surfing, but viewing High Definition sans any assistance from the ION2 is not possible. Sapphire can enhance the performance of the Edge HD by installing an SSD, hence the speed of the hard drive as well as the general system responsiveness has a noticeable enhancement.

Gaming:

With the availability of ION2, you get some basic gaming too. For instance, games like World of Warcraft and The Sims are at lower resolutions, which are playable, but you just cannot think of Crysis to be any good other than a series of hurdles. The good news here is that, the Sapphire Edge HD Mini PC is almost silent while gaming.

Power, Heat and Noise:

The thermal and power performance of the Edge HD was quite appreciable, considering that it is an ATOM/ION2 system. However, we felt that the Edge HD is at its best when it comes to the noise level. Very often we find the compact systems being incredibly noisy with their loud fans to keep the components inside the compact chassis cool. But Sapphire has employed this amazing fan, which manages to remain silent in almost every scenario, even under full load.

Packaging:

The Sapphire Edge HD Mini PC comes in a black and white themed packaging that has heaps of information about the PC on each of its sides. The details include some very detailed images of the system on the front and rear, which is great for consumers looking to buy it in-store. Inside the package, the PC is protected on all sides by foam and cardboard and for some additional peace of mind, it has been wrapped in an anti-static bag. In the package you will find plug, HDMI to DVI connector, HDMI cable and case stickers. Also included is the above mentioned short, but quite well written manual as well as a USB drive containing drivers for Vista, Windows 7 and XP. For power, you get AC adaptor, which is a 65w model manufactured by Meic having a blue LED instead of the standard green to indicate power.

Value:

As far as cost and value, things get quite complicate. The Edge HD actually costs just under 250 pounds, that is including VAT and this price tag makes the PC only about 50 pounds higher than the Boxee Box and around 90 pounds higher than the WD TV Live and still manages to offer a whole lot of functionality too. And, you get a free HDMI cable too. While this price can be just mind blowing for the Linux fans who usually get the distribution free, the Windows fans will not be too pleased about this as they will have to find another 60 bucks for their Windows 7 Home Premium OS, which takes the cost beyond 300 pounds.

At this price point, you will be better off investing on a much more practical ION equipped netbook that comes around 250 to 300 pounds. Just like this Mini PC, you will also be able to connect the netbooks to a telly or any other monitor through a HDMI port and unlike this PC, they can be just unplugged and used on the move. Additionally, with the Edge HD’s tiny chassis, it also means that it cannot be officially upgraded, while the hard drive on a netbook can be simply swapped out if you are looking at more capacity. Dell’s Zino HD is also a good option.

Warranty:

Sapphire offers its Edge HD Mini PC two years warranty for parts and labour which is again, good value.

Verdict:

The Sapphire Edge HD Mini PC is a device that manages to impress as soon as it is unboxed, with its remarkable build quality and great design. Having an ultra-compact design, the Edge HD can be placed in almost any environment. The slightly rubberised finishing is also likable as it is far less prone to dust gathering than the high gloss finish used by other manufacturers. Overall, Sapphire has managed to create quite a stylish and Full HD enabled media PC in a cute tiny package that is oozing with style. While its feature set and full flat desktop functionalities makes it a very attractive prospect, taking a closer look, you will realise that this price that is not exactly as cheap as it first looked, making an ION equipped netbook a lot more of a flexible alternative.

Sapphire Edge-HD Mini Desktop PC – Technical Specification Details

Alienware was founded in the year 1996, and in the first decade of its existence, they created a reliable name for themselves in the market of enthusiasts. Irrespective of the consumer need of a high performance desktop, notebook or a HTPC, Alienware just were ready to offer something that was really capable. This power, when combined with their innovative futuristic and unique styling, they have galloped the discerning consumers. In the year 2006, Alienware went through a major make-over behind the scenes, when they became a part of the Dell Corporation. For the first three years of the changeover, the products were released by the two divisions that continued under the existing branding with Dell keeping its ‘XPS’ for its high end enthusiast products. This scenario changed in June when Alienware or Dell launched the M17x, which is their first co-developed machine.

In the following review, we will have a look at the latest of the Alienware and Dell’s co-developed desktop range, the Aurora ALX. It is stuffed with temperature sensing fins, inspiring branding, top of the range hardware and most significantly a cool sliding door, the Aurora ALX is definitely not for the weak heart, or the weak wallet. Is the new face of Alienware worth the price? Read on to find out.

Design:

Industrial:

Over the past couple of years, Alienware have been slowly redesigning their chassis. They have still retained some of the old style aspects of the machine such as the alien head. But, their laptops such as the M17x and the M15x now look more like some performance cars then a HE Geiger inspired device. With the Aurura systems, Alienware has called the design “industrial” and we have a feeling it is more like an art deco train. The exterior features the dramatic lines and matte black finish that we have come to expect, and every crack and crevice is filled with a light which, of course, can be changed to a colour of your choice, or even made to pulse and flash. In the fascia of the chassis, the alien head logo serves a couple of purposes; the first one is to release the optical drive cover which slides down slowly. The second use is to indicate that the power in on through the outline and eyes glowing.

Connectivity:

At the rear, you will be able to see the PSU, which is located at the bottom of the system, along with four additional card slots, two of which is used by a graphics card, a 12 cm exhaust fan and I/O ports. The ports on the Aurora ALX Gaming PC starts with an optical and coaxial out (Realtek 7.1), and it runs through 2 USB2.0, Firewire, eSATA, 2  USB 2.0 again, Giga Bit LAN, 2 USB 2.0 and lastly an analogue audio out. Along these ports, you will also find a small and almost invisible switch that switches on the rear lighting of the Aurora (we will discuss about this in detail later in the review). In the side view of the case, you will be able to clearly see the light up section of the chassis. This strip of lighting extends the entire length of the side and across the bottom of the front and round to an identical panel on the opposite side. On the internal view at the bottom right of the picture, it is possible to view the connector the powers the lights.

Optical drive:

There is nothing fancy about the optical drive front, it is just a standard 16 x DVD writer but the default configuration of the two hard drive in RAID 0 are present. The array has been split into few different partitions with the OS on one; recover on the other and a partition for the sake of quick access to support tools such as memory testing. You will find more impressive configuration options that allow you to change CPU to a 950 or 975, install an X-FI Titanium and even move to a dual 300GB VelociRaptor RAID 0 setup.

The fins:

The top edge of the Alienware Aurora ALX Desktop PC is split into seven sections. One section that is closest to the rear is used as a release mechanism for the side panels. The next five vents are the ones that open automatically when the power is turned ON and can be controlled by the Alienware software. The final section that is at the front of the chassis opens up manually in order to reveal two USB 2.0 connectors, front panel audio and Firewire. You will also be able to see the silver power button just above the ports.

Lighting:

As you can imagine, lighting is a huge part of Alienware’s system and the FX screen allows you to configure the 8 lighting zones. You get to do up to 25,600,000,000 lighting combination. What we have not mentioned yet is that, there are another set of lights in the system that are a little different to the norm. Alienware have named it as Internal Theater Lighting. You will find a selection of white LEDs positioned around the inside o the chassis and around the back panel connectors. These white LEDs have a power source that is independent of the main PSU. These lights will turn on under certain circumstances such as, opening the side of the case. This is an extra touch that is quite nice; probably the most impressive aspect of the lighting is that, when you unbox the system, you will be able to see it glowing through the cloth bag.

Peripherals:

Typically we skip over the keyboard and mouse that come included with most desktop systems since they are generic and cheap, and most users will end up replacing them at some point. Not so with the Aurora ALX. Alienware sources out their peripheral manufacturing, at least at the high end, to Logitech. The resultant products are Alienware style and Logitech quality, meaning most gamers should be pretty happy with the experience. They are chunky and backlit and corded, so you will not have to worry about batteries.

The package:

In the past, the Alienware desktops arrived in huge packages, some big enough to fit an adult in and this Aurora ALX is not an exception. The main reason for this kind of packaging is to protect the system as carefully as possible and they just go all out to make sure this is done. In between the main system and box is a cloth bag, plastic suspension or what is called as crumple brackets, a cardboard box, further plastic suspension blocks, a large cardboard box above the outer plastic layer and also a cardboard tray below then finally a large, thick outer cardboard box.  It is very unlikely that couriers will be attempting to play football with this package, but in case it gets into any roughest transit, it has enough protection to get through. Inside the package is the Aurora ALX, with a bundle of extras. Some of the standard items include thorough manual, software CDs, DVI to VGA connector, stickers, a cap and a mouse mat.

Features:

Internal specs:

Now, let us move on to the internals of the Alienware Aurora ALX. Inside, the major components are sequestered into their own areas to improve airflow and heat dissipation, while the processor is chilled by a Cool-It water-cooling unit. By taking away the side of the casing, you will find gears within the computer, however, the view is blocked by a large plastic segment, which covers the 5.25 drive bays and across the graphics card prior to moving to the bottom of the case next to the 875w Dell labelled PSU. The horizontal section of the device folds out to provide way in to the PCIe slots if necessary. This is not the first time that we had seen this kind of cover; manufacturers like Cooler Master have made use of them in the earlier period arguing that they improve the tunnel airflow in the place of graphics card.

Basic specs:

The motherboard used in the Alienware Aurora ALX is Alienware labelled and has the identical set of features that we had seen on a majority of the other high end Intel boards. This one has support for the i7 900 series CPU range, together with the 975 Extreme and 6 triple channel memory slots that allow 1600MHz operation and a maximum population of 24GB. You also have RAID as an choice with the default configuration of the ALD model being 2 x 500GB Drives in RAID 0. Along with the primary 16x PCIe slot, the mATX motherboard also has a second 16x connector for SLI/Crossfire operation. In case you do not make use this, it is also possible for you to install an I x card in the slot below this.

Memory:

Alienware has kitted the system with a four core, eight threaded D0 i7- 920 CPU that runs at 2.66GHz. This is paired with 3 x 2GB of Corsair Dominator DDR3-1600 and the GPU provided is an ATI Radeon 5870 1GB that runs at 850MHz and 1200MHz memory. All of these products have got excellent reputation, so we are more than happy to find them here.

Wiring:

Alienware has also done the wiring in the Aurora with a great deal of caution, cable ties and clamps are used in the entire chassis and four drive bays in the ALX version have tool free installation with pre-wired docks. You will also find an 8cm fan placed between the drives for added airflow in this place. It is a very neat system and it means there are no hanging cables to be seen anywhere. The only way the drive bays could be made better is if they were hot-swappable.

Software:

As with all of the system in the Alienware range, the Aurora ALX Desktop Computer too is supplied with the Windows 7 Operating System. The default option provided for this model is the Home Premium 64 bit version and all of these updates are certified by Alienware and it will be installed before shipping. Dell seems to like MacAfee’s security suite, and so it comes in as no surprise that it has been provided as an option. The default option on the web configuration is “not-installed”, so most users will have the option to use their own, less bloated and resource hungry alternative. We really look forward to the day Dell offers Avast or Microsoft Security essentials, both of which are free, highly reliable and also offer a small resource footprint.

Software wise, you will also fins the usual selection of useful applications such as Flash player, Adoble Reader and power DVD. Though the latter should really be a Version 9, Alienware continues to use V8. As always, you will find a selection of Alienware utilities installed. The thermal controls allow you to view information from three temperature sensors, the CPU fan and control the speed of other fans. There is also another option that will allow you to control how far open the top vents are. There is Fusion software that allows you to select and configure power profiles for the system. Alienware also offers a keyboard and mouse software that allows you to configure the devices to match your specific requirements.  Alienware use an American Megatrends BIOS on the Aurora ALX and while it is not quite as configurable as most high end desktop boards there are still plenty of options available such as CPU and memory voltage. There is even a profile to enable factory configured over clocking.

Performance:

High end:

We would even go to the extent of saying it is needless to review the performance of a gaming PC such as this one. All of its internals are at the top notch; some of them include the twin high end graphics cards, the high end processor, 6GB of RAM and two hard drives in RAID 0; we will not say that all these high-ends are too much. Because, there are a lot you would want that kind of hardware, however, there are still little departure from the usual. The storage includes a couple of conventional 7200rpm hard drives and considering that they have arranged in is a RAID 0 configuration is, the complete performance is quite sizeable. The good news is that, it even managed to beat a few solid state drives. We also have to accept that the latency still seems to be comparable to conventional media, but all round speed is acceptable. Again, one of the biggest disadvantages of RAID 0 is that, in case one of the drives get spoiled, you will end up losing all of your data. Hence, you are at two times the risk of losing your data, so be very careful to backup your data. As you know, the main purpose if the drive is gaming.

Cooling:

The Alienware actively cools the Northbridge and has a fan sitting above it creating airflow around the heat sinks. Located at the top of the chassis is a small daughter board, there are several small PCB’s in the system. These smaller boards control the enhanced lighting and features which are available on the ALX model. The main cooling in the device is offered by a modified version of Asetek’s latest liquid cooler, which is the same product which Corsair makes use of their impressive H50. It sports a 1700rmp fan with a 12cm aluminium radiator. The CPU cooling fan also acts as the system exhaust on the PLX PC.

Power:

It does not come in as a surprise that this PC makes use of a considerable amount of power to keep up all of its hardware. Again, it is a high end PC and this is kind of a standard practice nowadays. The manufacturer has included 875W power supply and Alienware has put it in to good use. While booting, this gaming PC will draw in 260watts of power and, as soon as the OS is completely loaded and when it is idle, the electricity consumption comes down to just 155W. At the period of average gaming, the computer will not go over 340 Watts. With today’s graphics heavy gaming, the power goes up to a staggering 68w. For instance, if you were maxing out on this system, it will cost you about 9c an hour. Though it does not seem like a lot, it will add up over time.

Warranty:

Computers, however convenient and useful, can cause a lot of headache if something is not working correctly. Dell’s site offers just about every type of help for troubleshooting problems with your Alienware Aurora gaming PC. You can also download drivers for your video card and order other hardware directly from their site. If you run into any problems within the first year of having the computer, simply send in your computer and they will get things working again. A three-year warranty is an option and might be a good choice since computers are not always predictable.

Verdict:

The Alienware Aurora ALX gaming machine is a very inspiring computing device. It puts on a new look for the manufacturer by doing something different from its signature style that it had been prevailing of a lot of years, which is more industry oriented style. The branding seems to be quite spot on and getting to the internals of the devices have not been easier. And, the best part is, you will not any screwdriver to upgrade the insides. The lighting is very well thought out, with no crapware. Moving on to the disadvantages, firstly this high-end machine will cost you a fortune. That is a staggering sum of money. It is also noisy. That is not a bad trade-off for saving something like a thousand bugs right off the top, and you can save another thousand by not going with the extreme processor, which, when you stick with dual ATI 5870s, will have less of an impact on your gaming performance than you might think.

Overall, the Alienware has crafted a good experience in this PC. The Aurora ALX is designed to play games and they manage to do that fantastically well. It is not quiet, but it is pretty and fun, and sometimes that is all you might need.

Alienware Aurora ALX Gaming Computer – Technical Specification Table