Desktop PCs

You might have come across laptops and PCs that come with familiar names like HP, Sony or Panasonic. These names are so common that, you can predict the product hearing the name. For e.g.: HP laptops and Panasonic TVs are routine combinations that pop up in a person who does not know much about the PCs and TVs. Here is one brand that is entirely different from the names above said. The product here is the Raptor Signature Edition from Velocity Micro. If you are unaware of the makers come to know about them by simply wheeling down. Velocity micro is a privately owned computer manufacturer located in Richmond. They specialise in custom made high end computers. They are one maker who aim at providing the best or the so called bleeding edge technology to create a new personal computer experience. Some of their high performance end products in the line-up are gaming systems, notebooks, home and home office PCs, home entertainment media centres, and business solutions. Let us see in detail about the Velocity Micro Raptor Signature Edition.

Design:

System Box - Internal view:

The Raptor Signature Edition Desktop PC comes in a larger version of Velocity Micro’s Signature case, in a correct fit design. Hence, this box is made for large graphics cards like ATI Radeon HD 5970 or the Nvidia’s Geforce GTX 480 card. The design is so spell bound that it could simply lure you towards it even if you do not want to. The case is not like the conventionally sealed ones. It has a windowed case door that lets you see the internals, which consists of three massive graphics cards, cooler for the speedy Intel Core i7 980X processor inside. So, this is one design that would not sit in the back seat. If you are a teenager, and would like to show off in front of your friends then you can proudly do so as this is one among the few that captures your attention immediately. The beauty of this product could be described as a cross between the flashiness found in Alienware Area 51 and the minimalism of Maingear Shift.

Wheel kit:

Apart from the above said features, you also have rollers beneath the case that gives it a characteristic mobility. This lets you move the system from under a desk on a carpeted floor to a desk on the top, through an inclined floor. The rollers are very smooth and therefore, roll easily on a smooth and flat surface. You could keep them or drop the plans, if you are planning to show off by keeping the machine on a table or desk. This is because; retaining the wheels, while on a table might give your system a two feet fall which could even pop your heart to your mouth.

Case lights:

While shipping, you have options for including case lights in your product. Case lightings involve the use of cold cathode, an element used in gas discharge lamps and vacuum tubes. This has become quite popular an element for LCD backlighting and computer case modifiers. In this edition you have options to include single blue cold cathode chassis kit or a double blue cold cathode chassis kit. The double would almost cost you double that of the single chassis.

Hand assembly:

One peculiarity of this product is that, it is made with a master crafted hand assembly, with all wires clipped and tucked with care. Parts included are of the finest quality and seems as if the makers have been obsessed with perfection as not even a single detail has been left untouched.

Ports And Connectivity:

This Velocity Micro Raptor Signature Edition Gaming Desktop PC is full of features which is generalised here. First are the connectivity which come in the form of ten USB 2.0 ports, FireWire ports, digital and analog audio input output ports. The three Geforce cards have around six DVI ports, plus three mini HDMI jacks which will connect to an HDTV through an adapter, eSATA port that would be essential for a high end desktop. The hard disk drive is about 3.5 inches and also there is an optical drive. Also, comes the three free system memory DIMM slots which occupy the remaining internal space. The signature edition comes with a 128GB solid state drive that is of a spooking size.

Features:

Tesla based supercomputers:

A special note of mention can be given to the Tesla based supercomputers. Before unfurling its features, it would be handy to know the discrete terms. Well, supercomputer is a computer that is known for its current processing capacity, and speedy calculations. Its internal architecture is of a very different make when compared to the conventional computers which comes with a Von Neumann architecture. Velocity micros designed these supercomputers with Tesla GPU. Tesla GPU is NVIDIA’s third brand of GPU’s. GPU’s handle computations for computer graphics which traditionally was handled by CPUs, made possible by rendering to higher precision arithmetic to pipelines.  In short, Velocity micro is on the list of system builders who display the latest technology in its desktops.

GeForce GTX 480:

In case of Raptor Signature Edition the technology used is the GeForce GTX 480 which approximates to be three times Nvidia’s new GeForce GTX 480 cards. Give them the toughest 3D game tests this products still stands out to give you a steady frame rate mind you, in the highest settings.

Price on high end too:

What is inside is amazing and truly hard to believe. It has an over clocked 6 core CPU and tons of I/O ports.  It has a meticulous hand assembly and a high precision cable routing, and has been rigorously tested and benchmarked. Also, comes the individual system performance tuning and updates, personalised owners portfolio for the system, along with complete component documentation and driver disks.  The making of this system includes nearly one week of hand wiring, tuning, testing by senior engineers. This can be regarded as a major reason for its premium level performance and also its heavy price tag. It does cost you but surely it is worth if you crave for highest level of performance on gaming for example: playing Crysis in its highest resolution and highest graphics mode. Still in a fix to buy this product? Hop on further and make up your mind.

Memory:

The next big thing after the processor is the memory which includes both primary or short term memory or RAM and secondary or permanent or hard disks. This edition from the velocity micro comes equipped with an impressive 6GB DDR3. It is not only the size that matters, as take a look this comes with a triple channel memory with heat spreader technology. Velocity micro makers use only top quality memory sticks and do not believe in cutting the corners by just adopting memory for the sake of memory.  The 6GB RAM is in the form of three 2GB pieces. You can upgrade to double the present amount by substituting three 4GB sticks. The hard disk is very massive and the bay is about 3.5 inch. This storage gives you wide variety of options. It starts with a 1TB SATA 300 drive running at 7,200 RPM’s and features a cache of 16MB. You can also increase your storage up to 2 TB and the RPM’s to 10,000 per minute.  You also have options for solid state drives or secondary hard disks. Top configuration would be 320GB storage which comes as four 80GB Intel X25-M SATA solid state drives.

Processor:

This Raptor Signature Edition edition of velocity micro comes with an over clocked CPU. It is powered by a fast and latest release of Intel’s core processor’s, the i7. Here we have the i7 Extreme Edition 975 CPU. It is a quad core processor that comes with a sizzling 3.2GHZ clock which could be increased or over clocked to 3.33 GHZ. Also it is featured with 8MB Intel Smart Cache. This CPU comes with the latest Turbo Boost technology due to which even a single core can attain a speed of 3.6GHZ. The multi cores provides around eight simultaneous threads and HT technology maximises multitasking capabilities.  The CPU’s and graphics card needs to be cooled down because a lot of thermal activity occurs when the processor runs at such high frequencies. Hence, here we have system cooling provided by Liqui Cool4 Advanced Thermal Electric cooling system. This liquid cooling provides a better efficiency compared to common air cooled options.

Mother board:

The motherboard used here is the EVGA X58 FTW3. It comes with an ATX form factor. The Central processing unit is powered by an 8 phase standard VRM, which is wired to six DDR3 slots for triple channel memory support.  It has a heat sink that is larger in size compared to normal sinks. The slant it has allows clearance to large CPU coolers.  The expansion slots comes in the form of three PCI express 2.0×16 which supports ATI CrossFireX, 2 way  and a three way SLI. The connectives include two SATA 6Gb/s and six 3Gb/s ports, 8 channel audio, two USB 3.0 and 8 USB 2.0 ports plus, support for two gigabit Ethernet controllers and EVBot OC module.

Video and Audio:

A true gaming system is one that should not compromise on the video cards and audio. So, in effect the video and audio are very significant. The Raptor’s standard comes with a 1GB ATI Radeon HD 5870 along with a super high bandwidth GDDR5 memory due to which it gives you a top notch video quality and superb gaming experience. It also supports DirectX 11. With video cards you have the upgrade option. You can have your graphics card upgraded to 1.7GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 295 for even better mind blowing speed rates and high quality 3D graphics. You could also upgrade with two 1GB Radeon HD 5870 GDDR5 cards, 2 two GB Radeon HD4870 X2 GDDR5 cards, or with two 1792 NVIDIA Geforce GTX 295 cards in SLI. This is one of the ultimate dual video card configurations you could have.  With this card graphics come to reality you would never imagine.  The High definition 7.1 channel surround sound is bonded into the mother board. For an excellent audio performance augment the Creative Labs SoundBlaster X-Fi Xtreme Gamer audio card.

Optical drivers:

The Velocity Micro Raptor Signature Edition Gaming PC  is equipped with a 20X DVD+/-RW burner which has LightScribe labelling capability. A 1000 watt power supply is the standard for this computer. This could be upgraded with a 1200watt, an option for users who want to upgrade.  Along with it come other accessories like Blu ray reader/Dual layer DVD burner, along with DVD ROM/CD RW combo drive.  You could find some extra trial programs like Office Trial missing. These programs are called the bloat ware. It comes packed with a Razer Lycosa USB keyboard and Razer Deathadder mouse. The keyboard switches its backlit on when it detects the game loading.  These are the general features you could find.

Operating System:

The operating system used is Windows 7 64 bit Home premium, which unlike Vista is more focused of being compatible with applications and hardware with which Vista was already compatible. More focus has been on multi touch support and on redesigning the Windows Shell with a new taskbar called superbar, along with a home networking system called Home group.  Some standard applications like Windows calendar, Windows mail, windows Movie Maker, Windows photo gallery have been excluded.

Software:

Velocity micro appears a little pale when it comes to software part, with the absence of some tweaking easy to use features. They have included a twelve month or one year subscription to McAfee Antivirus and to various other media editing and disc burning programs. They could have added some customised applications as found in the Widow PC’s software bundles. In these packages, you could find everything organised as groups that makes it easy to locate. Their absence in this edition is not a complete let down but, these easy to implement methods are the ones that would hit the bull’s eye in terms of customer market. Above all the price tag is a bit fag and makes you prefer Widow PC’s applications.

Connectivity:

The network adapter is an integrated gigabit Ethernet adapter of 10 or 100 or 1000 MBps. You have options to include 802.11n PCI Wifi adapter, Dlink Wireless N150 home router, two integrated IEEE 1394 fire wire ports, ten USB2.0 ports two at the front and eight at the rear. You also have provision for including a blu tooth receiver namely the USB 2.0 Blu tooth receiver.

Power supply:

The power supply comes with a 1000W and 1500W Corsair power supply. The 1000W Corsair comes with both 6 pin and 8 pin compatibilities. It features six PCI Express connectors, connectors for dual CPU configurations. The dual transformer allows proper load balancing assuring stability and better performance. The strong internal electronics played by the industrial grade 105 degree primary secondary and solid state capacitors have a strong role in providing four times the lifespan of its traditional components.   It gives you 80 percent efficiency and therefore is able to run cool and quiet with a single fan.

Performance:

Gaming:
What would you expect from a gaming system? Ultimate and uncompromised performance, especially if you are a crazy cart gamer. The Velocity Micro makers have ensured that. Unambiguously, this Raptor Signature Edition is a true gaming system. It has finished the toughest of tests with flying colours. For instance, it has finished the Media Encoder test and Photoshop CS4 test in a split timing of 33 and 46 seconds respectively.  The best results expected from these tests were a timing less than 60 seconds, which Velocity Micro Raptor Signature edition surpasses like cake walk. You could simply go on and on about the game grid that does not disappoint you. The likes of Crysis and World in Conflict that required frame rate of above hundred performed like running your knife through butter. Even at the highest resolution of 1920 x 1200 setting, this edition manages to deliver a frame rate of 60fps on Crysis and 112 fps on World in Conflict which is very impressive. There are only a few handful of designs that gives you a complete satisfaction that brims your heart. Not even the Maingear Shift surpasses these tests in ease.

Graphics:

The cards in this Raptor Edition deserve a special mention. The GeForce GTX 480 cards are used. Tests reveal that they are way faster than the Radeon cards in Z90 Raptor. The point rate simply blows away the scores of the Maingear Shift and the older Raptor Z90 systems. At the entry level settings it gives a point rate of 92,138 and in the extreme level settings it gives a point rate of 24,494. This point rate has a very strong architecture to support. ATI Radeon cards have two GPUs and Nvidia GeForce GTX480 card has one. To put this in context, there are three Nvidia GPUs that outperform four ATI GPUs, which has been proved in the standard 3D tests.  It is also equipped with a larger hard disk drive and new graphics card. These features could standout to be the reason you buy this edition even though it costs extra pounds than Z90. These new graphics cards show off with better performance on benchmark tests, performed looking for a future driver that may improve the performance of games demanding higher frame rates. Even though, the Maingear Shift holds the high end gaming choice title with its innovative chassis design and sturdiness and also looks impressive at a way lower price, the Velocity Micro Raptor Signature Edition is ultimately the choice for gaming rigs. Get this beauty to your computer table and enjoy the difference in the gaming experience.

Flaws:

So far and so good! There has been humungous pros to support this device. But are we forgetting the flaws? No. There are a few minor flaws associated with the design.  The first thing being that in the inside the hard drive cage points the drive to the system’s rear which makes it very difficult to remove.  The system overall sounds loud. The fans attached to the liquid radiator are responsible for this. Liquid radiator as you know is the part of the cooling mechanism. The other possible reason is the graphics cards that usually remain hot given to the environment in which it is put to. These cards are powered by a 1000 watt power supply and the heat produced requires the coolant to work extra time. All these makes this edition sound louder than it should, given its huge case.

Warranty and Support:

Hand assembly of velocity computers is one of the stand alone reasons for the exceptional quality of these computers. Another reason for its quality is the quality assurance tests performed. The computer comes with a one year parts and labour warranty, phone support hours from 9AM to 10PM monday to friday. Customers also have access to 24/7 emergency support. The period can be expanded to two or three years.

Verdict:

With lots of pros over shadowing its cons this Velocity Raptor Signature edition PC has all the qualities you expect from an ultimate gaming machine. This flag ship item would itch your heart to own it. The very name itself is attractive. The first thing that comes to your mind when you hear this name is about the fighter jet raptor itself. One common attribute both have in common is the killer looks. Looks are simply awesome starting from the windowed case door letting you see the stunning inner side. With Intel’s i7 processor extreme edition and with Velocity Micro’s technology the processor could hike a speed well above the 3.33GHZ. Also comes the GPUs which appear as three EVGA GeForce GTX 285s.  This edition is one of those handful of designs that sweeps your feet from the ground with its performance. Rivals would have to transform to some sheer terminators to beat this product. Right from the beginning the makers have stuck to quality. Closely like the supercomputers this device delivers well, but at the same time it is expensive in its configuration. Add a few options this price inflates like stocks put overnight in the market. Price is one big mountain you would find difficult to digest. But for those who absolutely would not compromise on the quality of gaming experience this  is the best.

Check other Gaming Desktop PCs Reviews, Specs in this website.

Velocity Micro Raptor Desktop PC - Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Velocity Micro
Seies	Signature Series
Model Name	Raptor Signature Edition
Series	Raptor series
Colour	Black
Special design feature	Window style door
Desktop type	Gaming-friendly system
Highlight feature	Dual channel memory architecture
Case/PSU	Custom Lian Li, 1,200W modular PSU
Card reader	8 in 1 card reader
Hard disk	1TB SATA 300 drive  up to 2TB
Disk speed	10000 RPM up to 17000 RPM
Graphics hardware	1GB ATI Radeon HD 5870 with a super high bandwidth GDDR5 memory. Upgradable to 1.7GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 295 or to two 1GB Radeon HD 5870 GDDR5 cards, 2 two GB Radeon HD4870 X2 GDDR5 cards, or with two 1.7GB NVIDIA Geforce GTX 295 cards in SLI
Memory	6GB DDR3 1600MHZ Triple channel memory with heat spreader
Chipset type	NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI
Data bus speed	1066 MHz
Processor	I7 Extreme edition 980
Type	Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6700 / 2.66 GHz
Processor speed	3.3 GHZ
Cache Type	L2 cache
Cache Per Processor	8 MB
USB 2.0 Ports	10 USB 2.0 ports, 2 front & 8 rear
FireWire	2 Integrated IEEE 1394 Ports, 1 front & 1 rear
MOBO	EVGA X58 SLI Classified
Network Adapter	Integrated 10/10/1000MBps
CPU Cooling	Velocity Micro LiquidCool 4
Sound	High definition 7.1 Channel sound
Operating system	Windows 7 64 bit Home premium
Mouse	Razer Deathadder mouse
Keyboard	Razer Lycosa USB keyboard
Motherboard	EVGA X58 FTW3
Video card	Three EVGA GeForce GTX 285 in tri-SLI
Storage	Four 64GB X25-E Intel SSDs in RAID 0, Seagate 1.5TB Barracuda 7200.11
Optical	LG GGW-H20L, LG GH22LS40
Connectivity	Integrated gigabit Ethernet adapter of 10 or 100 or 1000 MBps, 802.11n PCI Wifi adapter, Dlink Wireless N150 home router, two integrated IEEE 1394 fire wire ports, ten USB2.0 ports two at the front and eight at the rear, USB 2.0 Blu tooth receiver.
Software	McAfee Antivirus
Expansion Slots Total (Free)	Memory - DIMM 240-pin , 1 ( 0 ) x Processor - LGA775 Socket , PCI Express x16
Interfaces	8 x Hi-Speed USB - 4 pin USB Type A, 2 x IEEE 1394 (FireWire), 2 x Network - Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T - RJ-45, 1 x Keyboard - Generic - 6 pin mini-DIN (PS/2 style), 1 x Mouse - Generic - 6 pin mini-DIN (PS/2 style)
Power	AC 120/230 V
Power Supply	1000W or 1500W Corsair power supply
Warranty	One year VelocityCare Part & Labour warranty, extensible to 3 years

Gateway has the history of being trendsetting in its efforts and with the latest DS series, it has kept up the impression.  With a rags to riches story, this company plans to make a comeback with the new DS series business desktops.  Does it succeed?  The Gateway DS50 has set sail and its journey looks smooth except for a few small winds.  Launched for the business world, powered by the latest Intel core i3 processor, this office assistant boasts of high performance and power all packed into a concise midi tower. Let us delve deeper into the details.

Design:

Gateway DS50 Desktop PC chassis is available in the usual black with a red stripe down its front being the only colour to catch your eye. The dimensions (H x W x D) 101.5 x 396.84 x 266.5 in centimeters tell us how compact the whole ensemble is. The device is heavily perforated with holes in two cooling panels on the side which reduce the heating up of the PC to a large extent. So we suggest that your cup of hot cocoa should be placed nowhere near them. It is also rather quiet apart from the humming of the 3.5 inch hard drive.

Maintenance should be a piece of cake with this one. At times however, owing to the dimensions, upgrades and repairs can be quite time taking. But on the whole the extremely simple small form factor design is a major perk. This tiny tot packs a bunch with multiple sockets, two PCI express half-height expansion slots, x1 and x16, external SATA and an integral power supply.

Features:

Operating System:

In trying to be the best, it has to have the best. This means that it comes loaded with the exemplary Windows 7 professional as its operating system. With features like the Aero view and snap, it is more user friendly and seems less messy. It has become much easier to breeze through documents, music and video files, to share photos with the advent of this OS. Other features like the jump list, resizing, the new and improved windows media player make the ride all the more enjoyable.

Processor:

This is perhaps one of the best features to the Gateway DS50 Business Desktop PC. The DS50 gives you the option of powering it up with the latest state of the art Intel core processor family, i.e i3, i5, i7. These processors boast the return of hyper threading which is used for performing several computations at once. Turbo boost and Virtualisation are other exclusive features of the i5 and i7 processors which are used to increase clock speed and allow multiple operating systems to run simultaneously respectively. All this translates to a new computing experience.

Memory and Hard Drive:

The memory that one offers is always a deciding factor and in this sector the DS50 scores big.  Say goodbye to all your storage problems because with the amount of space being given, you will leap up. Gateway Ds50 has 2GB of DDR3 RAM at 1066 Mhz.  Latest in the market and with twice the speed of DDR2,  the DDR3 translates to less power consumption and high speed. This can be increased upto 16GB.  The processor is linked to a 320GB Seagate Barracuda SATA drive which can support up to a whopping storage capacity of 1TB.  With the amount of space being used up, there is also no compromise on the functioning of the PC.  Need we say more?

Graphics:

The graphics card that the DS50 is supplied with is the Intel GMA 4500 HD. This plays its part just enough so that you can get average video playback and gaming experience. It is also considerably slower compared to modern integrated graphic cards.

Too much is not to be expected from this. This will get those high end gamers nowhere. Its performance just equals the other entry level graphic cards in the market. 3D gaming is a big NO with this one and the video decoding is not very impressive either. However, it will suffice everyday needs. Those in business, for whom this pc is aimed for, would probably not spend their time gaming so perhaps it is probably not that big a deal.

Performance:

The performance overall is satisfactory.  The latest in processor technology and amazing storage capacity add to its perks. There is a considerable boost in power with the inclusion of the latest Intel core processor.  System lag due to browsing multiple files are a thing of the past. Multitasking is made easier and less frustrating.  Power consumption is incredibly reduced without compromising on the performance and functioning.

We think that now would be a good time to mention the TCO’05.  It happens to be the latest standard for desktop PCs that stand for environmental and ergonomic excellence. It acknowledges those that guarantee low power consumption, noise levels, electric and magnetic fields along with minimal utilization of substances that have a harmful impact on the environment. Our little buddy is one of the few to walk away with this certification.

Power Consumption:

We think we have said enough about its energy consumption. It has the latest intel core processor and DDR3 memory which helps zoom through files real quick. The sleek and simple design further reduces the need for more power. On the whole there should be a decrease in overhead costs as each part has been designed keeping that in mind.

Warranty:

Gateway ensures all its new desktops with a limited 1 year on-site warranty and also covers parts two years after that from the date of purchase.  You can also extend your warranty coverage for up to 5 years. Visiting GateWay’s official site and contacting their customer care unit will give you more details.

Verdict:

Designed accordingly for small businesses, the Gateway DS50 Desktop PC covers all their needs. Gaming might not be a smart choice with this one.  It is capable of multimedia editing.  There has been a mixed response with its release but so far there is more good than bad.  Though capable of video playback, it is not exactly home theatre material.  The intelligent design of the Gateway DS50 is what has stolen so many hearts.  Priding in low power consumption with the TCO’05 certification to its name, it gives you more for less along with top notch performance. We are guessing businesses will welcome this with a moo.

Check reviews of Alienware Desktop PCs and latest All-in-One Desktop PCs in this website.

Gateway DS50 Desktop PC - Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Gateway
Model Name	Gateway DS50 Desktop PC
Series	DS50
Dimensions ( H x W x D)	26.6 x 10.2 x 39.7( cm)
Hard drive	Serial ATA hard disk Intel® Rapid Storage Technology RAID capability
Hard drive Capacity	1TB
Optical drive	SuperMulti DVD-ROM
Graphics hardware	Intel GMA X4500HD graphics processor
Memory	Up to 16GB of DDR3 1066/1333MHz SDRAM (dual-channel support on four DIMMs
Processor	Intel® Core™ i7 Processor Intel® Core™ i5 Processor Intel® Core™ i3 Processor Intel® Pentium® Processor
Processor speed	2.93 GHz
Chipset	Intel® H57 Express Chipset
Audio	Embedded high-definition audio with 5.1-channel surround sound support
Video	Intel® Core™ i3/i5 integrated graphics solution4, featuring: • Intel® HD Graphics support • Intel® Dynamic Video Memory Technology (Intel® DVMT) support • Microsoft® DirectX® 10 support • PCI Express® 2.0 x16 graphics card support
Operating system	Genuine Windows® 7 Professional Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium Genuine Windows® XP Professional (Service Pack 3) Linpus® Linux® X Window FreeDOS™
Network	LAN: Gigabit Ethernet
I/O ports	Front: • Four USB 2.0 ports • Multi-in-one card reader • High-definition headphone and microphone jacks Rear: • Six USB 2.0 ports • PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports • Ethernet (RJ-45) port • Three audio ports • VGA port • Serial port • DVI-D port • eSATA port
Expansion Slots	PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot PCI Express 2.0 x1 slot Parallel port connector Serial port connector
Expansion Bays	5.25″ drive bay 3.5″ internal drive bay
BIOS	Gateway PnP BIOS compatible with SMBIOS 2.6
Software	Gateway Recovery Management, Adobe Reader, Intel Rapid Storage technology Microsoft Office 2007, Ready/Trial (Service Pack 2), Nero 9 Essentials and Wave EMBASSY Security Center
Security	Gateway eLock Management Padlock and Kensington lock slots Intrusion alert Trusted Platform Module 1.2 OneButton Recovery
Compliance	PC 2001, ENERGY STAR® 5.0, GS
Certifications	FCC, CE, MET, Nemko (CB & Bauart, GS), TCO’05
Warranty	Limited 1 year on-site labour and parts service and additional 2 years spare parts warranty from date of purchase

Years ago, there was a Packard Bell commercial that claimed that the arrival of powerful computers meant one can do all their work at home and making lives easier for a lot of people. Now, things have changed dramatically. It is just like how the commercial predicted it would be like.  Desktop PCs offered by the company come under the iXtreme, iMax, iMedia, iPower and the likes each catering to various users depending on the type of their needs.

The focus this time is on their product the PACKARD BELL iXtreme X6620 UK, a sleek PC designed to provide users with support for the latest in computing hardware as well as incorporate a lot of design features that make it a better computer for gaming and multimedia. Powered by the extremely powerful Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300 processor (2.5GHz, 1333MHz FSB, 4MB Cache), it comes loaded with the latest version of the Windows OS, Windows 7.  The 1 TB memory is accompanied by a 1 GB NVIDIA GeForce T220 graphic card, making it a powerful machine capable of handling higher end graphics. Also, the X6620uk does not come bundled along with a monitor, giving you the choice to get one that suits your needs.

Design:

Sweet n Simple:
Like most PCs in the market, the components of the Packard Bell iXtreme 6220uk are black.  The CPU case is entirely made of glossy black finished aluminium. It features soft curves that are highlighted by a glowing power button. The optical drives and card readers are hidden from view behind stylish doors. At the front face of the CPU is embossed the logo of the company on a chrome plating.  There are air vents present on both sides of the CPU making it easier to cool down under extreme loads.

Easy of Use:
Most PCs feature a design that has not changed for years together. Packard Bell have managed to use newer ways to maximize the user’s experience by combining technology with user friendly tools. The user centric ports are front mounted giving the users an easier access to them. But the best feature according to us was the presence of 2 unique buttons: Photo Frame Button and My BackUp Key button. The former allowed one to display all the images present on a memory card or the hard disk. The latter allows one touch backup eliminating all the hassles of copying them down to a drive for backup.

Ports and Connections:
As the lineage suggests, the iXtreme X6620 1TB Desktop PC features a host of ports that are more than enough even for the most demanding users.  It has the usual headphone and microphone slots, a VGA port, audio jacks and 10 USB ports instead of the regular 6.  There is an all in one media card reader as well.  The presence of built-in 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi technology as well as Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR making it simpler to connect to existing networks without the hassles of cables.

Peripherals:
The keyboard present is ergonomically designed and typing feels faster on it. However, the keyboard is meant more for typing and less for gaming. The mouse does not really have anything special to discuss about.

Features:

Processor:
The Packard Bell iXtreme X6620uk Multimedia Desktop PC runs on a 2 Quad Q8300 processor with a cache memory of 4MB and a bus speed of 1333MHz. The installed memory of 6 B DDR2 RAM ensures that programs run smoothly even with the most intensive data applications at the same time.

Graphics Card:
The quad core processor is bundled along with a NVIDIA GeForce GT220 graphic card that makes graphics performance really impressive. The setup is capable of delivering enough power to play all the latest fancy games such as GTA IV and FIFA 2010. However, it is not adept at handling 3D games.

Speakers:
The iXtreme X6220uk sports a Realtek ALC 888S HD audio 7.1 chipset that provides sound quality at its best and makes this machine great for multimedia. The sound was pretty loud and clear.

Operating System:
While the users always have a choice to choose between Windows, Mac or even Linux, Packard Bell has pre installed the latest version of the Windows OS – Windows 7 on the X6620.

Performance:

Thanks to the quad processor, the iXtreme 6220uk desktop PC is capable of handling not only high definition games but also processor intensive activities such as video and image editing. The huge storage space allows one to store a LOT of personal or professional documents. The memory is sufficient to run games as recent as FIFA 2010. The software bundle provided along the PC includes a host of useful software that complements the computer. We played GTA IV on the PC and it was pretty decent.

Service and Support:

There exists a warranty of one year on the Packard Bell iXtreme X6220UK. The warranty includes toll free as well free hardware support. The site also features some FAQs regarding the general issues that plague their computers.

Verdict:

The PC has everything and more than everything that home users would ask for. A powerful processor bundled with a decent graphics card and a huge memory space makes it an attractive choice. However, since there is no monitor provided, one has to buy one separately. If that is not a hassle for you, then we suggest you go for this computer.

Check other Packard Bell Desktop PCs, Alienware Desktop PC Reviews in this website.

Packard Bell iXtreme 6220uk 1TB Desktop PC - Technical Specifications

Manufacturer	Packard Bell
Model Name	Packard Bell iXtreme X6620uk
Hard drive Capacity(SATA HDD)	1TB SATA
Operating System	Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium
Optical drive	DVDR+-RW+R9 BLACK SATA
Graphics hardware	NVIDIA® GeForce GT220
Graphics Memory Capacity	1GB
Graphics Memory Accessibility	Dedicated
Processor	Intel® Core™2 Quad Processor Q8300
RAM	6GB
Memory Technology	DDR2
Processor speed	1333MHz
Audio	Realtek ALC 888S HD audio 7.1: Integrated
Memory Card Reader	Yes
Memory Card Support	21 in 1
Peripherals	Keyboard: PS2 Pointing Device Type: PS2 Mouse
Software	Software Included: Adobe Photoshop Elements 7 Nero 9 Essentials Microsoft® Works SE 9 Norton™ Online Backup Norton Internet Security 2010
Ports	HDMI socket Headphones socket Microphone port VGA port Audio in/out
USB	10 USB 2.0 ports
Modem/Ethernet	Ethernet RJ45
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth	Bluetooth2.1+EDR WiFi 802.11b/g
Warranty	1 Year

Hewlett Packard is undoubtedly one of the best producers of computing technology in the recent past. The Pavilion series is their latest and also one of the most successful ones. The Slimline is the latest addition to the Pavilion series and all the desktop computers under the Slimline series are very chic and compact, making the PC ultra portable and comfortable. The S5306 is also one such desktop computer. Now, this revolution from HP has made the tower of the computer very compact as the unnecessary space is cut off which also gives the PC a stylish look. Let us stop here with the introduction. More facts come up as we go through all the aspects of this new computer from the HP Pavilion Slimline series.

Design:

The name of the PC itself suggests that the tower is made as slim and chic as possible. It is not the most portable computer in the world, but it still is slenderised to the maximum possible extent and hence is made more portable than ever before. Its measurements, which read as (H x W x D) 300 x 100 x 389mm, make a clear statement of how slim the HP Pavilion Slimline S5306 is. While the normal computers weigh above 12 kg, this slimmed down computer weighs only about 9.6 kg, making it all the more comfortable for you to carry it. But, the most important thing regarding this design aspect of the computer is that it can be placed, well, almost anywhere and its size does not dominate that much. This also helps in making the overall design of your desktop computer look better and more stylish.

Features:

HP normally provides a good deal of features on almost all of its PCs and laptop computers. Even though the s5306uk Desktop PC is just an integration of its successful previous models, it still has got lots of features that will definitely amaze you. Exploring a little on the inside of the HP Slimline S5306, you will finds some interesting features. Here is a brief note of all such interesting features that are found on this new successful desktop computer from HP.

Processor:
The HP Pavilion Slimline S5306 comes with the Intel Pentium E5300 processor, which is considered to be one of the best in the market. Now, this new and fast processor accounts for the speedy performance of the computer. The 2.6 GHz and 800 Hz FSB along with 2 MB of L2 cache are the chief features of this powerful and new processor, which is quoted as one of Intel’s very best. Hence, the computer is not only fast at its performance, but it also negotiates many problems. Hence, this processor is really reliable for such a good PC.

Operating System:
It is no surprise that the HP Pavilion Slimline S5306 desktop PC comes with Microsoft’s latest and perhaps the best operating system in the world, the Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit version. This operating system is already a revolution in computing technology and it has become pretty famous for its all new look and also the way it makes it easy for you to operate your computer, by providing various new applications and also the never seen before shortcuts. Though the 64 bit version of this operating system has got its own positives to boast about, for example, the integrated overall performance of your computer, it still has got a few compatibility issues when it comes to various applications, games, software and so on, which means that you may face a few problems in the future regarding the compatibility of your computer. But, this problem will soon be rectified as technology is being updated daily at a rapid pace. Hence, there is no need to worry about this.

Memory:
Memory is the most important feature of any computer, after the Processor. There is plenty memory on the HP Pavilion Slimline s5306; it comes with a 3 GB of RAM and this is quite good. Many computers today are coming with at least 2 GB of RAM. So, this can be regarded as above par. But the most striking aspect of the memory of this computer is its Hard Disk space. HP has provided a humongous memory of 640 GB and that too at 7200 rpm. Now, you do not normally see that, do you? In most of the cases, the HDD space is about 320 GB and the maximum limit that the companies have set for themselves is found to be 500 GB. Hence, considering this, it can easily be said that this is a huge memory for a computer that is dedicated to domestic usage. This means that you have lots of empty spaces and so you can fill them with all your data, videos, images and music.

Graphics Card:
Graphics card has become one of the important incorporations of a computer in the recent past with the boom in the gaming market. It is necessary nowadays that a computer comes with a graphics card. This not only accelerates the graphics on the computer, but it also helps a lot in smooth game play while playing the high end computer games, which have become an integral part of many people’s lives. The HP Pavilion Slimline S5306UK Desktop computer comes with the Graphics Media Accelerator X4500 HD. This is specially designed by HP itself in order to support the graphics on its computers.

Wi-Fi:
Wi-Fi is another thing that is deeply rooted into most of the electronic devices today. Hence, you must expect it to be present on the S5306, as it has got all the latest technology in it. The 802.11 b/g/n PCI Express Wireless Half-Length Mini Card serves as the driving mechanism for the wireless connectivity and this means that you can connect to the internet without the help of any wires and cables and hence avoid the mess. This mini card is also integrated and improvised by HP in order to give you better performance. So, sit back and relax as you get connected to the world of internet without the hassle of wires.

Software Package:
The software package offered by HP for the s5306 is quite good and it consists of many essential programs and applications. They all come in various compact disks and hence can be installed on your system on your own pertaining to your needs. Here is a list of the software materials provide by HP: Microsoft Works and Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 60-Day Trial Version, Windows Movie Maker, Windows DVD Maker, Cyberlink DVD Suite, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Windows Mail, HP Games Console with hours of free game play. Windows Media Center, Easy Bits Magic Desktop, HP Media Smart Suite: Music, Video, DVD, Photo, Windows Photo Gallery, and Windows Media Player.

Hence, it is clearly evident that HP has made sure that it gets everything right regarding the HP Pavilion Slimline S5306. You can observe the fact that the features are not too lengthy in order to just catch the attention of the customer, but they are dedicated towards the betterment of the system’s performance.

Performance of s5306:

You do not usually associate bad performance with the computers from HP. They all have been very good and their demand in the market suggests that. Consequently, the s5306 is also one of the best performing desktop computers you will ever see. As we have already seen, the graphics accelerator makes sure that video performance of the computer is always on top. The audio on the HP s5306uk is also pretty good. The High Definition 5.1 channel audio output gives you a great audio performance when connected to a 5.1 channel audio system. Coming to the overall performance of the computer, after looking at the processor, memory, graphics accelerator and operating system, it can be concluded that you will experience excellent performance from the HP Pavilion Slimline S5306 and that too with very negligible time lag and it helps in faster performance too.

Power Consumption:

This may be the only disappointing feature regarding this otherwise wonderful computer. The HP Pavilion Slimline S5306 consumes more power than most of the other similar computers. Rated as one of the top class computing systems in the world, it consumes about 285 watts of power, which is considerably high. The average power consumption is lower than this value. But considering the immense positives it possesses, one can still go for the S5306 even though it may cost a little more than usual.

Warranty:

Just like most other desktop computers you will see in the market today, the HP Pavilion Slimline s5306 comes with a parts and labour warranty for a period of one year from the original date of purchase.

Verdict:

We have now discussed about one of the finest computer models in the market today. There is no doubt that the HP Pavilion Slimline S5306 serves all your needs. One will definitely be delighted by its captivating design, good features and solid performance. Leaving alone the only concern, which is the high power consumption, it can well be said that the S5306 is a perfect contemporary domestic computer.

Check other HP Desktop PCs, MSI Desktop PCs Reviews, Specs in this website.

HP Pavilion Slimline s5306uk - Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	HP
Model Name	Pavilion Slimline S5306
Colour/Finish	Glossy Black
Dimensions ( H x W x D)	300 x 100 x 389 mm
Display	No
Hard drive Capacity	640GB
Optical drive	DVD-RW (+R double layer)
Graphics hardware	Graphics Media Accelerator HD X4500 graphics Card
Memory	Installed RAM: 3GB
Processor	Intel Pentium E5300
Processor speed	2.6 GHz
Audio	Stereo
Operating system	Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
Mouse	USB Optical Mouse
Keyboard	USB
Weight	9.6 kg
Hard Drive Interface	Serial ATA
OS Certified	Windows 7 64 bit version
Hard Drive Rotation Speed	7200 rpm
I/O ports	USB, Integrated 10/100 Base-T networking interface, Secure Digital (SD) Multi Media Card (MMC) Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) Multi Media Card Plus (MMC Plus) x D media (x D) Memory Stick (MS) and Memory Stick Pro (MS-Pro)
Software	Microsoft Works and Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 60-Day Trial Version, Windows Movie Maker, Windows DVD Maker, Cyberlink DVD Suite, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Windows Mail, HP Games Console with hours of free game play. Windows Media Center, Easy Bits Magic Desktop, HP Media Smart Suite: Music, Video, DVD, Photo, Windows Photo Gallery, and Windows Media Player.
Warranty	12 Months

Compaq once was the largest manufacturer of personal computing systems. Derived from the words Compatibility and Quality, the company was an independent corporation till HP took over it in 2002. In the early 90s, it entered the retail market with the Presario and has continued the line ever since. Even after the takeover HP continued the line due to the marketability. Another addition to the prestigious line is the Compaq Presario 5305UK-m.  With a dual core processor at 2.6GHz and an inbuilt Media Accelerator X4500HD graphics, the desktop promises to be a great choice for work, games and multimedia. There is an 18.5 inch monitor with 1366 x 768 pixels resolution for great HD picture and a 5.1HD audio to complement it. The hard drive of 320 GB is sufficient for storing a lot of data too. But do all these specifications make it a great PC? Read on to find out.

Design:

Monitor:
The Compaq Presario CQ5305 has a black solid metal body with aluminium finish. The screen is an 18 inch one and that uses liquid crystal display. The glossy finish does make the PC look a lot stylish.  At the bottom frame of the screen is the Compaq logo embossed. On the right side are keys for easy access. The resolution of 1368 x 768 pixels features a contrast of 600:1.

Cabinet Design:
HP has bought on a host of changes in the 5305UK m cabinet. The cabinet looks sleek and stylish. The front side has the DVD/CD tray, 2 USB ports and other connections. On the sides of the CPU are vents meant for cooling. The alloy cover that covers the cabinet is painted and is well made.

Ports and Slots:
Being a PC aimed at the home users, it has all the set of connections that you would need. It has a Super Multi optical disc drive for DVD/CD and in terms of connectivity; the system has a headphone and microphone jack, six USB ports, a VGA port and audio jacks. There is an Ethernet port and a memory card reader as well. It is really disappointing to know that it lacks a fire wire port and Bluetooth.

Peripherals:
The keyboard is nothing extraordinary. The piece is ergonomically designed and is raised slightly at the top for maximum comfort.  The mouse is not anything special either.

Features:

Processor, Hard Drive and RAM:
For its price, the Compaq Presario 5300UK-m Desktop Computer delivers the ability to browse the internet, play some games, do office related tasks and watch movies. The 2.6GHz Intel Pentium Dual Core E5300 is capable of handling most tasks that home PC users would ever run. It has a cache memory of 2MB and hardware configuration of 320GB SATA drive, 2 GB DDR3 memory and a SuperMulti DVD R/RW optical drive.

Software:
There are complementary software included such as MS works and Office with 60 days trial. Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, Windows Mail, Windows Photo Galley and Windows Movie Maker are a plethora of programs from Microsoft that are included.  Other software included in the package are CyberLink DVD Suite, EasyBits Magic Desktop and a HP games console with hours of free game play.

Windows 7 Pre-installed:
The CQ5305 Personal Computer System comes with Windows 7 Home Premium pre installed. The latest operating system from the company serves everybody’s computing needs that include support for high level software.

Graphics processing:
The 5305 features Intel GMA X4500HD processor make it a desktop powerful enough for most household user activities such as web browsing, office work and some light gaming. The GPU sports about 782 MB of RAM and coupled with the 2.6 GHz Dual Core processor, it is a great bargain for most users.

Multimedia:
It is a pleasure to watch movies, listen to music, play games in the desktop PC thanks to the high definition 5.1 channel audio output making the games and movies sound more realistic and the sound quality is great.

Performance:

The Compaq Presario delivers the ability to do activities that are light on the processor. The system is stable but it was unable to handle intense applications such as video editing, 3D editing or even 3D games. The audio solution was good, considering it included the ability to conjure up to six speakers simultaneously. The graphics card allows viewing of DVD movies and below 720p HD video.  If you are looking for expanding the memory of the PC, there is good news as there is plenty of space to install an extra high definition audio card, wireless card and a graphics card. Considering that there is a plethora of useful software included, the PC is definitely a great alternative for a home desktop PC.

Service and Support:

There is a limited warranty of one year included on the Compaq Presario 5305UK m. The warranty includes toll free support as well free hardware technical support. There is a 30 day free software support which can be extended up to 90 days with product registration.

Verdict:

The Compaq Presario 5305UK-m is another decent product from HP. It has got all its basics right. It has a decent monitor that allows viewing of DVD and 720p HD movies. The CPU has got enough strength to get most of the basic tasks done such as internet browsing or office work. However if you would want to play games such as Crysis, then you would be disappointed. The audio is decent and well, that makes it a complete home desktop unit. If you are looking for a decent PC that comes with a cheap price tag, you could go for this.

Check other Compaq Presario Desktop PCs in this website.

Compaq Presario CQ5305 Desktop PC - Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Compaq Presario CQ5305 Desktop PC
Model Number	CQ5305UK m
Model Name	Compaq Presario 5305UK m
Series	CQ5300UK
Display & Screen Size	18.5″
Dimensions ( H x W x D)	10.2″ x 14.1″ x 1.38″(min) /1.77″(max)
Hard drive Capacity	320GB Serial ATA hard drive
Optical drive	DVD-RAM
Graphics hardware	Intel GMA X4500HD graphics processor
Memory	2GB DDR3
Processor	Intel® Pentium® Processor E5300 - 800 MHz FSB - 2 MB L2 cache
Processor speed	2.60GHz
Sound	Speakers (2 x 1W per channel)
Operating system	Genuine Windows 7
Mouse	Compaq Presario Optical mouse
Keyboard	Compaq Presario keyboard
I/O ports	6 x High-Speed 2.0 USB ports 1 x RJ45 LAN port 1 x PS/2 Mouse port 1 x PS/2 Keyboard port 1 x Headphone and Microphone(Front) port 1 x Microphone/Line-in/Line-out (Back) port 1 x VGA-out (Back) port 1 x DC-IN (Back) port
Software	Microsoft® Works and Microsoft® Office Home and Student 2007 60-Day Trial Version, Microsoft® Internet Explorer; Windows Mail, Windows Photo Gallery; Windows Media Player; Windows Movie Maker, Windows DVD Maker; Cyberlink DVDSuite; EasyBits Magic Desktop; HP Games Console with hours of free game play, Windows Media Center
Warranty	12 Months