Desktop PCs

With the rise of inevitable human machine interaction, arises the need to manufacture products that are easier to use for even the novice users, and this remains to be the major focus for the companies in the last two decades. One sector that has particularly the most affected of this necessity has been the computing industry. The increase in simplicity of usage has made billions jump into the world of PCs, bidding goodbye to the complicated commands and jargon difficult to understand. Moreover, the latest revolution that is in place by Apple with the presentation of the new iPad, preceded by the fantabulous iPhone and iPod has given way for a new revolution based exclusively on the use of touch screen.

There are numerous companies in the recent years that have diligently devoted to the manufacturing of hardware for PC, hence offering much more advanced components and interfacing with most varied need of the users. MSI, which stands for Micro Star International is definitely one of those Taiwanese companies that has emerged in the recent years. It has managed to put up products on the shelves that are of impeccable quality and ones that are suitable for over-clocking making them just perfect for varied needs. Being a true giant in the industry, MSI is doing a makeover of its policy of distributing commercial activities, that this brand has greater visibility. In order to support this new strategy, it has got into the widespread distribution of a new product launch, an All-in-One Wind Top AE2400 which is a multi touch PC. But, is this enough to compete with the similar, but much cheaper, Advent MT22? Read on to find out.

Design:

Not a style icon:

When it comes to design and style, this MSI Wind Top AE2400 Desktop PC is pretty basic, without too many flashy bits and bobs. Essentially, it is just a huge black box, parts of the AE2400′s body have a brushed aluminium effect, while the rest of it is condemned to the world of glossy black plastic. It is certainly worth mentioning, though, that the glossy panel quickly collects fingerprints. It looks alright, but just a little cheap. MSI has worked hard on the AE2400′s enclosure, too. While the machine does not particularly stand out, especially when compared to the metallic-effect Acer, the glossy black exterior and brushed aluminium highlighting lends the machine an air of understated elegance. Reinforcing this suave appearance is a row of touch-sensitive buttons that glow with a white light when activated before slowly fading. These turn it on and off, handle volume, and let you control the monitor’s OSD and a screen dimming eco-friendly mode.

Display:

However, the display inAE2400 is pretty sweet at 23.6 inches deep and with a 1080p panel that supports the multi-touch feature. When it comes to quality, it cannot scale the heights of the dual-backlit Sony, but it is certainly the equal of the similarly-priced Acer Aspire Z5610: vibrant colours, sharp detail and a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels make movies and pictures look good as well as providing plenty of desktop real estate.

Remote:

The remote control is very ugly; it works well as described above, but it has the square look and feel of a TV from the 1990s.

Connectivity:

Connectivity is pretty comprehensive with a range of range of conventional ports and sockets including six USB ports, a multi-format card reader, a DVD drive, Ethernet, eSATA, SPDIF, VGA, HDMI in, which allows you to watch Blu-rays and play your games consoles through the display, and even a port to plug in an aerial for the built-in TV tuner. And, you have also got a 1.3 megapixel webcam and built-in mic. Elsewhere there is a Blu-ray drive and a hybrid DVB-T TV tuner, which allows you to watch analogue and record digital TV or vice versa, a capacious 1TB hard drive, and a DVD-writer.

User Interface of AE2400:

Previous generations of Wind Top machines have relied on an awkward, twitchy carousel of icons for launching applications, but MSI’s new Wind Touch front-end is far easier to use. The touch interface is smooth and accurate, if you are not new with Windows 7 Touch, it is pretty simple: tap once to click and hold your finger to the screen for a moment to right-click. A quick doodling session in Paint was enough to convince us of the touch panel’s sensitivity, and the multi-touch worked well. It has been modelled on the front ends used on the majority of large modern touch-screen systems, with large icons in the middle of the screen, with a dock above containing many more. Note that this system ships with Windows 7 Home Premium. It is worth mentioning that multi-touch on this machine responds to a maximum of two fingers. We just cannot imagine asking for more, two is all you need for scrolling up and down on Web pages, after all.

Features:

The last MSI touchscreen PC, the Wind Top AE2020, proved underwhelming thanks to its small stature, underpowered specification and weak software. The firm has obviously learned from its mistakes, though, and its new AE2400 makes a much better first impression.

Multi-media:

As we can imagine, this as one of the machine’s main selling points. There is an aerial included, although we suspect you might want to use a more heavy-duty aerial to guarantee clear signal. Once you get connected, you can watch Freeview TV using the Windows Media Center interface. We are quite familiar with this interface and generally find it simple and intuitive. Television shows can be recorded to the PC for playback later. Considering this PC ships with a whopping 1TB of storage, we cannot imagine you running out of disk space in a hurry.

Processor and Graphics:

But enough of this shallow poking around, we think it is time to go beyond the machine’s exterior, dig our fists into the AE2400′s innards and bring its insides out into the cold light of day. Intel’s Core 2 Duo E5400 is a dual-core part that runs at 2.7GHz and, backed up by 4GB of DDR3 RAM, scored a reasonable 1.29 in our benchmarks, enough to power through most computing tasks, although it cannot compete with the 1.44 and 1.47 scored by the Acer and Sony machines. That should shelter the AE2400 from slowdown. We certainly found the whole system to be nippy, and 1080p video content played back very smoothly. Unlike other machines, there is not even a hint of sluggishness; navigating MSI’s software, as well as the applications on offer in Windows 7 Home Premium, is about as fluid as anything we have seen, even matching the A-Listed Sony VAIO VPC-L11S1E, which costs over £400 more than the MSI.

This MSI Wind Top AE2400 Multi-Touch Computer system also has gaming potential, thanks to an ATI Radeon HD5730 graphics card nestled deep within. That GPU helped the AE2400 achieve a high score in our tests. This PC will not exactly blow dedicated gaming computers out of the water, but with scores like these, a spot of gaming should not be out of the question.

Software:

MSI has spent less time engineering its own applications, though. The “work” half of the dock is filled with links to Microsoft Office’s individual components alongside a host of Windows utilities, and the “play” portion of the software contains links to basic painting, note-taking and photo-management tools alongside the Windows 7 Touch Pack applications. Nevertheless, the software offering is no worse than on systems from HP, Acer and Packard Bell, all of which prop up Microsoft’s applications with their own basic tools and low-rent games. Still ahead of the pack in this regard is Sony, which has its own range of media management tools based on the XrossMediaBar first introduced in the PlayStation 3.

Performance:

Speed:

We were really pleased with these performance scores. Well, for starters, the machine has a pretty swift boot up time which is handy if you are planning on using the AE2400 as a family centred PC – maybe even replacing your dining room TV setup. From the time you click the power button everything is loaded and ready to go in just over a minute and a half. Basic tasks like word processing and surfing the web are almost instantaneous and more strenuous activity like photo editing is dealt with efficiently and without much trouble at all. Game play is fluid and the graphics looks great and there is no lag and no instances of slow-down.

Video Playback:

With streaming HD content there is a tiny amount of stutter with World Cup footage on the iPlayer and CPU usage seemed a little high at around 70-80 per cent, but another episode looks very sharp and played back nicely. Downloaded HD content from the iPlayer played back using Adobe Air is also stutter free. YouTube 1080p content was seamless and CPU usage was down to around 30 per cent indicating that YouTube is more efficient at offsetting HD video processing to the GPU which probably says more about the BBC’s encoding than the AE2400′s ability to stream HD. Blu-ray playback looked absolutely stunning, as Blu-rays should do and the remote control was very responsive when using the built-in Blu-ray player software. The remote also worked completely with Windows Media Player and Centre, and basic commands also worked with VLC and Media Player Classic.

Performance is the first thing other than the 1TB hard drive that the MSI AE2400 Desktop Computer offers over the MT22, which was a little lack-lustre when it came to chucking polygons around.

Sound:

The speakers are worth mentioning, too. They seem to be the loudest we have ever heard on an all-in-one PC and, at full volume, proved to be deafening. They would capably fill a room with sound even at half strength. The excessive volume is backed up with good quality; the 10W sub woofer provides adequate bass, and the pair of 5W speakers sat on the front of the machine fill out the rest of the range well, even if treble is a little muddy. Still, we would have no qualms about watching movies and TV on the MSI.

Noise:

Obviously noise is a factor when using any PC as a media player but the AE2400 uses a low-power TDP 65W CPU, so fan noise is kept to a minimum. The optical drive did not make any more noise than a traditional Blu-ray player would either. Although it has to be said that the machine does make a heck of a din when you first turn it on and it boots into life, but this only lasts about a second so it is not the end of the world.

Package:

The MSI Wind Top AE2400 All-in-one PC comes in a very colourful box with an enhanced picture of the product. It has presented itself as not just a PC but a scope of entertainment that knows how to juggle, thanks to the versatility in its features and hardware. It has been well packed to withstand and possible damage while shipping. The overall package looks quite complete, with a compact wireless keyboard and mouse, a user manual, four batteries, a power cable, a plastic stylus for the multi touch feature, a remote and a CD with drivers.

Warranty:

MSI offers Wind Top AE2400 one year warranty for parts and labour.

Verdict:

MSI’s previous machines have not impressed us, but this new MSI marks an impressive return to form. We can definitely see the appeal of an all-in-one touch-screen, particularly if you are a student who wants TV, gaming and computing in one place. We have no complaints about this machine per se, but we would advise that if higher-grade performance is not a top priority for you, you might be better off with the Advent MT22, which offers an almost identical range of features without as much processing punch. The combination of quality screen, speakers, Blu-ray drive and TV tuner mark the AE2400 out as an affordable media machine, and the smooth software makes the latest Wind Top better than many of its mid-range rivals and the deserved recipient of a ‘Recommended’ award too.

MSI Wind Top AE2400 Desktop PC – Technical Specification Table

Samsung is one the leading brands in electronic consumer goods. Jack of all trades, it has manufactured digital appliances, semiconductors, mobile phones and more. It newest and latest venture has been unveiled and it is an impressively designed all-in-one touch screen PC. Such computers exist to make computations easier and to blend the home use and work into one. Samsung has released two series, the U200 AND U250, which differ in dimensions of the screen. We will investigate the U250. This is Samsung’s first go at an All-In-One Desktop PC and it already has people cooing at its state of the art design. But will that be enough to set the ball rolling and for it to carve a niche for itself among the heavy competitors like HP and Sony which have given us work stations like the HP TouchSmart IQ816  and Sony VAIO VGC-LV180J ?  Let us have a look.

Design:

Love at first sight:

With its amazing design, it could be love at first sight for many.  It is a black beauty with a super glossy mane as a finish. The clear edging and slim glass neck make it look all the more elegant. The dimensions of the Samsung U250 PC are 240 x 470 x 600 mm (H X D X W) and it weighs around 9.9 kg. The thickness of the screen is around 43mm and it is capable of concealing the clutter of PC components behind it but there is not much to hide except for a small power cord.  Anything else you might require is located either behind or on the side of the screen buried behind the bezels. Speaking of bezel, this has been accused of making the screen seem smaller than it really is.

Display:

The display in Samsung U250 All-in-one Desktop Computer has a maximum resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels which translates to Full HD on a 23 inch screen. Its brightness falls into the typical range and is around 250 cd/m2, which on testing, was reported to have appeared even brighter. Though not up to the standards of the Apple iMac, it still does better than most which are more expensive. The U250 also brags of a multi-touch panel where you do not use just one finger to replace the job of the mouse .With multi-touch, you can use several fingers and certain gestures to do what you want on the screen. There has been many a speculation about the touch screen interface which is quite disappointing. The company has included its own Play Touch Software and it is not that remarkable. The screen is also quite unresponsive. In order to remember that touch is a feature of the PC, a Windows 7 download is recommended.

Keyboard and Mouse:

The mouse and keyboard sync well with the stylish design. The keyboard is petite and is pleasant to type on. Under the mouse, there is a DPI switch which enables us to change the sensitivity of the mouse without bothering to alter them in the PC’s settings.

Slots and Connectivity:

Other components include the built-in 6W speakers(3W x 2) and 1.3 mega pixel web cam, which do their job and six USB ports, four of which are situated at the back , a multi-format card reader slot for SD,SDHC and MMC cards, an optical drive and an Ethernet jack. Sadly, this beast lacks in HDMI and TV tuner input. This is an essential feature that most Touch screen PCs do not avoid having.

Features:

Intel Core 2 DUO T6600 Processor:

The Intel Core 2 Duo and Intel Dual Core processors are not to be confused with. Their individual designs vary slightly and the big difference lies in their performance. Initially, the processors from Intel were once made using Net burst architecture which was abandoned. They tried to achieve high clock speeds, but while doing so, encountered problems relating to power dissipation and overheating. They then moved on to Core architecture which helped solve several of these problems. It featured lesser power usage than before and reduced heat production considerably. The Intel Dual core processors have two cores on a single die. Yes, We are getting to what a die is. It is a chip onto which the functional circuit is fabricated, which causes the problem of overheating. The dual cores are cheaper compared to core 2 duo processors. The Intel Core 2 Duo processors, designed using Core architecture, give us increased performance with extra cache and higher clock and bus speeds; making them much more expensive.

The processor in question is the Intel Core 2 Duo T6600. The T6600 with an operating frequency of 2.2Ghz fuels the U250. This is one of the main disappointments of this Multi touch PC. While the latest desktop computers and laptops are coming with the new Intel i3 processor family, the Samsung U250 Touchscreen PC being an all-in-one should have aimed higher. The T6600 will be satisfactory for single threaded work like browsing, email, music, low end games. Sure it speeds up the system a little during multi tasking but it is no way near powerful as the i3 processor family which boasts features like hyper threading, turbo boost and virtualisation. This may be the best in the Core 2 Duo family but it too has come of age. The U250 captures the futuristic feel but could not perk up the performance to the same expectations. And, though most of the other all-in-ones have not adopted the i3 processor family as yet, they still perform better than the U250.

Memory:

Memory is also one of those aspects that carry a lot of importance. The Samsung U250 All in One PC comes packed with a memory of 4GB real time access memory and a huge hard drive capacity of 500GB.  This will probably suffice most of your multimedia and storage needs. Being an all-in-one, it will be used for working on multiple applications and files, so it would need impressive capacity.

Graphics:

The ATI and nVIDIA are the major producers of graphic cards in the market. The embedded graphics card in the Samsung U250 is the nVIDIA GeForce G310M card with 512MB RAM of DDR3 memory with an operating frequency of 2.2 GHz. It accelerates performance up to ten times that of integrated graphic cards. However, this model has been spurned by hard core gamers who play demanding games or any sort of gamer for that matter. Games have to be played at low resolutions and therefore avid players can give this a miss. However, it does not perform any better with recent games. It happens to be of the entry level grade and therefore is not that proficient for the happening generation. The overall video performance is good.

Wireless Fidelity:

Many public places are providing free access to Wi-fi in order to attract business. Airports, cafes and hotels enable Wi-fi, not only for the convenience of the customers but personal convenience as well. Factoring in its rapidly falling cost, Wi-fi has become a must have feature in the latest technology wherever possible. The convenience that comes with it is undeniable. There is less hassle as no wires are included. Your Wi-fi device can be easily carried from one place to the other without loss of connection. They are also quite easy to set up. Built in Wi-Fi connection ensures connectivity all round. Wi-Fi has been one of the most popular features of all. It is seen on almost all the electronic devices in the market. It would be funny if a computer comes with a wireless keyboard and still does not have the Wi-Fi option. Thanks to the crew at Samsung, the U250 PC has featured Wi-Fi.

Operating System:

The Samsung U250 features the Windows 7 Home Premium operating system. It currently holds the top slot among competitors. The new and improved operating system from Windows runs much smoother and is very user friendly. The three most promoted versions are Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate. Home premium supports both 32-bit and 64-bit systems. The bare minimum requirements for the 32-bit include a 1GHz processor, 1GB RAM, 16GB available hard-disk space, and a DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver. 64-bit systems will require at least a 1 GHz processor, 2GB RAM, 20GB of free space on your hard drive, and a DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver.

Sadly, this multi touch comes with a 32-bit supporting system while most computers offer 64-bit systems. This means that you will be prevented from taking advantage of the extra RAM. Avid gamers and heavy multi-taskers will be disappointed.

Miscellaneous:

The software included in the Samsung U250 All in One PC are, Adobe acrobat reader, easy display manager, easy network manager, easy speedup manager, Samsung support centre, Samsung update plus, Cyberlink DVD Suite and Play touch. Play touch is Samsung’s own touch software. Although they are not strikingly unique from those on other computers, they still hold their importance.

Performance:

The U250 has sent turned many heads as well as tongues. The processor performance is just above average. The graphics card will not be able to handle heavy gaming. Audio and video are good. It allows you watch HD in their original format. It has dual monitor support which enables you to connect two monitors and use them for two different things.
The Audio and Video performances were well above par and no problems were reported during the tests.

Power Consumption:

Compared to conventional computers with a monitor, the U250 consumes 33% less power while on Windows and 35% is saved while gaming. It has a standby power of 1W which makes it an energy saving product.

Warranty:

Samsung provides 1 year Fast guard warranty (collect and return) which you can extend up to 4 years. Contacting customer service will provide you with more details.

Verdict:

The main mind blowing aspect of this is its sleek and graceful design. The User Interface is quite fun and though it needs to spiffed up a bit, the input devices, i.e. the wireless mouse and keyboard included were used a lot less than usual. The computing experience on the whole is about satisfactory. Multimedia needs are met with an intriguing display and the alluring multi-touch feature. However, the glossy screen is about too glossy. It is highly reflective and can be compared to a mirror, which kind of dampens the spirit. It means that if your environment happens to be a bit dark while watching a movie, you will catch glimpses of yourself in the middle which can be kind of irritating.

Also, the graphic card is entry level and not exactly top notch. Gaming will take a backseat with this one. However, video is not compromised on with its Full HD view which gives you good resolution. The 32-bit Windows Home Premium does little to help improve its performance and slightly restricts the computer’s ability to prove its mettle. On the whole, it is reasonably priced but you could get more from other such PC’s for a lower price. After all, looks are not the only things that matter.

Check other Touch Screen PCs Reviews in this website.

Samsung U250 Multi-Touch Desktop PC – Technical Specification Table

Size reduction has been a yearning trend whether it be reducing your tummy for a perfect 6 abs or reducing the reckless websites you have to go through to get any information. People are so desperate these days that they wish to be sorcerers with the magic that would grant them anything in this world below their feet. With the discovery of Computers, the trend to diminish the size and to retain the magnanimity came to limelight resulting in a scourge of discoveries in the passing years, with every people craving for such alien ideas. That is exactly why the creators of think pad have come up with the All in one Lenovo A600 desktop PC. This is an all in one PC embedded with every feature one could possibly imagine. Starting from the 21.0” inch frameless screen to the wireless keyboard and mouse to the exclusively distinct remote, the features are umpteen. Indeed, the makers have shifted focus from their routine straightforward designs to product aesthetics. They have sauntered down the style runaway with a new take on what a desktop PC should be, with A600 PC.

But on the contrary, this product is not without flaws and definitely not the most perfect design ever made. So what does it project? Is it worth? Let the final verdict tell it.

Design:

Sharp and Angular:

An ultra thin chassis, with a combination of sharp and angular design, and a 21.5 inch display gives the A600 an extra edge over other competing traditional desktops. This smarty, with a clean sweeping, gloss black design is something irresistible, though the lack of touch screen capability may turn off a few. It also includes an automatic screen dimming to prevent eyestrain. The front design appears flat with a frameless screen able to support 1080p, definitely good news for movie freaks who demand a high resolution. The convex back holds the Gigabyte Ethernet, 4 more USB ports along with the TV tuner card.

On the contrary, the little space between the screen and the stand might end up pinching your fingers as well as damaging the cables. The makers have put a warning sticker just for our notice. It is unfortunate that this stands out to be a unique black mark, as no other PCs are found to give this trouble.

Keyboard and mouse:

The mouse and keyboard in Idea Center A600 comes with USB connectors with ports on the left side. The keyboard includes a touch pad, positioned exactly where the num pad would have been, just in case you are too lazy to reach the mouse. In addition, a left click mouse button lives within easy reach. The black mouse of laser variety is definitely attractive.

The left side has 2 microphone connectors along with 2 USB ports with an IE 1394 fire wire port along with a multi SD card reader which reads SD, MMC or Memory Stick PRO. Even then, one would feel 2 or more ports missing. The speakers have good quality and are embedded on the back of the screen.

Absence of HDMI port:

The HDMI port seems to be absent, which makes the coaxial cable connector as the only option to get a video into the system. This could be stated as one of the major drawbacks in the system. With such high resolution and attractive options for gaming, it would have been better without a few USBs but dropping this does not seem appealing even though tons of features are crammed into this piece. Truly, the makers would not have had enough room to include it, and as a result, the system falls short of becoming a ‘do it all’ entertainment device for the dorm dwellers.

Power box:

Compared to other designs the power box consumes around 150 watts higher than the normal 750 watts consumed by traditional PCs. But unfortunately, this power brick is too big and poses a major concern if we want to stick the system on a desk, as one could have a tough time hiding the box.

Optical Drive:

The right side holds the optical drive. The system comes with a Blu ray player which highlights the HD capabilities of the monitor. The placement of the drive though, is cumbersome. Though it has an elegant slot loading model, it is mounted backward and as a result that we can feed the CD and DVDs with the shiny side facing us. This would cause clearance problems if this system is placed in a space that lacks some real space on the right side.

Features:

Attractive Speedy Easy and Friendly:

The term ‘All in one’ definitely suits this device because of the range of peripherals it has: A gorgeous 21.5 inch,1080 p screen, built in TV tuner, Wii Remote gyroscopic controller, spacious hard drive, DDR 3 memory, ATI Radeon HD 3650 graphics. Add a Blu-ray drive on top of this, and this is the new all in one entertainment to beat. The cost range is definitely customer friendly. The system is very speedy and easy to set up, needing only a power cable while using a wireless mouse, keyboard and network options. The assembly cannot be simpler, just take it out, plug it and you are in business.

This Lenovo Idea Center A600 high end PC is shipped with a 2.13 GHZ Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4 GB RAM, 1TB hard drive. This sounds an offer hard to refuse, as you could get a capable PC with a full HD of 1900 *1080 pixel display with loads of styles, quite profitable if you compare it with Apples iMac steep starting price, which still offers a lower resolution. It might as well cost you a bit more than existing desktops with weak atom processors, but it is worth the bill.

Operating system:

The system comes with rather an interesting package including Windows Vista Home Premium (64 bit). This operating system comes with a peer to peer technology, making the sharing of files and media between computers and devices. Though criticised on its licensing terms this smart baby comes with many new changes and features dubbed Aero, which includes new refreshing looks and graphic user interface. Include a redesigned search function, multimedia tools including Windows DVD Maker, and redesigned networking, audio, and display subsystem this package is too cool.

4 in 1 Remote:

The peripherals are also impressive. The remote is a Swiss army knife that has the 4 in one specialty. It lets you flick through the files and channels, moves around the screen while away from the desk, play a handful of including Wii like games while waving around. If all these features do not impress you, built in speakers and microphone enables you to use it as wireless VOIP handset.  Microsoft Vista Media Center users, can use it to operate DVDs, the remote also functions as an air mouse which could control the cursor movement on the screen.

Processor Memory and Security:

At the core of this Lenovo A600 powerful computer lies the Intel Core 2 Duo with optional ATI Radeon graphics card technology with Direct X10 support and up to 4 GB DDR3 memory for multitasking and a 1 TB hard disk for storing videos and music. Coupled with high performance mobile technology, the all-in-one runs whisper quiet even with intensive tasks. Yet another feature is the VeriFace facial recognition technology which allows users to use his or her facial image to log on password promising a strict and tough security. This has been made possible by the 2 mega pixel webcam which works well for video conferencing.

Speaker:

The speaker’s maximum volume and sound quality though reasonably good is definitely not great. It is likely that one must connect external speakers to hear spoken dialogue in a large noisy open room. The integrated speaker includes a bass sub woofer and Dolby Home Theatre audio certification with the Blu ray player completing the Home Cinema Experience.

Drawbacks:

Coming to the draw backs, the ATI’s Mobility Radeon HD 3650 chip is far away from the top of the line, but it is expected that this system will at least be able to handle some of the latest 3D games. The 4 in 1 remote allows a motion drive feature which controls on screen object according to the movements. But truly, A600 is not a gaming machine but it would definitely support latest games at a lower resolution. Along with the absence of HDMI port, this provides an average gaming experience. Software in Idea Centre could have been made more productive especially the low priced versions. Though a fair amount of applications could bog down the system it is still disappointing.

Hard drive is apparently quite noisy and the noise of the cooling fans never seems to fade into the background. This would be irritating especially while watching movies. The positioning of the optical drive adds another discomfort. Portability can also be seen as a problem with the absence of a carry handle. The unit is unwieldy for the users to carry to a meeting room or to their living room to watch a movie. The current Windows Vista Home Premium Edition may not serve the Small and medium businesses with more operating system choices.

Performance:

What exactly would you expect from a 1 TB hard disk 4 GB Ram and Intel Core 2 Duo processor?  High performance? But this system gives an unbeatable high performance compared to the almost all recent desktops.  The performance falls marginally short of Apples Desktop, but definitely is in the top list of performance. The resolution is one thing that is appealing to the core. Well, High definition is defined at its best when it comes to 1080 p view in a huge 21” LCD. This is going to glue you in front of it, and you are going to love it.

Warranty:

Along with a 24*7 toll free phone support Lenovo Idea Center A600 comes with a parts and labour warranty of one year which starts from the original date of purchase.

Verdict:

The first all in one PC by Lenovo Idea Centre A600 is something very impressive. Designed with a unique style, and appealing starting price the company has incorporated ergonomics with style to create this stunning desktop hardware making sure that it delivers on promise of performance. On the whole, the speakers could have been louder and HDMI could have been included. To be true, whenever you find something very attractive and catchy, something which knocks down your mind whether it be mobile or a computer, minor flaws appear big. The reason, of course is that you have been spellbound by its charm and you are craving for it. This stellar all in one PC is one such example and as said earlier it has retained the magnanimity to its full extend in its miniature size. Lenovo is yet to improve, but surely it has placed the right foot into the market with its splendid design. With this design hitting the bulls eye, they are determined to stay.

Check other Lenovo Desktop Computers in this website.

Lenovo Idea Center A600 All-in-One Desktop PC – Technical Specifications

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 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 hand ful 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

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