Desktop PCs

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

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

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

Desktop computers are now seen in almost every house and they have also become part and parcel of the lives of not only the professionals but also even the common people. As a part of technological revolution, the desktop systems are becoming slimmer as the days are passing by, and today, we have one of the slimmest desktops with us in the market. What happened as a symbol for miniaturisation is that, the monitor and the CPU, which once came separately as two components, are now embedded into each other to form only one single device. This is the latest trend and this has led to the reduction of the space required by the desktop computers, as now such PCs require as much space as a laptop. One such desktop PC is the Acer Aspire Z5610.

Acer is the third largest producer of computing devices like Desktop PCs and laptops in the world. Over the years, it has gained a very good reputation of being cheap but effective, unlike its other costly counterparts. Its latest innovation has been the Acer Aspire Z5610 and it certainly looks very promising. Let us go through the various details of this very new brainchild from Acer.

Design:

PC? We thought it was your telly:
Looking at the Aspire Z5610, you will be reminded of the LCD TV that you have in your home. A very sleek design with a rectangular look and slightly curved edges give the Aspire Z5610 Desktop PC a very professional and stylish look. Measuring about 22.4 inches wide, 3.3 inches deep, 19.1 inches high, the Aspire Z5610 is one of the sleekest desktops you will find in the market. Hence, it is not only easy for locomotion but for also placing it almost anywhere. It also comes in an attractively white coloured finish, so that it can get adjusted to any kind of background. It slightly resembles the black coloured HP desktop PC and there are also a few rumours regarding its design that it may have been lifted from that of HP, but there is nothing like that. The Aspire Z5610 has got its own aspirations and it is a unique design from Acer. Thus, overall, you will be completely satisfied with the very look of the Aspire Z5610.

Display:
The 23 inch display measured diagonally, is quite comfortable for a screen since it will be great for watching movies and also playing games on it. The TFT active matrix LCD offers a very good display and it uses the conventional CCFL system for the purpose of backlighting. Even then, the display is commendably good and the brightness levels are uniformly maintained all over the screen and there is also option for local dimming of the lights. This makes sure that the screen has very good viewing angles. So, there is no deterioration in the picture brightness or quality even when viewed from the sides. There is also a very good mechanism with the Aspire Z5610 that maintains wonderful contrast. Hence, there are no complaints regarding the display of this new Desktop PC from Acer.

Features:

The features section is the longest one and also the most important one of all, particularly regarding a desktop PC. Most of the electronic devices are now providing many more features and at the same time, new special features are evolving every day. The Acer Aspire Z5610 has also got its own features to boast about. It has got in it each and every feature that is expected from a Desktop PC. Have a look at the various features of the Aspire Z5610 and decide as to whether or not consider it as a useful PC.

Processor and Main Board:
As you all know, the processor is the most important part of the CPU and a computer’s ability is determined by the strength and also the version of the processor that it comes with. Coming to the Aspire Z5610, it comes with one of the Intel’s most powerful processor, the Intel Pentium E5300 Dual Core processor. This means that this one processor is equivalent to two normal CPUs. Hence, your computer performs faster than ever before with very less time lag. The Aspire Z5610 also allows 64 bit computing along with the 32 bit processor. The Chipset is also of the better ones in the market; that is the IntelG45 Express chipset with a data bus speed of about 800 MHz Hence, your computer will always be on top of its performance with the aforementioned combination.

Operating System:

Like most of the computers in the market today, the Aspire Z5610 Slim Size Desktop PC also comes with Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium as the default operating system. This is the latest operating system released by Windows earlier this year and computing has never been so easy before this OS. There are lots of new features introduced by Windows this time round and Windows 7 is a perfect example for what should an operating system look like and also perform like. Many new options are introduced that make life easy for you and there are also shortcuts for many programs. You can create movies quicker, search for files or folders in real quick time, and so on. So, with such an abundance of features, Windows 7 will be a great companion for the Aspire Z5610 and together they make you feel the difference.

Memory:

Normally, the desktop PCs have good memory since there is a lot of need for storage when it comes to domestic use. Things such as games, movies, music and some software are usually seen in the domestic desktop PCs. Hence, the Acer Aspire Z5610 has come with quite good memory. It comes with a default RAM of capacity 4 GB, but you can always customise it and upgrade the RAM whenever you need, but you can only extend it up to a maximum limit of 8 GB. This RAM is also the DDR3 type, which is the latest one you will see in the market. Coming to the storage capacity or the hard disk space of the Aspire Z5610, you are provided with a default 320 GB standard SATA 300 of speed 7200 rpm. There is no provision for expansion here and the 320 GB is common to all the PCs. Actually, 320 GB must be more than enough for normal domestic uses. Should you need extra memory for your computer, you can buy an external hard drive.

Graphics Card:
Most of today’s computers, be them the desktop or the laptop computers, are coming with a solid in built graphics card. This helps in better and faster performance of your computer when it comes to watching high end movies from your Blu Ray Discs or even playing today’s high end games, which demand very good graphics acceleration. As expected, the Aspire Z5610 comes with a good graphics card, the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570, which is of 512 MB capacity. This means that you can almost play all the latest games you will find in the market. During the tests with a variety of high end games, we have found no lag or even drag, which means that this particular graphics card is exceptionally good. This in turn enhances the overall graphics performance of the system.

Touch Screen:

This is a very special feature considering the fact that the Aspire Z5610 is a desktop PC. Given the fact that the touch screen technology has of late crept into every electronic device, even the desktop PCs are now coming with this feature. What it does is that obviously, it helps in direct pointing of objects on the screen so that a lot of time is saved. Of course this can be availed only if you are very near to the computer. But even then, in most of the cases, people find it easy to use the touch screen facility over the mouse clicks. Click and drag function is a lot easier using your hands rather than the mouse. Another thing is multi touch is also supported so that you can use two hands at a time. Now, this must be more convenient for you to handle your computer. Hence, you can consider this as an extra feature if not the most important one.

Wireless Keyboard and Mouse:
Leave the world of wires and move on in to the wireless world. The Aspire Z5610 Touch Screen Desktop PC is such a good thing that it reduces the mess of wires. You will basically need a single power cord and excepting that, everything is wireless. The keyboard and mouse of this PC also work wirelessly. Even though they are connected via Bluetooth, there are no connectivity problems this time around as Acer has renovated this Bluetooth mechanism in order to avoid issues regarding the connectivity. You can also sit at a distance from your monitor and can still control it perfectly well. Up to a distance of 10 metres, there are no reported problems regarding both the keyboard and mouse. Your desktop looks a lot tidier than ever before with this wireless arrangement.

Wi-Fi:
Where on the earth you do not find Wi-Fi? It has been one of the most used and also the most featured of all the features. You will find this feature on most of the electronic goods that are coming out nowadays. The built in WLAN card of the Aspire Z5610 is a pretty good one and allows to surf the net wirelessly. The special ability of this WLAN card is that its ability to provide very good signal strength even when the signals from the port are weak. Hence, with the Aspire Z5610, you can connect to the internet fast and also easily surf the internet, chat with your pals, and also share your photos. Downloading of files has also been faster this time around. Hence, another feature that will eliminate the messy wired system.

Ethernet:
Even though you have the facility to surf the web wirelessly through the aforementioned Wi-Fi feature, the Ethernet is still a very good option. What it does is, it not only makes the connection more direct and safe, but it also makes the communication faster. This is the reason behind the presence of this feature even today. It is a clear fact that Wi-Fi is not as good as this one. Hence, Ethernet on the Aspire Z5610. The specifications of this Ethernet port are as follows: Ethernet, IEEE 802.11 b, IEEE 802.11 g, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, IEEE 802.11 n (draft) compliant to the following standards: IEEE 802.11 b, IEEE 802.11 g, IEEE 802.11 n (draft). Hence, you can also connect to the internet using cables, if needed.

Card Reader:
Even though the main system is pretty slim, there are a few ports available for the purpose enhancing the connectivity options of the Aspire Z5610. The Card reader is discussed here separately just because of the fact that you will not find this facility in the previous models of slim desktops from Acer. It is only this time that Acer has tried and provided a multiple card reader that is very helpful when it comes to sharing files. This very card reader supports a few varieties of memory cards and helps you in quickly recognising and syncing your cards with the computer. The supported types of memory cards are: Memory Stick, Multi Media Card, SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card, Memory Stick PRO Duo, and Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo. Yes, this is really a very good variety shown by this very card reader. Copying of files is also very easy when you go by this means. Hence, it is an appreciable feat from Acer.

Software Package:
There is a decent software package provided along with the Aspire Z5610. While some of them are installed on the computer, the others come inside CDs, so that they can be installed separately whenever needed. Here is a list of software items that you will see along with the Aspire Z5610: Acer e Recovery Management, eSobi (OEM), Oberon Touch Games,  Microsoft Works, Acer Touch Portal, Egis Tec MyWinLocker, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft Office (60 days trial),  Microsoft Touch Pack, CyberLink You cam (OEM), CyberLink Power Cinema (OEM), McAfee Internet Security Suite (Trial). Although most of these are very essential even for domestic uses, there are still some of them which are either not that necessary or not that frequently used. Hence, such types of software are provided in a separate package and hence they can be installed any time later.

Hence, as you can see, the Aspire Z5610 comes with a decent software package and also above all, a very good features package. While some of them are trademark features of Acer, a few of them are also often seen on most of the computers.

Performance:

As this is the most important aspect of all regarding any electronic device, it seems that Acer has taken sufficient care regarding the performance of its desktop PCs and especially the Aspire Z5610. Now, as we have already seen earlier, due to the presence of a solid processor and good memory aspects, the overall performance of the system is really good and also comparable to that of the best in the market. Although there have not been any doubts regarding the video performance of the Aspire Z5610, there has been a hue and cry regarding its audio performance owing to fact that the system is pretty slim and hence there is no space to provide good speaker system. But, against all odds, Acer has come out with a slim desktop PC that has a wonderfully performing audio. With the presence of an integrated sound card, and a 5.1 channel surround sound output, the Aspire Z5610 has got it all to get you a great audio experience.

Connectivity:

The sleek design of the Aspire Z5610 may deceive you but remember that Acer has not been one of those that provide poor connectivity options. Continuing the trend, it has tried its best in embedding almost all the ports that you can imagine in the world. If you look at the sides and the back of the computer, you will find the following options that allow you to connect your computer to other devices and share files and stuff: 1 x Microphone – Input – Mini-phone 3.5 mm, 1 x Headphones – Output – Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm, 6 x Hi-Speed USB – 4 pin USB Type A (2 in front), 4 x Audio, 1 x Network – Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T – RJ-45, 1 x Storage – eSATA – 7 pin external Serial ATA. Their presence really counts and allows great transactions between your computer and other devices near your vicinity.

Power Consumption:

This may be one of those shockers, which are usually few and far between when it comes to the products from Acer. The Acer Aspire Z5610 takes a little more money off your pocket. One an average, it consumes about 250 watts of power, which is significantly high, especially when you compare it with its counterparts from other prime manufacturers in the market. But nevertheless, the difference is also very slim and it will be fine for you in the long run.

Warranty:

Acer offers the Aspire Z5610 a parts and labour warranty against any manufacturing defect, for a period of one year from the original date of purchase. The rest of the details can be found on the leaflet that comes along with the warranty card.

Verdict:

If you are really in need of a computer and you can also not afford a big space for it, then the Acer Aspire Z5610 is one of the right choices you can ever make. Of course, since the cost of the computer is also not unbearable which means that, it will obviously be preferred over the other bulky looking desktop PCs that are seen around the market. Though you may consider buying a laptop instead, it is always good to buy a desktop PC if you are not in need of a portable PC. After looking at all the aspects of the Aspire Z5610 viz. the design, features and performance, you can conclude that it is one of those desktop PCs which are affordable and also at the same time, very useful. Since Acer also has not got the notoriety for poor service after purchase, it looks like the Aspire Z5610 will be one of the better slim PCs of the year.

Check other Acer Desktop PC Reviews, Models in this website.


Acer Aspire Z5610 Desktop PC – Technical Specification Table

Overview:

Pros:

1.    Optimized for Microsoft Windows 7 and can also support up to seven real time OSs
2.    Separate GPU for all the graphical demands of the user which reduces strain on the CPU
3.    20 inch monitor with 16:9 aspect ratio ensures DVD quality media
4.    Wide variety of media connectivity options and 6 USB ports
5.    6.1 Dolby digital sound surrounds system.
6.    Buttons are phosphor lined.

Cons:

1.    Very low cache memory of 1 MB that slows down I/O and data transfer rate
2.    No Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity options.
3.    No Firewire connectivity
4.    No Blue Ray support drive
5.    No internal/external card reader device
6.    Lack of external GATE connections
7.    LCD screen cannot be adjusted in vertical arrangement

Review:

When Hewlett Packard CEO first moved in to Silicon Valley of the US, little did he know that the small computer company he set up for research purposes of the universities, would one day become the largest desktop PC in the world! The popularity of HP has grown phenomenally ever since and, almost each and every home that has a Hewlett Packard device. Not only this, HP continues to introduce new products like GPS devices, smart phones, tablets, laptops and a slew of other devices. But even till this day, HP is famous for what it started manufacturing years ago: Desktop PCs.
It has been a long journey for HP and with the passage of years, it has seen a steady rise of competitors as good as HP but somehow, HP managed to win the race thanks to its superb engineering and technology. HP has seen its share of ups and downs but today after almost a decade, it has emerged as the undisputed winner in the field of desktop computers. And with the recent launch of the HP Pavilion p6300uk desktop PC, things just got better.

Design:

Display:
Hewlett Packard seems to have changed the norms by going for an all black solid metal body with aluminum finish body. While the screen is of the liquid crystal display type, it would have been better had Hewlett Packard gone for thin film transistor technology instead of the traditional liquid crystal display. The screen size is huge and the 20 inch monitor with a glossy finish textured screen is impressive. Such beauty gives us the feel that we really are sitting in front of the movie screen. The 20 inch screen has an aluminum finish with a black gloss border around the screen. The screen resolution is 1600 by 900 pixels and comes with 16:9 DVD aspect ratios.

Design features:
The integrated web camera is situated at the top middle part of the screen. While the monitor can swivel to both sides, it, however, cannot be adjusted up-down. One unique design feature was the presence of the Hewlett Packard logo at the back of the monitor. What really strikes about the logo is the glow power feature of it. This means that when the computer is switched ON, the Hewlett Packard logo glows bright green and on standby mode it glows amber. Cool! The monitor also sports an array of buttons just below the screen in the glossy black cover area. These buttons are dedicated one-touch buttons that provide access to the media center.

Cabinet Design:
Hewlett Packard also brought on a slew of changes in the P6300UK cabinet which is the power house of the computer. Rather than its traditional tower type box shaped cabinets, this time Hewlett Packard has gone for style and design. The HP Pavilion p6300uk Desktop PC comes with a compact, trendy and custom designed cabinet which is rich on designs as well as features. The optical drive has been given a new look, which makes the device look cooler! Even the power switch has undergone a makeover. In short, everything has been given new attire. The cabinet is completely alloy casted covered with painted steel and plastic covers and designs in some strategic places. At the back of the cabinet, there is an array of vents and cooling fins to keep the system as silent as possible. It also features an interesting collection of connectivity ports and even has a separate covered space at the top of the cabinet for storing optical discs.

Ports and slots:
The HP Pavilion p6300uk desktop computer is designed to be a multimedia PC. Therefore, it supports a host of connectivity options which not only allow seamless media streaming and rich video quality but also allow us to stay connected with our friends all the time, join networks etc. For example, this desktop comes with two inbuilt modems, Ethernet modem and card and LAN card.  The integrated 10/100 base-T networking interface modem with Ethernet express card ensure full encryption security while connecting to other networks. Although there is no fire wire port for Firewire connectivity, Hewlett Packard makes up for this loss by providing 6 USB ports.

However one big spoilsport in the connectivity feature is the lack of Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. Also the camera is VGA mode camera. Surprisingly, the HP Pavilion p6300uk desktop supports TV output and comes with in built TV tuner card. It also has extension jacks for line in, microphone and headphone connectivity. As for media center and live streaming connectivity, it comes with two PCI Express media center ALC-662 chipset card and also sports a high definition 6.1 digital surround system. The optical drive is not bad with DVD SATA technology. The 52x DVD drive also comes with HP light scribe technology.

External Ports:
The front panel comprises of a 15 in 1 (4 slot) connection port along with 2 USB ports. It also sports a headphone and mic plug in. The back panel also features an array of connectivity ports. It has the LAN connection port, 4 USB ports and a VGA port. The back panel also comprises of the audio line, which includes a line in, a line out and a mic connector port.

Peripherals:
Hewlett Packard has not even left the mouse and keyboard unnoticed! The keyboard has been given a completely new look, which consists of not only the traditional keyboard keys but also a host of other buttons for a variety of tasks. The keyboard is ergonomically shaped and raised at the top for maximum comfort and type speed. The keyboard also features a miniature LCD screen tablet at the middle that can be folded open to keep a track of the activities of various software especially during games. Another interesting feature of the keyboard is that all the buttons are phosphor lined. This ensures complete visibility of the buttons at night if there is no light available. The mouse too, has been changed and now it sports a cool Ferrari Sports car like devilish look much similar to that of the gaming mouse. The shape has been radically altered and for the first time ever, the mouse when held, feels that it is completely in the grip of our hands.

Features:

Processor, Hard drive and RAM:
Hewlett-Packard’s Pavilion p6300uk desktop computer has a solid processing unit which is powered by AMD Athlon II X2 Processor 215. The processor has a speed of 2.7 GHz and it is complimented with Microsoft’s 64-bit Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium operating system, which is pre-installed in the device. The power consumption is also moderate as it runs through a power supply of 300 Watts. The hard disk consists of a 500 GB of SATA HDD hard drive with a maximum clock speed of 7200 rpm. This means, the device with its considerably high potential of storage capacity provides users with plenty of space to save and store multimedia files and documents. On top of that, a 3GB RAM is also there to enhance usability and seamless multi-tasking.

Graphics Processing:
The whopping 3GB of 240 pin DDR3 SDRAM coupled with the AMD processor make this desktop a really powerful one when compared to others of its league in the international market. And to top all of it, the HP Pavilion p6300uk Desktop PC comes with the latest Gigabyte motherboard that sports a graphical processing unit. The NVIDIA geForce series GPU ensures a very smooth display experience in all fields. The GPU is of the NVIDIA geForce 6150 series make and sports a whopping 1 GB of graphics RAM. The AMD X2 Processor is fine tuned to a clock speed of 2.4 GHz and also has a HT performance of 2 GHz. However despite all this greatness, it only gives a meager 1 MB of L2 cache memory.

Overall, this desktop PC from HP is a great deal for the users. And the best thing is that it is nearly perfect for both work purpose as well as for entertainment and gaming. The process to backup data files and folders is very convenient, simple and user friendly.

Multimedia:
Watching movies, listening to music and playing games is much more fun in this desktop PC with the high definition 5.1-channel audio output, which makes movies and games more realistic and the sound quality is much beyond the average.

Software:
The HP Pavilion p6300uk multimedia desktop PC is optimized for Microsoft Windows 7 and comes preloaded with Windows 7 Home Premium. Other than this, HP also provides users with a host of proprietary software like Microsoft Works, Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 60-Day Trial Version. Microsoft Internet Explorer is also preloaded for browsing internet contents and Windows Mail for a smarter version of a quicker outlook express which is very handy software for sending and receiving emails. HP Media Smart Suite is a complimentary entertainment package which helps in playback and burning of music items, video files and photos in DVD. Users can also view pictures in the hard disk through an appealing Windows Photo Gallery. Other than this, Windows Media Player Windows Movie Maker, Windows DVD Maker, Cyber link DVD Suite, etc are also beneficial in a lot of ways for handling and managing multimedia files. Easy Bits Magic Desktop is also an interesting and catchy application. HP Games Console is for pure gaming fun and action and along with it comes complimentary hours of free game play. Windows Media Centre has also been enriched and comes with a six month trial. Windows Media Centre has also been revised and optimised for use with this desktop complete with the dedicated buttons on the monitor for quick and immediate access.

Support and Security:
Moreover, the HP Pavilion p6300uk desktop pc is also preloaded with support and security software to ensure the functioning to be secure. And it also helps users to understand their machine or the problems when they occur. Norton Internet Security 2010 is provided as an antivirus to prevent crash or corruption by external virus. HP Recovery Manager helps to quickly recover deleted old files, or to create a recovery point for the users to eradicate the faults. HP Advisor, HP hardware diagnostic tool and HP help & support help the users to understand the machine, detect problems and find solutions for them as well. Due to the presence of these software, the HP Pavilion p6300uk is quite a safe, secure and user friendly device.

Performance:

The HP Pavilion p6300uk Desktop Computer PC passed with flying colours in the performance test. It had to, with such mammoth-like power and optimised capability under the hood, this was clean winner right from the start. The HDD drive with 3 GB DDR3 RAM and the AMD XII processor made this device a super fast machine and boot time took just 13 seconds flat. Windows 7 booted up with no difficulty and worked like dream. Another really unique thing as revealed by the test was the fact that this computer works almost silently. One can hardly hear it while the device works. And it rarely heats up during the long hours of extreme use. However, the real problem is during the transfer of data that this PC becomes slow. Actually it is because of the very low cache memory that inhibits quick data transfer.

Game play, movies and other media contents were simply fabulous on this PC and one could not have asked for more. The optical drive is pretty quick too and discs take much lesser time to load. In the multi-OS test too, this device got great marks. It can support up to a maximum of seven real-time OSs and this really is the limit! There are hardly any PCs out there in the market that barely make up with 2 real-time OSs and this works fine with seven, certainly impressive. A performance test reveals the truth about a device and this test revealed a huge beast under the hood with out of the world performance.

Warranty:

The manufacturers provide a one year base warranty for HP Pavilion p6300uk desktop PC.

Verdict:

In one short, simple answer, the final verdict is “YES!” This is just the perfect device for all types of home and office requirements and finally Hewlett Packard has created an undisputed winner! It is miles ahead of its competitors and with such a perfect blend of beauty and beast coupled with features and performance, this desktop PC could not have been better. The screen size is also big and glossy and everything about the device is a beauty. This device has already made lots of heads turn and has carved a space of its own. Whether it is playing games, watching movies, editing videos, listening to music, working with documents or anything else; this is one of the best answers to all your problems!

Check latest Desktop PC Reviews, other HP Desktop Computer Reviews, Specs in this website.

HP Pavilion P6300UK – Technical Specification Details