Computer Reviews

This systemax computer is aimed at being a media center computer. It has all the stuff it needs, but are they adequate and do they warrant the price tag on this system.

The main feature that stands out for this computer is that it is Intel VIIV certified. What this means is that the whole system contains Intel parts, which match up to a certain level of performance, and that it has Microsoft Windows Media Center Edition installed as the operating system. It doesn’t really guarantee that you get anything better, just that it meets those minimum system levels.

The main complaint I have with this system is one that I have with many of the media center computers out there, and that is that they all still look like computers. They just don’t mix with the look of other entertainment center equipment, making it hard to match and fit in well.

With an Intel Pentium D 950 3.4GHz processor, 1GB or RAM, a 400GB hard drive and a DVD burner, you will get more than enough power for an entertainment computer. The standard video inputs and outputs, 6 USB ports, firewire at the back, card reader at the front and network connection at the back ensure that you have everything you will need.

The remote control, wireless mouse and keyboard are fantastic. Being able to use the keyboard and mouse away from the computer make the experience of using this computer as part of a home entertainment that much more pleasurable. They really do add to the ease of using the sytem.

Finally, I can’t imagine any really good reason for the inclusion of the speakers. They would certainly be good for a personal computer, but if this is a media PC, there would certainly be a hifi around, wouldn’t there.

You do get good parts and good options, however it is a little expensive and there are probably more budget versions, perhaps without the VIIV markings, and without the extra speakers that would be more suitable.

This Sony computer is designed for use as a media center computer. With minimalist styling, it manages to fit fairly well into you living room, but not nearly as well as some of the newer Sony offerings that have home entertainment center styling, rather than just a good looking computer case.

For a fraction under $900, does this system compare well against newer models offering a little more future proofness and power?

Let’s take a look at the specifications. The Intel Pentium 4 640 3.2GHz processor is from the older 600 series of processors from Intel. They perform fine, but were known for producing a lot of heat, and using a lot of power. The inclusion of a DVD burner and a large 250GB hard drive are fairly run of the mill for a media center computer, computers which are usually designed for home entertainment.

Integrated audio and graphics do not lend themselves to high quality systems, although they have gotten better in recent years, the best is still found in component parts. A standard affair when it comes to networking, all which are possible without upgrades.

The biggest gripe I have is the missing remote control. These are a fairly standard accessory on Sony computers and make a whole lot of sense for entertainment centers, nobody wants to get up and use a mouse for the simple of functions on the computer, especially playback of videos and other media.

So overall, I don’t think that this computer is really worth it. I would put the money into a more up to date version which has more features included. It’s not a bad system, and at the time was probably good, but not good enough anymore.

Of all the Systemax reviews I’ve done, this one is certainly the most expensive systemax computer I have seen. With a top of the line set of specifications, it will be enough for the most demanding of gamers, and the range of options will allow you to get just what you need.

As with many of the Systemax computers you get a range of options for a lot of the computer. In this case the base computer comes with an Intel Pentium Extreme Edition processor. This is a hefty processor, mostly because of it’s pricetag, which is over $1000 by itself. You do however get the fastest Intel processor available, albeit still a single-core processor.

Amongst the other parts in this Systemax computer you find appropriate choices for a high-speed computer.

It comes standard with 1GB of memory, which can be upgraded to 2GB, which I highly recommend. 2 BFG 7800GTX OC 256MB PCIe video cards are the standard fare in this system, but if you are really paying this much, dish out the extra $100 for 2 BFG 7900GTX OC 512MB video cards and reap the extra performance that those give.

Two Western Digital 74GB Raptor drives in a RAID 0 are an excellent choice in terms of performance. By themselves, these drives give the highest performance available in the desktop computer market. The RAID configuration pushes this even further and gives exceptionally fast performance. The RAID 0 does make it more vulnerable to drives failure, so the extra drive for storing your data is recommended to keep your data safe and provide a lot of extra capacity.

A DVD burner comes standard, but the second drive can just be a DVD-ROM, which I think is enough, or do without it altogether, unless you do a lot of disc to disc copying.

Rounding it out by adding a 19inch flat screen monitor brings the whole package to around $4000. Now, although I would personally choose all the parts of the computer seperately if I was spending this much money, the package here has been fairly well thought out and offers decent parts which are pretty much guaranteed to blow away anything else out there.