Computer Reviews

A powerful desktop computer with a big hard drive and large monitor thrown in for good measure.

For a full desktop computer this system from Dell doesn’t look too bad. There have been complaints about the pricing of Dell desktop computers being a little high compared to the offerings from the other big boys in the home computer market. But his model fights back with a whole lot for under $700.

Here’s a bunch of numbers:

• 2.6GHz Intel Pentium Dual Core E5300 CPU
• 6GB memory
• 640GB hard drive
• DVD writer
• 6 USB ports
• 22-inch monitor, 1920 x 1080 resolution
• Windows 7

Lets just start off by saying that this is not the fastest or newest processor out there, however it is more than enough for most intensive programs. Graphics programs will have no problem, although heavy games that need powerful graphics cards will have a hard time.

One interesting thing is a review on CNET that pointed to this computer being low on the value scale and not matching up to its near competition.

With the price lower than their review and the 22-inch model thrown in for good measure it at least measures up to similar models in terms of pricing and has a more reasonable amount of memory at 6GB. The speed increase from 4GB upwards is not worth the money most of the time.

Hidden behind the shiny black front cover is a DVD writer and a media unit for plugging in the myriad of memory cards gathered from various home electronics.

One of the biggest upsides to the whole deal is the great monitor. Quite often 22-inch monitors still don’t support 1920 x 1080, which I think should be the absolute minimum specification for this sort of machine. So it’s not just a cheap add-in to pick up sales of the main machine, it really is a worthwhile addition to the set.

Note that the system does include mouse and keyboard, although not pictured above.

Like

• Big, high-resolution monitor
• Ample memory
• Big hard drive
• Decent speed

Not so much

• No Wifi (included on some rival machines)

A nice little little netbook with a decent price, but with a slower-than-average processor.

Although the netbook is lacking in processing power, you can look into a Dell Vmware solution that uses a remote desktop for more demanding applications.

Netbooks are not known for their great speed. The vast majority of netbooks use a 1.6GHz Intel Atom processor, whilst this one uses a slower 1.33GHz version.  Not a massive game changer, but does make something that is already pretty slow, even slower.

Rather than droning on about the speed of the processor, here is a breakdown of the major features.

• 10.1″ screen
• 1024 x 600 maximum resolution
• 1GB of memory
• 160 GB hard drive
• Windows XP
• Built-in microphone, speakers and webcam
• LAN port
• 3 x USB ports
• WiFi

So there is pretty much the standard spread of features.

Overall, people’s experience with this little computer are pretty good. But there have been a few hassles, which should be noted to avoid any hassles.

There is no Windows CD included, so you cannot uninstall it then reinstall it. Not everyone needs to do this, but if you do you’ll have to get hold of a recovery disk somehow. Note that one user reports Windows 7 not working if you are planning on trying it.

The HDMI port is for video only and does not support any audio. Typical HDMI supports audio, but most computer video outputs only output video, so you’ll have to wire the audio from the microphone output.

The other bits and pieces work as expected. Wifi works in locations with good signal, and the system offers the standard 802.11b/g which is fast enough for anything that involves using the web.

All the features needed for  video conferencing are there. The webcam to handle the video and the built-in microphone and speakers to handle the audio aspects.

The battery life of 8 hours is average. There are more expensive “ultra-low voltage” laptops that can go for 10 hours and a lot of other netbooks that can also go for 10 hours. Eight is not the most, but not bad either.

The good:

• Decent battery life
• Nice price
• Complete set of features

The not so good:

• No Windows CD
• No audio on HDMI

Ah, the granddaddy of netbooks, the Eee PC. Asus were the pioneer of this small form factor portable computer. Thankfully the 7inch screens from the first models have had a few upgrades since then. This newer 10 inch size, gives a little more to those who don’t have teeny-weeny hands and don’t want to wear binoculars to see tiny text on screen.

Apart from the awful, almost unpronounceable name, this computer provides a huge range of features, in a package that is small enough to drag around anywhere and with a battery life long enough to last for an entire day.

Here’s some of the main features:

• Intel Atom CPU
• 1GB memory
• 160GB hard drive
• 10 inch screen with 1024 x 768 resolution
• Built-in webcam and microphone
• LAN, Wifi and Bluetooth
• 2.81 lbs

The styling is good. So no childish looks from this mini-performer. The screen provides enough size for webpage viewing, although sometimes requiring left to right scrolling. For desktop use I’d recommend an extra monitor as it’s easier to view. The VGA port will connect to almost any monitor, but some monitors no longer have VGA ports, so check first.

1GB of memory is just right.

160GB hard drive is fine, but I’d prefer a smaller solid state drive instead. There is an extra 10GB of online storage offered, but this strikes me as gimmicky, I would much rather they provided a subscription to one of the big online storage firms. I just don’t know how much to trust their in-house offering as Asus are a hardware company.

Networking is a critical component for netbooks that, by their very name, are designed to be online. Fast Ethernet is the staple of office networks, and Wifi 802.11n allows faster wireless speeds on networks that support it. Bluetooth is also included and will connect to Bluetooth microphones and stereo headphones.

The Asus Eee PC just can’t really go very wrong. The important part is that there are no important features missing. The blue Samsung netbook is $50 cheaper than this computer, but has less battery life, so weight up what is most important to you.

Pros:

• Compact
• Cheap enough
• Light
• Standard features

Cons:

• Little more expensive than some other similar netbooks
• Gimmicky online storage