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HP/Compaq Presario SR1630NX with AMD Athlon 64 3500+

Tuesday, October 25th, 2005 | Desktop Computer Reviews, Reviews | No Comments

A name branded computer at a more than reasonable price, this mid range model from HP/Compaq hits the mark in terms of blend of parts and performance.

This compute is intended to be more than is needed for the average user, aimed at a slightly more performance oriented individual.

The basic breakdown of components are…

• AMD Athlon 64 3500+
• 512MB DDR memory
• DVD burner
• 200GB hard drive
• Name brand security

The AMD Athlon chip is well suited for the heavy use environment. I provides enough power to do anything on the computer with ease. It can handle a bit of gameplay too, if you add a graphics card to the package. The socket 939 interface will allow easy upgrades in the future as it is still quite commonly used.

The computer comes bundles with Microsoft Windows XP SP1, which means upon arrival, you will need to update it to SP2. Which is a little bit of a hassle.

Graphics are handled by an ATI Radeon XPRESS 200. This provides enough performance for office related tasks, but that’s about it. Thankfully there is an open PCIe slot, which will allow you to put in a cool graphics card with no trouble at all. There are also 2 extra PCI slots.

Memory is pretty standard 512MB, with 2 extra slots available if you need more. I would recommend the extra if you intend multi-tasking many programs at the same time or playing games.

The 200GB hard drive provides more than enough space for anything. Even if you save DVD videos to the hard drive you should not have to worry.

Other extras include the DVD writer, which is a plus, so you can save all that extra information off your computer and perform easy backups.

It also has LAN, Modem, integrated audio and some extra software, namely Adobe Acrobat Reader, Microsoft Money Standard 2005 and Microsoft Works 8.0.

Pros

• Name brand PC
• High class processor
• upgradable

Cons

• Old version Windows

Systemax AMD Athlon 64 or Athlon 64 x2 No OS built-to-order Socket 939 PC

Tuesday, October 4th, 2005 | Desktop Computer Reviews, Reviews | No Comments

Being able to choose the components that you want for your computer before you get the computer allows you to get exactly what you want the first round. Instead of upgrading later, you are able to upgrade anything you like first, and you don’t get stuck with something that’s not quite right.

The Systemax Socket 939 desktop computer is a good choice for those looking for a powerful home computer.

The Socket 939 connection allows use of both AMD Athlon 64 and Athlon 64 X2 processors. Absolutely everything else is customizable.

Basic specs…

• Socket 939 K8N Neo4-F motherboard
• 256MB PC3200 DDR memory
• CD-ROM
• SATA hard drive
• LAN connection

AMD Athlon 3000+ is a good choice for a processor, giving an ideal price to performance ratio in my opinion. You can pick from the Athlon 64 range, which will add up to $240. However the Athlon 64 X2 option will push it up by a minimum $390. This means that the newer Athlon 64 X2 3800+ is not offered. It’s a pitty, cause that chip is a fine choice for budget conscious buyers.

The 256MB of memory is pretty unworkable. You will need at least 512MB, but I’d recommend 1GB.

Choice of drives range from the basic 80GB all the way up to 250GB. But apart from these are the great Raptor drives from Western Digital. Although the most expensive hard disk upgrade, the Raptor is the fastest consumer drive for SATA available today.

CD-ROM drive might do, but most people should go for DVD burner, or at least the CDRW/DVD combo drive.

The other optional extras include

• Card reader
• Dial-up modem
• Upgraded Network adapter
• Wireless router
• Firewire card
• Upgraded keyboards
• Camera
• Upgraded soundcard
• Speakers
• Upgraded video card
• Monitor

Overall you can put a good PC together. The motherboard is the only thing that can not be changed, but is very well specced already.

The basic computer with my preferred upgrades of 1GB RAM, speakers, 17 inch LCD monitor and DVD writer, it comes to about $950. With Windows XP, about $1090. Everything you could need for a few more years.

Sony VAIO VGC-RB42G Intel Pentium 4 3GHz with 1GB DDR and DVD writer

Saturday, September 17th, 2005 | Desktop Computer Reviews, Reviews | No Comments

A powerful desktop computer with every feature you could need from a multimedia PC, from a well-known company with an excellent reputation.

SONY have been in the desktop and laptop computer biz for a while now and this computer is another one in it’s line of good deals.

For a limited time it’s going at a super low price which is what alerted me to it in the first place.

Features at a glance:

• Intel Pentium 4 630 3GHz with Hyper-Threading
• 1GB of DDR memory
• Dual layer DVD writer + sperate CDROM
• Integrated Audio and Graphics
• 250GB SATA hard disk drive

The processor is a 600 series Pentium 4, in the socket 775 format. The 600 series failed to provide much performance improvement over the 500 series, despite giving it 2MB of cache as opposed to the 1MB of the 500 series. However they still manage to deliver in terms of performance.

These processors run very hot. This plays against them as you then need lots of fans inside your computer to keep it cool, which leads to more noise. Not the end of the world, but a tad annoying for a quiet home office.

The 1GB of memory is a definite plus. It will allow easy use of many programs at the same time. If you like to open many programs at the same time this will increase the performance you see within each program. The 1GB is two sticks of 512MB RAM which occupy 2 of the 4 slots available in the computer.

SATA hard disk drive is another plus. SATA offers faster transfer of information from the hard drive than the older ATA. For those who are fussy about the internal look of the computer, the very small SATA cables take away from the clutter.

250GB will be enough hard drive space for even those who like to save lots of movies onto their computer.

The DVD drive supports every kind of DVD you can find, +R, +RW, -R and -RW all with dual layer capabilities. There is also a CDROM if you need the extra drive.

Multimedia ports add a certain amount of ease to the computer. With the ever increasing number of different memory cards that are available, it can become a pain to have a reader for every one. The SONY incorporates a bay, where a CDROM might go, that has a spot for any memory card you might have. It also has the USB ports on the same panel.

Integrated audio and graphics are standard features, but there is a TV tuner card which will allow you to get a TV input into the computer and also gives you better graphics.

LAN support is built in and it comes with mouse, keyboard and two small speakers.

Overall I like this computer. The price certainly makes it that much more appealing too. It’s ideal for home users, desktop applications like word processors and using the internet will do nicely. It can even handle video well. It will not however do for gamers, but with a 3D graphics card you have the perfect platform for a gaming PC.

Pros

• Fast processor
• Plenty of memory
• DVD writer
• Multimedia port
• Many built in features
• PCI express slot for graphics card upgrades

Cons

• No free PCI slots (only 2 PCIe)
• Processor that can run very hot

AOpen Barebone Computer with AMD Athlon 3000+

Friday, August 5th, 2005 | Desktop Computer Reviews, Reviews | No Comments

At under 200 bucks this kit is fairly well put together and is well suited for those have only moderate demands for their desktop computer.

Performance is suited for average computing, but can actually handle quite a lot.

The AMD Athlon 3000+ is a good value for money chip. It only costs around $100 on it’s own but offers good performance. In tests, it often performs as well as the slowest of the newer Athlon 64 range. It’s technology is slightly older, but it is good quality, with enough speed, but most importantly, good value. It’s bus speed is 333MHz, which does not rival more modern counterparts, but in real world testing it does well.

The Motherboard is an AOpen affair, which is where the name for this kit comes from. It is an old motherboard, but does offere many features, including…

• built in graphics support
• 333MHz bus speed
• AGP 4X
• ATA133
• built in LAN support
• 6 channel audio
• USB 2.0
• Socket A

The bus speed suits the chip that it comes with, but I wouldn’t hope for any overclocking ability. AGP 4X means that there is room for a good graphics card, but not the latest, suitable for some, but not new games. ATA133 should provide sufficient speed for the hard drive which is not included so you will need to get one at the same time. RJ-45 LAN support, built-in sound, USB 2.0 and the Socket A connection round off the motherboard.

The case looks cool. Many people like the flashy blue lights that come on many cases nowadays, this one comes with a few of those. If you don’t like the little lights there are ways to disconnect them, or you can get another case instead. Fans are reported as doing their job without complaint. 4 CD-ROM sized bays and 2 floppy disk sized.

The fan is a standard aftermarket one, it will do it’s job OK. However there are reports of it not cooling too well, as well as being a little noisy. Could be troublesome, but easy and cheap to replace if necessary, so not a major drawback.

Finally the standard ULTRA memory. It comes with 400MHz memory, which may sound cool, but it will run down at 333MHz along with the rest of the system. 512MB will be fine for a computer of this calliber.

The set does come with a mouse and keyboard.

Overall, a good deal. If you wanted to change any of the parts you could probably put one together on your own with the parts that you want, but this would certainly be a good start for a beginner system.

Acer Aspire ASA20-U-C4001 Intel Celeron D 2.93GHz Desktop Computer

Wednesday, May 11th, 2005 | Desktop Computer Reviews, Reviews | No Comments

Acer computer company has a good name in the comptuer business and this computer is a good choice in the range of cheap desktop computers. Although not top of the range it will offer you a wide range of features putting it ahead of the average cheap computer.

It is based around the Intel Celeron D 2.93GHz. Budget CPU processors are have really taken a turn, offering users a lot of power for their money and good performance to boot. This is one of the fastest Celeron chips you can get at the moment providing you with plenty of power for day to day operations like listening to digital music, editing music files or encoding or decoding video. They also have good potential for overclocking.

There are 3 PCI slots available so there is lots of room for if you want to add parts and upgrade. There is the standard array of things like audio, USB and LAN. The graphics are built into the motherboard, but will not hold up to the performance needed by some games.

The standard 256MB of DDR400/PC3200 memory is not enough. I would recommend at least another 256MB if you are running windows and more than 2 applications at a time.

The hard disk drive is 80GB, plenty big enough, but also comes with 7200RPM rotation speed meaning that it will perform faster and load your programs quicker than it’s 5400RPM counterparts.

One notable addition is a Dual Layer DVD writer. These are becoming so useful that a lot of computers are now coming with them as standard. This is a 16x writer which is nearly the fastest you can get. This is a plus for those who like to watch DVDs on their computer or who would like to put their home movies onto DVD.

Another great plus for this computer is the card reader. With so many different kinds of cards you will be able to transfer information from any of them with this reader that supports nearly every kind of digital media.

A monitor is not included with this set, but a mouse and keyboard are.

Overall this set has a lot of potential. I would recommend another 256MB or RAM or more when purchasing. There are all the extras you could need for the foreseeable future, providing a top desktop computer for those wishing to use it at home.

HP Compaq Presario SR1300NX AMD Sempron 3000+ Refurbished Desktop Computer

Tuesday, May 10th, 2005 | Desktop Computer Reviews, Reviews | No Comments

A well rounded package from a reputable and well know manufacturer. This computer is great value for a refurbished desktop computer. HP desktop computers have are well known for being reliable, and this is no exception.

This computer is based around the AMD Sempron 3000+ chip clocking in at around 2GHz. The AMD Sempron is always a good choice for a budget desktop computer as it’s performance is better than that of the Intel Celeron and the prices are lower too. This processor will provide adequate speed for most desktop applications including wordprocessing, checking email, surfing the internet and going as far as a little video editing.

There are 2 PCI slots open which will allow you to upgrade and add parts if you need to. It also comes with an AGP slot, which will serve well if you would like to improve your graphics in the future, or start trying out a few 3D games.

The socket connection is Socket A. This describes the way the CPU processor is connected to the motherboard. This socket kind is now being phased out. That is not serious but will make upgrading a little more expensive in the future as you will probably have to upgrade the motherboard too.

It comes with the usual array of extras. Most notable of these is the card reader. Extremely handy for all of you who have lots of different cards in your cameras, vide cameras and other devices. It gives easy front access to these. USB and firewire connections are also situated conveniently at the front. There is also built in audio as well as LAN.

Standard with this computer is a CD writer. If you have any interest in using DVDs I would recommend an upgrade to a DVD writer when purchasing this computer.

The onboard graphics is usable and will be enough to run 1280×960 on a 19 inch monitor which should be enough for anyone not running 3D games. The hard drive is fast and big enough for nearly anything. It also has a fast spin speed of 7200RPM.

A mouse and keyboard are included, as well as the 250watt power supply which should be enough for just what the computer has in it now.

I would highly recommend a memory upgrade for this computer. I comes with only 256MB of DDR333/PC2700 memory. Luckily this is one of the easiest upgrades, so doesn’t pull down the computer in terms of quality as it is easily upgraded.

Overall this is a good deal for a wholesale factory refurbished desktop computer. It provides enough power for everyday use, is a well known hp desktop computer and has a good spec. Perfect for the home office or regular home use.

Chaintech SK8T800 AMD Sempron 3100+ Barebone Computer

Monday, May 9th, 2005 | Desktop Computer Reviews, Reviews | No Comments

This kit is an assortment of good products held in a case that is woth the money you pay for it.

Often when buying a cheap computer there is usually a little disappointment at the durability of the case and the quality of the power supply.

This case comes with a case and power supply which is also labelled as Ultra. Ultra have a good name in the memory business, having a wide range of memory available at good prices. Their products are reliable, which is a reassuring start to this package.

The combination of the AMD Sempron 3100+ CPU processor and the Chiantech Socket 754 motherboard make this a good choice is you are looking to upgrade in the future. It is possible to upgrade to AMD Athlon 64 processors using this socket type, but will only be able to achieve an 1600MHz bus speed with the Socket 754 processors.

The motherboard is well featured, with many of the thing to be expected from a motherboard. It has LAN support, SATA support, ATA-133/100/66 support, buildt in audio, an AGP 8X/4X slot, USB support as well as being able to handle 400MHz front side bus speeds.

Other parts include a Maxtor 120GB hard drive, a reputable drive, supporting ATA-133. If you want to improve the speed of this computer, upgrading to a faster hard drive would be a good idea. The one that comes with the computer can be kept for data storage.

The Chaintech GeForce MX4000 64MB Video Card is a good choice, offering enough to allow support for new big monitors, and high resolutions on the screen. This card will not be enough to play cutting edge games, but will serve it’s purpose well.

The CD-ROM drive is a no name brand that will read CD-ROMs.

The included fan keeps things cool, but don’t expect to be able to overclock too much.

And finally 512MB of Ultra DDR400/PC3200 memory is included, as well as a keyboard and mouse.

This computer is a good starting point, at it’s price you get a good basic computer. The case, power supply and motherboard make a good starting point for upgrading if you ever need to. This low cost desktop computer will serve well in a home desktop environment for everyday applications like typing documents and surfing the net, as well as playing a few games.

Chaintech 7NJL6 AMD Athlon XP 2900+ Desktop Computer

Sunday, May 1st, 2005 | Desktop Computer Reviews, Reviews | No Comments

At first sights this looks like a very cool computer, perhaps even a cheap high powered gaming computer. But lets take a closer look at this system.

Overall it’s good package. Combining some very good parts in a system which can handle a fair amount of power and work fast.

The motherboard is a Chaintech 7NJL6 nVidia Socket A ATX. It comes with things like built in audio. It supports up to a 400MHz front side bus, allowing fast transfer of information, and in turn speeding up how fast things load on your computer.

The processor is alright. The 2.08GHz AMD Athlon XP 2900+ is decent, providing enough power for average use.

The hard drive is a 5400RPM, 120GB Maxtor. These drives have a long life and perform well. This one does not come in the higher speed 7200RPM which is becoming increasingly popular. The interface is ATA-133, which provides good transfer speeds.

It also comes with a Video Card. It is also a Chaintech product, the Chaintech GeForce MX4000. A 64MB card based on on an nVidia video card processor.

The CD-ROM is a no name brand. The fan should provide enough cooling power for your processor. And the 512MB of DDR400/PC3200 memory should quench your needs for basic typing of documents, surfing the internet and playing digital media on your computer.

But here comes the bad news.

The case is a Diablotek. It is very good looking and will impress. However, the power supply that comes with the case when it’s sold seperately is terrible. It really is a piece of junk. There have been reports of the power supply running too hot, even blowing after a few days of use. Stuck buttons and shorted lights are amongst the other complaints. And finally the heat from the power supply means that, in standard setup, it’s too hot inside for an Intel Pentium 4 3.4GHz.

So, besides the power supply issue, which is a very serious one, and you will probably have to replace it. It is a good package of bits and pieces, just disappointing that it couldn’t come with a little more reliable case and power supply.

Wintergreen AMD Sempron 2400+ (1.66GHz)

Sunday, May 1st, 2005 | Desktop Computer Reviews, Reviews | No Comments

This AMD based Computer offers a fair amount of value for the money you pay, especially with the rebates that are offered. The specification is good, but will leave something to be desired from those looking for a high powered computer. This cheap desktop computer does well as a day to day work machine, but does not manage well out of the range of surfing the net and typing documents.

Now, a breakdown of the system and it’s components.

It’s an ATX tower case, with 4 CD-ROM size expansion bays and two floppy drive sized ones. There is a free AGP slot inside as well as 3 PCI slots if you plan to expand.

Audio is built in, handled by the motherboard, and it has both LAN support and USB support.

The processor is a respectable AMD Sempron 2400+/1.66 GHz. These processors are now the low end of the AMD scale, rivalling the Intel Celeron chips on pricing, but outdoing them in terms of performance.

The bus speed on this computer is 667MHz, which means that the RAM can run up to 333MHz, and the internal clock of the chip will be running at 166MHz.

There have been reports of the computer shipping with the wrong memory, but don’t expect to get more than the 256MB of DDR333/PC2700 that comes with it. There seems to have been a typing error on advertising before saying that DDR400/PC3200 RAM memory was included.

The hard drive is a 40GB, 7200RPM drive. This is on the small side, but still enough for a whole lot of information. The optical drive is a CDRW. It is as fast as they get, but has no support for reading or writing DVDs. There is an included floppy drive.

Graphics are handled by a video card built into the motherboard. Respectable, but not good at high performance things like new games.

The included power supply is said to be a 450W power supply, which is quite surprising. Sometimes computers in this range can have power supplies that are under 300watts. Good spec.

It also comes with a mouse and a keyboard. Unfortunately reports have it that the keyboard bends, even under the pressure of pushing the buttons, and one consumer has reported that the mouse is about the worst he has ever used.

There are a mixed batch of reports from consumers on this computer. Good reports are always worth reading, as they help to pinpoint the good parts of the system. Most things go right most of the time, but it’s how things go when they are not alright that really sets one computer and computer company apart from another.

The WintergreenSys company lets down in this department. There have been more than a few reports of computers that are shipped without being assembled properly. Screws missing, and memory not installed properly. Extras that are supposed to come with the computer being left out of the package. Also little problems like power switches not working, and computers randomly restarting are not uncommon. It’s the most negative reports I have seen since I’ve been doing review of desktop computers.

So if you are looking for a system that will start and work from the word ‘go’ I think you need to look elsewhere. You might need to open the computer and put parts back in properly to get this thing working. It’s a good deal, but very poor is you do find something amis.

Chaintech 7NJL6 AMD Sempron 3000+ Barebone Kit PC

Wednesday, April 27th, 2005 | Desktop Computer Reviews, Reviews | No Comments

For a smidgen under 200 dollars with the rebates that come with this computer, it is a steal in terms of the value you get. Even at its usual price in the mid 300s it is worth a close look when building a custom desktop computer.

The case is nothing to write home about, but is functional, doing what it is supposed to do, and that is hold all the part nicely in place. One thing that is good is the 425-watt power supply. Power supplies are one of the places where manufacturers often cut corners to make their products cheaper. This powerful power supply will provide enough power for any components you wish to add to the system.

The motherboard is a Chaintech 7NJL6 nVidia Socket A ATX motherboard as the name of the computer might suggest. It supports Socket A chips like the AMD Sempron that it comes with, but also the AMD Athlon XP, which could be an option for upgrading the computer in the future.

It supports up to 400MHz front side bus. Memory can be supported up to 400MHz. Audio is onboard and there is AGP 8x for the video card interface.

Support for the newer SATA technology is available, and does supports up to ATA/133 which should not disappoint in terms of speed. There is also USB 2.0 for fast communication with external devices.

Other built in extras are, LAN support, Game/Midi ports, audio out jacks, line in jacks and other standard motherboard stuff. There are two spots to plug in your SATA drives and two for the IDE devices.

The Sempron processor is really a toned down version of their older chip to give a bit more of competition to Intel who have their cheap range Intel Celeron chips.

The hard drive is a 120GB Maxtor, which should provide enough storage room for anything you have. This drive is an ATA133 hard drive, which means it doesn’t take advantage of the SATA capabilities of this motherboard. It is probably a cost based decision. The drive is only a 5400RPM drive, which might see it lagging behind as a main drive. An upgrade to a SATA 7200RPM drive would speed up the computer, and keep the Maxtor for storing your data, as a second drive.

The Chaintech GeForce 64MB video card should work well, providing just enough clout to try some of those very new games. It might not be enough for the heavy gamer and would probably not make this qualify as a cheap high powered gaming computer, but is certainly a good specification at this price range.

It’s optical drive is a CD-ROM, so it can read anything on the older CD-ROM discs, but no DVDs.

The processor fan is a sturdy affair that should keep things in the computer cool. I also comes with 512MB of Ultra DDR400/PC3200 RAM memory.

A mouse and a keyboard are also part of the package.

Overall, a fantastic deal if you can get those rebates done. And still incredibly reasonable in terms of very cheap computers.