Eclipse Eco a705N221 review

Eclipse’s Eco comes with a triple-core processor instead of the dual- and quad-core chips we’re used to seeing. It wasn’t as fast as a quad-core PC in our multicore-optimised video-encoding test, but it held its own in our image-editing test and performed surprisingly well in our multitasking benchmark, even though it’s equipped with only 2GB of RAM.

The Eco’s 3D graphics performance was reasonable thanks to its GeForce GT220 graphics chip. It managed 14.3fps in our Call of Duty 4 test. Dropping the detail settings and resolution will help boost frame rates to playable levels.

There’s plenty of room inside the case for adding more peripherals. The PCI Express x1 slot is blocked by the double-slot graphics card, but there are three PCI slots for adding devices such as TV tuners and wireless adaptors.

If the 500GB hard disk isn’t big enough, there’s space for five more disks as well as three optical drives. Only the most demanding users are likely to need all these bays, though, so the existing five SATA ports should be enough for most. Note that the power supply has only a single free Molex connector, so you’ll need to upgrade it if you add more components.

We were disappointed with the cheap, flimsy-feeling case. We were also surprised by how quiet the Eco is, until we discovered the reason for its lack of noise – it has no case fans. If you plan on upgrading the Eco, especially using power-hungry and hot components such as a faster graphics card, you’ll need to add case fans to avoid overheating. The included Microsoft USB keyboard and mouse look unassuming, but they’re both comfortable to use. The keyboard feels responsive enough for typing long documents.

Eclipse’s Eco is a decent-enough PC, but it’s overshadowed by the competition.