Arbico eXcel 2568 CS review

Arbico’s eXcel 2568 CS is a powerful PC equipped with Intel’s Core i5-2500K processor, Asus’s P8Z68-V LX motherboard and 4GB of 1,600MHz DDR3 RAM. The processor hasn’t been overclocked, but the motherboard has all the required settings to do so. There’s no need for this, however: the 2568 turned in a more-than-adequate overall score of 112 in our multimedia benchmarks.

On top of all this power, numerous expansion slots make it an excellent choice for those that plan on future upgrades. There’s plenty of space both on the motherboard and in the case. None of the PCI or PCI-E slots are in use, as the graphics chip is built into the 2500K processor. This delivered a reasonable frame rate of 19.5fps in Dirt 3 at 1,280×720 and High quality. It indicates that most modern 3D games should run at lower resolutions and quality settings. Usefully, the motherboard has HDMI, DVI and VGA graphics outputs.

There are two vacant PCI-E x16 slots and a couple of PCI-E x1 slots – one of which will be blocked by most graphics cards – as well as three PCI slots. There’s also a pair of empty memory slots. The case isn’t flashy, but is fairly sturdy, looks inoffensive and has no sharp internal edges. There’s enough room for three extra 5 1/4in drives, as one bay is occupied by a DVD-RW drive. There are six spare 3 1/2in bays: a seventh has a 1TB hard disk fitted, and one has external access. The motherboard has a total of six SATA ports. Two are SATA3, which benefits high-speed SSDs, and four of which use the older SATA2 standard. Currently, one of each is in use.

The case has very little to insulate against dust and noise. This means that the processor’s cooling fan is more noticeable than some systems’, but the hum is fairly unobtrusive and the PC’s two case fans are virtually inaudible, while still providing excellent airflow. Although the 500W power supply doesn’t have a PCI-E power connector, there are plenty of spare Molex plugs which you can use with an appropriate adaptor if you need to power a graphics card.

There are two USB ports at the front of the case, along with the usual 3.5mm microphone and headphone ports. At the back you’ll find six more USB ports, two of which are USB3. The supplied Logitech mouse and keyboard are among the best basic wired sets around – they’re comfortable to use for extended periods, whether you’re typing or gaming.

Arbico has built a powerful, easily expandable and fairly attractive PC. It isn’t the fastest machine you can buy for this price, but that’s largely because the processor’s overclocking potential hasn’t been taken advantage of. The Chillblast Fusion Shadow is a better gaming system and the Blu-ray-equipped Palicomp Phoenix i5 Supreme has more going for it all-round.