OP3 Europa review

Unlike most of the PCs we’ve seen recently, which have Intel Core i3 processors, the Europa uses an AMD chip. OP3 has taken full advantage of the Phenom II X2 560 and its unlocked multiplier by overclocking the processor to 3.8GHz. This is 500MHz faster than the standard clock speed: a healthy increase for an AMD chip.

In our benchmarks, performance was reasonable but, despite the overclock, it was still only as fast as a Core i3 processor running at its standard clock speed. It’s fast enough for most applications, but it will struggle with multi-threaded programs where a quad-core processor will cope better.

Instead of using the motherboard’s integrated graphics, the Europa has a Radeon HD 5570 dedicated graphics card. It’s a dual-slot card that has a massive heat sink to avoid the need for a cooling fan. The silent operation is great for keeping noise levels down, but performance isn’t wonderful. It managed 17fps in Call of Duty 4, so most games should be playable with a few detail and resolution tweaks.

Overclocking the processor creates more heat, so the CPU cooler has been upgraded to a large tower-style heat sink. Oddly, it’s been installed facing downwards, which blows hot air back inside the case. An 80mm exhaust fan will help keep temperatures down, but it’s been fitted to a 120mm fan mount; a larger fan would be more efficient and quieter.

If you plan on upgrading the graphics card, or any other part of the Europa, it’s important to contact OP3 before opening the case. You’ll void the three-year warranty if you break the sticker on the side panel without permission. It’s worth going through this small hassle, as the warranty covers both parts and labour for all three years.

The case is a decent size and has an interesting sliding front panel that hides the DVD re-writer, although it did feel flimsy. As well as two USB ports and front audio, there’s also a card reader fitted in the external 3 1/2in bay. A third USB port and support for most card formats is a useful addition. Inside the case, most of the loose cables have been bundled together, but they aren’t routed particularly well.

The motherboard is well designed for future upgrades. As well as two PCI slots and a single PCI-E x1 slot, there’s also a second PCI-Ex16 slot for dual graphics cards. The 550W power supply has enough extra connectors to install several extra disks or expansion cards. Around the back there are two USB3 ports for fast external storage, as well as four regular USB ports, an eSATA port and FireWire.

The bundled monitor is one of our favourites: BenQ’s G2222HDL. It’s one of the best budget monitors available, and image quality is excellent. The Logitech keyboard and mouse were also better than most budget peripherals; they were both comfortable to use and had quick response times. The included BullGuard Internet Security suite has a one-year subscription, which is a useful inclusion.

Even with a fantastic monitor and decent expansion options, the Europa’s performance is limited by the AMD processor and slow graphics card. CyberPower’s overclocked Intel machine is much faster, and can play games for the same price, making it the clear choice.