PC Specialist Fusion FX63 review
It's good to see Wi-Fi and an SSD, but this PC is out-performed by its rivals
Specifications
3.9GHz AMD FX-6350, 8GB RAM, 23.6in 1,920×1,080 display, Windows 8
Further up the front panel, you’ll find two USB ports and the usual 3.5mm mic and headphone ports. On the back panel are another six 3.5mm audio ports for up to 7.1 surround sound. There’s also an optical S/PDIF output for digital surround sound, Gigabit Ethernet port, PS/2 port and six USB ports, two of which are USB3. A USB3 header on the board would have been nice, but these two ports will do the job for most people.
The AOC e2450Swda monitor is a one of the most notable parts of this system. It’s a sleek 23.6in matt display with VGA and DVI inputs, and a resolution of 1,920×1,080. We measured a decent, but by no means outstanding, contrast ratio of 657:1, and a disappointing colour gamut of 79.3 per cent of the sRGB standard. This is rather disappointing, but tweaking the monitor’s settings should improve matters and it has the benefit of being large and non-reflective.
The keyboard and mouse are a Logitech Wireless set. Both work well enough and fairly comfortable to use, but they keyboard feels a little loose and unresponsive. The system also comes with a copy of Microsoft Office 2010 Starter Edition, the ad-supported version of the suite.
PC Specialist has packed this system with extra features, such a wireless adaptor, an SSD for fast boot times and a 24in monitor. Unfortunately, the monitor isn’t particularly good, particularly when it comes to its rendition of colour. We’d have also appreciated a more powerful graphics card. The Chillblast Fusion Sprite is a better all-rounder for the same price.
Basic Specifications | |
---|---|
Rating | *** |
Processor | AMD FX-6350 |
Processor external bus | 100MHz (HyperTransport) |
Processor multiplier | x39 |
Processor clock speed | 3.9GHz |
Processor socket | AM3+ |
Memory | 8 |
Memory type | PC3-12800 |
Maximum memory | 32GB |
Motherboard | Asus M5A78L-M/USB3 |
Motherboard chipset | AMD 780G + SB 700 |
Ports | |
USB2 ports (front/rear) | 3/6 |
eSATA ports (front/rear) | 0/0 |
Wired network ports | 1x 10/100/1000 |
Wireless networking support | 802.11n |
Internal Expansion | |
Case | midi tower |
PCI-E x1 slots (free) | 1 (0) |
PCI-E x16 slots (free) | 1 (0) |
Free Serial ATA ports | 3 |
Free memory slots | 2 |
Free 3.5in drive bays | 4 |
Hard Disk | |
Hard disk model(s) | Kingston SH103S3120G + Seagate Barracuda ST200DM001-9YN162 |
Interface | SATA3 |
Graphics | |
Graphics card(s) | 1GB AMD Radeon HD 7770 |
Graphics/video ports | HDMI, DVI, VGA |
Sound | |
Sound | VIA VT1708S |
Sound outputs | 7.1 line out, optical S/PDIF out, stereo line out, mic in |
Speakers | none |
Removable Drives | |
Supported memory cards | SDHC, Compact Flash, miniSD Card, MMC, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick PRO Duo, microSD |
Optical drive type(s) | DVD+/-RW +/-DL |
Display | |
Viewable size | 23.6 in |
Screen model | AOC e2450Swda |
Native resolution | 1,920×1,080 |
Screen inputs | DVI, VGA |
Other Hardware | |
Keyboard | Logitech Wireless Desktop MK250 |
Mouse | Logitech Wireless Desktop MK250 |
Software | |
Operating system | Windows 8 |
Operating system restore option | Windows disc |
Buying Information | |
Warranty | three years RTB (one year collect and return, one year parts, three years labour) |
Price | £699 |
Details | www.pcspecialist.co.uk |