Sapphire Edge VS8 review

The VS8 produced better results in the less demanding Trine 2 platform game. 1,280×720 was still the optimal resolution for smooth gameplay; we saw a playable 29.5fps at High quality settings with no anti-aliasing at this resolution. When we increased the resolution to 1,920×1,080, even Low quality produced just 22.5fps, however, so you’re unlikely to be able to play games at your monitor’s native resolution. Like nearly all modern computers, the VS8 can handle video at 1,920×1,080, but it can’t play back 4K video smoothly.

The VS8 has a good range of ports. On the front, there’s an SD card reader as well as two USB3 ports, but the latter are hidden behind a fiddly plastic cap. We almost broke our fingernails trying to get this open, so we’d recommend leaving the cap in the box once you’ve finally pried it off. On the back, there are HDMI and mini DisplayPort connectors for connecting the PC to your TV or monitor, four USB2 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, an optical S/PDIF audio output and separate headphone and microphone jacks. The PC’s 2.5in 500GB hard disk should also give you plenty of room to store your files.

The PC comes with a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth card as standard, which will help you use a wireless mouse and keyboard instead of taking up two USB ports. Unfortunately, it’s not particularly suited to life as a living room PC, as there aren’t any options in the BIOS to wake the PC from LAN. This means you’ll have to turn the computer on using its power button rather than turning it on remotely from the comfort of your sofa with a tablet or smartphone app.

This shouldn’t put you off using the Sapphire Edge VS8 as a mini desktop PC, but our main concern is the price. If Windows came pre-installed for £320, the VS8 would be a worthy rival to the similarly-priced Lenovo IdeaCentre Q190, but not having the extra cost of an operating system and the effort of installing it will make the Q190 a better buy for most people.