As the manufacturer of built-to-order PCs and laptops, it's no surprise to find the Evesham Voyager C535R (£899 inc. VAT) uses a familiar chassis, which we've previously found sturdy but uninspiring.

In order to keep it competitive, the components have been updated, and this machine benefits from strong specifications. Most impressive is the use of Intel's high-end Core 2 Duo T7500 processor and 2048MB of memory.

This helps applications to run smoothly, and we found the Voyager to be quick. It booted quickly, and we noticed very little lag when running demanding or multiple applications.

Aimed at home users, it's a surprise to see a standard TFT display in place. At 15.4-inches, it's a common size, but lacks the vibrancy found on glossy Super-TFT panels.

A benefit of this is a lack of reflections if you do take it on the road - although with an average battery life of just over two and a half hours there are better machines for those needing to travel.

Evesham has fitted the latest graphics card - Nvidia's mid-range GeForce 8600M GS. It's not the most powerful around but, because it's DirectX 10 compatible, you'll be able to take full advantage of the next generation of games. We had no trouble running any regular applications, presentations or editing videos.

The Voyager C535R features plain lines, a silver lid and a black chassis. What can't be doubted, however, is the quality of the build, with sturdy materials used throughout and a chassis capable of withstanding the daily grind.

The keyboard is good, offering large, well spaced and quiet keys. Our only complaint lies with the Enter key, which is smaller than usually found. The touchpad is also small, but responsive and accurate.

Unlike rivals with integrated webcams, remote controls or fingerprint scanners, there's not a lot here in terms of features. You will find the obligatory DVD rewriter for backing up your files, but the sides and rear of the casing are almost bereft of ports.

Thankfully, corners haven't been cut when it comes to warranty. With two years' on-site maintenance cover as standard, and a third year where your laptop can be returned to the factory to be fixed, there's little to worry about.

If it's a dependable workhorse that you are looking for, and you don't really mind sacrificing style and features, the Evesham may appeal.