TechRadar Verdict
As an entry point into PC gaming this is great. As a machine to build on, it’s even better.
Pros
- +
Great CPU choice
- +
Decent graphics
- +
Great value
Cons
- -
Mid-range performer
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All you dimension-stumbling timelords will be pleased; we've discovered that there's no such thing as 'now' in computing. Prices and specifications move so fast that they're figuratively encrusted with dust as soon as they've been announced to the public. Components then can be logically consigned to the scrap heap just a few short months after release. Most excitingly, though, this accelerated space time means the high-end becomes the mainstream - even the affordable - very quickly.
More for Less
Take this unit, for instance. This high level spec would have been unthinkable for £800 just two or three months ago, but it's utterly feasible now. The 8800GT helming the graphics is one of the most important cogs in the machine; if you can get hold of one (and they're in very short supply) you're looking at graphics performance which could only previously be expected from SLI-level specifications. It's not world-beating on its own, but it'll take care of you for a year or two.
Similarly, look at the processor: CPU prices have really started plummeting after the successful (and over-priced) launch of the new 45nm Intel chips, meaning you can get a native 3.0GHz model in a PC of this modest price tag. A 2GB slab of RAM has become the de-facto norm, but RAM prices seem to shed the pennies by the second so this should be no surprise. It's a shame that the price has forced the inclusion of 667MHz RAM rather than 800MHz, but that's a small niggle.
The Case in Point
The case is a bit of a distraction, cheap looking as it is, but as an overall package we're very impressed with the G92 Pulse Pro. We'd have been a little surly towards this if it were a base unit alone, because it's just about the embodiment of mid-range - which will soon trickle down to become low end. But that 22-inch monitor, the 2.1 speakers and wireless accessories nicely seal the deal.
You'll watch this machine spin hopelessly into the chasm of obscurity, just like every other PC will at some point in its doomed life, but it'll be a long time coming. Once you've finished milking the gaming life out of the Pulse Pro it's versatile enough to become a living-room box.
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