Cube247 Sigma ST13 review

Verdict:

Review Date: 18 Apr 2008

Price when reviewed: £1,299

Reviewed By: Alan Lu

Our Rating 3 stars out of 5

Review
Specs

Cube247's Sigma ST13 is the first PC we've seen to come equipped with a staggering 8GB of RAM. The Sigma is an impressively specified PC, but it may be overkill for most people's needs.

As well as its memory, the Sigma also has a quad-core processor - Intel's Core 2 Quad Q6600. This sped through our benchmarks, but the extra memory didn't make the Sigma dramatically faster than the other quad-core PCs reviewed here. You'll see a performance boost from the extra RAM only if you regularly perform memory-intensive tasks such as editing RAW image files, high-definition video or composing music - not gaming, which is the primary purpose of this PC.

To take advantage of the RAM, the Sigma comes pre-installed with 64-bit Vista Home Premium. Not all peripherals have 64-bit drivers, though, so double-check before buying.

Cube247 has equipped the Sigma with two 1GB Nvidia GeForce 8800GT graphics cards configured in SLI mode. It achieved some of the fastest results we've seen in our 3D graphics tests. It should be able to play the most graphically detailed games easily.

Unfortunately, the graphics cards are noisy. They also block off the empty expansion card slots, so you'll have to rely on USB peripherals.

The 22in widescreen display is bright but the backlight was uneven and there was some graininess. The HDMI input means you'll need a HDMI-to-DVI adaptor if you want to avoid using the VGA interface and get the best image quality.

We can't fault the Sigma for gaming performance, but we can't help but feel that it commands an unnecessary premium for extra RAM and an operating system that gamers don't need. It's also noisy and comes with only a single year of warranty.

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