Mesh Elite IQ 2180 review

We've seen a few PCs this month with unusually low price tags, but they were refurbished machines.

It's a lot more surprising to find a brand new model selling for £399, complete with a 19 inch monitor. Mesh is aiming this machine at students, and the idea is that you get everything you need for general tasks at the lowest possible price. It's not only students who might like the sound of that.

To a large extent, of course, you do get what you pay for. The IQ 2180 offers an unspectacular specification: the processor is a Pentium Dual Core E2180, which has two cores, like all the best modern CPUs, but is at the low end of Intel's range. Though it runs at a decent 2GHz, it can't race through multiple tasks in Windows at the speed you'd expect from more expensive parts.

The rest of the components have also been chosen to meet a budget. A 250GB hard disk looks modest compared to the sizes we typically see in today's desktops, between 500GB and 1TB. Still, it's more than the average laptop can offer. We rather approve of Mesh's decision to fit a full 4GB of RAM: memory is cheap at the moment, so it has little impact on cost, and helps avoid slowdowns due to Windows having to swap data to the hard disk. However, the installed 32-bit version of Vista doesn't actually let you use more than about 3GB.

In our tests, the Mesh achieved a 2D (general) benchmark score of 148%, comfortably good enough for everyday computing - office applications, surfing the Internet and listening to music, for instance - but would see you struggling with demanding applications, such as video editing, or juggling several intensive tasks at the same time.Nor is this a gaming system. The nVidia GeForce 8400 GS is a low-end graphics card from the outgoing 8000 series, and isn't cut out for 2008's top 3D titles: a benchmark score of 58% is well behind other current desktops, and means you won't be able to run the latest games smoothly. Again, though, it's more than most laptops can manage, and you'll get older or less demanding titles to run, with toned-down settings where necessary.

Given these limitations, it's also worth noting that there's not much scope for upgrades. There's only one graphics card slot (so you could replace the 8400, but you can't move to a dual graphics setup for serious gaming) and no free hard disk bays, though of course you can add external drives via USB if you don't mind slightly slower access.

All in the box

On the plus side, the Elite IQ comes with all the bits and bobs you need to start using it. The screen is Hannspree's New York 19 inch, a familiar sight at the moment because it's such good value. Its faux-rugged styling divides opinion, but it's a good display, ideally suited to everday work and web surfing. Colour is consistent enough for a bit of photo editing, if not for serious colour-critical work. The built-in speakers at least avoid you having to buy a pair unless you really want them.

The keyboard and mouse, a Logitech wired set, don't have the extra buttons and fancy features of pricier units, but do the job. You wouldn't expect much else thrown in at this price, but the Mesh also comes with a Creative Live! webcam and headset, which are fine for video conversations via the Internet, and a handy 2GB USB memory drive.

If you plan to push your PC beyond general workaday tasks, the Elite IQ 2180 is not what you're looking for. But if you want a competent all-round PC without spending more than you have to, it's well worth considering.

Author: Mike Jennings