MSI Titan 700 review

Asus's Eee PC helped create a market for basic, compact and very low-cost laptops. MSI hopes to do the same for desktop PCs with the Titan 700. It's a mini PC but costs less than £230 including VAT.

Despite its name, the Titan is small enough to fit inside a lunchbox. It's also very quiet, thanks to the fact that it has no cooling fans. This is made possible by the use of a Via processor, which doesn't use much power or generate a lot of heat.

The 2GHz Via C7-M processor fared poorly in our Windows application benchmarks, but the Titan is aimed at people who need a computer for basic tasks such as word processing and web browsing, so this isn't a fatal flaw. Unsurprisingly, the Titan isn't cut out for gaming due to its integrated SiS graphics chip and the lack of a PCI Express x16 slot for adding a dedicated graphics card.

The Via processor's poor performance also means it isn't powerful enough to play high-definition video. Even so, it may be tempting to use the Titan as a media centre PC due to its small size and quietness. Although it has 5.1 surround-sound outputs plus DVI, VGA and S-video ports, you'll have to use a USB TV tuner as there isn't any space inside the Titan's small case for a PCI version.

You'll also have to supply an operating system, as the Titan doesn't come with one. This is one of the reasons for its low price. We installed Windows XP, which ran smoothly, but Vista Home Premium ran much more sluggishly. Vista would benefit from more memory than the preinstalled 1GB, but there's no way to add any more. If you don't already have a copy of Windows XP and want one, then you'll have to act quickly. Microsoft has stopped selling retail copies of XP, so retailers won't be receiving any more once they run out. A free or low-cost alternative would be Linux. You'll also have to supply your own monitor, keyboard and mouse, none of which is included.

Unlike many mini PCs, the Titan is easy to upgrade, although options are limited. Once the top panel is removed, the cage holding the slot-loading DVD writer and the 120GB 2in hard disk easily slides out and the storage devices can be unscrewed and replaced with new ones. The processor can't be upgraded, though.

The Titan consumes very little power, especially when compared to larger PCs such as PC Specialist's Fusion HD 9950. This is beneficial not only for the evironment, but also your electricity bill.

If you want a compact PC for basic computing tasks then the Titan is an inexpensive choice, as long as you already have an operating system and all the necessary peripherals. If you don't, then a budget laptop, is better value. If size isn't a critical factor, or if you want a more powerful computer, don't miss our £500 PC Labs next month.