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Advent AIO-200 review

Our Rating :
Price when reviewed : £850
inc VAT and delivery

Specifications

2.33GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200, 2.000000 RAM, 22in 1,680×1,050 display, Windows Vista Home Premium

http://www.pcworld.co.uk

Advent’s AIO-200 is unique this month as it’s the only all-in-one PC on test.

Designed to save space, it looks like a black version of Apple’s iMac, but it’s noticeably thicker so you can’t tilt it with one hand. As we’d expect, there are no PCI slots or spare drive bays. You can fit an extra 2GB of RAM, but accessing the memory compartment is awkward. The hard disk isn’t designed to be replaced, so if you want more storage, you’ll have to connect an external hard disk to one of the six USB ports. The AIO-200 is very quiet, though, and its one-year warranty provides onsite service.

Unlike any all-in-one PC we’ve seen, the AIO-200 has a quad-core processor, Intel’s Core 2 Quad Q8200. It has only 2GB of RAM, though, whereas most of the PCs here have 4GB. This meant it was slower than the competition in our application benchmarks, coming near the bottom of the table. The Nvidia GeForce 9300M GS graphics chip isn’t up to playing the latest 3D games, as its single-digit results in our games tests show.

Instead you can entertain yourself by using the built-in TV tuner, which can record one analogue or digital broadcast at a time. The remote control slots into the cordless keyboard when not in use. Thankfully the receiver for the remote is built into the AIO-200’s case, rather than occupying a USB port.

We were disappointed by the poor image quality of the integrated 22in widescreen display. Colours looked washed out and the glossy finish is highly reflective. Images have a blue tint and the backlight is uneven. Viewing angles are also fairly narrow, so images won’t look their best unless you view them straight on. You could add a better-quality second display using the DVI port.

Advent’s AIO-200 is attractive if you want a quad-core PC in a cramped space, but only if you don’t mind a below-par screen. If you don’t need the quad-core processor and can live without an integrated TV tuner, Sony’s Vaio VGC-JS1E/S has a much better screen but costs £225 less.

Basic Specifications

Rating ***
Processor Intel Core 2 Quad Q8200
Processor external bus 333MHz (1,333MHz quad-pumped FSB)
Processor multiplier x7
Processor clock speed 2.33GHz
Processor socket LGA775
Level 1 cache 4x 32KB
Level 2 cache 4,096KB (cores one and two 2,048KB shared, cores three and four 2,048KB shared)
Memory 2.000000
Memory type PC2-5300
Maximum memory 4GB
Motherboard chipset Intel G35
Power consumption standby 3W
Power consumption idle 79W
Power consumption active 100W

Ports

USB2 ports (front/rear) 2/4
Firewire ports (front/rear) 0/0
eSATA ports (front/rear) 0/0
Wired network ports 1x 10/100/1000
Wireless networking support 802.11a/b/g
Other ports none

Internal Expansion

Case all-in-one
PCI-E x1 slots (free) 0 (0)
PCI-E x16 slots (free) 0 (0)
Free Serial ATA ports 0
Free memory slots 0
Free 3.5in drive bays 0

Hard Disk

Hard disk model(s) Samsung SpinPoint F1 HD502IJ
Interface SATA 300
Total storage capacity 500GB
Spindle speed 7,200rpm

Graphics

Graphics card(s) 256MB Nvidia GeForce 9300M GS
Graphics/video ports DVI

Sound

Sound Realtek High Definition Audio
Sound outputs stereo line out, 3.5mm mini jack optical S/PDIF
Speakers integrated

Removable Drives

3.5in floppy drive no
Supported memory cards SDHC, MMC, Memory Stick Pro/Duo
Optical drive model TSST TS-T633A
Optical drive type(s) DVD+/-RW +/-DL

Display

Viewable size 22 in
Native resolution 1,680×1,050
Screen inputs N/A

Other Hardware

Modem No
Keyboard Advent TGK-7000R Wireless Keyboard
Mouse Advent TGM-6000R Wireless Mouse

Software

Software included CyberLink Power2Go 5.50.3321a, Microsoft Works 9
Operating system Windows Vista Home Premium
Operating system restore option restore partition

Buying Information

Warranty one year onsite
Price £850
Supplier http://www.pcworld.co.uk
Details www.advent.co.uk

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