RL Supplies Modula Performa review

RL Supplies' Modula Performa has a powerful Intel Core i5 750 processor, but some obvious sacrifices have been made to accommodate it.

There's just 2GB of RAM, which limited the PC's performance in our tests. This was particularly obvious in our image-editing test, where the Modula Performa scored well below several PCs with lesser processors and 4GB of RAM. However, high scores in our video-encoding and multitasking tests led to a good overall score. The 512MB Nvidia GeForce GTS 250 graphics card is reasonably powerful, but is suitable only for undemanding gamers.

The 20in Hannspree HF207's resolution of 1,600x900 is respectable. Viewing angles aren't great, though. Colour reproduction is accurate from straight on, but a white screen gained a pink or purple tint as we moved off-centre. This isn't a major problem, but it's another niggle. RL Supplies has made odd choices for the keyboard and mouse, with models from Trust and Sweex respectively. The mouse drags uncomfortably and the keys are a bit spongy.

The case is sturdy but does little to insulate against the noticeable fan hum. There are several mounting points, but no case fans have been installed. The hard disk is another casualty of the tight budget; its 250GB is paltry compared with the 1TB disks offered by others for the same price. There's plenty of room to fit extra drives, with six free 3?in bays and three unused SATA ports. We'd advise you to fit an extra 2GB of RAM before anything else, though.

Memory is inexpensive and easy to add, but that doesn't mean you should buy the Modula Performa. Mesh's Matrix II is a much better PC, but if you're desperate to get your hands on a Core i5-based PC for £650, the Performa is a marginally better choice than Eclipse's Solar Crossfire i575R487, as the latter's poor monitor puts it out of contention.