JAL X600 Expressway review

JAL's X600 Expressway is aimed at those looking for an inexpensive, futureproof system, where the emphasis is on upgrade potential rather than breakneck speed or luxury components.

One of the least expensive PCI Express-based PCs currently available, the X600 Expressway uses an Albatron X915P Pro motherboard based on the Intel i915P chipset. While this chipset supports DDR2 memory, the motherboard does not, so the installed 512MB RAM is dual-channel DDR only. With an Intel Pentium 4 2.8GHz Prescott processor, the X600 Expressway scored an impressive 120 in our application benchmarks and 3,747 in PCMark04.

The system takes its name from the ATI X600 graphics card installed. This is a mid-range PCI Express card with enough power for the casual gamer but gaming enthusiasts will want more, as an average score of 4,412 in 3DMark03 and a below-par 12.2fps in Doom 3 illustrate.

A 160GB SATA hard disk is installed. This provides plenty of storage in the short term. Two optical drives are present: a DVD-ROM and a DVD+/-RW. The recorder also functions as a memory card reader.

Compromise is always necessary when buying a budget system and often, as here, the monitor is the first to suffer. JAL has opted for a ViewSonic E70f+ 17" CRT. If you have limited space you'll find it bulky, but the display itself is of reasonable quality, with better greyscales than most LCDs and vibrant colours.

The X600 Expressway is not the most attractive of systems. There are three front-mounted USB2 ports while four more are available round the back alongside a bunch of audio ports. Sound is fed though the reasonable Altec Lansing 251 surround-sound speaker system. The X600 Expressway comes with a wireless Logitech multimedia keyboard and mouse.

JAL has compromised on certain aspects of the X600 Expressway to keep costs down while delivering a solid core system with plenty of potential. On the plus side, the core specification is high enough for today's applications and there is great upgrade potential for the future, although no DDR2 support. This is a solid performer and, if you don't mind a bulky monitor, it's a good buy.