CFL Activa C2612 review

The Activa isn't aimed at upgraders. For a start, it's a 'micro' rather than 'midi' tower. CFL has also chosen to pack it with as much as possible from the outset.

The core specification is a 2.6GHz Intel Celeron 330 backed by 512MB of DDR memory. As well as a 16-speed DVD-ROM, it has a 52-speed CD writer, which will enable you to copy directly from disc to disc. The hard disk is a 120GB Maxtor DiamondMax 9 - and you even get a reader for the Flash memory cards used in digital cameras and some MP3 players.

The CFL is a comfortable PC to use too. Its high-quality Microsoft keyboard and optical mouse are responsive and well made. The screen of its 17in Samsung monitor is very curved in comparison to others this month, but it's otherwise quite acceptable. The clear, bright picture is streets ahead of that provided by the NetHightStreet's Relisys monitor.

The first real let-down for the CFL is its lack of potential for expansion. Aside from two free PCI slots and a vacant AGP slot, there's no room at all for upgrades. Both of the system's memory slots have been filled, and the DVD and CD drives take up both external 5.25in bays, and the media reader and floppy fill both external 3.5in bays, plus there's no extra internal 3.5in for a second hard disk. The interior cabling is neatly arranged, but the case doesn't lend itself to frequent opening anyway.

The real killer, though, is performance. In our 2D benchmark tests, which assesses a PC's performance by carrying out tasks in a range of everyday software, the CFL scored just 897 - way behind this month's other £399 systems. The woeful 3D graphics performance provided by the CFL's integrated graphics chip means this system will make virtually any modern game unplayable. Anyone remotely interested in gaming should install a decent graphics card in the free AGP slot as a matter of urgency.

Overall, the CFL wouldn't make a bad home office system - it has a lot going for it - but the lack of upgrade potential and poor performance mean it has little headroom for improvement.

Author: James Morris