Medion Akoya P7615 review

Medion is frequently associated with budget computers, but its range also includes more powerful machines. The Akoya P7615 is a 17in desktop replacement laptop with a powerful processor and dedicated graphics.

Like many laptops currently, it has an Intel Core i5-430M processor running at 2.26GHz, which will power through everyday tasks with no problems. Although its dual-core design will limit performance in heavily multi-threaded applications such as Photoshop, Turbo Boost will increase the clock speed to compensate. The processor is paired with 4GB of memory, but the 32-bit version of Windows is installed by default, which can’t access all 4GB. A 64-bit version can be installed from the bundled recovery disk, but we would prefer to see this installed as standard. Still, the overall score of 88 in our multimedia benchmarks is about average for a Core i5 processor.

An Nvidia GeForce 330M graphics card provides more than enough power to play 720p video. Full HD content will also play on an external display via HDMI or DisplayPort. Most games should be playable too, as a score of 28fps in our Call of Duty test shows.

Connectivity is impressive with four USB ports (one of which doubles as an eSATA port), a multi-format card reader and an Express Card/54 slot. Audio buffs can connect surround-sound speakers to the three minijack sockets, or via S/PDIF or HDMI. Battery life isn’t crucial for desktop replacement laptops, but the Akoya still managed almost five hours away from the mains.