Ginger6 G6 Apollo 2300 review
Although the Blu-ray re-writer and 8GB RAM are appealing if you're into video making, many will prefer better graphics and more upgrade potential.
Specifications
2.8GHz Intel Core i5-2300, 8GB RAM, 21.5in 1,920×1,080 display, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
There are just two USB ports at the front and another six at the back – hardly generous by current standards. There aren’t any FireWire or eSATA ports and there are just three 3.5mm stereo outputs. The PC comes with a pair of Creative A40 stereo speakers, which are good enough for system sounds but somehow manage to sound simultaneously tinny and muddy when confronted by complex musical tracks. The supplied BenQ G2222HDS monitor is a good one, though. As well as a Full HD resolution of 1,920×1,080, it has even backlighting and natural looking colour.
For video editing and production, the great monitor, 8GB of RAM and Blu-ray writer will all appeal to enthusiasts. There’s a lot here for the money then, but let’s be clear that sacrifices have been made, in 3D graphics particularly, to fit it all in. For a more balanced all-rounder, we prefer the Chillblast Fusion Aurora, even though its monitor isn’t as good.
Basic Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Rating | **** |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-2300 |
| Processor external bus | 100MHz (Sandy Bridge DMI) |
| Processor multiplier | x28 |
| Processor clock speed | 2.8GHz |
| Processor socket | LGA1155 |
| Memory | 8 |
| Memory type | PC3-10666 |
| Maximum memory | 32GB |
| Motherboard | Asus P8H67-M LX |
| Motherboard chipset | Intel H67 Express |
Ports | |
| USB2 ports (front/rear) | 2/6 |
| Firewire ports (front/rear) | 0/0 |
| eSATA ports (front/rear) | 0/0 |
| Wired network ports | 1x 10/100/1000 |
| Wireless networking support | none |
Internal Expansion | |
| Case | midi tower |
| PCI-E x1 slots (free) | 0 (0) |
| PCI-E x16 slots (free) | 1 (0) |
| Free Serial ATA ports | 4 |
| Free memory slots | 0 |
| Free 3.5in drive bays | 5 |
Hard Disk | |
| Hard disk model(s) | Samsung HD103SJ |
| Interface | SATA2 |
| Total storage capacity | 1,000GB |
Graphics | |
| Graphics card(s) | Nvidia GeForce GT 430 |
| Graphics/video ports | VGA, DVI, HDMI |
Sound | |
| Sound | Realtek ALC887 |
| Sound outputs | 5.1 line out, stereo line out, mic in |
| Speakers | Creative A40 2.0 |
Removable Drives | |
| Supported memory cards | none |
| Optical drive type(s) | DVD+/-RW +/-DL, BD-R/RE |
Display | |
| Viewable size | 21.5 in |
| Screen model | BenQ G2222HDL |
| Native resolution | 1,920×1,080 |
| Screen inputs | DVI, VGA |
Other Hardware | |
| Keyboard | Microsoft Wired Keyboard 400 |
| Mouse | Microsoft Basic Optical Mouse |
Software | |
| Software included | none |
| Operating system | Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit |
| Operating system restore option | Windows disc |
Buying Information | |
| Warranty | one year collect and return |
| Price | £699 |
| Details | www.ginger6.com |