Dino PC Jurassic 2500 review
A great 24in monitor, fast processor, 1TB hard disk, Blu-ray drive and expansion-friendly case make the Jurassic 2500 a great all-round package
Specifications
3.3GHz Intel Core i5-2500, 8GB RAM, 24in 1,920×1,080 display, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Although the motherboard has four free expansion card slots – one PCI-E x16, two PCI-E x1 and one PCI – it doesn’t include support for USB3. You get a total of eight USB ports, with two on the front panel, but two of these will be taken up by the Logitech keyboard and mouse set. This is a fairly basic set, with bouncy keys and a lightweight mouse, but it’s fine to get started with. Audio output is limited to three 3.5mm jacks, but this supports up to 5.1-channel surround sound.
The star of the show is undoubtedly the BenQ G2420HDB monitor. It has a bright and even backlight, great contrast and natural-looking colours. AOC’s 24in 2436Vwa has a slight edge in picture quality, but it doesn’t have BenQ’s clear and easy-to-use menu system.
Other than the lack of USB3 support, the Jurassic 2500 is a well-rounded PC, providing a good balance of performance, expandability and quality peripherals. The three-year warranty is deceptive, though, as it includes replacement parts for only a year. But despite this, the Jurassic is still a great buy.
Basic Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Rating | **** |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-2500 |
| Processor external bus | 100MHz (Sandy Bridge DMI) |
| Processor multiplier | x33 |
| Processor clock speed | 3.3GHz |
| Processor socket | LGA1155 |
| Memory | 8 |
| Memory type | DDR3 |
| Maximum memory | 16GB |
| Motherboard | Asustek P8H61-M LE |
| Motherboard chipset | Intel H61 |
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 | tower |
| PCI-E x1 slots (free) | 2 (2) |
| PCI-E x16 slots (free) | 1 (1) |
| Free Serial ATA ports | 2 |
| Free memory slots | 0 |
| Free 3.5in drive bays | 4 |
Hard Disk | |
| Hard disk model(s) | Seagate Barracuda LP (ST1000DL002-9TT153) |
| Interface | SATA3 |
| Total storage capacity | 1,000GB |
Graphics | |
| Graphics card(s) | Intel HD Graphics 2000 |
| Graphics/video ports | VGA, DVI |
Sound | |
| Sound | Realtek HD Audio |
| Sound outputs | 5.1 line out |
| Speakers | none |
Removable Drives | |
| Supported memory cards | none |
| Optical drive type(s) | DVD+/-RW +/-DL BD-ROM |
Display | |
| Viewable size | 24 in |
| Screen model | BenQ G2420HDB |
| Native resolution | 1,920×1,080 |
| Screen inputs | VGA, DVI |
Other Hardware | |
| Keyboard | Logitech Deluxe 250 Keyboard |
| Mouse | Logitech B110 |
Software | |
| Software included | CyberLink PowerDVD 8BD |
| Operating system | Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit |
| Operating system restore option | Windows disc |
Buying Information | |
| Warranty | three years RTB (three years labour, one year parts) |
| Price | £550 |
| Details | www.dinopc.com |