Eclipse Matrix i25z68 review
Eclipse's overclocked Matrix i25z68 has a decent set of components and room for expansion, but it's outclassed by similarly priced PCs with bigger monitors and Blu-ray drives
Specifications
4GHz Intel Core i5-2500K, 4GB RAM, 22in 1,920×1,080 display, Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
If you did want to add a graphics card at a later date, you might also want to consider some more cooling. There aren’t any case fans fitted, and while Intel’s Core chips are generally very power-efficient, Eclipse has stuck with Intel’s standard fan, despite the overclock.
Externally, there’s a total of eight USB ports, two of which are on the front panel. Two of the rear ports support the faster USB3 standard, and two are used up by the budget Logitech keyboard and mouse set, which are fine as a starter set. Audio buffs are well-catered for: as well as five 3.5mm jacks for 7.1 surround sound, you also get an optical S/PDIF that can be used with older AV equipment that doesn’t support audio via HDMI.
The Matrix i25z68’s overclocked chip and 1TB hard disk make it an interesting proposition, and there’s plenty of room for upgrades, but its 22in monitor lets it down slightly. The Dino PC Jurassic 2500 is almost as fast but adds a Blu-ray drive and a 24in monitor to the mix, making it better value.
Basic Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Rating | *** |
| Processor | Intel Core i5-2500K |
| Processor external bus | 100MHz (Sandy Bridge DMI) |
| Processor multiplier | x40 |
| Processor clock speed | 4GHz |
| Processor socket | LGA1155 |
| Memory | 4 |
| Memory type | DDR3 |
| Maximum memory | 32GB |
| Motherboard | ASRock Z68 Pro3 |
| Motherboard chipset | Intel Z68 |
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) | 3 (3) |
| PCI-E x16 slots (free) | 1 (1) |
| Free Serial ATA ports | 4 |
| Free memory slots | 2 |
| Free 3.5in drive bays | 5 |
Hard Disk | |
| Hard disk model(s) | Samsung SpinPoint F1 HD103SJ |
| Interface | SATA2 |
| Total storage capacity | 1,000GB |
Graphics | |
| Graphics card(s) | Intel HD Graphics 3000 |
| Graphics/video ports | VGA, DVI, HDMI |
Sound | |
| Sound | Realtek HD Audio |
| Sound outputs | 7.1 line out, optical S/PDIF out |
| Speakers | none |
Removable Drives | |
| Supported memory cards | none |
| Optical drive type(s) | DVD+/-RW +/-DL |
Display | |
| Viewable size | 22 in |
| Screen model | BenQ G2220HD |
| Native resolution | 1,920×1,080 |
| Screen inputs | VGA, DVI |
Other Hardware | |
| Keyboard | Logitech Deluxe 250 Keyboard |
| Mouse | Logitech B110 |
Software | |
| Software included | none |
| Operating system | Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit |
| Operating system restore option | Windows disc |
Buying Information | |
| Warranty | one year RTB |
| Price | £550 |
| Details | www.eclipse-computers.com |