Systemax Inspire 3152

We've explained time and again that buying a computer isn't a simple matter of chasing the highest numbers. A computer with the latest processor, graphics card and all the other bits and pieces may look good on paper, but often doesn't measure up in other areas.

This is not true, however, of the Inspire 3152 from Systemax. It's not the most attractive computer we have seen but it comes equipped with a high-end specification. It has an AMD Athlon XP 3000+ processor mated with a generous 1024Mb of memory and a 160Gb hard disk, which should be more than enough for all your needs. This is a good specification for an expensive PC with no obvious holes. As expected, the test results for overall performance were excellent, beating the majority of Athlon systems we have tested.

The Inspire 3152 comes with a CD-ROM drive and a CD-RW/DVD-RW combination drive, which pushes the price up slightly. Both a floppy drive and a memory card reader are provided, plus there's a USB 2 port built into the front. Having this means that USB devices such as MP3 players, cameras and games controllers can be plugged into the front of the PC, which is preferable to having to grope for the four further ports at the rear of the PC.

Inside, the case is very neat, with all the wiring tucked well out of the way. Two of the three memory slots are filled and although you're unlikely to need more, it still leaves one free for further upgrade. There is a spare drive bay, giving you the option to install another hard disk in the unlikely event that you run out of storage. An nVidia GeForce FX5900 Ultra graphics card is fitted.

This is top of the FX range and proved its worth in our graphics tests by producing outstanding results. In use with the 19in CTX CRT monitor, game lovers are in for a treat. The monitor is very large, however, which is not ideal if you're tight for space.

The speakers are ZXR-750s from Videologic with 7.1 surround sound to take care of all your cinematic and gaming needs. They sound great through the Creative Soundblaster Audigy 2 sound card. Separate sound cards have gone out of fashion with manufacturers these days as integrated sound has improved so much. Setting up all those speakers is a bit of a palaver but the results were worth it. A modem and TV tuner card take up another two PCI slots, which leaves three empty, however, one is effectively blocked by the large graphics card next to it.

The Systemax keyboard and mouse are nothing fancy but, overall, this is a system that has concentrated its efforts on performance and entertainment without the frills.

The Inspire 3152 comes pre-installed with Windows XP Home, Ability Office, Power DVD and VideoLive Mail 4. A three-year warranty is very welcome, two years of which are onsite. All in all, this is a good performance PC and full of extras, which is reflected in its price tag.

Contact: Simply Computers 0870 727 2130
www.systemaxpc.co.uk