PC Specialist Vortex i5 750GTS

The ‘i5’ in the name of PC Specialist’s new Vortex i5 750GTS refers to the computer’s processor, which is one of the new Core i5 models from Intel.

It’s the company’s newest range of quad-core processors, and while the i5 750 processor in this computer is not top of the range it’s still extremely fast.

The Vortex i5 750GTS has 4GB of memory and an Nvidia Geforce GTS250 graphics card that has 1GB of its own memory.

For storage there is a 750GB hard disk and a DVD burner that will read and write all kinds of discs except Blu-ray. This can also etch labels onto special discs using Lightscribe technology. It also has a memory card reader.

The computer comes in a heavy all-metal case with a stylish door on the front that conceals the drive bays, DVD writer, memory card reader and one of the 15 USB ports (there are four more on the side of the front door and ten on the back panel).

It also covers the power and reset switches. There is lots of room for expansion inside, with two of the four memory sockets free and plenty of space for extra disc drives (Blu-ray, for example).

The graphics card has both DVI and VGA outputs for connection to monitors and a 22in Acer model was supplied with our review unit, with cables for both kinds of connection.

It was a good-quality screen with decent colour reproduction, sharpness and brightness. The computer also has a HDMI output so it can be connected to a suitable flat-panel television screen.

In addition to the ports and sockets we talked about above, there are eSata and Firewire sockets, a wired network connection, keyboard and mouse sockets and sound outputs and inputs (including an optical sound output).

As a desktop computer it cannot connect to wireless networks or Bluetooth without adding extra hardware but that is no great loss given that the Vortex i5 750GTS isn’t designed to be mobile.

The keyboard and mouse supplied were reasonable Logitech wireless models, with batteries included so you can get going straight away.

It comes with a one-year warranty and the Windows 7 Home Premium operating system, as well as Nero and Cyberlink software for creating and playing discs.

PC Specialist helpfully supplied all the manuals for the various components, along with a friendly, easy-to-follow quick start booklet. Impressively, PC Specialist supplies a full Windows 7 CD in the box, not just a system restore disc.

At just under £800 the Vortex i5 750GTS is not cheap, even when it comes to gaming computers.

However, the components in this computer are top-notch, with a processor and graphics card that are well capable of playing recent games at high levels of detail.

For tasks such as video editing, which are similarly hard on the computer’s processor (and sometimes the graphics card) it’s also a superb choice of computer.

If you are more of a light user, with email and word processing in mind, we would not recommend a computer this powerful.

But as a family workhorse, say, that can handle lots of different tasks, and with its enormous amount of storage space and expansion options, the i5 750GTS is an excellent choice.

For more information about the computer, and to buy, click here.