Medion Akoya E7330D

Medion’s desktop computers tend not to be the best-looking of devices, and the E7330D, an Aldi special on sale from Sunday 27 September, is no exception.

Its shiny plastic front isn’t bad but overall the squat design doesn’t do the computer any favours.

Then again, with a desktop computer looks are perhaps the least important of its characteristics. Far more interesting is what goes on inside the case: it has an Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300 processor with 4GB of memory, an Nvidia Geforce GT220 graphics card which has 1GB of its own memory, and a 640GB hard disk. In addition to that storage, there’s a CD/DVD writer that reads and writes all current formats except Blu-ray.

Those are impressive credentials, and this computer is certainly capable of coping with most tasks up to and including video editing, likely to be the most demanding thing a home user will do, aside from playing games. Despite its 1GB of memory, the Geforce GT220 is not the fastest graphics card around, so while modern games will play properly, you may have to turn down the detail levels a little to get them to run at a decent speed.

As with other Medions the E7330D has plenty of connection ports and sockets. There are two USB ports, headphone and microphone sockets and an eSata port hidden under a flap on the front panel, which also covers a memory card reader. On the back are four more USB ports, surround-sound outputs and Firewire and network sockets. The computer can also connect to wireless networks. The graphics card has DVI, VGA and HDMI outputs so that it can connect to any kind of monitor or flat-panel television set. There’s also a connector on the top for a special Medion hard disk.

The supplied wired keyboard and mouse were not particularly impressive and the computer doesn’t come with a monitor. It does include a three-year warranty, though, along with an impressive software package including Microsoft Works 9, Corel Painter Essentials, Corel Draw Essentials and Corel Home Office. The supplied Windows Vista Home Premium comes with a voucher for an upgrade to Windows 7 when it’s released in October (you'll have to pay a handling fee for the Windows 7 disc).

As an upgrade PC the Akoya E7330D is an impressive deal with lots of power and storage space.