The first thing to note about the Advent 3509 is its processor. The 2.4GHz Pentium 4 is as fast as these things get right now so, if you demand the best, it's to be found right here.
The fast processor is complemented by 512Mb of memory and GeForce4-powered graphics hardware which helped the 3509 turn in a pretty impressive SysMark of 228.
During our new NoiseMark test the 3509 did well. Doing nothing other than being on and in an idle state it ticked over emitting sound that barely increased the ambient noise level in our test environment.
The noise rose only marginally when the PC was made to exercise its hard disk and other features, so the machine is unlikely to deafen the user.
Indeed, we could find little about the 3509 to criticise. Faster graphics facilities wouldn't have gone amiss but the A-class processor offsets this somewhat.
Also, the monitor made us wonder. The speaker-bearing Flatron 776FM from LG is a fine display but an odd choice for a machine that is supplied with a surround-sound audio system in the shape of Creative's PlayWorks DTT3500 Digital set.
Better buys can probably be found online or from mail-order operators, but whether potential savings outweigh the cash-and-carry convenience of buying from a shop is a decision for you alone.
Price: £1,628 (inc VAT)
Specifications:
Contact: PC World 0800 056 5732
www.pcworld.co.uk
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