Product Reviews

Most of the best PCs we've seen over the past year or so have used a processor from Intel's Core 2 range. And for good reason: their combination of performance and low price is hard to beat. Now AMD, Intel's long-time rival, has finally released the Phenom range of processors to challenge the Core 2.The Gamer Ultra 950 is one of the first computers we've seen to come equipped with a Phenom processor.

CyberPower has paired the Phenom 9500 with a sensible 2GB of RAM. This gave creditable results in our benchmarks, especially in tasks such as video encoding, which are designed to take advantage of the extra cores in AMD's quad core processor. It wasn't quite as fast in other tasks such as photo editing, though, where it slipped behind similarly priced Core 2 Duo PCs.

As you'd hope, gamers will find a lot to like in this system. AMD owns graphics card maker ATI, so unsurprisingly CyberPower has chosen one of ATI's latest models, the Radeon HD 3870, which made short work of our demanding 3D tests. This system should have no trouble playing most of the latest games, although it can't quite match the slightly pricier machines in this month's PC group test. If you want a further 3D performance boost in the future, you can add a second ATI graphics card in CrossFire mode. Within the CyberPower's case, however, if you install another HD 3870, a double-slot card, it'll block off

ADVERTISEMENT

one of the two empty PCI slots, preventing its use for other internal extras such as a TV tuner.

Sound is also important for a satisfying gaming experience, but is all too often overlooked. Although no speakers are included with the Gamer Ultra 950, a Creative X-Fi sound card is built in. This can produce more realistic effects in games that support it, such as Doom 3. The X-Fi is a more useful accessory than the sub-standard speakers often included with PCs at this price, as long as you allow for speakers in your budget.

The HD 3870 has a pair of DVI ports for display connection, but the supplied 22 inch widescreen monitor only has a traditional D-sub socket. It's an odd choice, and you may have to tweak the settings to get the best picture. Still, we found image quality acceptable for everyday use. Movies looked bright and sharp, and while the matt finish may not look as slick as glossy screens, it won't reflect overhead lighting, which can be distracting.

Glow of satisfaction

The 320GB hard disk could start feeling cramped if you're a particularly enthusiastic photographer or gamer, but there's room for up to four more internal drives if you need extra space. You could also add a memory card reader and a second optical drive, for easier disc copying.

The Gamer Ultra's curvy black case and glowing red lights suit its target market, and we grew quite attached to the futuristic styling.We weren't so fond of the cordless Logitech keyboard and mouse. The keyboard felt spongy and unresponsive, and the mouse's tracking wasn't as smooth as we'd have liked. Both typists and gamers may want to get a better-quality USB set.

The Gamer Ultra 950 isn't without its flaws, but it's fast in Windows and games, and comes with a quality sound card. The Phenom processor doesn't deliver a knock-out blow against Intel's Core 2, but it's good to find such a hefty processor and graphics card inside a stylish PC at this price.