Labs

The Hannspree 19 inch monitor that accompanies the Fusion V6000 is one we've already seen a couple of times (search for 130493 at www.computerbuyer.co.uk to read our review). All faux industrial chic, it will appeal to teenagers, while everyone else may find it slightly over the top. But we kind of like it, and its image quality is good - nowhere near the superb Scaleoview that comes with the Fujitsu Siemens PC, but fine for everyday Windows work. The chunky bezel makes the screen seem more compact than it is, but there's a full 19 inches and 1440x900 pixels in there.

PC Specialist have teamed it rather stylishly with a mesh-fronted case containing a well put- together PC. It's powered

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by a 3GHz Athlon 64 X2 6000+ processor, making the Fusion the only AMD-based system on test. Its general (2D) benchmark score was the lowest in the group, but still within sight of the pack, and the nVidia 8600 GT graphics card managed just over 37 frames per second in our 3D test, so you'd be able to run many recent games at reasonable settings. There's also 2GB of RAM, which is practical for running Vista. The only let-down is the hard disk capacity: in a group with other systems offering up to 500GB, it's disappointing that the Fusion only offers 250.

We were also disappointed to find no FireWire ports. It's a failing shared by some other systems, but while some people think FireWire has had its day, it's the means by which almost all MiniDV camcorders connect, even if the latest tapeless models don't need it. USB is well catered for, though, with seven ports. Inside, there's plenty of space for upgrading, although one of the PCI slots is obscured by the double-height graphics card.

There's plenty to like in general here, not least the low price. PC Specialist also offers free delivery, which we approve of. For this money, we narrowly prefer the RL Modula: its 3D performance isn't as good, but for applications its speed is almost identical, and you get a better bundle of software and extras. It's a close race, though.