Product Reviews

We're disturbed by the trend of naming PC products 'Fusion'. Extrapolating from current statistics, by the end of 2008 every item of hardware or software will be called 'Fusion'. It could get a bit, um, confusing. Name aside, though, this system epitomises the appeal of the £599 price point: gratifyingly affordable, yet with enough room in the budget for decent components and a few distinctive touches.

This system is not entirely dissimilar, by name or nature, from the slightly cheaper Fusion V6000 in our desktop group test last month. Again, you get a Hannspree XM monitor, with the love-it-or-hate-it styling that's become something of a running joke in the Buyer labs. Not everyone will want such a brutal design statement on their desk, but some will no doubt welcome it - not least fans of the 1996 Pamela Anderson vehicle Barb Wire, in which it would have been entirely at home. The display itself is vibrant, colourful and sharp, and at 19 inches across the diagonal, with a resolution of 1440x900 pixels, it gives you a decent-sized widescreen view without eating up your whole desk.

Next to that monitor, the system case looks rather low-key, but it's quite stylish in its own understated way, and there are good things inside. A fast dual-core AMD processor coupled with 2GB of RAM lets Vista Home Premium fly along nicely: a score of 175% in our general (2D) benchmark didn't break any records, but it's more than enough power for most applications. There are two spare memory

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slots, so you can add even more later, though the normal 32-bit versions of Windows Vista won't actually use more than 3GB.

When it comes to entertainment, the V6000GT is as good as you could hope for at this price. The 512MB 8600GT graphics card is nothing exceptional, but proved enough to win this PC a 3D test score of 117%. That means many games will run without a hitch, and even the latest titles should be playable if you're prepared to compromise a little on picture quality. The motherboard, which is usefully upgradable all round, can support two graphics cards, so you could add a second 8600GT to improve performance for around £85.

Canned tuner

PC Specialist have also included a TV tuner in an internal PCI Express slot, so you can watch TV on your PC. It's a good card, too: it receives all the Freeview channels, as long as your aerial's up to it, and has two tuners so you can use Vista's Windows Media Center or other software to record one channel while watching another. It's a small but welcome addition that makes the V6000GT particularly suitable as a do-it-all home or student PC.

The 500GB hard disk is more than generous for everyday use, and the optical drive can write a full DVD in around five minutes. It's nice to see the popular Nero 7 burning utility included, as well as PowerDVD 7 for watching movies - it all adds up to a sense that, despite the low price tag, no corners have been cut. The wireless keyboard and mouse add to that impression, and you get a pair of Logitech S220 speakers with a subwoofer to give a spacious sound. Don't expect to be blown away, but in a small room they're OK.

The Fusion V6000GT may not be the world's most powerful PC, but it's a well thought-out and likeable system with more and better extras than you'd expect for £599. If you spend most of your time in Windows you'll find very little to complain about, and even a spot of gaming is feasible, though serious players can't expect to be satisfied at this price. Overall, this is a great general purpose system for the money.