Product Reviews

It's always difficult to know when to buy a PC. Almost every month we see systems that are quicker, have more extras and are cheaper than those we tested four weeks earlier. Seeing a system that trounces your pride and joy when it's barely a month old is a terrible feeling. But to avoid it, you could be left browsing and gripping your purse strings for an eternity. The key to a happier purchase is to know exactly why you're buying a system - which will help you avoid paying over the odds in the first place. Unless you're planning something really demanding, such as video editing, you'll get away with a budget system that won't depreciate as quickly. Something like Atlas' latest PC: the Meridian D850 CBM, based on the latest 850MHz AMD Duron.

The Duron chip has, since its launch, been a great credit to AMD. The processor is no slouch and, what's more, it's excellent value for money. The latest version runs at 850MHz and Computer Buyer is the first UK magazine to get its grubby mitts on the square of silicon. After benchmarking, I can happily report that the 850MHz chip continues Duron's excellent track record. The system's Word and Excel scores - which are strongly indicative of processor speed - are cracking.

The complete story of system performance does, however, consist of more than a single chapter entitled 'The Processor'. Memory plays a key role in the making of a great system, and the Atlas packs 128Mb of 133MHz SDRAM. If you're serious about keeping Windows running at its happiest, you should accept no less than this. Otherwise you'll experience hard disk thrashing and have to drum your fingers while big applications do their stuff.

To make a PC truly versatile, you're also going to need a large and fast hard disk. The Atlas packs a 27Gb Fujitsu drive, which is easily big enough to hold all your office applications, and a good spread of games. Mind you, it could have been better. My disappointment rests in the fact that the Fujitsu is only a UDMA/66 drive with a comparatively lowly spin speed of 5,400rpm. On the up side it does have 2Mb of cache built in - but, I'd like have to seen a 7,200rpm, UDMA/100 specification of disk.

The Atlas' motherboard could certainly

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cope with a better disk. While the vast majority of boards only support UDMA/66, the Atlas' Asus A7V motherboard has a built-in UDMA/100 controller. Also unlike the vast majority of its competitors, the A7V allows you to connect eight IDE devices. Hard disks, Zip, DVD-ROM and CD-R/W drives all use up IDE ports so you're quite likely to want more than the usual four. The A7V allows for a more complex and expansive PC to be built and is an exceptional foundation for a system.

Graphics are also a key component of a well-rounded PC. Modern PCs, even real bargain basement examples, are capable of running powerful 2D applications like spreadsheets and word processors. If, however, you're keen on playing the latest 3D games, you're going to need a system with more muscle. The 850MHz Duron is a great start, but it needs to be paired with a quick graphics card.

The Atlas boasts a Winfast GeForce2 MX with 32Mb of RAM. Based on the budget MX version of nVidia's all-conquering GeForce2 chip, this card is an excellent choice. Like the Duron is manages to combine bags of speed with a great price. Indeed, the pairing managed to score a highly commendable 4571 in our 3DMark graphics test.

The 17in CTX PR705E monitor doesn't let the side down either. It's very flat and, as a result, free from eye-offending glare and reflections. Thanks to its Trinitron tube, it also boasts image quality that's hard to fault. Everything is crisp and sharp. Colours, too, are highly vivid: well-saturated and bright.

With the key components covered to great effect, the Atlas also packs some great trimmings. There's a Teac CD-R/W which is ideal for creating your own music CDs and backing up your work. There's also a Hitachi DVD drive equipped with a copy of PowerDVD.

This software will allow you to watch movies on your PC when you've finished toiling for the day. You even get a TV tuner card.

Finally, sound. This is handled by a combination of a Guillemot Maxi Sound Fortissimo and a set of Diamond Audio technology Pro Media 2010's. Whether you're gaming or watching a movie, this team will impress without bumping the total price of the PC up unduly.

So, how will you feel a month after buying the Atlas? Well, probably too excited to care if a Duron 900 has been released! The Atlas is powerful enough to play awesome games, more then capable of surfing the web and running office applications, and is a great all-rounder that should get all the family involved.

The price too is excellent, so it should be some time before better £850 PCs become commonplace. So, despite minor gripes about the specification of the hard disk, I'd have to say that the Atlas Meridian D850 CBM is a bargain. If you're ready to splash out on a PC and have £850 to spend, buy one.