Labs

The dual-analog TV tuner version of the DMS II won a place on the A List when we first saw it, so it's no surprise that this slightly updated model compares well to the current competition.

Housed in the same distinctive chassis, the DMS's style received mixed views from the Labs team. It's bulky and has a retro feel, so its suitability will depend on the style of your living room.

The front has a scrolling digital display and a set of playback control buttons; little else is visible until you flip down the sturdy panel at the bottom. Behind it is a host of ports, including S-Video, composite and audio inputs, a card reader and a control stick for those 'lost-the-remote' moments.

The rear panel is a sight to behold - no other system is as sensibly laid out as this. TV inputs are separated from video outputs, which in turn are separated from audio outputs. It's all here: DVI,

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VGA, S-Video out, composite in; only the component output is missing. Audio connectors include RCA outputs for maximum compatibility.

Inside you'll find a 3.4GHz Pentium 4 650 and 1GB of DDR memory, aiding a 2D performance score of 0.85 - only slower than the Hush. This was matched by a table-topping Far Cry result. The GeForce 6600 managed 18fps, but with AA and AF turned off it achieved a more-than-playable 40fps.

The configuration supplied includes a 250GB hard disk and a dual-layer DVD writer for storage; you can upgrade to a 400GB disk for an extra £165. The bundled remote, like every other, lets you control all aspects of the Media Center interface, and you can surf the Internet and easily update the programme guide with the integrated 802.11b/g wireless adaptor. Fortunately, you'll hardly notice the system is turned on (it registered only 29.1dBA when idle), and was quieter than all but the Shuttle when playing a DVD (measuring 31.4dBA).

The DMS's disadvantage is that there's no option for two digital tuners. There are twin analog tuners plus a single digital card included in the price, but this is still more limited than Elonex's Artisan. We had a tough time choosing between the DMS and the Artisan, since both are great Media Center PCs and come with plenty of cables to hook up to your existing equipment. However, the latter's TV options plus the extra year of collect-and-return warranty for less money mean the Hi-Grade has to step down from the A List.