VeryPC Fulwood in Desktop PCs

And while VeryPC offers plenty of customisation when ordering the Fulwood, the tiny dimensions of the AOpen chassis means that compromise is inevitable. If you'd like a dual TV tuner, for instance, then say goodbye to wireless internet, and the same goes if you'd like any of the other options that VeryPC offers - including modem, FireWire and USB cards for extra sockets.

The big problem with this little PC, however, isn't the specification or the compromises you may have to make, it's the price: at a starting cost of £739, with the TV tuner and wireless chip adding £69 and £39 respectively, it totals a whopping £847 exc VAT - far costlier than either the £606 Senyo or the £765 VAIO, the latter of which comes with Blu-ray and dual TV tuners.

The Fulwood is a perfectly competent Media Center PC. It boasts excellent performance, a decent feature set that includes both TV tuner and wireless, plus highly commendable green credentials. Only the high price robs it of a recommendation.

Author: Mike Jennings