Chillblast Fusion Katana review

Airflow and cooling

The Nine Hundred Two isn't lacking for fans. There are two 120mm units in the front, another in the back, and a huge 200mm fan atop the chassis, and the result is that, even when idling, the Katana whirrs noticeably.

The noise doesn't get much louder when demanding games are running, but it's enough to prove distracting in quieter moments. It's not as bad as the raucous Mesh XGS PII 955R and the equal of the PC Specialist, which was also housed in an Antec Nine Hundred but, if quietness is a prerequisite, the Cyberpower Gamer Ultra Stealth is a better bet.

As usual, Chillblast has included peripherals that are the match for those included with rivals: the SyncMaster 2433 is excellent, with superb image quality and attractive design, and the keyboard and mouse - Razer's Arctosa and Diamondback 3G respectively - offer precision way beyond bo-standard Microsoft or Logitech offerings.

The only omission is a set of speakers, which can be added on Chillblast's website: the Logitech X-540s, which you get with the PC Specialist, costs an additional £39 exc VAT here, and you can even grab Logitech S220 2.1 speakers for a mere £5 extra.

So it may cost more than the PC Specialist and be a tad noisy, but the Chillblast still represents excellent value. It's the best gaming system we've ever seen, one of the fastest ever in our 2D benchmarks, and includes excellent peripherals. It's for these reasons that it emulates its predecessor, the Juggernaut, and takes a well-deserved spot on the A List.

Author: Mike Jennings