Product Reviews

We didn't know until it arrived, but this compact PC from Transtec is basically the same computer as the Belinea o.max that we tested last month. This isn't unusual in the PC market, where everything from individual components to complete systems is available for different companies to rebadge. However, the Senyo is by no means identical to the o.max. Most obviously, while Belinea's case was pure white, the Transtec is silver with a red middle, putting us in mind of a 'jam sandwich' police car, or indeed an actual jam sandwich.

Transtec have also opted to install Windows XP rather than Vista Home Premium, so, unlike theo-max, this is not a system aimed at home entertainment - though there's nothing to stop you playing music on it and watching DVDs. Where Belinea supplied a remote control, the Transtec comes with a wired keyboard.

On the inside, the Senyo has a significantly more powerful processor, running at 2.4GHz. Oddly, this is accompanied by just 1GB of RAM, compared to the o.max's 2GB. The processor is what appears to justify the £140 price difference.

Neat and tidy

As we noted last time, the chassis is a masterpiece of design. The exterior has all the right connections, including sufficient USB 2 ports, a memory card reader, FireWire (essential for most MiniDV camcorder users) and a DVI-I digital monitor output, which is far better than the standard VGA.

Inside, components have been cleverly fitted together. Most of the space is taken

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up by the DVD drive and hard disk, and much of what's left is devoted to the CPU cooler: a small fan and a heatsink that diverts any excess warmth out of the side of the case. The Senyo, like the o.max, is exceptionally cool and quiet in use, and in combination with its tiny size this makes it a very discreet PC. The rest of the components weave in and out of the major parts on small circuit boards that have been shoehorned into every little gap. Unlike with shoebox-size systems from the likes of Shuttle and VeryPC, there's no room left for upgrades.

The components themselves are mostly laptop parts, chosen to save space and power. An Intel T300 processor is one of the most capable in the Core 2 Duo Mobile range. The 1GB of memory is provided by two laptop sticks. Unlike many desktop PCs, the Senyo has built-in WiFi, which supports the 802.11n standard for faster, more reliable connections with a compatible router.

The Transtec may cut a svelte figure, but there's nothing lightweight about its performance. In our 2D (general) benchmarks, it stormed to a result of 188%, enough to shame some full-size PCs and remarkable for such a compact machine. It's more than enough to handle work and the Internet, even if you run several tasks at once, though here more RAM would have helped. Performance is assisted by the inclusion of Windows XP Professional rather than Vista; you can opt for Vista Business at the same price if you prefer Microsoft's latest operating system and don't mind things getting a bit slower. As with the Belinea, the integrated graphics won't cope with 3D games.

Power consumption is notably low. Sitting idle (but not asleep), the Senyo used 31 watts, compared to the 100W or more needed by the average desktop PC, and impressively this only increased to 36W while we ran our demanding benchmarks.

The Transtec lets you work as efficiently as with a full-size PC, while taking up a fraction of the space. By the time you add the cost of a monitor, it's about the same price as a laptop with similar performance, such as the HP dv2750; the choice is yours.