Review: PC Specialist Vanquish Mini 130

Conclusion

PC Specialist continues to impress as one of the UK's premiere system integrators. Now in its 11th year, the Wakefield-based outfit has developed a knack for putting together a broad range of PCs that are well-built, thoughtfully specified, competitively priced and backed by comprehensive warranty options.

Proving that these core ingredients needn't only apply to high-end machines, the Vanquish Mini 130 is a smaller, more-affordable box that will strike a lot of the right notes for mainstream users.

Armed with a fourth-generation Intel Core i3 processor and GeForce GTX 660 graphics, the £549 SFF system has the components to double as an everyday workhorse and a capable gaming rig. The Vanquish Mini 130 could, for all intents and purposes, be considered a Windows-based equivalent to the heavily-hyped Steam Box.

These are admirable qualities at a competitive price point, yet while PC Specialist's build gets most things right, it falls short of perfection in two key areas; the system as a whole really needs to be quieter during use; and a hybrid drive would be preferred over the fully mechanical hard disk. There's room for improvement, but the Vanquish Mini 130 is proof that gaming PCs needn't break the bank.

The Good

Capable performance on a budget
Good 1080p gaming potential
Relatively-small chassis
Well put together
3-year warranty

The Bad

Noisy during use
Lacks speed of flash-based storage

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PC Specialist Vanquish Mini 130

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The Vanquish Mini 130 PC is available to purchase from PC Specialist.

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