Summary and conclusion

It is clear that MSI have put a great deal of time and effort into producing the MegaPC. The result is a very well built machine that contains some excellent engineering design and some interesting features.

Internally we feel that MSI have produced one of the most useable mini pc solutions on the market today. Externally the materials used are excellent with the exception of the front where too much plastic has been used. The colour scheme will undoubtedly put some people off.

MSI's attempt at making the MegaPC into more than just a computer is to be applauded. The HiFi concept works very well and adds a new dimension to the quest for space saving solutions. It is all too easy to pick fault with aspects of the HiFi package and yes it could be better, but lets not forget that MSI are bringing something new to the party here. Our one request is that better use be made of the front LCD display when the machine is run in PC mode.

The choice of an SiS chipset may well make the system slower than it could be. We did, however, find the system to be very well balanced and extremely reliable.

With so many features we can see many uses for the MegaPC, but with its multimedia bias it is probably best suited as an all round home machine. Don't underestimate its potential as a LAN box with a good AGP graphics card though.

The mini PC market is getting very crowded; potential buyers have plenty of choice at the moment. MSI have exactly the right approach and have created something different with unique features to enable it to stand out from the crowd. We wish the MegaPC every success.

We will be sorry to see the MegaPC disappear from the Labs as we have grown very fond of it and that's always a clear sign of a good product.

Pros

Great internal design
Unique HiFi ability
Excellent features
Very reliable

Cons

Colour scheme will put some people off
Too much plastic on the front
Lacks the performance ability of it's competitors