Setup and more thoughts
At the risk of rehashing old stuff, we'll just list the specifications one more time.
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AMD XP2700+ CPU 333FSB, AMD APPROVED COOLER
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ROUNDED CABLES
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MAXTOR 120GB S-ATA HARD DRIVE
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NEC 16X DVD-ROM
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NEC ND1300A +/- DVD Re-Writer
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ENERMAX CS-1018 WITH 353W ENERMAX PSU AND 4 INTERNAL FANS
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1024MB (2X512MB) CORSAIR XMS2700 CL2 MEMORY
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3.5" 6-IN-1 CARD READER
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128MB GAINWARD FX5200 ULTRA GOLDEN SAMPLE
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SONY 15" TFT (S51R)
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CHIEFTEC WIRELESS KEYBOARD AND MOUSE
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CREATIVE 5.1 5100 5 SPEAKER PACKAGE
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MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP HOME EDITION - SERVICE PACK 1
Software
- DirectX9
Notes
Our usual benchmarking suite will provide a stern test for this pre-configured system. The graphical benchmarks will be run at 1024x768x32 and at the same resolution but with 4x FSAA and 8x AF. The display's maximum resolution of 1024x768 doesn't permit testing at higher resolutions.
The Scan system booted successfully first time. As mentioned previously, the only component not working initially was the NEC 16x DVD-ROM. Its rounded cable had come away from the IDE port during transit. That's not a major concern, and its easy to fix for most users. It was left in stress mode (running Toast and SETI) over a 36-hour period. We're glad to report that it was still going strong after this time interval had elapsed. A simple and rather obvious method of reducing RMA claims is to build quality systems in the first instance. That appears to be the case with this particular sample.
One of the benefits of purchasing a pre-built machine is system support and warranty. Scan aim to call the customer 5 days after the machine has arrived at the nominated address, just to see if all is well. If a software fault occurs within the warranty period (definable at the point of purchase), Scan will attempt to diagnose problems over the 'phone. Note that third party software is excluded from this support, naturally. Hardware support depends upon cover selected. On-site cover infers that an engineer will visit once the fault has been confirmed. Standard cover necessitates the unit being shipped back to Scan and repaired. The average turnaround is reckoned to be 3 days from when the system is received. The contact telephone number is charged at local rates.
Yum, yum.
