Evesham Axis 64 3000+
Hardware
• MSI K8T Neo-FIS2R , VIA K8T800 Chipset, Socket 754 AMD Athlon 64 Motherboard
• AMD Athlon 64 Model 3000+ (10 x 200MHz, 2.0GHz, 512KB L2)
• ATI Radeon 9800SE All-In-Wonder, 128MB, AGP8X
• 2 x 256MB Hyundai PC3200 DDR Memory (CL3)
• Maxtor DiamondMax 9, 160GB, SerialATA HDD
• LG GSA-4040B DVD-RW (4x DVD-R, 2.4x DVD+RW, 2x DVD-RW, 24x CD-R)
• Sony DDU1612 16x DVD-ROM
• 19" Flatscreen CRT Monitor (LG Flatron F900P)
• Onboard Realtek ALC655 Audio
• Onboard Realtek 8110 Gigabit Ethernet
• Creative Inspire P580 5.1 speakers
• Microsof Wireless Keyboard and Mouse
• 56k Internal PCI Modem
Software
• Windows XP Home w/SP1A quick glance down the spec list shows that Evesham have chosen things right in pretty much every area. For the target market, the Radeon 9800SE All-In-Wonder is about as perfect a graphics card as you'd dare to specify. Essentially a full 9800 Pro with four disabled pipelines and 256-bit memory interface, combined with the All-In-Wonder features, you get DX8 and DX9 performance roughly equivalent to Radeon 9600XT, for the same price. The All-In-Wonder features which we've covered in detail here just serve to make it twice as attractive, it's easily my favourite graphics card of 2003 and an inspired choice.
• Intervideo WinDVD4 SE
• Pinnacle Instant CD+DVD
• BT Openworld/Evesham Internet Sign-up Package
• Pinnacle Studio SE 8.6
• Pinnacle Hollywood FX 4.6 (Studio SE effects package)
• Microsoft Works 7.0
Disk storage is taken care of by Maxtor's DiamondMax 9 series SATA disk, 160GB in capacity. Without showing the explicit HDTach graph for brevity, it recorded an average of 48MB/sec over the entire volume, peaking at 63MB/sec at the very start of the disk. The recorded random access time of 14.5ms puts it in the middle of the pack, compared to its market peers. STR performance is strong however and the capacity means it's a good choice for a PC at this price point.
Removable storage is provided by LG's GSA-4040B hybrid DVD±RW device. Able to write the most popular DVD format, DVD-R, at 4x and DVD+RW at 2.4x, it's a fine choice of writer until 8x devices become more prevalent. In operation (using purchased media, sadly it doesn't seem you get any to get you started), the drive is quiet, writing at 4x to my blanks with no fuss, using the supplied Pinnacle software. Sony get DVD-ROM reader duties with the nearly ubiquitous 16x DDU1612. As you'll see soon, although both drives are beige by default, Evesham purchases colour coded versions for your use in the Axis.
As mentioned before, Model 3000+ Athlon 64 gets CPU duties. With MSI's K8T Neo-FIS2R, a motherboard that Tarinder has noted for its quality in his recent look at the Axis 64 3200+, but one that we haven't discretely reviewed, powering the Axis 64, the CPU has a decent base with which to run from. A VIA K8T800 powered board, it brings strong features to the table including SATA RAID, decent sound from the Realtek ALC655 CODEC and Gigabit Ethernet. Plenty of PCI expansion means that Evesham chose well.
Like Time Computers and their recent systems that we've looked at recently, OEM manufacturers like Evesham are reluctant, for whatever reason, be it cost or support, to spec really high performance memory modules in their systems. Hyundai get the nod in the Axis 64 3000+, 512MB of PC3200 DDR memory that runs at fairly relaxed timings. The memory configuration, two sticks and relatively poor timings, is probably the low point of the configuration. With the CPU only having a single memory channel, the system doesn't need a pair of sticks to run. To help possible memory expansion and to avoid the pitfalls of running an Athlon 64 system with three memory modules, a single 512MB stick would be much more desirable, even if it ran the same memory timings as the Hyundai. You're limited to DDR266 (or worse) with three modules on Athlon 64, depending on their density. You'll need to remove the shipping memory in the Axis to upgrade its capacity, without taking a severe performance hit.
The extra peripherals certainly seek to make up for things though. Evesham ship a simply wonderful Microsoft Wireless keyboard and mouse combination. Having never used the set before, I'm smitten. The batteries in the mouse add weight, making it nicer to use than the lighter, wired Intellimouse that I'm used to. My only gripe is that I'm used to side buttons on an Intellimouse, but it's a small gripe at best. The keyboard is also wonderful. I'm a keyboard snob, my Apple Pro USB would usually have to be prised from my cold, dead hands. But having used the keyboard on the Axis 64, I'm sorely tempted to swap. Quiet, soft key action and the useful extra keys are a pleasure to use. Definitely the usage high point of the system for me. While it's subjective, you might prefer the feel of something else, I think it would be a highly agreeable keyboard and mouse for the majority of people. Wireless operation is an added bonus.
The Axis uses the onboard MSI sound, a Realtek ALC655. Lesser in spec than the ALC650 or ALC658, it's nonetheless a decent motherboard audio solution and sounds good to my ears. Creative get the speaker nod, Inspire P580s rounding things off. While I prefer the satellite speakers in the T7700s and the P580 subwoofer is also less powerful than that provided with the T7700s, as a sound source in a computer room or kid's bedroom, they do just fine. They won't fill a concert hall with acoustic bliss, but they do a damn good game of Unreal Tournament 2003. Positional audio works just fine, the P580s are a 5.1 speaker set.
The last human interface device is the LG Flatron F900P monitor. It's the third time I've seen it on a PC at HEXUS and my opinion of it is yet to change. Completely flat glass in all directions, fine focus, good geometry, good colour reproduction and BNC inputs make it one of the best 19" CRT monitors that you can buy. An LCD monitor would have been nice to see, but the F900P means that Evesham are forgiven.
Device Manager tells us the important stuff.
So we know what's inside, mid-range spec nirvana (nearly), what's it like in the flesh?
