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 Arbico Computers Reviews and Articles
Arbico Family i3 4185 Desktop PC Arbico Computers


Arbico Family i3 4185 Desktop PC

At £675, Arbico’s Family i3 4185 desktop PC looks like a reasonably-priced option, offering a significant saving over many of the family PCs.   The Arbico Family i3 4185 features a modest 3.4GHz Core i3-4130 dual-core processor, teamed up with AMD Radeon R7 250 2GB Graphics Card, 8 GB of memory, a 120 GB SSD and 1TB hard disk. It's not the fastest PC you can buy, but it's all you need in a computer intended for family use.   Arbico Family i3 4185 Performance scores
PCMark7 overall score: 4800
PCMark 8 Home score: 3777
PCMark 8 Work score: 4669
PCMark 8 Creative score: 4459
PCMark 8 Storage score: 4711

  Verdict

The Arbico Family i3 4185 doesn’t go overboard with processor or graphics performance, but offers a complete system with a balanced set of features at a modest price. While not fast in benchmark results, it’s certainly fast enough for day-to-day use and even for a bit of gaming. An ideal family PC  
   
 

Arbico Elite 3565XL Family PC Arbico Computers

The Arbico Elite 3565XL is a compact family PC that manages to pack in plenty of features including a performance-boosting 60B SSD and a Blu-ray drive.

Based on the powerful 3.4GHz Intel Core i5-3570 processor, the Arbico Elite 3565XL is a PC that delivers ample performance for family use.  Arbico has wisely opted for the standard version of the processor rather than the overclockable "K" version, thereby shaving a little off the overall price. As a discrete graphics card is included there would be little to gain from the faster built-in graphics of the "K" chip. The graphics card included here is a factory-overclocked nVidia GeForce GTX 650 from KFA2.

The Arbico Elite 3565XL system ships with a 23.6in AOC E2450SWDA monitor with offers a reasonably high specification, featuring the now-standard LED backlight and slim frame. A Logitech MK260 wireless keyboard and mouse combo is included with the Arbico Elite 3565XL, which is a very low-cost item but popular with many vendors at this price category and adequate for most users. This PC's CiT Templar system case is pleasantly compact, and devoid of any aggressive-looking design details or transparent panels which might push it into gaming PC territory.

Arbico Elite 3565XL: performance scores

PCMark 7 score: 5519
Sniper Elite V21: 25.9 / 6.4
AVP: 41 / 21.7
Power consumption: 54 / 121

Verdict

The Arbico Elite 3565XL is an inexpensive Intel PC that delivers very good overall performance.
Experience the real 3d Vision with Award wining VG278H !! Arbico Computers
Arbico Computers Limited glad to announce that new Asus VG278H Monitor have won “Recommended Award” from Techradar. Arbico always prefer the best innovative technology consequently after releasing VG278H, Arbico Computers offer this monitor on its site. Asus VG278H comes with integrated IR emitter and bundled with the new 3D Vision 2 glasses as well as with support for the new Nvidia 3D Lightboost technology that is promising a brighter image in stereo 3D mode. It also has HDMI 1.4 a interface with support for stereoscopic 3D input with various other S3D-capable devices. Another exciting this is that the infrared emitter for the 3D glasses, located at the top of the display is placed in an adjustable “box” that you can rotate in order to better fit to your specific style of use of the monitor. And together with the highly adjustable stand of the monitor you get more flexibility when setting up the display. With new 3D Lightboost technology you will experience the darkness areas seem brighter. Asus VG278H delivers genuine picture quality with full 1920×1080 pixels, 50,000,000:1 Contrast ratio with integrated Audio.   Verdict: We're genuinely impressed by the 3D experience on offer from the Asus VG278H 3D PC monitor. The 3D Vision 2 glasses supplied team up with LightBoost to deliver better depth and image clarity than we've seen before in a 3D screen.   You can get this TFT with any of our PCs.
Arbico Elite i7-2657 MX mkII - PC Advisor Best Buy Power PC, NOV 2011 Arbico Computers

Version two of Arbico's Elite i7-2657 MX PC offers excellent system-wide performance and a very well-balanced selection of components..
 
The revamped Arbico Elite I7-2657 MX mkII now offers excellent system-wide performance and a very well-balanced selection of components.
The Arbico runs a multiplier-unlocked Intel Core i7-2600K processor, and its base frequency of 3.4GHz can be easily overclocked. In its standard configuration, however, the Elite I7-2657 MX mkII recorded a staggering 180 points in WorldBench 6.
This excellent result was helped by the Arbico Elite I7-2657 MX mkII’s 120GB OCZ Vertex 3 solid-state drive (SSD). It offers twice the capacity of any other SSD in the chart, and very good performance thanks to a brand-new controller and 6 gigabits per second (Gbps) SATA interface. The hard drive has also been upped from 1.5 terabytes (TB) to 2TB.
Gamers will appreciate the Arbico Elite I7-2657 MX mkII's nVidia GeForce GTX 570 graphics card with 1.28GB of video memory.
An Asus P8P67 Pro motherboard offers features such as Bluetooth, four USB 3.0 ports (two internal, two external), scalable link interface (SLI) and easy overclocking.
The 24in LED-backlit Asus monitor is a high-quality display. It has three video inputs, including HDMI. A 10-speed Blu-ray drive is a perfect partner for HD film playback, and a set of five surround speakers complete the Arbico Elite I7-2657 MX mkII's multimedia package.
The Arbico Elite I7-2657 MX mkII is housed in a Raidmax Altas system case with a mesh side panel and slot covers, plus blue LED-fitted 120mm fans. Tool-free drive bays are found inside.
Verdict: You can get faster graphics and a bigger monitor for the money, but the Arbico Elite I7-2657 MX mkII balances performance with features, and includes some cutting-edge components.
 
Arbico Elite i7 2657 MX - PC Advisor Best Buy Power PC, AUG 2011 Arbico Computers
Arbico’s Elite i7-2657 MX power desktop PC delivers excellent system-wide performance and a well-balanced selection of components. In its standard configuration, the Arbico Elite i7-2657 MX PC recorded a staggering WorldBench 6 score of 180 points – and it wasn’t even the fastest on test. This is partly due to the inclusion of a speedy 120GB OCZ Vertex 3 solid-state drive (SSD), roughly twice the capacity of any other in the chart, a brand-new controller chip and support for SATA 6 gigabits per second (Gbps). A 1.5-terabyte (TB) hard drive provides extra storage. The Arbico Elite i7-2657 MX's nVidia GeForce GTX 570 graphics card delivers smooth framerates in most games, even at full-HD resolution and the highest quality settings. The heart of the Arbico Elite i7-2657 MX is an Asus P8P67 Pro motherboard. It offers a host of enthusiast features, including Bluetooth, four USB 3.0 ports, scalable link interface (SLI) support for multiple graphics cards and overclocking options. The Arbico Elite i7-2657 MX's 24in Asus VE247H may not be the largest here, but this high-quality display features LED backlighting and three video inputs, including HDMI. A 10-speed Blu-ray drive is provided for HD movie playback, with 5.1-channel surround speakers (five speakers and a subwoofer) completing the Arbico Elite i7-2657 MX’s multimedia credentials. The Arbico Elite i7-2657 MX is housed in a Raidmax Altas case, with a mesh side panel and 120mm fans fitted with cool blue LEDs. Matching blue mesh expansion slot covers are an interesting touch. Inside are tool-free drive bays. Processor: Intel’s 3.4GHz quad-core Core i7-2600K offers fantastic performance, hyperthreading, Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz and easy overclocking. Verdict: You can get faster graphics and a bigger monitor for the money, but the Arbico Elite i7-2657 MX power desktop PC offers a great balance of performance and features.
Arbico Elite i7269 OCX - Custom Built Desktop Computer - PC Pro Recommended
We’re used to seeing brooding black enclosures in the PC Pro Labs, so the arrival of Arbico’s Elite i7269 OCX drew little attention at first. Closer examination, however, raised the interest levels: inside that plain Antec P193 chassis is an unusual layout and a pretty monstrous specification.
The headline feature is one of AMD’s dual-GPU Radeon HD 6990 graphics cards – the fastest money can buy, with its modified HD 6970 cores. An average of 85fps in our 1,920 x 1,080 Very High quality Crysis test is the second fastest we’ve ever seen, just 7fps behind the two HD 6970s of the record-holding
The Arbico continued to excel in tougher tests. Adding 8x anti-aliasing to that Crysis test took just 10fps off, and upping the resolution to 2,560 x 1,600 merely gave the HD 6990 more room to stretch its ample legs: a score of 44fps with 8x anti-aliasing and Very High quality is 4fps slower than the Wired2Fire, but streets ahead of most other PCs.
Processing power is provided by Intel’s finest mid-range chip, the Core i5-2500K. The unlocked multiplier has allowed Arbico to up the clock from 3.3GHz to a healthier 4.6GHz, and a benchmark score of 1.13 is excellent. Eight gigabytes of RAM is fast becoming the norm for enthusiast systems, as is the pairing of a 1TB hard disk with an SSD – this time a 120GB OCZ Vertex3 model. You also get a Blu-ray drive.
The Antec chassis interior divides several key components into their own sections. Open the sturdy front door and you’ll find smaller doors that give access to the two 120mm fan spaces Arbico has left vacant. The meshed plastic that covers the two 5.25in bays can be removed with a pair of clips. The four hard disk bays are housed in their own small cage, unlocked with a thumbscrew and removed using a small handle. The pair of front-facing 3.5in bays are accessed via the same mechanism.
The modular, 1000W power supply is also sequestered into its own area, while the generous motherboard tray helps to keep the interior tidy, and the port selection includes USB 3, a wealth of USB 2 ports, three eSATA sockets and a card reader.
Verdict: It's rough around the edges, but the dual-GPU graphics card makes for gaming heaven.
Arbico eXcel i5250 MX - Custom Built Desktop PC - PC ADVISOR BEST BUY, JULY 2011 Arbico Computers
With its eXcel i5250 MX, Arbico has made some shrewd component selections and delivered a PC that not only performs well, but looks rather more expensive than its budget should allow.
It’s based on an Intel Core i5-2500 CPU running at 3.3GHz. The overclockable ‘K’ version of this chip selected by Palicomp has the potential to be faster still, but the Arbico eXcel i5250 MX desktop PC nonetheless gave the best showing in our WorldBench 6 test, and scored 159 points.
A 4GB RAM allocation and one-terabyte (1TB) hard drive are standard offerings at this price. You also get a 21.5in full-HD monitor – a good-value model from AOC that’s been selected by every vendor here – and a set of Logitech stereo speakers with the Arbico eXcel i5250 MX PC.
Verdict: Arbico’s eXcel i5250 MX desktop PC is good-looking, supremely fast and covered by a two-year warranty.
Arbico Elite i7-2656 HD – Custom Built Gaming PC- PC ADVISOR RECOMMENDED, JULY 2011
The Arbico Elite i7-2656 HD PC's somewhat bizarre looks come courtesy of the NZXT Gamma system case. The front panel zig-zags in and out for no apparent reason, but the design does give a slight upward tilt to the USB, audio and eSATA ports mounted at the front.
Inside is a super-fast Intel Core i7-2600K processor. At this level of performance, however, you’ll want to keep things cool inside - particularly if you plan to overclock the CPU (note that you should still upgrade the standard Intel CPU cooler). The Arbico Elite i7-2656 HD PC can support up to six fans, three of which are preinstalled. There’s also a mesh front panel for improved airflow, plus perpendicular drive bays for easy access and cable routing to help keep things tidy.
Arbico has selected the ‘Pro’ version of Asus’ P8P67 motherboard. This is one of the better models available, with dual-graphics card support and built-in Bluetooth. The Elite i7-2656 HD's 8GB of DDR3 RAM leaves no memory slots spare, however.
Excellent graphics performance comes from the Arbico Elite i7-2656 HD's GTX 560 Ti. In some games, this card can beat even the Radeon HD 6950.
You also get a good-quality 23.6in monitor, a Blu-ray drive and a pair of external speakers, but no surround sound is offered by the Arbico Elite i7-2656 HD.
Overall: Arbico’s Elite i7-2656 HD PC was beaten by our Best Buy in WorldBench 6, but came out ahead in our games tests. It offers a fantastic system case and motherboard. Highly recommended.
Arbico-i3 5600 XL - Custom Built Budget Desktop PC - PC ADVISOR RECOMMENDED, MARCH 2011 Arbico Computers
Small but mighty, the 3.33GHz Core i3-560-powered Arbico i3 5600 XL budget desktop PC delivers the best Windows performance in the chart.
The Arbico i3 5600 XL budget desktop PC recorded a score of 135 in our WorldBench 6 test, beating our Best Buy machine’s tally by a single point. Like that PC, it’s built around a USB 3.0-compatible Asus motherboard. But its faster CPU leaves less room in the budget to offer a dedicated graphics card and a speaker set that includes a subwoofer.
A 4GB allocation of system RAM and a generous 1TB hard drive & AOC F22+ monitor are supplied. The AOC F22+ display offers a full-HD resolution and 0.25mm pixel pitch, and comes with a VGA connection and dual-DVI ports.
Arbico Elite i7 9568 HSD - Bloomfield Custom Built Power PC - PC ADVISOR RECOMMENDED, FEBRUARY 2011 Arbico Computers
A single point shy of the 160-mark in WorldBench 6, Arbico’s Elite i7 9568 HSD is the fastest machine yet to grace our desktop PC charts. Based on a 3.06GHz Intel Core i7-950 processor, it features premium components and delivers impressive scores across the board, yet touts only a £1,279 price tag.
Fitted with 12GB of DDR3 RAM, the Arbico Elite i7 9568 HSD desktop PC has double the amount of memory we’re used to seeing in a Core i7 system. Its roomy 1.5TB hard drive offers 50 percent more disk space than most of its rivals too. Arbico has selected a 60GB OCZ SSD to supplement storage, and this Vertex 2 model is one of the fastest available.
An ATI Radeon HD 6870 graphics card delivers very good value for money, but the Arbico Elite i7 9568 HSD desktop PC can’t match the performance of the slightly older HD 5870s selected by Chillblast and Palicomp, nor the CyberPower’s GeForce GTX 480. We recommend keen gamers sacrifice a little general performance and plump for a machine with superior graphics, such as Chillblast’s Fusion Reaper.
The Arbico Elite i7 9568 HSD desktop PC's 23.6in HKC 2249A monitor is very popular in mid- to high-end systems, offering good image quality and a full-HD resolution at a reasonable price.
A Blu-ray/DVD-combo drive is included with the Arbico Elite i7 9568 HSD desktop PC.
Arbico i3 5500 XL - Custom Built i3 Budget PC - PC ADVISOR RECOMMENDED, JANUARY 2011 Arbico Computers
After last issue Arbico i3-5445 XL ranked fourth in our £500 desktop PCs chart, the company has taken a slightly different approach with its i3-5500 XL. And the new tack has paid off. After last issue Arbico i3-5445 XL ranked fourth in our £500 desktop PCs chart, the company has taken a slightly different approach with its i3-5500 XL. Gone is the pricey Radeon HD 5450 graphics card, which added support for DirectX 11.0 and extra outputs, but little in the way of gaming frame rates. Instead, Arbico has spent the cash on a faster processor and better components. And the decision has paid off.
A 3.2GHz Intel Core i3-550 processor powered the Arbico i3-5500 XL budget desktop PC to a chart-leading score of 132 points in World Bench 6. This machine is considerably faster than its i3-540-based predecessor, which scored 127 points. Now relying on integrated graphics, the Arbico i3-5500 XL budget desktop PC put in the poorest showing in our Fear gaming test, offering 17fps at 1024x768 and Maximum settings. Only a few frames slower than PCs equipped with a Radeon HD 5450 graphics card, this setup is more than adequate for playing HD multimedia.
Arbico Elite i7 9500 HSD - Custom Built Gaming PC - PC ADVISOR BEST BUY, DECEMBER 2010 Arbico Computers
With an Intel Core i7-950 processor and a 60GB SSD, the Arbico Elite i7-9500 HSD is the fastest power desktop PC on test. Arbico’s decision to build its Elite i7-9500 HSD around the Core i7-950 all but guarantees this will be a powerful desktop PC. Add a 60GB OCZ solid-state disk (SSD), and this PC offers the fastest performance here.
ATI flagship single-chip graphics card, the Radeon HD 5870, is supplied with 1GB of DDR5 memory. It enabled the Arbico Elite i7-9500 HSD power desktop PC to deliver impressive gaming results in our tests, where it was on a par with the nVidia GTX 470. Both cards were beaten by the dual-graphics setup of Eclipse Armageddon, however. Arbico Elite i7-9500 HSD power desktop PC scored higher in WorldBench 6 (154 points versus 153), but was slower in our games tests.
Other components include 6GB of DDR3 RAM, a 1.5 terabyte (TB) hard drive and the popular Asus P6X58D-E motherboard. Found in three of our top five machines, this board offers support for SATA 6 gigabits per second (Gbps) and USB 3.0. It also comes with three PCI Express x16 slots, letting you add two more graphics cards for maximum gaming power. Our one concern is that the 580W power supply unit (PSU) supplied with the Arbico Elite i7-9500 HSD power desktop PC might not be capable of handling a lifetime of component upgrades. A 23.6in full-HD monitor is supplied with the Arbico Elite i7-9500 HSD power desktop PC.
Arbico Elite i7 8785 HD - Custom Built Power System PC ADVISOR RECOMMENDED, NOVEMBER 2010 Arbico Computers
Excellent all-round performance comes from the only power desktop PC in our group test to feature a Blu-ray drive, the Arbico Elite i7-8785 HD. Based on the ever-popular quad-core Intel Core i7-870, Arbico’s Elite i7-8785 HD is a well-balanced power desktop PC with a base clock speed of 2.93GHz. This increases to 3.6GHz using Turbo Boost, powering the Arbico to a joint-fastest WorldBench 6 score of 143 points.
Also very popular at this price point is the Arbico’s ATI Radeon HD 5850 graphics card. Its DirectX 11.0 capabilities and sheer graphics clout enable it to outperform the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460 in our Crysis and Stalker: Call of Pripyat tests. The Arbico Elite i7-8785 HD power desktop PC is beaten only by Palicomp’s factory-overclocked variation on the same card and Eclipse’s twin-GTX 460 setup.
Arbico has selected the Cooler Master Elite 330 for its Elite i7-8785 HD power desktop PC. This is a well-constructed, smart system case, but it’s almost boring next to the Eclipse’s imposing NZXT Beta. It also lacks the capacity for the level of cooling that would be required for serious overclocking.
A 4GB allocation of DDR3 memory is supplied with the Arbico Elite i7-8785 HD power desktop PC, along with a terabyte (1TB) hard drive and a powerful 850W power supply unit (PSU). A 24in full-HD monitor and a set of five speakers and a subwoofer are also supplied with the Arbico Elite i7-8785 HD power desktop PC, nicely complemented by a Blu-ray drive.
Arbico-i3 5445 XL - Core i3 Custom Built Budget PC REVIEWED IN PC ADVISOR, NOVEMBER 2010 Arbico Computers
Arbico’s 3.06GHz Core i3-540-powered i3-5445 XL budget desktop PC is capable of speedy Windows performance, as demonstrated by its chart-leading WorldBench 6 score of 127 points.
While the Arbico i3-5445 XL budget desktop PC isn’t really designed for playing games – it managed only 18fps in Fear – its ATI Radeon HD 5450 graphics card adds support for multiple monitors and DirectX 11.0. This card’s fanless design means you’ll experience the minimum of noise, too.
Whereas other vendors have done without the discrete graphics card and spent the cash saved on a better monitor or processor, Arbico has been unable to include anything better than a rather basic-looking 19in display. On the plus side, the Arbico i3-5445 XL budget desktop PC comes with a pair of Logitech stereo speakers, and Arbico doesn’t skimp on the 4GB of DDR3 RAM and 500GB hard drive that are expected at this price.
The EZCool MA661 is a basic but good-looking case, finished in black with silver trim and convenient, widely spaced front USB ports. Inside the Arbico i3-5445 XL budget desktop PC, the Asus motherboard offers two PCI and one PCI Express 1x slot for expansion, plus space for two more sticks of RAM.
Arbico i7-9250 XL - Custom Built Computer PC ADVISOR RECOMMENED, OCTOBER 2010 Arbico Computers
Rather than going for one of Intel’s latest Core i3/i5 processors, Arbico has plumped for the older yet still popular Core i7-920. Beloved by overclockers, this quad-core CPU has a stock speed of 2.66GHz and requires a fast and expensive motherboard. Performance is very good: the Arbico’s WorldBench score of 136 places it a single point behind the Chillblast. Its motherboard also supports USB 3.0 and 6Gbps SATA, and up to three graphics cards. Sadly, Arbico’s expensive CPU and motherboard selections have forced compromises elsewhere.
The i7-9250 XL comes with just 3GB of RAM (the Core i7-920 requires memory modules to be installed in threes); to push this allocation to 6GB would have greatly infl ated the Arbico’s price tag. A more obvious compromise is the 22in monitor, which is smaller than some rival offerings. Although a full-HD screen, it will display onscreen text and icons marginally smaller than the 23in and 23.6in monitors supplied by Chillblast and CyberPower. You also get only 500GB of storage space – CyberPower and DinoPC supply a full terabyte (1TB). Most importantly for gamers, the Arbico ships with an ATI Radeon HD 5750 graphics card and 512MB of video RAM, whereas all of its rivals offer the faster HD 5770 and 1GB of memory. Its gaming scores are noticeably slower, particularly in the gruelling Stalker: Call of Pripyat (‘Ultra’ settings), where the Arbico is 10fps slower than the competition.
To its credit, this PC offers USB 3.0 support and a high-spec motherboard that’s compatible with Intel’s high-end processor family. But if you’re not buying with a view to future upgrades, you may fi nd that a Core i3/i5 can provide a more balanced machine and better gaming performance right now.
Arbico Elite i7-8670 HSD - Custom Built Computer PC ADVISOR RECOMMENED, OCTOBER 2010 Arbico Computers
Arbico’s Elite i7-8670 HSD is a great performer and stuffed with some premium components, including an SSD and a fast graphics card. Although the Intel Core i7-860 isn’t the fastest processor here, it’s capable of excellent performance.
When combined with the speed-boosting 60GB SSD, it propels the Arbico Elite to an impressive 143 points in our WorldBench 6 speed test. You also get a 1TB hard drive and a full 8GB of RAM, with the latter enabling the Arbico to chomp through heavy workloads. Graphics are provided by a factory overclocked ATI Radeon HD 5870, with the core and memory speeds increased from 850MHz and 1.2GHz to 875MHz and 1,225MHz respectively. It’s a small increase, but it has a positive impact on framerates in our gaming tests.
Films fans will enjoy watching HD movies with the Arbico’s eight-speed Blu-ray drive and 24in full-HD AOC monitor. This display also incorporates a handy USB port and an audio input; that’s a good thing, given that speakers aren’t provided. The Cooler Master Elite 330 houses the Arbico. It’s a smart, well-built case, but it lacks the top-mounted USB ports and internal paint job found elsewhere. Inside, the Asus P7P55D-E LX motherboard is a decent choice that supports high-speed USB 3.0 and 6Gbps SATA. Unlike the P7P55D-E version selected by Chillblast, however, it doesn’t have a second PCI Express x16 slot for adding another graphics card.
Arbico Elite 6885 HD - Custom Built Gaming PC REVIEWED IN PC ADVISOR, SEPTEMBER 2010 Arbico Computers
Arbico's Elite 6885 HD desktop PC offers the fastest raw processor clock speed and delivers some convincing performance figures, but it's sadly let down in other areas. Arbico's Elite 6885 HD desktop PC offers the fastest raw processor clock speed and delivers some convincing performance figures, but it's sadly let down in other areas. At 3.6GHz, the Intel Core i5 680 delivers the quickest processor cores in the chart - but there are just two of them. This dual-core chip excels in WorldBench 6, which favours faster cores over multi-processing capability - as do the majority of software applications in use today. With a score of 144 points, the Arbico Elite 6885 HD desktop PC earns a convincing lead.
However, if you're into video encoding, 3D rendering or simply running a number of applications simultaneously, you may find the quad-core i7 860 chips offered by Chillblast, Eclipse and Palicomp deliver faster overall speed than the Arbico Elite 6885 HD desktop PC.
The 680 is more expensive than the 860, meaning cost cutting has been required elsewhere. Most noticeable is the Arbico Elite 6885 HD desktop PC's inclusion of a comparatively small 21.6in monitor. Although it is a full-HD model, it's a significant downgrade from the larger displays. You'll also have to do without any external speakers. The Arbico Elite 6885 HD desktop PC's Asus motherboard is also less well specified than the competition. It's based on the H55 chipset, which is designed to support the integrated graphics of the new Intel processors. However, it also provides a somewhat reduced feature set when compared to the P55 chipset used by the other Intel-based systems. With only a single PCI Express x16, one PCI and two PCI Express x1 slots, it's far less expandable. On the plus side, the Arbico Elite 6885 HD desktop PC's graphics are provided by the HD 5850. This card provides DirectX 11.0 and thrilling gameplay at high resolutions.
Arbico Phenom 5524 GT - Custom Built Computer REVIEWED IN PC ADVISOR, SEPTEMBER 2010 Arbico Computers
AMD processors are very popular with budget PC vendors, offering excellent performance at a low price. Arbico's Phenom 5524 GT uses a fast-clocked 3.1GHz Phenom II X2 550 chip, but its performance in our tests falls short of the Intel chips. AMD processors are very popular with budget PC vendors, offering excellent performance at a low price. Arbico's Phenom 5524 GT uses a fast-clocked 3.1GHz Phenom II X2 550 chip, but its performance in our tests falls short of the Intel chips.
However, although it's some way off the 123-point tally scored by our Best Buy machine, the Arbico Phenom 5524 GT desktop PC's 115-point WorldBench 6 rating demonstrates a turn of speed that's more than adequate for most users.
As with all the machines in our round-up, Arbico supplies 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive with its Phenom 5524 GT desktop PC. Unfortunately, the former is of the slower DDR2 variety. Also in common with the other AMD machines on test, the Arbico Phenom 5524 GT desktop PC uses an Asus M2N68-AM SE2 motherboard. Unsurprisingly, the three PCs perform almost identically.
A 19in (1440x900) Digimate display is provided, offering more workspace than the 18.5in models often provided at this price point. Its 16:10 aspect ratio doesn't quite match the 16:9 format of an HDTV, so you'll get a letterbox effect when viewing such content. You'll also have to put up with poor sound quality, since the Arbico Phenom 5524 GT desktop PC is supplied without external speakers. The Arbico Phenom 5524 GT desktop PC's GT 240 graphics card is capable of playing older games such as Fear, and even demanding titles such as Crysis when you drop the settings a notch. But while it's faster than some of the ATI graphics cards here, it doesn't support DirectX 11.0.
Arbico Elite 9587 HSD - Power Gaming PC - PC ADVISOR RECOMMENED, AUGUST 2010 Arbico Computers
Arbico’s machines are usually among the fastest performers in our PC charts, but the Elite 9587 HSD’s slightly slower-clocked 2.66GHz Intel i7 920 CPU puts a dampener on performance. Not that 135 points scored in our WorldBench 6 speed test isn’t a creditable tally. It’s just a single point behind the Eclipse, and the Elite comes with some great features.
An ATI Radeon HD 5870 graphics card enables excellent gameplay, if it’s not quite as fast as the CyberPower’s GTX 480. More pleasingly, Arbico supplies a 64GB SSD. Flash-based drives radically reduce bootup and shutdown times and make system performance seem nippier overall. Arbico’s Kingston drive is just a tiny bit slower than Chillblast’s Corsair version. The disadvantage of these drives is their high expense and low storage capacity in comparison to traditional hard-disk drives, so Arbico supplements its SSD with a 1.5TB hard drive. Whereas other vendors have plumped for a pair of drives in a Raid 0 array to speed up disk tasks, Arbico’s single volume will provide greater data security.
The Gigabyte motherboard is ready for the next generation of high-speed storage, with support for both USB 3.0 and 6Gbps SATA. Further expansion options include four PCI Express x16 slots for adding multiple graphics cards. If you do plan to boost the graphics, you should note that the 600W power supply is a little smaller than the competition and may need changing.
Arbico Elite 9655 HD - Core i7 PC - PC ADVISOR RECOMMENED, APRIL 2010 Arbico Computers
Making good use of Intel’s 3.2GHz Core i7 960 processor, the Arbico Elite 9655 HD records a blistering 156 points in WorldBench 6. No stranger to the top of our performance charts, Arbico has once again delivered a storming system, in the form of the Elite 9655 HD. Making good use of Intel's 3.2GHz Core i7 960 processor, this system records a blistering 156 points in WorldBench 6.
The Arbico Elite 9655 HD comes with 6GB of DDR3 memory in a three-channel configuration. It also packs three 500GB hard drives and a powerful 850W PSU.
As is the case with most PCs in this category, a 24in monitor is supplied with the Arbico Elite 9655 HD. The AOC 416V is a 16:10-format display with a 1920x1080 resolution: an ideal companion for the Blu-ray drive. You get more pixels than with the 16:9 models supplied by CyberPowe r and Mesh, although this screen is a little narrower. Completing the Arbico Elite 9655 HD's multimedia credentials is a set of 5.1-channel speakers (five speakers and a subwoofer). Only the choice of graphics card prevents the Arbico Elite 9655 HD from taking top honours: whereas the competition has gone for AMD's flagship single-GPU card, the Radeon HD 5870, Arbico has stepped things down a notch with the HD 5850. The Elite's gaming frame rates are therefore a little slower than those of the competition.
Arbico HD 7577 XL - Core i5 PC - PC ADVISOR BEST BUY, APRIL 2010 Arbico Computers
Arbico’s quad-core HD 7577 XL delivers excellent performance in WorldBench 6 and the fastest DirectX 11.0 gaming experience of all the PCs here. Based on the 2.66GHz Intel Core i5 750, Arbico's quad-core HD 7577 XL delivers excellent performance in WorldBench 6 and the fastest DirectX 11.0 gaming experience of all the PCs here.
With a Radeon HD 5770 providing the graphics firepower, the Arbico HD 7577 XL is able to offer smooth framerates in current games and support for the latest DirectX 11.0 titles. The Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2 motherboard used by the Arbico HD 7577 XL has a pair of PCI Express x16 slots, meaning you can add a second graphics card to boost gaming performance. Other specs include 4GB of DDR3 memory and a 500GB hard drive. A beefy 850W PSU offers plenty of capacity for upgrades, while the Arbico HD 7577 XL's 12 USB ports mean you can plug in all manner of peripherals and portable gadgets. All this is housed in a Cooler Master Elite 330 system case, with a tasteful two-tone design.
Pleasingly, the Arbico HD 7577 XL's monitor offers dual inputs and good image quality. It can't display a full-HD picture, but its 1680x1050 resolution will make text and icons appear slightly larger.
A pair of Logitech speakers places the Arbico HD 7577 XL's sound setup above that of most PCs at this price point. No subwoofer is included.
Arbico Elite 9257 HD - Core i7 Custom Built PC REVIEWED IN PC ADVISOR, APRIL 2010 Arbico Computers
The Arbico Elite 9257 HD topped our WorldBench 6 results table, but sacrifices some of its graphics potential in order to add a Blu-ray drive.
For processing power, the Arbico has plumped for the excellent Intel Core i7 920 running at 2.66GHz. The Elite 9257 HD topped our WorldBench 6 results table with a score of 138 points. A single 1TB hard drive is supplied as standard. It also has the highest-specified PSU at 800W.
Arbico has chosen the HD 5770 for graphics processing. This slower card is able to play Crysis if you’re willing to drop the quality level a tad. The PC also includes a Blu-ray drive which, combined with the 23in Digimate monitor, makes the Elite 9257 HD a superior platform for film playback – provided that you’re viewing this reflective high-gloss screen in the dark.
The Arbico Elite 9257 HD's Asus motherboard offers three PCI Express x16 slots to add in extra graphics cards.
Arbico Phenom 5570 HD, Phenom Package PC - PC ADVISOR RECOMMENED, MARCH 2010 Arbico Computers
The Arbico Phenom 5570HD beat all the other PCs here in our speed test, and for day-to-day work it sits at the top of the pile. With a faster clock speed and considerably more onboard cache memory than the Athlon X2 245, the Phenom II X2 550 processor helps the Arbico Phenom 5570HD to beat all the other PCs here in our WorldBench 6 real-world speed test, with the 5570HD scoring 114 points.
The ATI Radeon HD 4770 selected by Arbico isn’t the fastest graphics card in this round-up. Although its 19fps tally in our most demanding Crysis test doesn’t amount to a playable experience, stepping down the settings a notch produced a reasonable 47fps. Playing older games on the Arbico Phenom 5570HD presented no problems. Other components include a standard 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive. The Arbico Phenom 5570HD's well-constructed case comes with handy tool-free drive bays.
The display itself is the 19in Digimate model. While it’s nothing to write home about, it’s good to see both digital and analogue inputs being provided at this price point.
Arbico HD 7590 Pro Custom Built PC - PC ADVISOR RECOMMENED, FEBRUARY 2010 Arbico Computers
Arbico's HD7590 Pro desktop PC offers good value and performance. Arbico's HD7590 Pro is also based on Intel's Core i5 750 processor, which offers good value and performance.
Until recently, the Arbico HD7590 Pro's ATI Radeon HD 4890 was AMD's flagship single-processor graphics card. It delivers excellent performance at an affordable price and beats the HD 5770 offered elsewhere in the chart.
A standard 4GB of DDR3 RAM and a 500GB hard drive are supplied with the Arbico HD7590 Pro. Two memory slots are left spare, while the Gigabyte motherboard's CrossFireX support lets you add a second graphics card. The Arbico HD7590 Pro's 22in Acer monitor is a basic but high-quality model with an elegant, thin bezel. Although it doesn't support a full-HD screen resolution, you may find that its 1680x1050 pixels make text slightly easier on the eye.
Arbico Elite 9590 HD Multi Task PC Package REVIEWED IN PC ADVISOR, FEBRUARY 2010 Arbico Computers
Arbico's Elite 9590 HD is a fantastic desktop PC with a good balance of features. The Intel Core i7 950 makes its third appearance in the chart, propelling the Arbico Elite 9590 HD to an excellent score of 151 points in our WorldBench 6 real-world speed test.
The Arbico Elite 9590 HD's Asus P6T SE motherboard comes with three free memory slots and supports multiple graphics cards in CrossFireX mode, so you could easily upgrade the graphics power later should you feel the need.
Arbico Elite 9590 HD has been able to include a 24in AOC monitor, a Blu-ray drive and a set of 5.1-channel surround-sound speakers, making the Elite a well-rounded system that's capable of HD multimedia playback as well as gaming. In common with other systems in this chart, the Arbico Elite 9590 HD uses a trio of 500GB hard drives, two of which are striped in a Raid 0 configuration for extra performance.
The Arbico Elite 9590 HD's selected system case, the Cooler Master Elite 330, offers fairly standard cooling and components in a neat and tidy chassis.
Arbico HD 7090 Pro Custom Built PC - PC ADVISOR RECOMMENED, NOVEMBER 2009 Arbico Computers
With the Intel Core i7 920 continuing to offer top-class performance, we're seeing very little change in this price category from month to month. Arbico's HD 7090 Pro is almost identical to last month's Elite i750 Pro, but the company has doubled the RAM allocation to 6GB.
Arbico's PCs tend to perform very well in our tests, consistently sitting at or near the top of our performance charts. This month's HD 7090 Pro entry edges ahead of its predecessor by a single point in our WorldBench 6 speed test.
An ATI Radeon HD 4890 graphics card ensures good framerates are recorded by the Arbico HD 7090 Pro across the board. The 22in display comes with dual inputs. And there's the added bonus that the Arbico HD 7090 Pro comes with a Blu-ray player, allowing playback of HD movies.
Arbico Elite i7890 HD Custom Built PC - PC ADVISOR RECOMMENED, OCTOBER 2009 Arbico Computers
The Arbico Elite i7890 HD provides excellent performance and got a score of 138 in WorldBench 6. Graphics performance from the standard HD 4890 is very good.
The Arbico Elite i7890 HD offers advantages over the Eclipse, however; not least the £100 price difference. The set of surround-sound speakers and a Blu-ray drive are a good match for the 24in full-HD Iiyama monitor, which also includes an HDMI input.
A pair of 500GB hard drives has been arranged in a Raid 0 configuration, while a third has been left spare. This is a wise choice by Arbico, since it allows the operating system to benefit from increased disk performance while providing the added security of a second volume for backups. The Gigabyte motherboard has been used successfully in Arbico's PCs for many months and its performance credentials are indisputable. The Arbico Elite i7890 HD's Cooler Master system case is smart and tidy.
Arbico CD8690 XL Custom Built PC - PC ADVISOR RECOMMENED, OCTOBER 2009 Arbico Computers
With a 3.33GHz dual-core CPU and an excellent HD 4890 graphics card topping the CD8690 XL's specification list, it's no surprise that Arbico once again finds itself near the top of our performance table. Systems based on slower E8500 chips are left in the dust.
Gaming scores showed less variation. Our three chart-topping machines all use the powerful Radeon HD 4890 graphics card, and turned in similarly impressive framerates on a variety of titles.
Arbico has for a long time been a fan of Cooler Master cases, and the Elite 333 model used here is a step up from the 330 seen on previous Arbico machines. It's smart, tidy and robust, and looks neither outrageous nor boring. It also offers plenty of expansion room. USB ports and switches are easy to access at the side of the Arbico CD8690 XL's case. The 22in GNR monitor is a basic model, but it comes with dual inputs. The pleasingly thin silver bezel matches the trim of the Arbico CD8690 XL's system case.
Arbico Elite 9575 Pro Windows 7 PC, Multi Task PC REVIEWED IN PC ADVISOR , OCTOBER 2009 Arbico Computers
Arbico's Elite 9575 Pro is another system designed around the Intel Core i7 950 CPU. While it falls slightly behind other systems using this processor in terms of performance, a WorldBench 6 real-world speed score of 148 points is still impressive.
The Arbico Elite 9575 Pro's graphics come courtesy of an 896MB nVidia GTX 275. A set of 5.1-channel surround-sound speakers and a Blu-ray drive are also provided. The Arbico Elite 9575 Pro's 24in Acer monitor is also of a very high quality and comes with an HDMI input and full-HD capability, which is ideal for watching Blu-ray movies.
Inside, the Arbico Elite 9575 Pro's Gigabyte EX58-UD3R motherboard offers a pair of PCI Express x16 slots. There's support for both CrossFireX and scaleable link interface (SLI), which let you add a second graphics card.
The Arbico Elite 9575 Pro comes with three 500GB hard drives; two are combined in a Raid 0 configuration, while a third is left free for backups. The Arbico Elite 9575 Pro's Cooler Master Elite 333 system case is a tidy, if somewhat sober-looking, model with good system ventilation.
Arbico HD 5750 XL - Core i5 Custom Built PC REVIEWED IN PC ADVISOR , OCTOBER 2009 Arbico Computers
With a WorldBench 6 real-world speed score of 132 points, the Arbico HD5750 XL is the fastest sub-£750 Windows 7 PC we've tested.
We're used to Arbico delivering top-class systems, and this month is no exception. With a WorldBench 6 real-world speed score of 132 points, the HD5750 XL is the fastest PC here - albeit by a rather narrow margin.
Another system built around Intel's brand-new Core i5 processor, the quad-core Arbico HD5750 XL is a challenger for the fastest dual-core PCs at this price point. And this applies even when they're not running multithreaded apps, which used to be the main advantage of opting for a quad-core system.
This great performance is helped in part by the Arbico HD5750 XL's Gigabyte GA-P55M-UD2 motherboard which, despite being a budget model, offers a vast array of overclocking and voltage-tweaking options that can help you eke out every last bit of speed. The Gigabyte offers a pair of PCI Express x16 slots, while support for CrossFireX means you can add a second graphics card later.
In common with most of the PCs here, the Arbico HD5750 XL comes with 4GB of fast DDR3 memory and a 500GB hard drive. The system is housed in a smart Cooler Master Elite 333 case, with side-mounted USB ports and control switches. And it's great to see that Arbico has finally abandoned its usual 460W PSU in favour of a beefier 800W model.
Arbico CD 8467 XL Custom Built PC - PC ADVISOR BEST BUY, SEPTEMBER 2009 Arbico Computers
Last month’s Best Buy has once again made it to the top of the pile, but Arbico’s CD 8467 XL is run much closer this time around. Built to a tried-and-trusted formula, the CD 8467 XL combines Intel’s E8400 CPU with the graphics power of AMD’s HD 4670. This combination makes the Arbico the best all-round performer here.
A WorldBench 6 real-world speed score of 120 points is excellent for a sub-£500 PC, and AMD’s recent price cuts have enabled very good gaming results at this price point. The 19in monitor has a high-quality build and offers good display performance. The 250GB model supplied by Arbico should be more than adequate for most users.
To keep costs down, this system ships with Windows Vista Home Basic, which lacks several features of the Premium version shipped with most of the competition, such as Windows Media Center and the Aero interface. But overall, this is a superb PC for the money.
Arbico Elite i750 Pro Custom Built PC - PC ADVISOR RECOMMENED, SEPTEMBER 2009 Arbico Computers
Despite carrying the same name as last month’s Elite i750 Pro as well as many of the same components, this is actually an updated version of that PC. Improvements include 1TB of storage and a 1GB HD 4890 graphics card. Intel’s Core i7 920 still provides the processing power, and you’ll find the same Gigabyte motherboard inside.
The Arbico took top honours in our WorldBench 6 speed test with a 132-point tally. It also delivered the best gaming results. The 22in GNR monitor is another familiar face in the Arbico’s specification list. It’s a reasonably good budget display with both analogue and digital inputs.
As the only system in this month’s chart to come with a set of surround speakers, the Elite makes a decent multimedia machine.
Arbico Elite i7 RSX Pro Review PC ADVISOR RECOMMENDED, AUGUST 2009 Arbico Computers
Arbico's Elite i7 RSX topped our July issue's power PC chart with a devastating general-purpose performance score in WorldBench 6. The Pro version featured here adds a faster graphics card and sees a price drop of £50. With a speed score just one point below the original RSX, that's not a bad deal.
The Arbico Elite i7 RSX Pro swaps a factory-overclocked BFG Maxxcore GeForce GTX 260 graphics card for a GTX 275. The new card offers similar performance at a reduced price.
The Arbico Elite i7 RSX Pro comes with a huge 1.5 terabytes (TB) of storage space in the form of three 500GB hard drives. Unlike that PC, however, the Arbico ‘stripes' all three drives in Raid 0. This boosts the PC's performance, but you run more of a risk that a disk failure will destroy your data. Be sure to make regular backups.
The Arbico Elite i7 RSX Pro's 24in Iiyama display offers fantastic value for money and good image quality.
Arbico Value i7 Gamer - Gaming Computer REVIEWED COMPUTER SHOPPER ISSUE 260, AUGUST 2009 Arbico Computers
Verdict: A very fast PC at a very reasonable price, but you'll need to supply your own peripherals.
To date there have been two adjectives that describe Intel's Core-i7 processors: fast and expensive. So we were impressed when Arbico submitted a Core-i7 PC for just £799 including VAT. It doesn't come with any peripherals, but it still provides an awesome amount of processing power for a reasonable price.
The processor is the i7-920 running at 2.66GHz. There's been no cost-cutting on memory, with 6GB of DDR3 RAM fitted. In our application benchmarks, the Arbico scored 152 overall - 36 per cent quicker than the fastest AMD-based PC we've seen, Mesh XGS PII 955CS. It's particularly well-suited to processor-intensive tasks such as editing HD video.
This should please anyone wanting to play games, and its fast graphics processing unit can be put to use in other applications, such as video encoding, thanks to ATI's Stream technology. Inside, there's plenty of space for adding storage devices and expansion cards. If you're looking for a very powerful PC, the Value i7 Gamer is well worth the money.
Arbico CD 8467 XL Custom Built PC - PC ADVISOR BEST BUY, JULY 2009 Arbico Computers
Once again, Arbico has topped our charts with a system whose sheer speed belies its £499 price tag. The firm has eked out every last bit of performance from this PC’s Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 chip, with the CD 8467 XL scoring 120 points in WorldBench 6. The machine turns in some pretty tasty gaming results, too.
Arbico storms ahead of the competition with an ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics card – and at no extra cost. With overall system specification being so similar, there’s no reason to put up with an HD 4650 or nVidia GeForce 9500GT. The PC comes with a 19in monitor which is standard at this price point. The CD 8467 XL’s audio is provided by the monitor’s built-in speakers. A 250GB hard drive comes preinstalled with OpenOffice and Nero, the latter complementing the machine’s 22-speed DVD burner. Although 250GB may seem a relatively limited amount of storage space, it will be adequate for most users. This is a superb system overall.
Arbico CD 8467 XL Custom Built PC - PC ADVISOR BEST BUY, JULY 2009 Arbico Computers
Once again, Arbico has topped our charts with a system whose sheer speed belies its £499 price tag. The firm has eked out every last bit of performance from this PC’s Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 chip, with the CD 8467 XL scoring 120 points in WorldBench 6. The machine turns in some pretty tasty gaming results, too.
Arbico storms ahead of the competition with an ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics card – and at no extra cost. With overall system specification being so similar, there’s no reason to put up with an HD 4650 or nVidia GeForce 9500GT. The PC comes with a 19in monitor which is standard at this price point. The CD 8467 XL’s audio is provided by the monitor’s built-in speakers. A 250GB hard drive comes preinstalled with OpenOffice and Nero, the latter complementing the machine’s 22-speed DVD burner. Although 250GB may seem a relatively limited amount of storage space, it will be adequate for most users. This is a superb system overall.
Arbico Elite i750 Pro Custom Built PC - PC ADVISOR RECOMMENED, JULY 2009 Arbico Computers
Yet again, Arbico has delivered the best performance score in our WorldBench 6 real-world speed test. The Elite i750 Pro’s 131-point tally nudges it ahead of the other PCs in this chart. The 1GB Radeon HD 4870 graphics card is an excellent performer. All but one of the PCs here use a version of this graphics chip.
Arbico has once again opted for the Cooler Master Elite 330 case. This is a smart but basic housing that incorporates a pair of audio sockets and twin USB ports. The Gigabyte motherboard supports CrossFireX, allowing you to add a second graphics card later.
The 22in GNR monitor is standard fare, although it does support both VGA and DVI inputs, giving it a distinct advantage over the analogue-only model supplied by others. The set of five Trust speakers and a subwoofer aren’t exactly top of the range, but they add surround sound to movies and games that support it.
Overall, this system performs very well, with its large hard drive and surround-sound speakers all counting in its favour.
Arbico Elite i7 RSX Custom Built PC - PC ADVISOR BEST BUY, JUNE 2009 Arbico Computers
A single point shy of the 140- point mark in our WorldBench 6 test suite, the Elite i7 RSX is one of the fastest-scoring PCs to grace our Test Centre. Based on Intel’s i7 920 processor, this is a quad-core system that performs well across the board, whether or not you’re running apps designed to take advantage of its multiprocessing capabilities. With 3GB of RAM installed, the Arbico offers only half the amount of memory supplied with the other i7-based PCs here. It also ships with the 32bit version of Vista Home Premium.
Arbico’s decision to employ three 500GB hard drives in a Raid 0 configuration sets this PC apart from the pack. This setup provides 1.5 terabytes (TB) of hard-disk space, and theoretically offers three times the performance of a single hard drive. However, be aware that spreading your data in this way means that if one drive fails, you’ll lose all your data.
Arbico CD 8850 XL Custom Built PC - PC ADVISOR BEST BUY, JUNE 2009 Arbico Computers
Arbico seems to have hit on a winning formula in this price category. The CD 8850 XL remains our Best Buy after two months at the top. Intel’s Core 2 Duo E8600 chip is used to full effect, bringing the Arbico an impressive130 points in our WorldBench 6 real-world speed test. The ASRock 4Core 1600-D800 motherboard also performs well., An ATI Radeon HD 4850 graphics card delivers excellent gaming performance. Arbico has again selected the Cooler Master Elite 330 case. This well-built chassis offers plenty of expansion space and tidy looks. The 22in monitor is fi tted with digital and analogue inputs, thus ensuring a better quality image than analogue-only displays. Whether you want to play games or listen to music, the Creative Audigy SE 7.1 sound card, combined with a set of Logitech speakers and subwoofer, offers a vastly improved listening experience over some of its rivals. The Arbico delivers excellent performance and value for money.
Arbico Elite i748 XL Custom Built PC - PC ADVISOR BEST BUY, MAY 2009 Arbico Computers
Arbico has once again delivered a top performer powered by Intel's 2.66GHz Core i7 920 processor. This CPU is set to dominate PC performance charts in this price category for some time to come, combining the flexibility of quad-core multiprocessing with excellent raw speed.
The Arbico Elite i748 XL pulled clear of the competition by a considerable margin in our WorldBench 6 real-world speed test, scoring an excellent 133 points. And this strong general performance is backed up by very good gaming credentials: an HD 4870 graphics card helped this PC achieve the fastest framerates in our most challenging tests.
Arbico has housed the Elite i748 XL in a Cooler Master Elite 330 system case, which is smart and roomy. There's plenty of potential for upgrades. The Gigabyte motherboard supports CrossFireX technology, which means you can add a second graphics card later. Useful options are also available for enthusiasts who want to overclock the machine, but note that the Arbico Elite i748 XL comes with only four memory slots - three of which are filled with the supplied 3GB of memory. Upgrading to 6GB (the next step for Core i7 processors) would therefore require you to replace all three memory sticks at additional expense.
Arbico's inclusion of a 460W power supply seems a little weak given the power of the Elite i748 XL's processor and graphics card. You may find you need to upgrade the PSU in the future, particularly if you opt to overclock the system or upgrade the graphics card. We certainly wouldn't recommend adding a second graphics card without first upgrading the PSU.
Arbico Elite i7 Pro Custom Built PC - PC ADVISOR RECOMMENED, APRIL 2009 Arbico Computers
The Arbico's Elite i7 Pro offers excellent value for money. Despite having 3GB of DDR3 RAM installed, the Arbico Elite i7 Pro is very nearly as fast as the Best Buy machine. The Arbico scored 132 points in WorldBench 6 - just three points fewer than the Best Buy, which costs £400 more.
Aside from the reduced cost of the memory, this system also uses powerful, nvidia GeForce GTX 260 graphics card. Arbico has opted for an overclocked model, with performance boosted closer to that of the costlier GTX 280. At very demanding quality settings? the 280 starts to outperform the 260, but the savings are considerable.
The LG W2252TQ is a smart-looking monitor that offers decent performance and a good set of features. But the best 24in displays - or 16:9 22in monitors - would have enabled full HD playback from the Blu-ray drive, and taken full advantage of the powerful graphics system.
Very nearly as fast as our Best Buy Power PC machine, Arbico's Elite i7 Pro offers excellent value for money.
Arbico CD 8850 XL Custom Built PC - PC ADVISOR RECOMMENED, APRIL 2009 Arbico Computers
A close contender for our Best Buy award is Arbico's CD8850 XL. Intel's Core 2 Duo E8600 processor is combined with an ASRock 4Core 1600-D800 motherboard to devastating effect. In common with the Elite 8850 Pro, Arbico's CD8850 XL uses an HD 4850 graphics card to deliver very good gaming performance.
The Cooler Master Elite 330 system case has plenty of expansion room and tidy looks. A 22in Acer display, fitted with both digital and analogue inputs, finishes off the Arbico CD8850 XL's smart exterior.
The Arbico CD8850 XL comes with a pair of Logitech speakers and a subwoofer. Alongside the system's Creative Audigy SE 7.1 sound card, this allows for a vastly improved listening experience compared with rival systems in our chart.
Arbico Elite OC 8400 XL Overclocked Computer REVIEWED BY COMPUTER SHOPPER ISSUE 255, MARCH 2009 Arbico Computers
Arbico's OC 8400 XL uses a sturdy and fairly quiet Cooler Master case with plenty of room for extra components. It has 10 USB ports - more than any of the other £650 PCs - and its three empty PCI-E x1 slots are ideal if you want to add a sound card, wireless adaptor or TV tuner.
The Gigabyte GA-EP43-DS3L motherboard supports up to 16GB of RAM but you'll have to opt for Windows Vista 64-bit if you want to take advantage of additional memory. Four free SATA ports provide plenty of scope for adding storage and with six free 3.25” drive bays you'll be able to position additional hard disks easily for optimal airflow and cooling.
The Core 2 Duo E8400 processor is fast and Arbico has overclocked it from 3GHz to 3.6GHz. The graphics card in this system is an ATI Radeon HD 4670. The card has HDMI, DVI and VGA outputs so you'll be able to connect it to almost any monitor or HDTV.
Arbico Elite 8400 OCX Overclocked Computer REVIEWED BY COMPUTER SHOPPER ISSUE 255, MARCH 2009 Arbico Computers
Arbico's Elite 8400 OCX blitzed through our 3D graphics tests thanks to its powerful Radeon HD 4870 graphics card. It scored a remarkable 74fps in Call of Duty 4 and managed a smooth 35fps in Crysis. It's easily the most powerful PC here for gaming.
There are plenty of ports, slots and bays for adding extra peripherals and upgrades. The Elite has 11 USB ports in total - more than any other PC here - so you're unlikely to need a USB hub. There are two PCI and two PCI Express x1 slots for installing peripherals such as TV tuners and WiFi adaptors. If the 500GB hard disk isn't large enough, you can slot more hard disks into the five empty 3.25” bays, but there are only four free SATA ports. If you need to add a Blu-ray drive or a second DVD writer for faster disc copying, there are three spare 5.25” drive bays.
The monitor has a resolution of 1,680x1,050 and is bright with reasonably wide viewing angles. It's one of the better-quality monitors in this chart. If you want the fastest possible 3D performance out of the box, Arbico's Elite 8400 OCX is the one to buy.
Arbico Elite 8260 XL Power Desktop PCs PC ADVISOR RECOMMENED, MARCH 2009 Arbico Computers
Quad-core systems are gaining ground, but a fast dual-core machine is still a safe bet. With higher clock speeds, dual-core systems such as the Arbico Elite 8260 XL can still outpace their quad-core rivals on single-threaded applications and the majority of games.
The current king of the dual-core CPUs, Intel's 3.33GHz Core 2 Duo E8600, powers Arbico's Elite 8260 XL to an impressive 126 points in WorldBench 6. The money saved on the processor also allows for such extras as Logitech 2.1-channel speakers (two speakers and a subwoofer) and a Blu-ray drive, so you can watch HD movies on your desktop.
Arbico supplies a high-quality 22in LG monitor with the Elite 8260 XL, which is a considerable step up from some of the cheaper models in the chart such as Digimate and Hanton.
Graphics are powered by an nVidia GeForce GTX 260 - an excellent graphics card that's capable of playing current games at good-quality settings. In our gaming tests, the Arbico Elite 8260 XL was consistently top of the pile.
Arbico has achieved a high-level of build quality and accessibility with the Cooler Master Elite 330 system case. No sound card is fitted, leaving ample room for upgrades. The general-purpose performance and gaming speeds of the Arbico Elite 8260 XL are excellent, and Arbico bundles better quality peripherals and multimedia capability than other entries at this price point.
Arbico CD 8465 EX Budget Desktop PCs PC ADVISOR RECOMMENED, MARCH 2009 Arbico Computers
Arbico's machines are well known in PC Advisor’s Test Centre for their superb performance. Once again the firm delivers, with its CD8465 EX notching up a top score of 120 points in WorldBench 6. The 1GB HD 4650 graphics card delivers excellent performance at a good price, making the Arbico CD8465 EX our top performer in both general-purpose and gaming tests.
The Arbico CD8465 EX's ever-popular 19in Hannspree XM New York monitor provides relatively good image quality, robust build quality and dual analogue and digital connections.
The Asrock is a compact motherboard, fitted with only two memory slots. Two PCI slots are available for upgrades, such as a sound card. Note, however, that external speakers are not provided with the Arbico CD8465 EX.
The Arbico CD8465 EX topped our results tables for both general-purpose use and gaming.
Arbico Elite 8850 PRO Budget desktop PC - PC ADVISOR RECOMMENED, FEBRUARY 2009 Arbico Computers
The Arbico Elite 8850 Pro is a speedy, inexpensive desktop PC that excels itself with a top score of 131 points in WorldBench 6. Arbico has always done well in our performance tests and this month it has excelled itself yet again with its Elite 8850 Pro achieving a joint-top score of 131 points in WorldBench 6, thanks to the Core 2 Duo E8600 from Intel.
The Arbico Elite 8850 Pro delivers excellent gaming scores. Again, the ATI Radeon HD 4850 shows itself to be an impressive graphics card at this price; it offers a satisfying gaming experience on many less demanding titles and a passable one on trickier games if you’re willing to drop the quality settings a little.
The Arbico Elite 8850 Pro represents just about the best performance you could expect for the money.
Arbico Elite 8630 PRO Power desktop PC Reviewed by PC ADVISOR, FEBRUARY 2009 Arbico Computers
Despite its chart-leading WorldBench speed score of 133 points, the Arbico Elite 8630 Pro is an inexpensive desktop PC. Arbico’s Elite 8630 Pro is in essence the same as the £999 Arbico Elite 8626GTX, with the flat-panel and sound card replaced by larger and superior substitutes respectively.
The 3.33GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 processor enables the Arbico Elite 8630 Pro to perform extremely well at everyday tasks that don’t make use of multithreaded code. Despite its chart-leading WorldBench score of 133 points, the Arbico Elite 8630 Pro is the cheapest PC here. Its secret weapon is the GeForce GTX 260 graphics card. This is actually clocked higher than a GTX 280 and delivers performance almost indistinguishable from the costlier card.
Arbico’s Elite 8630 Pro provides plenty of expansion room. The motherboard offers two spare memory slots, but you can’t add a second graphics card, while the Arbico Elite 8630 Pro's 460W supply is less powerful than most supplied at this price.
A Blu-ray drive, high-quality 24in display and surround speakers complete the Arbico Elite 8630 Pro's spec, making this a good all-round system for work, gaming or multimedia. The Arbico Elite 8630 Pro is a value-for-money PC with well chosen components.
Arbico Elite 8626 GTX Budget desktop PC - PC ADVISOR BEST BUY, JANUARY 2009 Arbico Computers
The sleek Arbico Elite 8626GTX edges out the Recommended PC to claim the Best Buy badge. The Arbico Elite 8626GTX comes with a larger hard drive: its 1TB of storage compares favourably to the Recommended PC’s 750GB. The company also bundles a better display – LG’s excellent monitor – and a Blu-ray/HD DVD drive.
Admittedly, Arbico has compromised a little on the Elite 8626GTX's graphics, packing a GeForce GTX 260 card instead of a GTX 280. But the computer’s BFG Maxcore is no ordinary GTX 260. This card delivers performance that’s almost indistinguishable from the more expensive card – and at a considerable saving.
The Arbico Elite 8626GTX uses Intel’s Core 2 Duo E8600 processor to devastating effect. It achieved a staggering 133 points in our WorldBench 6 real-world speed test, one of the best scores we’ve seen across any of our price brackets.
The Arbico Elite 8626GTX's Gigabyte motherboard also offers room for expansion with two free memory slots. Creative’s Audigy SE 7.1 sound card provide the Arbico Elite 8626GTX with multichannel surround sound through a 5.1-channel set of Cyber Acoustics – five speakers and a subwoofer – making this a good all-round computer for work, gaming or multimedia.
Arbico Elite 4685 HD Custom built gaming PC - PC ADVISOR BEST BUY, JANUARY 2009 Arbico Computers
Arbico’s Elite 4685HD performs well across the board. It turned in a respectable score of 125 points in our gruelling WorldBench 6 real-world speed test, while our gaming tests saw high – but not outstanding – framerates. The Arbico Elite 4685HD combines Intel’s Core 2 Duo E8500 chip with a brand-new ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics card. The third-placed desktop PC uses exactly the same configuration, but the Arbico machine performs better in desktop applications.
Arbico has again opted for a Coolermaster Elite 330, a smart and well-made case that’s not too garish or overly concerned with gaming. This case provides plenty of room for internal expansion, and the Arbico Elite 4685HD has space for more hard disks and optical drives than you’ll ever need.
A good, clear airflow is assisted by the Arbico Elite 4685HD's pair of large, quiet fans. A 500W EzCool PSU is also supplied, which gives a little extra oomph to accommodate future upgrades.
The ASRock motherboard is an odd pairing with the Arbico Elite 4685HD's case, however. It looks tiny, and its limited number of slots – you’ll find only a single pair of memory slots, which are already in use – mean you’ll struggle to get much benefit from the capacious case.
A 19in Hannspree XM New York monitor is also provided with the Arbico Elite 4685HD. This decent display is becoming almost as common as Intel’s E8500 processor in this price range.
The Arbico Elite 4685HD’s one-year warranty is relatively brief, and its 250GB hard drive is the smallest in this category. But this remains an excellent all-round computer.
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12-Nov-2022