A-List by Nicole Kobie

THE A-LIST

Our hand-picked selection of 102 best buys, chosen from the dozens of products tested each month in the PC Pro labs

LAPTOPS, PCs & TABLETS COMPACT TABLET Nexus 7 (2013)

FULL-SIZE TABLET Apple iPad Air

WINDOWS TABLET/HYBRID Microsoft Surface Pro 2

ALL-IN-ONE PC Apple iMac 27in

16GB, £170 (32GB 4G, £299) www.johnlewis.com WEB ID 383950 ISSUE 240

32GB, £479 (4G, £579) www.apple.com/uk WEB ID 385255 ISSUE 232

64GB, £549; 128GB, £699; 256GB, £939 www.microsoft.co.uk WEB ID 384859 ISSUE 231

£1,333 (£1,599) www.apple.com/uk WEB ID 385075 ISSUE 231

It’s no longer the fastest or most feature-packed tablet out there, but the Nexus 7’s solid all-round performance, great design and keen pricing are enough to help it retain its place on the A-List.

Faster, lighter and prettier – the iPad Air improves on its predecessor in every respect, and reaffirms Apple’s top spot on the A-List. This is the best full-sized tablet money can buy.

With battery life close to ten hours, plus a superb Full HD, 10.6in touchscreen and a choice of keyboard covers, the Surface Pro 2 effectively straddles the tablet/laptop divide.

After a redesign earlier in 2013, Apple has upgraded its giant iMac with Intel Haswell CPUs, Nvidia GeForce 7 Series GPUs and PCI Express SSD storage. It’s stunning – and very expensive.

KEY SPECS 7in 1,200 x 1,920 IPS LCD; Android 4.3; quad-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro CPU; 2GB RAM; 16/32GB storage; dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi; 5MP rear/1.2MP front cameras; 114 x 8.6 x 200mm; 290g

KEY SPECS 9.7in 1,536 x 2,048 IPS LCD; iOS 7; dual-core 1.4GHz Apple A7; 1GB RAM; 32GB storage; dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4; 5MP rear/1.2MP front cameras; 170 x 7.5 x 240mm; 469g

KEY SPECS 1.6GHz Intel Core i5-4200U; 4GB DDR3 RAM; 10.6in 1,920 x 1,080 IPS; dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4; USB 3; microSDXC; mini-DisplayPort; 274 x 173 x 13.7mm; 920g (1.1kg with keyboard)

KEY SPECS 3.4GHz Intel Core i5, 8GB DDR3 RAM; 1TB Fusion Drive; Nvidia GeForce GTX 775M; 27in 2,560 x 1,440 display; dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4; 1yr C&R warranty; OS X; 650 x 203 x 516mm

ALTERNATIVE

Apple iPad mini with Retina display

Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet

Lenovo ThinkPad Helix

Apple iMac 21.5in

With a glorious Retina display and a turbocharged 64-bit processor, the iPad mini is a sterling compact tablet. Performance is only a whisker away from the iPad Air – but so is the price. 16GB, £266 (£319); 16GB 4G, £349 (£419); www.apple.com/uk WEB ID 386602

Thoughtfully designed and boasting plenty of battery life, the Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet is the most desirable full-sized Android tablet we’ve seen. £333 (£399); www.pcworld.co.uk WEB ID 388462

By partnering a powerful, superbly built 11.6in tablet with an excellent keyboard dock, the ThinkPad Helix succeeds where other hybrids have failed. Only the eye-watering price dents its appeal.

Apple’s 2013 edition of the 21in iMac is the best smaller all-in-one on the market, boasting a power-efficient Haswell processor and a superbly colour-accurate screen.

From £1,658 (£1,991); www.lenovo.co.uk WEB ID 383245

£999 (£1,199); www.apple.com/uk WEB ID 386224

BUDGET LAPTOP Asus X552CL

MID-RANGE LAPTOP Gigabyte P34G v2

BUDGET PC Chillblast Fusion Quasar

HIGH-END PC Yoyotech Warbird RS 2

£318 (£382) www.ebuyer.com WEB ID 389206 ISSUE 237

£958 (£1,150) www.amazon.co.uk WEB ID 388282 ISSUE 237

£500 (£600) www.chillblast.com WEB ID 387943 ISSUE 235

£1,050 (£1,260) www.yoyotech.co.uk WEB ID 385744 ISSUE 232

A powerful, inexpensive desktop replacement, the Asus X552CL may not offer the best battery life on the market, but you get plenty of bang for your buck where it counts.

A high-performance gaming laptop that crams an Intel Haswell CPU and Nvidia’s latest 8 Series GPU into a portable 14in chassis without breaking the bank.

The Chillblast Fusion Quasar is a superb all-round base unit, combining stalwart processing power with great gaming capability and serious upgrade potential. A five-year warranty seals the deal.

A benchmark-busting PC in an attractive, compact chassis that offers a modicum of upgradability. The price is reasonable, considering how much you get in the package.

KEY SPECS 1.8GHz Intel Core i5-3337U; 6GB RAM; 750GB HDD; Nvidia GeForce 710M; 15.6in 1,366 x 768 display; Windows 8 64-bit; 1yr RTB warranty; 380 x 251 x 34mm; 2.27kg (2.61kg)

KEY SPECS 2.4GHz Intel Core i7-4700HQ; 8GB RAM; 128GB mSATA SSD; Nvidia GeForce GTX 860M; 14in 1,920 x 1080 LCD display; dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4; 340 x 239 x 23mm; 1.7kg (2.35kg)

KEY SPECS 3.4GHz Intel Core i5-4670K at 4.4GHz; 8GB RAM; 1TB hybrid HDD; Sapphire Radeon R7 260X graphics; 5 x USB 3; 4 x USB 2; Gigabit Ethernet; 5yr RTB warranty; Windows 8.1 64-bit; 192 x 465 x 430mm

KEY SPECS 3.5GHz Intel Core i7-4770K at 4.3GHz; 8GB RAM; 128GB SSD; 1TB HDD; Nvidia GeForce GTX 780 graphics; 23in 1,920 x 1,080 monitor; Windows 8.1 64-bit; 1yr RTB warranty; 265 x 384 x 414mm (base unit)

ALTERNATIVE

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 2

Lenovo IdeaPad Y510p

Wired2Fire Diablo Ultima

Chillblast Fusion Photo OC V

A sleek, versatile hybrid laptop with the best IPS screen in its price range, and now at an irresistible price. £333 (£400); www.pcworld.co.uk WEB ID 388183

The Y510p looks like it means business. Blood-red backlighting illuminates the keyboard, and there’s oodles of power on tap from the Core i7 CPU and Nvidia GPU. The display could be better, though. £833 (£1,000); www.lenovo.com WEB ID 384964

The Diablo Ultima is a formidable gaming base unit for sensible money. Build quality and upgradability are top of the heap, and the AMD Radeon R7 260X provides serious gaming power.

The Photo OC V strikes a balance between power and peace of mind, partnering an Ivy Bridge E CPU and SSD with a 2TB RAID1 array. Breathtaking speed at a seriously high price.

£477 (£572); www.wired2fire.co.uk WEB ID 387967

£1,499 (£1,799); www.chillblast.com WEB ID 385555

ULTRABOOK Dell XPS 12

ENTHUSIAST LAPTOP Apple MacBook Pro 13in with Retina display

BUSINESS/EXECUTIVE LAPTOP Dell Venue 11 Pro

BUSINESS PC Lenovo ThinkStation E31

£708 (£849) www.dell.co.uk WEB ID 383785 ISSUE 232

£1,249 (£1,499) www.apple.com/uk WEB ID 385126 ISSUE 231

£341 (£409) www.dell.co.uk WEB ID 386206 ISSUE 233

£704 (£845) www.laptopsdirect.co.uk WEB ID 376852 ISSUE N/A

Sturdy build, great looks and a cracking all-round design make the XPS 12 an Ultrabook to lust after. The Full HD touchscreen is excellent, performance is top-notch and battery life is best in class.

Gram for gram, the MacBook Pro 13in is unbeatable. A Haswell CPU sends battery life and graphics performance soaring, the PCI Express SSD is riotously fast and the Retina display is a delight.

With a near-perfect Full HD display, a choice of Atom or Core i3/i5 processor and a range of accessories, this tablet can fulfil almost any role. The replaceable battery is a boon, too.

This small-form-factor workstation includes an Intel Xeon processor and a professional-grade Nvidia Quadro GPU for a reasonable price.

KEY SPECS 2.7GHz Intel Core i5-4210U; 4GB DDR3 RAM; 128GB SSD; Intel HD Graphics 4400; 12.5in 1,920 x 1,080 touchscreen; 802.11ac Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4; Windows 8.1 64-bit; 317 x 214 x 22mm; 1.52kg (1.8kg)

KEY SPECS 2.6GHz Intel Core i5-4288U; 8GB DDR3L RAM; 512GB SSD; Intel Iris Graphics 5100; 13.3in 2,560 x 1,600 display; OS X; 1yr C&R warranty; 314 x 219 x 18mm; 1.56kg (1.81kg)

KEY SPECS 1.46GHz Intel Atom Z3770; 2GB DDR3 RAM; 64GB storage; Intel HD Graphics; 10.8in 1,920 x 1,080 touchscreen; mini-HDMI; microSDXC; USB 3; 1yr C&R warranty; 298 x 177 x 11mm; 760g (1.4kg with keyboard)

KEY SPECS 3.3GHz Intel Xeon E3-1230 v2; 4GB RAM; 1TB HDD; Nvidia Quadro 600 graphics; DVD-RW;

ALTERNATIVE

Windows 7 Professional; 3yr RTB warranty

Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro (13.3in)

Dell Precision M3800

Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga

Fujitsu Esprimo Q510

The double-jointed Yoga design contorts effortlessly from laptop to tablet and anywhere in between. The Haswell CPU, 256GB SSD and high-DPI screen are a steal for £1,000.

The Precision bucks the trend of drab workstation laptops with a slim, attractive design, complemented by competitive hardware and a bright, colour-accurate screen.

A classic ThinkPad with an innovative new design, the Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga seamlessly melds a business laptop and fully functional, stylus-equipped tablet.

Fujitsu’s compact PC base unit takes up barely any space on a desk, delivers plenty of power and has ample connectivity.

£833 (£1,000); www.pcworld.co.uk WEB ID 385510

£1,549 (£1,858); www.dell.co.uk WEB ID 387655

£884 (£1,061); www.lenovo.com/uk WEB ID 386503

From £438 (£523); www.morecomputers.com WEB ID 378769

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A-LIST Best buys

Best buys

A-LIST

Create your own reviews comparison shortlist www.pcpro.co.uk/reviews

MOBILE

CAMERAS

MONITORS

PRINTERS

SOFTWARE

PREMIUM SMARTPHONE Nexus 5

DIGITAL COMPACT/CSC Sony Alpha NEX-6

BUDGET TFT Dell UltraSharp U2312HM

CONSUMER ALL-IN-ONE Canon Pixma MG6450

INTERNET SECURITY Kaspersky Internet Security 2014

BACKUP/STORAGE Livedrive

ACCOUNTING FreeAgent

16GB, £26/mth, 24mths www.carphonewarehouse.com WEB ID 385291 ISSUE 232

£374 (£449) www.sony.co.uk WEB ID 378553 ISSUE 221

£132 (£158) www.amazon.co.uk WEB ID 375760 ISSUE 214

£83 (£100) www.argos.co.uk WEB ID 385204 ISSUE 231

3 PCs, £21 (£25)/yr www.amazon.co.uk WEB ID 387193 ISSUE 233

1 PC, £3/mth (unlimited) www.livedrive.com WEB ID 373558 ISSUE 210

From £15/mth, unlimited users www.freeagent.com WEB ID 367126 ISSUE 201

Google has pumped up the performance and packed in plenty of features. The result is a cracking smartphone at a great price – only mediocre battery life disappoints.

With a sharp kit lens, fast autofocus, intuitive controls and integrated flash, the NEX-6 is a compromise-free CSC: a delight to use, with first-class image quality.

With falling prices placing it among the cheapest IPS monitors on the market, Dell’s UltraSharp U2312HM delivers unusually refined, high-end performance for sensible money.

The Pixma MG6450 dashes off high-quality prints and copies, plus crystal-clear scans. Running costs are reasonable by inkjet standards – just make sure you buy the XL ink tanks.

Kaspersky serves up a feature-packed security suite that excelled in our tests, and doesn’t unduly tax low-power PCs.

Easy to use, cheap and packed with features, Livedrive is the best all-in cloud backup service.

Small-business owners, freelancers and traders lacking accounting experience will love the online FreeAgent.

KEY SPECS 2.3GHz CPU; 2GB RAM; 16GB storage; 4.95in Full HD TFT; 802.11ac Wi-Fi; 8MP front/1.3MP rear cameras; 69 x 8.9 x 138mm; 136g

KEY SPECS 16MP APS-C sensor; 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens; 10fps burst mode; SDXC/MS Pro Duo slot; 1yr RTB warranty; 120 x 43 x 67mm; 470g

KEY SPECS 23in 1,920 x 1,080 IPS matte; DVI; D-SUB; DisplayPort; 300cd/m2 brightness; 547 x 186 x 493mm

KEY SPECS 5-ink engine; 7.5cm screen; 100-sheet input tray; duplex; 802.11n Wi-Fi; 455 x 369 x 148mm

ALTERNATIVE

Avast Free Antivirus 2014

Dropbox

Xero

The best free antivirus, with great protection and oodles of features.

Dropbox makes sharing and syncing files easy across most devices.

Multi-user and payroll features make Xero ideal for larger businesses.

Samsung Galaxy S5

Samsung NX30

Dell UltraSharp U2412M

HP Photosmart 5520

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is zippy, weather-resistant and packed with features, and boasts a fantastic camera, too.

The NX30 offers DSLR features without the bulk. Flexible lens options make the price easier to swallow, too.

Not the cheapest 24in monitor, but the increasingly rare 1,920 x 1,200 resolution IPS panel is superb.

HP’s Photosmart 5520 conjures up good-quality photos and great performance. Running costs are relatively low, too.

Free, £28/mth,24mths; www.carphonewarehouse.com WEB ID 388234

£666 (£799); www.wexphotographic.com WEB ID 387241

£173 (£208); www.amazon.co.uk WEB ID 375823

£62 (£74); www.printerland.co.uk WEB ID 382528

Free; www.avast.com WEB ID 387166

2GB, free; www.dropbox.com WEB ID 373561

From £9/mth; www.xero.com WEB ID 367120

BUDGET SMARTPHONE Motorola Moto G

DSLR Nikon D600

PREMIUM TFT Asus PB287Q

OFFICE ALL-IN-ONE Epson WorkForce WF-3530DTWF

PRODUCTIVITY Microsoft Office 2013

WEB DEVELOPMENT Drupal 7

GRAPHICS/DESIGN Xara Designer Pro X9

Free, £12/mth, 24mths www.buymobiles.net WEB ID 385471 ISSUE 236

£875 (£1,050) www.amazon.co.uk WEB ID 378103 ISSUE 220

£475 (£570) www.overclockers.co.uk WEB ID 389077 ISSUE 239

£83 (£100) www.staples.co.uk WEB ID 382294 ISSUE 224

From £92 (£110) http://office.microsoft.com WEB ID 379510 ISSUE 220

Free www.drupal.org WEB ID 364549 ISSUE 198

£207 (£249) www.xara.com/uk WEB ID 383914 ISSUE 229

A high-quality Android handset with a clean interface, an excellent screen and long battery life – at this price, the Moto G is a real bargain.

Nikon makes a full-frame DSLR affordable. With high-end features and sublime image quality, the D600 should be the choice of amateur enthusiasts and semi-professionals alike.

Not so long ago, a sub-£600 4K monitor was unthinkable, but Asus’ PB287Q delivers pin-sharp picture quality and impressive versatility at a price that won’t break the bank.

Epson’s inkjet all-in-one packs in plenty of features for relatively little cash. While print quality isn’t stunning, it’s speedy at everything bar photo printing; running costs are low, too.

Remains the ultimate office suite but, despite new touch-friendly features, existing users needn’t rush to upgrade.

It isn’t a simple turnkey CMS, but the flexibility of its add-on modules puts it a step ahead of the competition.

Since Adobe went subscription-only, Xara’s do-it-all design application has never looked so tempting.

KEY SPECS 1.2GHz CPU; 1GB RAM; 8GB storage; 4.5in 720 x 1,280 IPS TFT; 802.11n Wi-Fi; 5MP front/1.3MP rear cameras; 66 x 11.5 x 130mm; 143g

KEY SPECS 24.3MP full-frame sensor; 39-point autofocus (9 cross-type); 5.5fps burst mode; dual SDXC slots; 141 x 82 x 113mm; 850g

KEY SPECS 28in 3,840 x 2,160 TN; DisplayPort; HDMI; HDMI (MHL); 3.5mm audio jack; 660 x 220 x 414mm

KEY SPECS 4-ink engine; 6.3cm screen; 2 x 250-sheet input trays; 3-sheet ADF; duplex; fax; Ethernet; 802.11n Wi-Fi; 449 x 427 x 308mm

ALTERNATIVE

Scrivener for Windows

Adobe Dreamweaver CC

Adobe CC Complete

A powerful document-creation and organisation tool for serious writers.

A handful of advances, but it’s no longer the dominant web standard it once was.

The best design software there is, but we don’t like the subscription model.

Motorola Moto E

Canon EOS 70D

AOC q2770Pqu

HP Officejet 6700 Premium

It compromises on camera quality and screen size, but the Moto E is robust and expansion-friendly with good battery life.

Blisteringly fast and accurate autofocus combined with strong image quality make the EOS 70D a mid-range bargain.

A feature-packed, 27in 2,560 x 1,440 display that boasts an adjustable stand and a three-year warranty for a tiny price.

It can’t match the Epson for speed or features, but with solid quality and low running costs, it should be on your shortlist.

Free, £12/mth, 24mths; www.phones4u.co.uk WEB ID 388675

£715 (£858); www.currys.co.uk WEB ID 383941

£302 (£362); www.dabs.com WEB ID 389608

£75 (£89); www.printerland.co.uk WEB ID 382393

£22 (£26); www.literatureandlatte.com WEB ID 371680

£18/mth; www.adobe.co.uk WEB ID 389491

£47/mth; www.adobe.co.uk WEB ID 389491

PHOTO EDITING Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5

VIDEO EDITING Adobe Premiere Pro CC

AUDIO PRODUCTION Steinberg Cubase 7.5

£83 (£100) www.amazon.co.uk WEB ID 382342 ISSUE 225

£18/mth www.adobe.co.uk WEB ID 389491 ISSUE 239

£333 (£400) www.dv247.com WEB ID 386194 ISSUE 233

EBOOK READER Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

SATNAV TomTom

SPECIALIST TFT Eizo ColorEdge CG277

PERSONAL LASER Dell B1160w

£71 (£109); 3G, £141 (£169) www.amazon.co.uk WEB ID 384721 ISSUE 231

From £23 (£28) Apple App Store WEB ID 375418 ISSUE 213

£1,269 (£1,523) www.nativedigital.com WEB ID 389515 ISSUE 239

£70 (£84) www.printerland.co.uk WEB ID 382090 ISSUE 224

Amazon’s ebook reader is the best in its class. It boasts the best light, the crispest E Ink screen and the simplest UI of any ebook reader around.

The TomTom app for iPhone and iPad is undoubtedly the best satnav app around for iOS devices. Sadly, the Android version suffers from a fiddly interface.

Eizo updates its CG277 with an improved IPS panel, a better backlight and a smattering of handy upgrades. Expensive, but unfailingly colour-accurate.

Dell’s petite mono laser churns out crisp, beautiful text and acceptable images, and wireless support is a boon, too. Running costs aren’t especially cheap, but it’s still a good budget choice.

Substantial new features and editing tools make Lightroom 5 better than ever, and it’s still affordable, too.

Premiere Pro CC is super powerful. For professionals, paying the monthly subscription is worthwhile.

Steinberg’s 7.5 update adds some superb new plugins, and cements Cubase as an audio-wrangling heavyweight.

KEY SPECS 6in 758 x 1,024 Pearl E Ink screen; 2GB storage; 1yr RTB warranty; 117 x 9 x 169mm; 206g

KEY SPECS Requires iPhone/iPad (or iPod Touch with GPS add-on); UK/ ROI maps; HD Traffic, £27/yr or £4/mth; speed cameras, £27/yr or £4/mth

KEY SPECS 27in 2,560 x 1,440 IPS; DisplayPort; HDMI; DVI; 2 x USB 2; 2 x USB 2 (host); 646 x 282 x 425mm

KEY SPECS A4 mono laser; 20ppm speed; USB 2; 802.11n Wi-Fi; 150-sheet input tray; 100-sheet output tray; 331 x 215 x 178mm

ALTERNATIVE

Kobo Glo

TomTom Go 500

NEC MultiSync PA272W

Oki B401d

Kobo’s answer to the Kindle Paperwhite partners front lighting with an optical touchscreen.

A slick, capable standalone GPS device. With a lifetime traffic subscription bundled for free, it’s top value.

NEC pairs an excellent AH-IPS panel with a high-end GB-R LED backlight and a new anti-glare coating for less than £1,000.

It’s big and ugly compared with the Dell, but the B401d produces top-quality mono prints at an impressive rate.

£83 (£100); www.argos.co.uk WEB ID 377821

£150 (£180); www.currys.co.uk WEB ID 383008

£820 (£984); www.nativedigital.com WEB ID 389614

£71 (£85); www.printerland.co.uk WEB ID 382009

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Adobe Photoshop CC

Adobe Premiere Elements 12

Ableton Live 9

The best there is, and the photography bundle is attractively priced.

Version 12 cements Elements’ reputation as the best consumer video-editor going.

Adds audio-to-MIDI conversion to an already rounded and mature product.

£18/mth; www.adobe.com WEB ID 389491

£42 (£50); www.amazon.co.uk WEB ID 385228

£283 (£339); www.dv247.com WEB ID 381541

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A-LIST Best buys

Best buys

A-LIST

For the latest Enterprise news and reviews visit www.pcpro.co.uk/enterprise

NETWORKING

COMPONENTS

ENTERPRISE

NETWORK STORAGE Synology DiskStation DS214play

PROCESSOR Intel Core i5-4690K

MAINSTREAM GRAPHICS CARD Nvidia GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost

RACK SERVER Boston Value Series 361 G8

PEDESTAL SERVER HP ProLiant MicroServer Gen8

STORAGE APPLIANCE Synology RackStation RS3614xs+

Diskless, £238 (£285) www.ebuyer.com WEB ID 386743 ISSUE 234

£140 (£168) www.scan.co.uk WEB ID N/A ISSUE N/A

Typically, £120 Depends on brand WEB ID 382297 ISSUE 225

£5,899 exc VAT www.boston.co.uk WEB ID 385618 ISSUE 230

Model G1610T, £339 exc VAT www.ebuyer.com WEB ID 387361 ISSUE 232

Diskless, £2,937 exc VAT www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk WEB ID N/A ISSUE 239

The DS214play is a hugely versatile NAS device, with excellent media-streaming capabilities and some of the best cloud features we’ve seen. It packs a lot of power into a solid, compact unit.

Intel’s tweaks to its Haswell architecture, codenamed Devil’s Canyon, pack in even more bang for the buck. Serious performance for sensible money.

Nvidia conjures up a solid mid-range card. If you can’t stretch to the GTX 660 Ti, the GTX 650 Ti Boost delivers decent, Full HD gaming performance for an affordable price.

Combining 40 logical CPU cores with high-quality storage features, built-in 10GbE networking and integral BBUs, the Value Series 361 G8 is the best 1U rack server money can buy.

A space-saving micro server that’s perfect for small or home-based businesses. Offers great value and solid all-round performance.

Synology targets SMBs with its moderately priced RackStation RS3614xs+, offering an impressive features list and the latest DSM 5 browser-management software for good measure.

KEY SPECS 1.6GHz Intel Atom CE5335; 2 x 3.5in drive bays; Synology Hybrid RAID, JBOD, RAID0, 5, 10; 1 x USB 3; 2 x USB 2; 2yr RTB warranty

KEY SPECS 3.5GHz (3.9GHz Turbo Boost); LGA 1150 quad-core CPU; Intel HD Graphics 4600; 6MB L3 cache; 88W TDP; 22nm

KEY SPECS 768 stream processors; 980MHz core; 2GB GDDR5 RAM; 28nm; 1 x 6-pin connector; 240mm long

KEY SPECS 2 x 2.5GHz Xeon E5-2670 v2; 64GB RAM; 4 x 300GB HDD; 2 x Gigabit; 2 x 10GbE SFPs; 2 x 750W PSUs; 3yr on-site NBD warranty

KEY SPECS 2.3GHz Intel Celeron G1610T; 2GB RAM; 4 x SFF SATA bays; 2 x Gigabit; 150W PSU; 230 x 235 x 245mm; 1yr parts-only warranty

KEY SPECS 2U; 3.3GHz Intel Xeon E3; 8GB DDR3 RAM (max 32GB); 12 x hot-swap LFF/SFF SATA drive bays; 4 x Gigabit; 3yr limited warranty

ALTERNATIVE

Netgear ReadyNAS 314 2TB

AMD A10-6800K

AMD Radeon HD 6450

HP ProLiant DL320e Gen8 v2

Dell PowerEdge T20

Netgear ReadyNAS 716

The ReadyNAS 314 isn’t cheap, but it’s speedy, reliable and easy to use. We’d buy the diskless version, though.

AMD’s Richland update improves on last year’s Trinity chips, and the A10-6800K delivers better performance across the board.

The HD 6450 is fine for playing HD video on an old PC without modern integrated graphics.

This compact HP packs in an impressive range of features and delivers solid performance at an affordable price.

Boasting ample storage and power despite its small frame, Dell’s PowerEdge T20 is an excellent choice of server for any SMB.

The fastest desktop storage appliance on the market comes with 10GbE as standard and offers unlimited snapshots.

2TB, £511 (£613); www.ebuyer.com WEB ID 384262

£86 (£103); www.scan.co.uk WEB ID 382510

Typically, £30 WEB ID N/A

£1,079 exc VAT; www.uk.insight.com WEB ID 384550

£389 exc VAT; www.dell.co.uk WEB ID 387811

£1,666 exc VAT; www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk WEB ID N/A

WIRELESS ROUTER Netgear Nighthawk R7000 AC1900

EXTERNAL HARD DISK WD My Passport

ENTHUSIAST GRAPHICS CARD Nvidia GeForce GTX 770

BACKUP DEVICE Tandberg Data LTO-6 HH

BUSINESS LASER Lexmark CS510de

BUSINESS SCANNER Fujitsu ScanSnap SV600

£139 (£166) www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk WEB ID 389128 ISSUE 238

2TB, £71 (£85) www.amazon.co.uk WEB ID 380824 ISSUE 224

Typically, £240 Depends on brand WEB ID 386179 ISSUE 233

£1,281 exc VAT www.kikatek.com WEB ID 380599 ISSUE 223

£249 exc VAT www.printerbase.co.uk WEB ID 389029 ISSUE 237

£519 exc VAT www.misco.co.uk WEB ID 386797 ISSUE 233

The AC1900 is speedy over 802.11ac and boasts impressive range on all network types. It also includes backup software and a web-content filter, making for a powerful, versatile AC router.

The My Passport combines huge capacity with superb value. It offers no gimmicks, but it’s our drive of choice when it comes to space and price.

Nvidia repackages the GTX 680, bumping up the GPU core and memory speeds and delivering serious power for sensible money. It edges out its rival, the AMD Radeon R9 280X, by a nose.

The LTO-6 HH demonstrates the strengths of the Ultrium LTO-6 tape format. Top performance combines with low storage costs, making it an ideal choice for backup and archiving purposes.

An immeasurable improvement over the CS310dn, Lexmark’s newest A4 colour laser is faster, offers more toner options and doubles its predecessor’s memory allocation.

Innovative design makes this the most versatile contactless scanner on the market. Scan speed is fast at any resolution, output quality is refined and the software suite is generous.

KEY SPECS Concurrent dual-band 802.11ac; 4 x Gigabit Ethernet; USB 3; USB 2; 285 x 68 x 205mm

15mm; 230g

KEY SPECS 2TB HDD; USB 3; 2yr RTB warranty; 82 x 111 x

KEY SPECS 28nm GK104 GPU; 2GB GDDR5 RAM; 2 x DVI; HDMI; DisplayPort; 8-pin connector; 6-pin connector; 267cm long

KEY SPECS External Ultrium LTO-6 tape drive; native capacity 2.5TB; native transfer rate 160MB/sec; 6GB/sec SAS interface; 3yr warranty

KEY SPECS 1,200dpi A4 colour laser; 30ppm colour/mono; dual-core 800MHz CPU; 512MB RAM; 250-sheet drawer, 1yr on-site NBD warranty

KEY SPECS Contactless A3 scanner; 1,200ppi mono/600ppi colour; 20ppm scan speed; USB 2, external PSU; 1yr advanced exchange warranty

ALTERNATIVE

D-Link DIR-868L

Buffalo HDW-P500U3 MiniStation Air

AMD Radeon R9 290X

HP StorageWorks Ultrium 3000 SAS

HP LaserJet Pro 200 MFP M276n

Fujitsu ScanSnap iX500

While it may not tout the most impressive specification on the market, the DIR-868L delivers 802.11ac at a price that’s right.

Wireless access makes this a versatile alternative, although the price is inevitably driven up by this feature.

AMD’s new GPU architecture is immensely powerful. For high-resolution, 2,560 x 1,440 gaming, this is the card to have.

Many pundits said tape was dead. They also said that LTO was at the end of its roadmap. HP’s 3000 SAS proves them wrong.

A fine choice for small businesses wanting a versatile MFP. The price belies output quality, and web-printing features are excellent.

Fujitsu’s ScanSnap iX500 delivers 25ppm scan speeds, and is capable of scanning wirelessly to iOS and Android devices.

£71 (£85); www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk WEB ID 389308

500GB, £58 (£70); www.amazon.co.uk WEB ID 380812

Typically, £400 WEB ID 386182

£1,158 exc VAT; www.uk.insight.com WEB ID 357982

£175 exc VAT; www.amazon.co.uk WEB ID 379879

£335 exc VAT; www.misco.co.uk WEB ID 382927

NETWORK BACKUP CA arcserve UDP

NETWORK MANAGEMENT NetSupport Manager 12 Unlimited data per server, 250 seats, £28 per seat exc VAT WEB ID 387802 ISSUE 236

MEDIA STREAMER Google Chromecast

NEW ENTRY

SOLID-STATE DISK Samsung 840 Pro

HARD DISK Seagate Barracuda 7200.14

NETWORK SECURITY WatchGuard Firebox T10

NEW ENTRY

£25 (£30) https://play.google.com WEB ID 387775 ISSUE 236

256GB, £120 (£144) www.scan.co.uk WEB ID 380455 ISSUE 223

2TB, £48 (£58) www.scan.co.uk WEB ID N/A ISSUE 226

£195 exc VAT www.watchguard.com WEB ID N/A ISSUE 240

Standard, one socket, £373 exc VAT; www.arcserve.com WEB ID N/A ISSUE 239

Simple to use and easy on the wallet, the Chromecast boasts 1080p output and lets users browse and search for content on their streaming device, rather than with a remote-control UI.

Samsung’s update to its high-end SSD pushes performance into the stratosphere. Thanks to the proprietary MDX controller and 22nm design, the 840 Pro is the fastest SSD we’ve ever tested.

With its combination of a 7,200rpm spindle speed and a cache of 64MB, this drive delivers a decent all-round performance at a very reasonable price.

The WatchGuard Firebox T10 offers enterprise-level security for SMBs, offering most of the features found in its higher-end appliances for a much more reasonable price.

KEY SPECS 1080p video output; HDMI; micro-USB; single-band 802.11n Wi-Fi; 2yr RTB warranty; 35 x 12 x 72mm

KEY SPECS 2.5in SATA 6Gbits/sec SSD; Samsung MDX controller. Part code: MZ-7PD256BW

KEY SPECS 3.5in SATA 6Gbits/sec HDD; 7,200rpm spindle speed; 64MB cache; 2yr RTB warranty. Part code: ST2000DM001

KEY SPECS Desktop chassis; 3 x Gigabit Ethernet (LAN, WAN, OPT); USB 2; RJ45 serial port; external PSU; 1yr advanced hardware replacement warranty

A simple, powerful backup server that offers built-in deduplication and effective data-protection features including RPS replication. All features and tools can be managed from a single console, and the package is well suited to business, with a mix of physical and virtual environments.

An indispensable package for the IT support technician. With a wealth of remote-support features, this latest version improves upon its predecessor in every way. Since the price is a one-off fee rather than a subscription, it’s also superb value for money.

ALTERNATIVE

NEW

Roku Streaming Stick

SanDisk Ultra Plus

Toshiba DT

Check Point 600 Appliance

DataFort Hi-5

Paessler PRTG Network Monitor 12.4

A fine alternative to the Chromecast that streams 1080p video and minimises interference with dual-band Wi-Fi capability.

It can’t match the top-tier SSDs for performance, but this budget unit delivers good all-round performance at a bargain price.

A quick performer in our sequential file benchmarks, this drive is also good value.

The diminutive 600 Appliance combines extreme ease of use with enterprise-grade security at a price that will appeal to SMBs.

DataFort’s Hi-5 combines on- and off-site protection with a per-server pricing structure that helps keep costs low.

Licensed by the number of sensors, and with a proprietary database included, PRTG offers great value with no hidden costs.

£42 (£50); www.currys.co.uk WEB ID 388363

256GB, £96 (£115); www.ebuyer.com WEB ID 380818

2TB, £46 (£55); www.scan.co.uk WEB ID N/A

£318 exc VAT; www.checkpoint-security.co.uk WEB ID 386689

Unlimited data per server, from £500/mth exc VAT WEB ID 380548

500 sensors, £947 exc VAT; www.paessler.com WEB ID 380152

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www.pcpro.co.uk

PC PRO•OCTOBER 2014

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