14 DAY TRIAL // Desktop computers tend to cost quite a bit, even when you know enough to build your own, but CyberPowerPC decided to offer a fully-configured system that drained as few of your funds as possible.
You see, in these times most fully configured PCs sell for thousands of dollars (boutique gaming desktops) or several hundred (business PCs and the like).
There isn't a concerted effort on the part of system OEMs to sell truly low-cost PCs, at least not PCs that aren't small and handicapped in some way.
CyberPowerPC acknowledges that some people may only need a basic PC but would still like for it to look relatively normal, maybe with a bit of light and angular accents for style.
That's why the pre-built EQ100 was designed. It is a fully-configured mid-tower desktop system powered by an accelerated processing unit from AMD.
We'll say it now, don't expect some miraculous performance. CyberpowerPC was literally aiming for providing the minimum “reasonable” computing, memory, storage and video prowess.
Thanks to their integrated graphics processing units, AMD APUs are ideal for this. It's kind of surprising that more PCs like this aren't up for order really, especially on the business front. Maybe it has something to do with the reasons for the money Intel recently learned it had to pay its rival.
Anyway, the APU is called Sempron 3850 and has 1.3 GHz clock, plus the Radeon HD 8280 graphics. It is also backed by 4 GB of DDR3 RAM.
Other specifications include integrated 7.1 channel audio (surprisingly good, all things considered), a 24x DVD±R/±RW dual-layer optical disk drive, Gigabit Ethernet, and a SATA HDD (hard disk drive) of 500 GB and 7,200 RPM speed (rotations per minute).
Everything is powered by a PSU with a wattage of 500W, and you can further improve the thing by separately buying video or other expansion boards (1x PCI-E x16 and 2x PCI-E x1 are available), plus more memory (there is a second DDR3 1333/1600 DIMM slot, for 32 GB max if you remove the 4 GB one entirely).
Then again, the CyberPowerPC Everyman Quad-Core EQ100 PC is meant to be cheap, so upgrades will likely be the last thing on your mind. The tag is $299.99 / €299.99, doubly impressive considering the Azza EOS-206S Gaming Case, and that it includes the USB keyboard, mouse and Windows 7 Home Premium OS.
"CyberPowerPC shares our vision for affordable quad core computing and is among the first US system builders to pioneer using the AM1 platform, together with Newegg. These systems include the right set of features you need for day-to-day computing and has effectively launched Everyman Quad Core revolution," said Roy Taylor, VP Global Channel Sales at AMD.