The Bottom Line
Feb 2 2011 - While ASUS markets the Essentio CG8350-04 as a gaming system, it is much better suited as a high performance system for video work than gaming. This comes from the fact that the $900 system uses a faster quad Core i7 Sandy Bridge CPU compared to many using the i5 versions. It rely on its integrated graphics rather than a dedicated card. Add in a small power supply and the system has limited gaming appeal.
Pros
- Fast Quad Core Intel Sandy Bridge CPU
- Large Number Of USB 2.0 Ports For Peripherals
Cons
- Doesn't Feature Dedicated Graphics For A Gaming Class System
- Relatively Low Wattage Power Supply Limits Graphics Upgrades
- Flat Keyboard Design Somewhat
Description
- Intel Core i7-2600 Quad Core Desktop Processor
- 8GB PC3-10600 DDR3 Memory
- 1TB 7200rpm SATA Hard Drive
- 16x DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Burner
- Intel HD Graphics 2000 Integrated Graphics
- Intel HDA 7.1
- Gigabit Ethernet
- Ten USB 2.0, HDMI, DVI, VGA, Multi-Card Reader
- Windows 7 Home Premium, Office Starter
Guide Review - ASUS Essentio CG8350-04 Mainstream Desktop PC
Feb 2 2011 - The ASUS Essentio CG8350-04 is one of the company's first desktops to use the new Intel Sandy Bridge processor. For this system, it uses the Intel Core i7-2600 quad core processor. This processor adds a significant performance boost over the previous Core i7 models thanks to a sizable clock speed boost and other enhancements. This combined with 8GB of DDR3 memory allows the system to handle just about any tasks that one might use the system for.
Storage features for the ASUS Essentio CG8350-04 are pretty typical for a desktop system in the $900 price range. It comes with a one terabyte hard drive that spins at the full 7200rpm speed to offer it some nice capacity and good performance. It would have been nice to see the system include a Blu-ray compatible drive as this is becoming much more popular in the mainstream PCs but instead it uses a dual-layer DVD burner for playback and recording of CDs or DVDs.
One of the new features of the Intel Sandy Bridge processors is the integrated graphics system. The new Intel HD Graphics are more integrated into the processors that will offer improved performance. For the Core i7-2600 processor uses the HD Graphics 2000 which doesn't offer as high of performance as the 3000 found in the K series processors. While the performance has been improved greatly such that it can play games, those games must be played in lower resolutions and details levels. This means that it really isn't well suited for serious gaming such as the ASUS Essentio CG series are marketed as.
As a result, buyer's will definitely want to add a dedicated graphics card if they intend to use it for gaming.. This is where part of the problem of the ASUS CG8350-04 comes into play. It has a relatively low wattage power supply which restricts the system to only really supporting graphics cards priced below $200 that offer modest gaming performance. Thus, serious gamers will want to look at other systems with higher power supplies or better graphics built-in.
Like previous Essentio desktops, ASUS ships a flat isolated keyboard design that is more akin to a laptop than a desktop. This can be problematic for some users who prefer a full sized desktop keyboard design. They also can be more difficult to use for gaming.
( Review From : http://compreviews.about.com )
Storage features for the ASUS Essentio CG8350-04 are pretty typical for a desktop system in the $900 price range. It comes with a one terabyte hard drive that spins at the full 7200rpm speed to offer it some nice capacity and good performance. It would have been nice to see the system include a Blu-ray compatible drive as this is becoming much more popular in the mainstream PCs but instead it uses a dual-layer DVD burner for playback and recording of CDs or DVDs.
One of the new features of the Intel Sandy Bridge processors is the integrated graphics system. The new Intel HD Graphics are more integrated into the processors that will offer improved performance. For the Core i7-2600 processor uses the HD Graphics 2000 which doesn't offer as high of performance as the 3000 found in the K series processors. While the performance has been improved greatly such that it can play games, those games must be played in lower resolutions and details levels. This means that it really isn't well suited for serious gaming such as the ASUS Essentio CG series are marketed as.
As a result, buyer's will definitely want to add a dedicated graphics card if they intend to use it for gaming.. This is where part of the problem of the ASUS CG8350-04 comes into play. It has a relatively low wattage power supply which restricts the system to only really supporting graphics cards priced below $200 that offer modest gaming performance. Thus, serious gamers will want to look at other systems with higher power supplies or better graphics built-in.
Like previous Essentio desktops, ASUS ships a flat isolated keyboard design that is more akin to a laptop than a desktop. This can be problematic for some users who prefer a full sized desktop keyboard design. They also can be more difficult to use for gaming.
( Review From : http://compreviews.about.com )
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