Fujitsu Siemens Li 3740 (Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Desktop Li 3740)

Member Name: ecolier

Product:	Fujitsu Siemens Amilo Desktop Li 3740
Date:	05/10/09 (58 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good specifications, Nice price

Disadvantages: none (possibly the design)

After using a trusted single core computer for so many years I have done away with one and decided to join the bandwagon of the multi-core. And from the sounds of it the 4 core ones are the best - and so here I am.

--- the BASICS ---

The Li 3740 is made by a computer company Fujitsu Siemens. I have heard all kinds of unfair comments about this company but the fact is they are reputable and they make computers - bottom line. The computer is of fairly standard specs of today: Core 2 Quad Q8200, 3Gb RAM, 500Gb hard disk, nVidia GeForce 9500 GS. (Please note the specification listed on Dooyoo is not actually correct.) And it is all only under £400 (I bought mine for much more!).

--- the DESIGN ---

The case is by no means designer. It is a very standard ATX case with a weird colour pattern. The PSU is 300W.

--- ANALYSIS of the specs ---

For this price you couldn't really complain. The CPU could be overclocked if the user wants to, but is not really needed (at clock speed it is fast enough). The 3Gb RAM is adequate also as the Windows Vista provided is 32 bit which doesn't support anything more than 3Gb - so putting in 1Gb more will not help with the performance. The hard disk is big enough for most people and there is another SATA slot for more. The GeForce 9500 GS is perhaps the only chink in the Li 3740's armour. This graphics card is not a GT and despite 512Mb dedicated RAM it performs weakly in many mainstream games of the day.

--- INPUT/OUTPUT ---

This computer does not have PS/2 input and the keyboard and mouse are USB powered. There is no floppy drive but a multi card reader instead. On Windows Vista it is shown as an array of removable discs. on the back of the computer there is 7.1 sound output and also the holy grail of graphics card: an HDMI output! I still haven't plugged it into an HDTV yet but will update this review when I do.

--- PERFORMANCE ---

This is just my personal experience and is by no means objective. I have tried playing the latest graphics demanding games like GTA IV and World in Conflict and also other relatively less demanding ones like Need for Sped SHIFT and FIFA 10. On GTA IV I got around 20fps on medium settings, and in WiC also around 20fps on medium settings. On NFSS the frame rate is slightly less as I put it on a higher setting (around 16fps on high settings) and in FIFA 10 it is playable at 24fps on high settings.

The Vista score/rating gives the computer a 4.9, the lowest score being the RAM. All other specifications (including the CPU and the graphics) managed to archive a 5.9 score.

--- CONCLUSION ---

Overall this is a nicely balanced mid-range computer with a good price. At £399 one cannot really complain about the specifications. There may well be better options, especially if you manage to put one together yourself. But for an assembled computer this is acceptable.

Summary: A reasonably specification computer at a good price.

Processing/Quality:
Reliability:
Ease of use:
Features: