Mesh Xtreme FX-60

Conclusions

So, we've examined the system inside and out. We've run it through our suite of benchmarks, and we've taken it apart, put it back together, examined the build quality and listened to the noise. What're our final set of conclusions about the Mesh Xtreme?

Performance: The system was speedy, on the whole. Our suite of system benchmarks show that performance is where you would expect for a system of this class. If there is one weak spot, it is the RAM included. In general office and desktop use, the system was as snappy as you'd hope for an FX60 rig!

Specification: The balance of components included in the system is good. Two 7800 GTs make for a decent compromise between the awesome performance of SLI and the outrageous cost - the price premium of the two 512MB GTX cards in the Alienware system, compared to the minor benefit we see in performance, bears this out.

It's great to see X-Fi being included in a high-end rig: the difference it makes to sound quality, especially when paired with decent speakers as here, really makes for a better gaming experience. We just wish that the version with X-RAM and a breakout box had been included!

Form factor / noise: The Mesh case is appealing, without being visually stunning. It lacks the impact of bigger, more stylish cases and the black and silver is perhaps a little understated to really have much 'wow' factor. The side panel mechanism is genius, however.

We can't help but feel we'd like a slightly bigger case with some more room for expansion, given the huge amount of kit included here. A bigger case might also allow for a 120mm intake, creating better airflow and allowing the user to trim down the fan voltages for a little less noise.

Value: At its simplest level, it's worth totting up the prices of the components included in the bundle and finding out if you really are getting value for money. A quick look across at Ebuyer and MicroDirect gives us the following price breakdown:

• FX60: £720
  
• Two 7800 GTs: £400
  
• 2GB no-name RAM: £100
  
• 500GB storage: £150
  
• X-Fi: £80
  
• ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe: £100
  
• Two optical drives: £50
  
• ViewSonic monitor: £350

All of that comes to £1950, which means that there's another £150 in the price for Windows, input devices, speakers, the case and cables, power supply, the three year warranty and, of course, assembly. That's not bad value, but it's not spectacular either. Obviously, it's better value than the similarly specced Alienware system, where you're basically paying over the cost of the components for the branding and assembly, rather than saving money as you are here. However, we'd be happier to see this come in at £1999. Given the fact that the graphics and RAM aren't top-notch, we're not sure the price premium the FX60 demands for the added performance it gives is warranted here: it might be a better fit to bring the processor down to a top of the range dual-core X2 chip and save some cash.

Final thoughts

The Mesh Xtreme FX-60 is a well put-together system that is thoughtfully specified and performs well on the whole. It's not an 'ultimate' system, in the sense that not everything is 100% top of the range, but it's a great gaming platform for a good price, and the inclusion of a good monitor really makes this a comprehensive package. If you're thinking about a new system, you could do far worse than speccing up one of these.