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All in all, the Zoostorm 7260-0019 is a decent mid-range system that is capable of handling all mundane tasks and then some, with power to spare for a foreseeable future. It is not aesthetically appealing but if it is bound to sit under a desk, then that won't be an issue.
Spec Sheet
- CPU: AMD A10-7850K clocked at 3.7GHz
- Graphics: ATI AMD Radeon R7 (1GB shared)
- RAM: 16GB dual-channel DDR3 (clocked at 800MHz)
- Storage: Western Digital 3TB WD30EZRX (5400RPM, 64MB cache)
- Optical Drive: Literon iHAS122E 22x DVD writer
- Ports: 8 USB ports (two USB 3.0), GbE, D-Sub, DVI, PS2, Audio
- Connectivity: four SATA 6Gbps, one PCI-e x16, one PCI-e x1 and one PCI slot
- Size: 375 (h) x 180 (w) x 360mm (d) (14.76 x 7.08 x 14.17 inch)
Performance
The 7260-0019 provided with a more than adequate performance during use. I was pleased with the fact that Zoostorm chose not to pack the PC with a lot of bloatware as some other rivals would normally bundle. It did perform well in all our benchmarks even the high end ones thanks to its Radeon graphics.
- 3DMark: Fire Strike: 1345; Sky Diver: 5081 Cloud Gate: 6303, Ice Storm: 61597
- PCMark 8: 2543 (home), 2719 (work), 2197 (creative)
- Cinebench: CPU: 308cb, graphics: 39.77fps
Verdict
Put it simply, there's not much to complain about the Zoostorm 7260-0019. Had I been asked to build a balanced system that can handle both everyday office tasks and the occasional game, I would probably have ended with roughly the same parts and the same outlay.
The added advantage here is that someone else has built the parts and installed the operating system. Throw in the unexpected goodies (cashback and free game) and you've got all the ingredients of a genuinely compelling product.
We liked
The performance of the Zoostorm 7260-0019 is similar to a low-end workstation albeit at a much lower entry point and although it doesn't have the expansion capabilities or the build quality of a Dell Precision or a Lenovo Thinkstation, it offers more than enough to make the average gamer/computer user content. I love the fact that you don't need a screw driver to take it apart plus how light and how quiet it is. Zoostorm also sells the same system with Windows 7 instead of Windows 8.1 for the same price.
We disliked
The 250W power supply is not powerful enough if you want to add a mid-range graphics card if you're thinking of converting it into a gaming rig. I would prefer to see a HDMI port in lieu of the D-Sub or the DVI input. As for the PCI and the PS2 connectors, they no longer belong in a modern computer. Other minor niggles include the optical drive door, the location of the power button which is not intuitive, the highly reflective (and distracting) front facia which is a real fingerprint magnet.
Final verdict
Pleasantly surprised is how I would describe my encounter with my first Zoostorm. It didn't wow me but for the price, £450 at Ebuyer at the time of writing, it's a hard-to-beat, well-balanced package. Until the end of August 2014, Zoostorm is offering £100 trade-in or, if you don't have an old PC to swap, £40 cashback – which brings the cost of the computer to just under £410.
Terms and conditions can be found here and here. Zoostorm also bundled a free downloadable copy of the action game "Thief", courtesy of AMD and worth £27; there's no indication as to when that promotion ends so you might want to check with Zoostorm directly.
