Evolution not revolution is something that European companies are very good at and this shows through with the new Medion Akoya MD8870 all in one touch screen PC.
You only have to look at products from Companies like BMW, Audi or Mercedes to recognise that evolution in design and functionality stands the test of time over a flashy new product with all new bells and whistle features.
Medion is a German PC manufacturer who appear to be taking the same approach with their new all in one touch screen PC.
While there was no difference between the look and feel of their previous all in one PC the 21-inch display screen of their new offering, which is selling for sub $1,000 simply lit up to reveal a stunning new display that screamed quality. Images were sharper and applications like games performed significantly faster while rendering to the screen in a way that detail was significantly improved.
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The HD resolution of 1920 X 1080 was excellent especially when it came to watching a TV program or a DVD movie in 16.9 cinema format.
However the Window Media Centre software is still a pain especially when you look at what Google is doing with their Google TV offering.
A big improvement is the NVIDIA GeForce 9100 graphics card which comes with 256 MB of shared memory.
This delivered a significant improvement over the previous model.
This PC which sells for $999 is all about under the bonnet improvements which is amazing considering the previous model cost over $1,299.The Intel T4500 2.3GHz processor is significantly faster than the previous model.
Using WorldBench 6 on the PC it recorded a score of 112. This is a significant jump from Medion’s older P4010 which we reviewed last year it also out performed HP and Dell’s all-in-one PC offerings. This is the same score that PC World recorded during the same test.
The all in one PC comes with a 1TB hard drive and the internal stereo speakers perform well. It also has a built in TV tuner.
The only problem I found was that the touch screen was ultrasensitive; resulting in a simple touch to the screen causing problems especially when one is working on a document.
Sitting on a desktop or in a kitchen or lounge this PC looks simple and smart. The stylish sleek design which is very European with smart aluminium trims around a piano black surface. A simple sturdy stand, that easily flexes allowing the PC to be easily set to an optimum viewing position, delivers excellent functionality.
The PC comes with an integrated sound system and 6 channel analogue audio. A built in camera delivers an excellent image when used with Skype even in low light.
The only irritating feature is the Medion keyboard. Its feels very cheap when typing and my recommendation is to that you ditch it and buy yourself a new wireless keyboard and mouse.
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On the software front this PC comes with a 32 bit version of Windows 7 Home Premium which is a big improvement on Vista. A 64-bit is included, although a user needs to install it manually. Also in the pack is Microsoft Works, and Windows Live Essentials.
When performing such tasks as word processing, spread sheets and web browsing and video viewing, the Medion handled itself well. The dual-core CPU can run several programs simultaneously; there was no perceivable slowdown when switching between applications.
To the left side of the screen is a lip which hides three easily accessible USB 2.0 ports. This is an excellent place to put frequently used slots. Just above the USB ports is an SD card slot and a headphone microphone jack.
On the rear panel of the PC a range of ports can be found: four USB 2.0 ports, an audio line in and coaxial digital output, a Gigabit Ethernet socket and a TV antenna input. PS/2 ports are also available for connecting older keyboards and mice.
