A Windows 10 desktop PC… for how much?
If you want a really small, really cheap desktop computer, Google would like you to consider a Chromebox, such as the Asus M031U. For under £200, you get a compact system and a sprightly performer. The snag being it doesn’t have Windows. In fact, it barely has an operating system at all: Chrome OS is pretty much a glorified web browser. So you have to do almost everything online, and the range of programs available (assuming you’re generous enough to even call them programs) is very limited.
If only you could get a proper Windows 10 PC for that price. Well, you can: it’s the new Dell Inspiron Micro. In about a CD case’s worth of desk space, this black plastic monolith, with a glossy top and matt sides, contains a proper computer with all the bits and bobs you’d expect. It comes with Windows 8.1, but can be upgraded free of charge to Windows 10. You’ll just need a monitor to plug into the HDMI or DisplayPort socket at the rear. The BenQ GL2450 (£110 from www.snipca.com/18128) is quite a nice fit, taking the total price to around £300.
On the right-hand side are two USB ports, one of which supports the much faster USB 3.0 – we’ll come back to why that’s important. There are two more USB 2.0 connectors at the back, so you can plug in the supplied keyboard and mouse (wireless versions are an optional extra) and still have room for other accessories. To get online, there’s an Ethernet port to cable up to your broadband router, or built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi (the latest and fastest version).
It’s certainly a practical PC, but is it a powerful one? Nope. The processor is a Celeron, which ironically is Latin for ‘swift’. It’s not very ably assisted by the meagre 2GB of RAM, the bare minimum Windows will accept. Trying to run more than one thing at a time is pushing your luck. But it’s happy enough with everyday programs and web pages, and while they may take longer to load or complete operations than you’d expect on a desktop system, Windows feels quite responsive most of the time.
HD films play without a hitch, too, making the Inspiron Micro a credible media centre to sit next to your TV. Don’t picture yourself editing videos, tweaking thousands of high-res photos and blasting through the latest 3D games, though: only the most limited creative and entertainment software will run on the Micro.
Its weakest link of all is storage: the 32GB SSD is much faster than a hard drive, but has much less room for programs and files, especially considering that Windows 10 already hogs several gigabytes. You could double the capacity for under a tenner by sticking a 32GB SD card in the slot on the left-hand side, but this will be much slower. So unless you keep most of your stuff ‘in the cloud’ (stored online), you’ll need to think about buying an external USB 3.0 hard drive. A 1TB (1,000GB) drive costs about £40-50.
Dell really didn’t need to throw in a decent keyboard and mouse at this price, but it has. The chunky keys give you lots of feedback, and there’s a number pad and dedicated media buttons. The mouse is perfectly usable too.
While its mediocre performance and paltry storage prevent it from rivalling more expensive machines, the Dell Inspiron Micro is a good basic system to meet modest needs at a fair price.
VERDICT
A proper PC for under £200 is nothing to be sniffed at, as long as you don’t choke on its slow performance.
SPECIFICATIONS
2.41GHz dual-core Intel Celeron J1800 processor • 2GB memory • 32GB SSD • Intel HD Graphics • Windows 8.1 (free upgrade to Windows 10) • USB 3.0 port • 3x USB 2.0 ports • SD card reader • Ethernet port • 802.11ac Wi-Fi • Bluetooth 4.0 • HDMI port • DisplayPort • SD card slot • 48x130x130mm • One-year warranty