Recent reports clearly elucidate the surge in notebook sales and a relative lull in the desktop ma rkets.1 ncreased dynamism demands the cushion of portability and in such times a desktop PC would not really serve the purpose. However, when one boldly makes a statement by offering a desktop for less than 15K, it does demand attention. Same is the case with the new Zen The Master desktop Pc. Recently, the launch of its low-cost 'Smart Value PC', targeted at both home and corporate users, the Zen Master has already made its presence felt. A Core2Duo processor at peanuts on offer surely lures a roving eye. The specifications ofthe 'SmartValue PC', launched under the brand name, 'ZEN The Master; are:a Via C71.6Ghz embedded CPU Main board,256 MB DDR2 RAM, 80GB HDD,Combo Drive.

The CPU is very small and lightweight.The smaller dimension doesn't eat up much of your desktop space and can be easily fitted on the smallest of the desks.The cabinet weighs a mere 4 kgs. The Zen is available in black, silver, and blue.The one reviewed here wore shades of black. At the outset, the entire assembly looks very appealing. The cabinet features two vertical beams with transparent plastic covers. The beam flickers red light intermittently as the system is running some process.The DVD combo drive slot is vertically oriented and pops out of a spring loaded cover when the button is pressed.

The front panel is very smooth and uncluttered, with just a Power and Restart button.The panel also bears the 'Zen The Master'logo at the centre and two USB slots neatly hidden beneath a plastic slider are also accommodated. An extra slot, hidden behind a slider again, is provided on the top of the front panel.The entire front is in plastic.The one fact that we were not really impressed with is the overall plastic feel ofthe front panel. The TFT is a 15.4in Zen The Master LCD which provides good display quality.The motherboard drivers are to be installed through the CD provided. The installed software includes Macimitating title dock taskbar aligned on top of the display screen.This provides quick access tabs to your photos, music, media player, e-mail, and the Web.

On the performance front, it must be remembered that at the cost that it comes at and the specifications it inciudes,Zen The Master is aimed at entry level PC users with basic computing requirements.The system performs well and displays steady
pictures and media files, even when the system is otherwise occupied (running a virus scan,for example),a benefit that can be directly attributed to the dual-core processorWhile functions like browsing,e-mail,data storage, media and office utilities are well served, heavy applications and graphics are bound to slow down the system with a mere 256 MB RAM and 1.6GHz processor.This is then surely a big no-no for hardcore gamers but then again neither is it targeted at them.

The Zen Master Monitor looks good and the display is clear and crisp.The monitor sits firmly on your desk and is quite stable with an ovoid stand support.The LCD screen rotates around a horizontal axis so as to adjust the angle of view to suit individual needs.The screen has a black frame and the Zen logo on its panel, besides the Power and Menus buttons and a small LED that glows green when powered. On the negative front though, we would have liked a bit more toughness tothe build quality.

The display is quite good at 800 x 600 and also supports up to 1280 x 1024, however the quality deteriorates at the higher end with flicker and un-clear displays. Also at different angles of view, so me amount of colour leakage and lost detail is evident. To summarise, the entire package, with monitor, keyboard, optical mouse, and stereo speakers at such a low cost is really for the taking. It is a decent performer, with good looks and average build.Forthose with budget restraints and basic computing needs, we give this Zen the thumbs up

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SPECS:-
Processor: Intel Pentium Dual CPU E2140 1600MHz
Motherboard chipset: Intel based
Memory (RAM):256MB
Storage:80GB Hard disk drive
Display: 15.4in LCD Monitor
Audio: Realtek Intel 82801 GB
Graphics: Intel GMA 950
Optical storage: DVD Writer.