The only entry in a beige case, the AQ1900D is another revelation, combining two of the latest Athlon dual-capable processors (the1900+) with a nifty graphics card, an impressive sized hard drive, and an excellent set of trimmings. It managed to come second in our performance tests, and out stripped every other machine in general usage of a wide range of tools from QuarkXPress to Adobe After Effects.

The 1Gb of 266MHz DDRAM is exactly what you'd expect, but the 36Gb SCSI hard drive is twice the size your'd get from most other manufactures. Elsa's Gloria DCC is fast, reliable, and works well with even the most high-end 3D tools - although some of its best features (such as programmable nFinite FX engine) are irrelevant unless you're a game designer.

The extra show this machine's excellent value-for money. It has a good sound card, and the Philips DVD/CD-RW combo drive is a nice touch.

Digit Rating 4.5 (out of 5)