Polywell Poly Z6800x Performance Desktop PC

Jun 28 2011 - Polywell's Poly Z6800x is a very affordable and compact desktop for those looking for some strong performance. The system uses the new Intel Z68 chipset combined with both an SSD and i5-2500k for some hard to beat general performance. The company also offers a wide range of customization options to the system but the graphics are the weak link to this system. The smaller cases and power supplies really prevent it from being used with a high-end graphics card for gaming beyond the casual level.

Jun 28 2011 - Polywell is one of the first companies to offer a desktop PC featuring the new Intel Z68 chipset with their aptly named Z6800x. This includes the ability to use both the Smart Response Technology and Virtu GPU virtualization. In terms of performance, the base system uses the Intel Core i5-2500k quad core processor. This is the mid-range processor that offers excellent performance and is clock unlocked for those that want to do a bit of overclocking. It would be nice to see the base setup come with 8GB of memory instead of 4GB of DDR3 as this will limit multitasking.

In order to use the smart response technology, Polywell has included a 40GB Intel 320 Series SSD drive in addition to a relatively small 500GB hard drive. This helps boost the overall performance of the system with the SSD caching of the hard drive to give the system a much faster overall performance for commonly used applications. The 40GB SSD could be used as an OS drive with the hard drive for data but it is very small for this type of use. It is nice to see a Blu-ray compatible drive included for watching high definition movies. The drive can also be used for playback or recording of CD or DVD media.

The big downside to the Polywell Poly Z6800x is the graphics system. The smaller case designed offered on this system have limited space and more importantly limited wattage from the power supply. With a base 300W power supply, they have pretty much maxed out their graphics with the NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450. This is an older middle level graphics card that can handle most games up to 1600x900 without a problem. Higher resolutions will likely require lower detail levels to keep frame rates up. They do offer other options but as mentioned the space and wattage will severely restrict options.

Polywell does offer a wide range of upgrade options for all their systems and the Poly Z6800x is no different. It is just disappointing that they don't offer a case more suited to those looking for better graphics. There is a desktop case with a 500W power supply that would allow for higher grade graphics but still not the top of the line cards. It also does not have one of the better overall looks.

Another minor quibble with Polywell is the base operating system for the Polywell Poly Z6800x is the 32-bit version of Windows 7 Home Premium. There is no reason that the 64-bit version should come standard. If you do order the system, be sure to request the 64-bit version as it is a minor $4 upgrade.