PC Specialist Enigma K2

SCORE ✪✪✪✪✪ PRICE £667 (£800 inc VAT); free delivery from pcspecialist.co.uk

PC Specialist’s £800 PC follows a similar blueprint to the Chillblast, partnering a Kaby Lake Core i5-7400 processor with an Asus H110M-R motherboard. This is basically identical to the H110M-A, so you get the same set of connectors at the back, and the same internal expansion options.

One difference worth noting, however, is the lack of an M.2 connector. To be fair, the 240GB Kingston SATA SSD does a fine job of keeping Windows 10 running smoothly, and it’s supplemented by a 1TB WD hard disk.

It’s also worth noting that the H110M-R, like its brother, has only two DIMM slots. In this case, however, they come populated with a pair of 8GB modules, adding up to a generous 16GB of DDR4. That should be enough to accommodate the most demanding workloads you encounter during the life of this PC. The extra RAM doesn’t make a difference to everyday computing, though: the Enigma K2 achieved an overall score of 102. That’s functionally identical to the Chillblast, and indeed to mid-range systems from previous generations, making this a strong rather than exceptional performer.

It’s the same story when it comes to gaming: with a 3GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 once again sitting pretty in the motherboard’s sole PCI E x16 slot, high-detail 4K gaming is out of reach. Stepping down to 1080p, though, saw a tasty average frame rate of 50fps in Metro: Last Light Redux, with all visual settings dialled up to maximum. While the Enigma K2’s specs are similar to those of the Chillblast, the machine itself is physically quite different. The Cooler Master K350 case is taller, deeper and squarer, not to mention more imposing. Unlike the Chillblast, it will take an internal optical drive. Note that it offers only two front-facing USB ports – one USB 2 and one USB 3.

Such minor matters are easy to look past, though. The Enigma K2 offers all the same core strengths as the Chillblast save for the M.2 slot, and it doubles the memory, making this a more complete all-rounder.

KEY SPECS 3GHz Intel Core i5-7400 16GB RAM GeForce GTX 1060 graphics 240GB SATA SSD 1TB hard disk 1yr RTB warranty (30-day C&R) plus 2yr RTB (labour only) 200 x 450 x 415mm (WDH)