This is a high performance PC based on an Athlon 64 3000+ processor from AMD. Still the cheapest 64-bit chip you can get, the Athlon 64 is fully backwardly-compatible with 32-bit software, such as Windows XP and Word.

In the Axis 64 3000+ the processor is supported by 512MB of 400MHz main memory and by a 120GB Maxtor hard drive. In the front panel are a DVD rewriter and DVD reader; a good matched pair from Sony, so there's plenty of scope for archiving onto DVD and for creating your own videos.

DV editing is helped by the provision of a Radeon 9800SE All-in-Wonder card from Connect, which provides a TV tuner and basic video connections, as well as a copy of Pinnacle's Studio 8 editing software. This is a good set-up for maintaining your home videos and is one of the applications which shows off the extra performance potential of the 64-bit processor.

The All-in-Wonder card connects to a 19-inch LG Flatron F900P, one of the best flat-faced, conventional CRT monitors on the market and one of a few with a truly flat tube surface. It also contains a four-port USB hub, giving extra flexibility to the way you connect peripherals such as printers, scanners and cameras.

Sound comes from a C-Media six-channel sound chip on the system board and feeds to a set of Creative's Inspire P580 speakers. These are a slightly cheaper version of the earlier Inspire 5300 and don't, in our opinion, give as good a coverage of the mid-range frequencies. Unless your interest lies firmly with hi-fi playback, though, they will probably be good enough.

Benchmark results start with a SYSmark index of 278, which is a very respectable figure for a machine at this price point. Add to this a 3DMark result of over 15,000 and a newer 3DMark 03 index of close to 4,000 and it becomes apparent that this is a system which doesn't hang about. It's quite capable of playing the latest 3D games at full bore as well as playing videos faultlessly at full-screen.

Evesham offers a three-year warranty with the Axis 64 3000+, with the first two years on-site and a third year back to base, but still covering parts as well as labour costs. The company bundles a copy of the home integrated suite, Microsoft Works, which provides base level applications in most key areas and is a cheap first step towards Office.

This is a well-conceived, general-purpose desktop PC, with added future-proofing thanks to its Athlon 64 processor. With a popular and hard-working graphics card and one of the best CRT monitors in general use, it's a good choice for anybody interested in high-level computing at a medium-level price.