search technology reviews, news, features, group tests
Popular Searches:   video , dvd , windows
 |  Register
 |  Newsletters  | 
Sitemap  |  RSS
RSS
Saturday November 21, 2009 12:10 PM AEST
Skip Navigation LinksPC Authority > Magazine > Issue 130, September, 2008

Search

Magazine

PC Authority Issue: September, 2008

Australia's premier computer magazine, PC Authority gives you the facts, opinions and insight to make informed PC and tech purchasing decisions.

Issue: 130  |  September, 2008

What's in this issue

This month I’ve moved into the big leather chair, and the key to the labs is now under the safe care of our long-term writer and now Labs Editor Dave Stevenson.

Our feature this month exposes online banking – chances are your bank offers an internet service, but is it the best? We’ve tested the digital offerings of ten of Australia’s biggest institutions, and our feature on online security tells you what to look for and even how to move your account if your bank isn’t up to scratch.

One of the curious things about huge group tests, such as this issue’s enormous LCD and hard disk tests, is that product differences are a law unto themselves.

It’s next to impossible to tell LCD’s apart by reading their specifications. When you come to test them, however, models that look identical on paper can have substantial differences, as our tests in this issue demonstrate.

With hard disks, the difference between product specifications reflects the performance much more directly. If you’ve been scouting for a performance hard disk upgrade or you’re after cheap storage for your videos, photos and music, September PC Authority has all the information you’ll need.

We look at the new Centrino 2 platform for notebooks from plus pit the Nvidia GeForce GTX200 series up against the AMD/ATi Radeon 4000 series in our latest graphics card showdown. Check the mag to find out more.

In case you’ve been under a rock for the last three months: the Apple iPhone 3G is finally here in Australia. Will it change your world? Is it better than sliced bread? We deliver our verdict.

Articles in this issue

Acer P223W
Poor image quality and no DVI port make this one to avoid

AG Neovo E-W22
Fine for schools, but its protective surface and price limit its appeal

ANZ
An impressive service, if only it was a touch more reliable.

ASUS M51Va, killer value Centrino 2 notebook
Despite some odd feature choices, this is an affordable powerhouse of a laptop. A great value mid-range Centrino 2 laptop, as long as you're not worried about battery life.

Asus MK241H
A vibrant gaming LCD, but it becomes jarring in everyday use

ATI Radeon HD 4000 vs Nvidia GeForce GTX 200
Both graphics card giants have unleashed powerful new additions to their ranks recently, and their battle for supremacy is hotter than ever. We put the new arrivals through their paces

Bank of Queensland
A well thought out site with plenty of features, including SMS alerts.

Bank West
A no frills site that does the job but doesn’t stand out in any way.

Beijing 2008
The scope of events in Beijing 2008 is somewhat admirable, given that many previous Olympic titles have tended to concentrate on running and swimming events

BenQ G2200W
Decent image quality and a price that's hard to believe

BenQ G2400W
A low price but with image quality to match

Canon HF10
Great image quality and plenty of enthusiast features for a very reasonable price

Canon HF10
Impressive optical quality and storage space, though a touch expensive

Canon HF100
Cheaper than the HF10, although you need to factor in the cost of storage cards

Canon HG10
Good quality optics and lots of storage, but not the most portable of camcorders

Commonwealth Bank
Not terribly pretty, but good security and features shine through.

Dell SP2208WFP
Features galore, but the glossy screen is disappointing for Dell

Dell Ultrasharp 2408WFP, superb big screen with DisplayPort and HDMI
Versatile, well-equipped and superb image quality – but it’ll cost you

Dell Vostro 1310
The 13.3in addition to Dell’s recently redesigned Vostro range is an unmitigated success

First Look: LG Secret KF750, touchscreens get classier
Well the Secret is finally out and it's one of best looking phones we've seen. There's no GPS or WiFi, but otherwise this third offering in the Black Label series is all class.

Gateway
Straight forward site that handles all the basics and includes some innovative security.

Green Gadget challenge
Is it possible to run all your electronic gadgets - even your laptop - on renewable energy sources? PC Authority's eco-warrior Matthew Sparkes gets on his bike.

Group Test: 20+ LCD's - Which display is best for you?
Enlarge your workspace with a widescreen monitor: We round up 13 LCDs from 20in up to 24in, with prices you won’t believe

Hard disk roundup: every category tested
High-capacity desktop drives have never been so affordable. Darien Graham-Smith puts 23 to the test to find the best

HP 2133 Mini Note
You've seen our first impressions, now here's our full review. Good-looking, usable and keenly priced but, for now at least, poor performance and battery life give the Eee the edge

HSBC
Great if you have foreign accounts to manage, but only average otherwise.

ING
A fairly straightforward site focused on savings, but it functions well.

Intel's Centrino 2: The second coming
Is Centrino 2 the leap ahead that Centrino was? Zara Baxter investigates.

JVC GZ-MG330
Huge storage for the money, but quality can’t match the more expensive models in this group

LG W2252TQ
Great performance at an entry-level price and stylish to boot

Linksys WRT310N Ultra RangePlus: our new top pick wireless router
With its futuristic design, the WRT310N could live just as happily in your front room as it could next to your PC – at just 34mm high it’s easy to hide. If you already have an ADSL modem, this is the pefect wireless router companion.

Mass Effect
Epic plot and an intruiging mix of RPG and FPS make Mass Effect worth a look, though we can't help but see some similarity with Knights of the Old Republic.

NAB
A clean and fast interface, plenty of features and strong security make it a winner.

NEC versa s9100
NEC’s contribution to the ultraportable market is tougher than most, but it still struggles against the competition

Nikon D700, drool-worthy full frame DSLR
Forget budget DSLR, this is for serious photography. Extravagant in almost every way, the D700 is superbly responsive and produces stunning images

Nokia E71
You've seen our First Look at the E71, now here's the full review. A stunning phone perfectly molded to the needs of anyone whose life revolves around email

Office Mac 2008
Meet the new office: same as the old office, but with prettier outfits.

Online Banks Exposed
Discover if your bank is leaving serious security holes or lacks cutting-edge features in our in-depth analysis of online banking.

Pacstar DDR5 Gamer
A big brash, powerful pc with loads of features and a giant screen. It’s a good thing, because the orange case distracts from the DDR5’s true purpose: performance.

Palit Geforce 9600
A reworking of an old card from Palit, but it’s not quite enough to beat the 9600 GT

Panasonic HDC-HS9
It may not be a looker, but in all other respects
this Panasonic is a stunning camera

Philips 220CW
A decent quality 20in LCD but lacking in features

Philips 240BW
Versatile but deeply uninspiring – for office use only

Race Driver: GRID, perfect fodder for your Radeon HD 4000
Had enough of hearing about Crysis? Codemaster's latest effort does to road racing what Codemasters’ Colin McRae: DiRT did to off-road racing.

Samsung SyncMaster 2232bw
Stunning living-room style, great image quality and a price that
won’t break the bank

Samsung SyncMaster 2493HM
Superb image quality and design at a good price

Samsung SyncMaster 953BW
Another great-looking Samsung LCD, but picture quality isn’t quite up to the usual standard.

Sanyo VPC-CG9
The smallest, cheapest camera on test, but unsurprisingly, it also has the poorest image quality

Sanyo VPC-HD1000
A good price coupled with outstanding image quality – a good budget alternative to the Panasonic HDC-HS9

Sanyo VPC-HD700
High resolution stills and laudable quality for the money, but image stabilisation isn’t the best

Sapphire HD4850 Toxic
An excellent take on ATI’s new technology, complete with custom cooling and great performance

St George
Plenty of features and strong security complemented by a clean interface.

TI Extreme Power 260
Its powerful, great value and comes with a superb lcd.
what more could power users want?

Viewsonic VP2250wb
A decent enough LCD with a good stand, but it’s not cheap

Westpac
A well rounded package that falls short on security.

What's on the disc

PC Authority Issue: 130
• Iolo System Mechanic
• Mozilla Firefox 3
• Sim City Societies Demo
• Serif Web Plus 8
• Damn Small Linux

Subscribe

Subscribe to PC Authority this month and you can choose to pay only $19.95 every three months.

Quick Contacts

For subscription queries, please contact:
Australia
Subscriptions Department
ph: 1300 610 765
(FREE CALL from anywhere in Australia)
subscriptions@pcauthority.com.au

New Zealand
ph: +64 (09) 625 3005
ahunt@gordongotch.co.nz
For editorial queries, please contact:
William Maher
Brand Editor, PC Authority
wmaher@pcauthority.com.au

Zara Baxter
Deputy Editor, PC Authority
zbaxter@pcauthority.com.au
For advertising queries, please contact:
Joanne Nichols
Group Advertising Manager, Print and Events
ph: +61 (02) 8399 7603
jnichols@haymarketmedia.com.au

Sam Askin
Product Manager, Consumer IT Digital
ph: +61 (02) 8399 7619
saskin@haymarketmedia.com.au
 
Intel
 

Back Issues

November, 2009
Issue: 144
November, 2009

October, 2009
Issue: 143
October, 2009

September, 2009
Issue: 142
September, 2009

August, 2009
Issue: 141
August, 2009

View all back issues
 
LogMeIn
 
 
Amazing Dell Coupons now available
 
Discover Apple
 
PC Authority A-List
Ads by Google