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Ginger 6 has paired a 1TB hard disk with a super-fast 128GB SSD to give the G6 Vision a speed boost in file transfers and startup times. If you’re constantly waiting for your existing PC to load, the difference an SSD can make will be eye-opening.
The G6 Vision reaches the Windows desktop in just under 30 seconds, letting you start work or play much sooner than with a traditional hard disk. Once you’re there, the Intel Ivy Bridge processor and 4GB of RAM should be able to handle all your desktop applications. Our multimedia benchmarks are a prime example. Finishing with an overall score of 113, the G6 Vision is around 10% faster than our reference PC. It won’t outpace an overclocked system, so you may need to look for a multiplier-unlocked processor if you plan on running intensive multithreaded applications.
You’ll also be able to play the latest games, thanks to the Nvidia GeForce GTX 560 SE with its 1GB of dedicated video memory. It completed our Dirt3 test at an average of 41.5fps, although our more demanding Crysis 2 test highlighted its limitations. Managing just 18.2fps, you’ll have to turn down anti-aliasing and detail settings on some games.
The G6 Vision is built in to a basic midi tower case that’s made from a combination of plastic, steel and wire mesh for added ventilation. The blue LED lights glowing from inside may not be to everyone’s taste, but they’re relatively unobtrusive. A sensibly placed I/O panel is fitted in the roof of the case, with two USB ports, a pair of 3.5mm audio jacks and a multiformat card reader.
Once you run out of ports around the front, there are plenty more around the back, including four USB ports, two faster USB3 ports and one PS/2 port, as well as DVI, VGA and HDMI outputs for the integrated graphics card. One digital optical and three 3.5mm audio outputs complete the selection.
If you’re planning on upgrading in the future, there are plenty of expansion options inside the midi tower chassis. Its three vacant 5.25in external drive bays, one external 3.5in drive bay and four internal 3.5in bays should provide ample room for additional storage, but you’ll need a screwdriver because there are no tool-free mounting mechanisms.
The motherboard is also well equipped, with three empty RAM slots, three unoccupied SATA ports, three PCI slots, two PCI Express x1 slots and two PCI-E x16 slots. However, the dual-slot graphics card obscures one of the PCI-E x1 slots.
Cooling is well covered, with four 120mm fans installed throughout the case. The single front intake and single rear exhaust creates a constant flow of air, while the two side-panel fans push cold air onto the CPU cooler and graphics card. Ginger 6 has used the default Intel heat sink, but you shouldn’t have to worry about heat buildup unless you add a lot of extra hard disks or expansion cards.
The included AOC 2436Vwa monitor has a very useful USB hub, as well as VGA and DVI inputs and a set of internal speakers. It’s a 1080p panel and we thought its image quality was distinctly average. Its Microsoft keyboard and mouse set is basic, but felt reasonably well built.
The G6 Vision might have a very fast SSD, but Ginger 6 has had to sacrifice in other areas to keep costs down. For a similar amount, you can find an overclocked system with more memory and a faster graphics card, such as the Palicomp Alpha Excite.
