Photos: Advent Eco PC uses less power than a lightbulb

We're experiencing hard times at the moment. Our economy is in freefall, global warming is about to eat the world, and New Kids on the Block are threatening a comeback. The world needs a saviour.

An unlikely messiah might be found in the form of an Advent Eco PC. This tiny desktop is only the size of a shoebox, but it's been engineered to use far less power than a traditional PC and is built from recycled components. It could, in the long run, save you money and prolong the life of Mother Earth.

It uses an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU T5250 running at 1.5GHz, 2GB of DDR2 667MHz RAM, a 160GB hard drive, dual-layer DVD rewriter drive, four USB ports and 802.11b/g Wi-Fi. You also get DVI and D-Sub video outputs and surround-sound capability.

It costs a fairly hefty £600, but just think of the power savings. Advent says the Eco PC uses 25W during idle, 78 per cent less power than a standard desktop PC, which it says uses around 105W.

Going by these calculations, the Eco PC could save the consumer a whopping £8 per year -- based on four hours of use per day. Yes, friends, it could be paying for itself within 75 years.

We'll give it a thorough once-over this week and get back to you with a full review. In the meantime, have a look at the pics over the following pages. -Rory Reid

Round the back, you get a full range of inputs and outputs. These include DVI, S-Video and D-Sub video ports, four USB ports, six audio jacks, plus 802.11b/g Wi-Fi.

There are no fans inside the PC, so the entire chassis has to act as a heatsink. Those fins on the side aren't just for decoration, they help dissipate heat. If you're using it at home, make sure it gets decent ventilation.

The Eco PC comes with a wireless keyboard with integrated mouse trackpad (at the top right). You also get a pack of rechargeable NiMH batteries, which is terribly generous.