Pros:

• Radio reception, MP3 and music CD playback; without Windows XP
• Large color display;
• PC Alert 5 support;
• Transposed PCI/AGP positions;
• Easy installation of hardware;
• Edges ground down;
• Space-saving cable routing;
• Parallel interface;
• Remote control.

Cons:

• Writing in the display;
• Poor radio reception via external antenna;
• Loud CPU fan;
• Not much clearance for installation.

Temperature Measurements

Brief Conclusion

The MEGA865 makes a very good impression; only the CPU fans, which quickly become loud, reduce its overall score. The larger-than-average display serves not only as a clock or radio frequency display, but is used for system information on temperature and fan speed on WindowsXP. There are no major problems associated with upgrading the MEGA barebone's onboard graphics with an AGP graphics card because the PCI and AGP slots are transposed.