Advantages And Disadvantages
Advantages
- Small slimline case
- Lightweight
- Various models/colors available
- Good design, matches DVD player
- Many riser cards for AGP and PCI included in package
Disadvantages
- Minimal expandability
- Needs special hardware
- Sharp case edges
- Open power supply
- Some power cables too short
- No remote control
Installed Hardware
It is gratifying to see that there is room for most MicroATX motherboards in the interior. Using the included angle adapter at least one AGP or one PCI card can be installed. However, that presents the user with a problematic choice: AGP graphics with video-out or a TV or DVB-T tuner. They won't both fit, because of the size of the case. An alternative would be USB tuners that can be operated on the corresponding connector on the front or back side.
You'll have to decide: either a PCI card ...
or an AGP graphics card with video-out
The following hardware was used:
System 1 | |
---|---|
Motherboard | Asus K8S-MX |
Processor | AMD Athlon64 Newcastle 3200+, Socket 754 |
CPU cooler | Coolermaster 1HE cooler |
Graphics card | none |
TV tuner | PixelView DVB-T / PCI card |
RAM | Crucial 1 x 512 MB, DDR400 |
Hard drive | Hitachi Deskstar HDS722516VLSA80, Serial-ATA, 160 GB |
System 2 | |
Motherboard | Asus P4P800 |
Processor | Intel Pentium 4, 3.2 GHz, Socket 478 |
CPU cooler | Coolermaster 1HE-Cooler |
Graphics card | none |
TV tuner | Aopen analog TV tuner |
RAM | TakeMS, 2x 512 MB, DDR400 |
Hard drive | Hitachi Desktar HDS722516VLSA80, Serial-ATA, 160 GB |