ASRock ION 3D

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ASRock - a subsidiary of ASUS, specializing in the production cost of motherboards. So it is quite logical that ASUS has decided to give inexpensive computers to develop their daughter, to reduce costs ate the pack of wild dogs. On the format. If Acer Revo box solution, a computer, which after the purchase, simply turn on and configure it ASRock ION 330 comes with no preloaded operating system. The owner can choose yourself, than to work. On the one hand it reduces the cost of the other - deters console the audience for which the installation of the operating system - not an easy task.

The built-in DVD will make this operation easier, but users still have to think about what OS to buy, to what system will stand a better driver for this is not quite "format" glands, etc. Package of tools supplied (overclocking, Optimization of load), also points out that nettop is aimed at "geeks". Dual-core Atom 330 processor, based at the core Diamondville, allocates nettop among others, created on a platform of ION, and makes it the most productive in its class. However, ASRock had to tailor a deal is "their" motherboard and revise the cooling system. Therefore, the nettop has turned out not so compact as Revo - him as you remember, you can even hook up a monitor.

Mini-computer ASRock ION 330 is assembled in a small case, which dimensions are only 195 x 70 x 186 mm. This is little more than the size of a standard DVD-drive that allows the user to essentially save space on your desktop. Housing nettop ION 330 has a black glossy finish, but the market can be met and the model in white. As you well know, the gloss makes the IT-product is very elegant, but at the same time very sensitive to touch - is seen to be the imprint of each finger.

The amount of RAM in the nettop ASRock production can vary from 1 to 4 GB of standard DDR2. The tested model has 2 GB of RAM and hard disk capacity of 320 GB.

• Intel Atom 330 processor, processor speed 1.6 GHz
• RAM: DDR2 800 MHz, Max 4 GB
• RAM: 2048 MB
• Volume of 320 GB hard drive,
• Video Card: NVIDIA Ion GeForce 9400
• Optical Drive: DVD / CD-RW,
• Dimensions: 195 x 70 x 186 mm
• Weight: 1,7 kg
• Power supply: 65 Tues

It should be said that the combination of dual-core Atom 330, the graphics core GeForce 9400 and 2 GB of RAM is a great way affected the performance of your baby. He plays video with no problems Full HD, shows good performance in some graphics applications, and not too complicated 3D-games. In this case, ionized device is energy efficient and quiet operation.

Features:

• Dts: Supporting industry's leading audio solution of the DTS Connect, ASRock ION 3D brings the cinema quality sound for your HTPC. With more personal computers being used as home media centers, DTS Connect is the perfect solution to enhance your entertainment experience by using your home theater's Audio/Video receiver. To deliver the best quality sound for users, ASRock ION 3D supports 7.1 CH HD Audio with DTS Connect technology, it will surely be your perfect choice for a professional HTPC.
• HDMI 1.4a: Keeping you in tune with life, the ASRock ION 3D allows users to enjoy the next dimension in HTPC entertainment. ASRock ION 3D is equipped with HDMI 1.4a output which supports 3D formats for movie and game.
• USB3.0: Supporting data transfer rate up to 5Gb/s and 10X faster than USB2.0 with optimized power efficiency. USB3.0 promises a major leap forward transfer speed and capacity.
• ASRock AIWI: Turn Your iPhone Into Game joystick. Wanna play PC games like Wii? ASRock AIWI software makes your dreams come true! Using ASRock AIWI to connect your apple devices to the ASRock HTPC via WLAN, then you can interact with PC games with delicate touches and body motion while getting responsive shakes and vibrations that correspond to the game stores.
• ASRock App Charger: Fast Charge & Charge Anytime. Simply installing the App Charger driver, it makes your iPhone charge up to 40% faster than before. ASRock App Charger supports continuous charging when your PC enters Standby mode (S1), Suspend to RAM (S3), hibernation mode (S4) or power off (S5). The App Charger technology has been fully applied on ASRock Full series motherboards.
• High speed 1T2R WiFi 802.11n: ASRock ION 3D series mini HTPC is equipped with two invisible antennas (placed in a vertical/horizontal position) hidden inside the front panel, which provide larger signal coverage and faster connection speed. With the unrestricted-direction antennas design, the HTPC can be used as the wireless network receiver, as well as the network bandwidth sharing device. ASRock ION 3D series support 802.11n wireless network which provide better signal coverage and faster speed than ordinary network sharing devices.
• Mini Size and Silent Operation: Mini size. Ultra silence. ASRock ION 3D has a volume of 2.5 liters only, which enables you to put inside the TV cabinet and connect it with LCD TV. Running a silent operation which is merely 24.1dB, ION 3D HTPC series ensure you an ultra silent computing environment as well.
• Low Power Consumption: ASRock ION 3D series is an eco-friendly HTPC that reduces electricity cost through the unique power-saving components. Compared with desktop computer, ASRock ION 3D produces lower power consumption (merely 27W) and saves more power as well as electricity cost.
• Ultra Durable : By using of 100% Japan-made high-quality conductive polymer capacitors which can extend the system life to at least 2.5 longer, ASRock ION 3D HTPC series provide the stability, reliability and longevity essential to meet the power, processor, and other components needs for running today’s most demanding applications and games.

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Specification:

The uniqueness of the platform nVidia ION is not only the union of the Intel Atom processor and GPU nVidia GeForce 9400M, but also in its very small size and low power consumption. This allowed us to create a miniature solution with passive cooling, against which the form-factor mini-ITX, which is still considered very young for home computers, it seems a giant.

Given all these features, a question arises: Is not become a serious competitor to nVidia ION home theater PC (HTPC) and is gaining popularity, home media players? After all, he must now easily cope with playing a heavy high-definition video, and even with modern 3D games, which, combined with the versatility that allows the operating system Windows 7 makes seriously look in the direction of these extraordinary machines.

Connections:

On the front we see a company logo stickers NVIDIA Ion and Intel Atom, DVD-drive and on / off button. Back of the product is rich I / O ports. Here there are: 6 x USB, audio connectors, 1 x Ethernet, output VGA (analog) and HDMI (digital), and the interface S / PDIF Here is the nettop ASRock ION 330 with a removed cover. By the way, with this photo, you can more clearly estimate the physical size of a miniature computer.

Nettop ASRock ION 330 is based on the chipset NVIDIA Ion in combination with dual-core Intel Atom 330 processor with such frequency 1,6 GHz. Graphic subsystem mini-computer is the integrated video core GeForce 9400, which substantially exceeds the "classic" versions of Intel's similar-level decisions GMA 950 or GMA X4500HD/X4500.

Design:

Cannot but agree that over the past few years, low-budget Intel Atom processor has made a real revolution in the desktop market, and especially mobile computers. Before his appearance and we could not have imagined that someday will be able to buy a small and very lightweight laptop cost $ 200-300. Later, this processor was needed and in a segment of home computers. Again, having a compact and very attractive price, these computers that we used to call nettop amounted to a serious competition for the usual system block under the table, especially among those of us for whom the Internet is the main and only reason for buying home computer. Nevertheless, one must admit that the performance of such solutions is very small for the tasks typical home computer. By and large capacity of these computers is only sufficient to more or less normal browsing and office, and then only in single-tasking mode. As for more complex applications, you can forget about them.

Its proportions nettop like Mac Mini. However, only proportions; designers to draft nettop clearly were not allowed. Even in the office 'coffin »Lenovo design more interesting. And ASRock ION all of a brilliant - but it's not a noble gloss piano lacquer and the greasy gloss enamel for a cheap metal. Full metal casing and assembled a fairly tight. This suggests that the developers do not rule out its location and under the monitor (weight to 8 kg, he quietly endure). Neither the top nor the bottom there is any ventilation holes, so that violations of air in the event of such an accommodation would not be.

The box has a rubber mat that is required in order to line it with nettop. The fact that the designers have decided not to make the rubber "feet" and without a mat system unit will slide on the table. If it is, of course, do not flatten the top monitor. Lack of rubber feet can be explained not forgetfulness, manufacturers, and the presence of another variant of the room - on the side. If it is placed on the left or right side, the rubber feet on the bottom would be to spoil the solid form. DVD drive not slot (as in the Mac Mini), but with a tray. Not fashionable, but comfortable. And the wheels "half" format can be used.

Software:

To make it easier to compare with the Revo 3600, I installed the ION 330 at the same 32-bit Vista Home Premium SP1. All the drivers that come with the OS enough to make the device well-earned (although audio controller he identified as standard), however, fed was walking in the complete drive with wood, I got a fully configured machine, with no question marks in the device list. Try to test the performance of the resulting device built into Vista means. Indeed, the processor outperforms the one that stands in the Revo as much as 1.3 grades. Narrow neck, according to the system is the Performance Desktop for Windows Aero", but this one, by and large, do not care.

The index of the processor speed access to memory, graphics, games and data exchange rate with the HDD - they are all practically the same balanced level, which is very pleasing. Dual-core Atom along with HyperThreading technology already allows 4 program stream processor.

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Memory:

The presence of more powerful processor (which, moreover, you can still overclock), expands the use of this nettop, compared to the Revo 3600, but not much. ION 330 will win a few extra fps in undemanding 3D-shooter, a little bit faster video encoding, you can apply a few filters when playing HD-video. But this is, you know, not revolutionary. Programs and games that can be used at full power all 4 of computing the flow of the processor, too, not so much.

So gamers, video installers and designers-coder this thing is clearly not suitable. The user has the possibility to increase the amount of system memory to 4 gigs - at his disposal under the cover two standard slots for DIMM DDR2. However, overall performance this upgrade will increase slightly. The secret of their solutions is fairly simple. Many of you have probably already heard something about the CUDA technology which allows shifting part of the calculations, which usually serves the central processor, the graphics processor, whose performance has long surpassed the classic processors with their two and even four nuclear weapons.

Of course, this comparison is rather arbitrary, and, so far, the graphics processor cannot fully replace the CPU, but for him to perform some routine work, he is capable. It is this idea and formed the basis of the platform nVidia ION, combining the Intel Atom processor and a new chipset with integrated graphics core, nVidia GeForce 9400M, which is, in fact, responsible for accelerating 3D applications and browsing "heavy" video, provided that own applications support this feature. In fact, nothing unique about the proposed no solution. Similar ideas have long been used in the classic desktop systems, however, for low-cost handheld computers, the emergence of the platform nVidia ION was a real breakthrough.

Some Negative ASPECTS:

The biggest drawback nettop I think the lack of Wi-Fi. If you use the ION 330 as a home media center (and he for that is just fine), then you will either have to attend to USB adapter for wireless network, or pull a TV twisted pair. Defect. The need to install the operating system itself - is also not very good. Know (or remember) how it is done well, if a quarter of potential buyers nettop.

The set has no keyboard, no mouse. A trifle, and annoying. If we talk about the application, the ION 330 as the Revo 3600 is quite suitable for most office tasks, for undemanding in terms of 3D games, HL2, Counter-Strike, Battlefield 2, CoD4 (with minimal graphics settings) for Internet surfing . And as a home media center with torrent-rocker (the big screw, HDMI-out, miserly power consumption). In general, the piece of iron produces a nice impression and will undoubtedly find its place in the office and at home. It is worth nettop 13000 rubles. Cheaper than the Revo. Although not by much.

Setup:

As you can see in the photo below, ASRock ION 330 differs sufficiently compact size comparable to the double-disk NAS, however, call it the most compact nettop, we cannot. For example, the nettop Qoo on 3Q has much smaller volume (0.5l vs. 2.5l from ASRock ION 330), and resembles rather the home router than a computer. Nevertheless, the design of ASRock ION 330 is considered one of the most knowledgeable and distinguished by the built-in optical drive and more feature-rich peripheral connectivity.

Used in ASRock ION 330 housing allows you to install it horizontally or vertically. With this in mind, the developers did not sculpt legs needed to reduce vibration. Instead, the kit includes a rubber mat on which you install nettop. In addition to pad the kit includes an external power supply adapter from HDMI to DVI and a CD with drivers and additional software that extends the capabilities nettop.

In addition to the optical drive in my case, it writes DVD, on the obverse is the only power button and a miniature LED disk activity. There is also a frontal vent required for efficient cooling nettop. Above I drew attention to the rich connectivity options available in the ASRock ION 330. As you can see on the back side of the case has everything you need for a modern computer, including six USB ports, optical digital audio output, a set of analog audio ports, a Gigabit LAN port, VGA and HDMI outputs. Yes, this set can be the envy of many classic desktop systems. The only thing that is not here, this is a wireless Wi-Fi, but I think that with this number of USB ports, we always have the opportunity to use the usual USB Wi-Fi controller. In addition, here is the fan responsible for cooling nettop.

Conclusion:

Nettop ASRock ION 330 can be used as a home computer that consumes little power and thus shows sufficient performance for web browsing, simple three-run applications and games, as well as the entertainment media center. For example, a nettop can connect a modern digital TV tuner, display the picture on the monitor with wide screen or LCD-TV and enjoy life. He is quite capable of playing streaming Flash, DVD and Blu-ray video, and until the resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels.

At the time of writing material to buy nettop ASRock ION 330 in the CIS could be $ 450. Of course, this money can be collected stationary PC with a much better performance or to purchase an entry-level laptop. But with PCs you lose in efficiency, size and noise, and a laptop for that amount - in terms of speed and ability to play video 1080p. Therefore, each chooses for himself is a product that best suits its needs. Our challenge - as objectively as possible to tell you about these or other IT-products to the procedure of choice was a simple and enjoyable.