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Arprotek e-Cube/gBox Barebones Review
Arnold writes: "I was doing some browsing on the net and came across an article that ViaHardware.com published. They are reviewing a cool
P4 mini-computer system that is perfect for the serious LAN gamer. The system has an AGP slot and will even fit a GeForce 4 Ti4600. It also has a built-in handle. Now if only we could get monitors to be this size and expand out to 19-21"."
It's not? You can upgrade the video card, the ram, and the harddrive. That's pretty expandable, no?
2) The Apple G4 cube is by no means a gaming system.
My G3 iBook is my gaming system, and works great. I can't imagine the G4 Cube being worse.
3) The Apple G4 cube cannot hold a GeForce 4.
I'm not sure if this is true or not. Given your obvious lack of knowledge about the Cube I'm willing to guess you don't know either.
4) You are a clueless dumbass.
Pot, meet Kettle. Kettle, meet Pot.
From their beleagered web server:
Specifications:
Chyang Fun CFI-S86 Motherboard
Pentium 4 Support
VIA P4M266 Chipset
DDR200/266 Support - up to 2GB
ATA/133 Support - 2 IDE Ports
Integrated Pro Savage DDR Graphics (ProSavage 8)
2 Serial Ports
4 USB 2.0 Ports (2 Rear, 2 Front)
PS/2 Keyboard/Mouse Ports
RCA and S-Video TV Out
VIA AC97 Audio
Front Headphone and Microphone Jacks
Front Speaker Out Jack
Onboard Realtek RT8100 LAN
Infra-Red Support
1 PCI Slot
1 AGP Slot
Aluminum Chassis/Plastic Handle/Plexiglas Side and Front Panels
1 5.25" Bay, 2 3.25" Bays (1 External)
(L) 306mm X (W) 212mm X (H) 242mm
150W Power Supply
2 40mm Rear Exhaust Fans
Granted there is only two add on slots, but it still looks to me like a heavily overworked power supply on there. The P4 alone will consume nearly 50W. Add in some drives and all the other goodies and you are in trouble!
Don't forget the CPU, the Cube is the only machine in my house that can go from a single processor to dual without a motherboard replacement. And while it can't hold a GeForce 4 (who cares anyhow), it can hold up to a Radeon or GeForce 3, and is still probably quieter then the above system.
It's becuase the 4400 and 4600 are so freakin huge! Compare these:
This is a 4600. It's Big.
This is a 4200. In the article they say the differences between boards. Enjoy.
Ummm so this is an AS/400 competitor then ?
Sorry to be a pedant but main, mini, micro is the naming convention, and micro is where this sits. A mini computer with a handle is a hernia in a box.
Wish PDA stood for Pico Device Architecture.
However an AS/400 or top end Unix server would kick-arse as a LAN gaming station, 32 processors, 4 TB disk, 20GB RAM. Ummmm.
An Eye for an Eye will make the whole world blind - Gandhi
Pros:
Small - The CF-S868 is a small, powerful system. It is larger than the SS50, but it definitely isn't cumbersome at all.
Performance - Mainly this is talking game performance and is due to the AGP slot. There is no doubt you can build a very fast LAN system with this box.
Features - The CF-S868 is definitely packed with features, and comes with some good accessories. The sliced up IDE cables save space and make everything easier to work with inside. Though missing firewire, and not having the greatest sound or onboard video, it has Infra-Red and USB 2.0.
Style - The handle on the CF-S868 not only looks cool, but is very functional and practical as well. The clear front and sides look good as well. The design is similar to the Shuttle SS40 if you have seen any of the images form CeBit of that case style.
Noise - Thought it doesn't beat the SS50, the CF-S868 is a great system when it comes to noise. It isn't too loud, but it could use a bit more tweaking.
Cons:
Noise - The problem when it comes to noise is the included fan with the Arkua heatsink. It is quite loud, but can be replaced relatively easily.
Sound - The onboard AC97 sound is nothing short of a disappointment. CMI or even Creative has better solutions than the basic AC97 codec.
Video/Other Issues - This includes all the issues that I covered above about the video cards, as well as the problems I had with the front panel connector and the drive bay covers. Overall a well constructed barebones system, but there are definitely some oversights, especially with the missing standoff and screw which should be there to support the insertion of an AGP card.
So who should go out and buy the CF-S868? Well certainly this is currently one of the best mini-systems you can buy right now for a little LAN box that is powerful. But it's not exactly cheaper than a full-sized system. Arprotek told me that the MSRP in the US for this system is $369. Contrary to this is the fact that some who have already bought this system have paid $400 or more for it. I haven't seen this system in any US retailers so far, so the price will be higher since you will have to have the system shipped overseas. Currently there are no distributors in the US that I'm aware of that carry this system, but hopefully they will be showing up soon for those of you interested. If you are interested in purchasing one, please click here to send an email and you will be given details.
The CF-S868 may have issues, but they aren't a huge problem. You do need to consider everything before making a purchase, so look at the drawbacks and decide whether that interferes with your use of the system. It needs better sound and a good AGP video card. Both will have to be added to the cost of the system. If you want even more information or perhaps have other questions, feel free to discuss this article in the forums below.
Also, personally I would wait to see what the competition has to offer before making a final choice. We know that Shuttle will be having a product coming out this summer with an AGP slot. Keep watching for the review here and we will be comparing both products. If the CF-S868 looks good to you and you need something soon, I don't have any major objections if you plan on using it for a LAN box and will add a sound card and AGP video card.
Rapid Nirvana
As stated in this and other reviews, heat really isn't that much of a problem beyond the psychological impact of constantly worrying about your expensive components. The P4 is designed to throttle, and the heatsink used in the review is a fairly good one (copper core with aluminum fins). It's got two fans plus the power supply fan up top, and the ribbon cabbles used were the round kind, so airflow seems to be adequate. I would host Slashdot with this, as hard drive heat would eventually become a factor, but for most uses it seems pretty safe. I think when they reviewed the Shuttle P4 box they actually tried overclocking, but didn't notice any difference one way or the other.
COLBALT CUBE Server?
Next cube
since via seems to be /.ed, let's go straight to the press release:
http://www.shuttlegroup.com/ss50subpage.htm
Find more information on this box from the manufacturer
Maybe not an 150W power supply (at least, not well) but here is an example of two SFX-format power supplies that are Athlon and P4 approved:
PC Power And Cooling: Athlon/P4 approved SFX-format power supplies
If you don't know what the SFX form factor is, it's two specs for small form-factor power supplies. One is SFX-S, the other is SFX-L. One of the more famous (infamous) companies that uses SFX-L power supplies is eMachines.
These power supplies put out 180W which is not great but will do the job if you don't overtax them. The coming ATI P4 chipset with Radeon-class graphics should thrive happily with this PS, and I already know two people running nForce motherboards with this very power supply in small form-factor cases. Sparkle also makes a similar Athlon/P4 approved power supply.
PC Power And Cooling kicks ass. Great products, knowledgeable sales people, fair if not cheap prices.
Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power multiplied.
Cheers,
Ian