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Arprotek e-Cube/gBox Barebones Review

Posted by timothy on from the not-quite-a-lunchbox dept.

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"."

9 of 150 comments (clear)

  1. But what about heat? by mansemat · · Score: 1, Interesting

    How well do these things deal with heat? Seems like they'd overheat, no?>

    First Post!

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  2. 150W Power supply?! by Epi-man · · Score: 1, Interesting

    That must be a typo, there is no way they can be running a P4 on only 150W unless it is a mobile, didn't seem to say so. That GeForce4 sure would struggle with such meager power offerings though...

  3. Link to picture by fdisk3hs · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I managed to grab the picture, it is now available at:
    www.greenapple.com/~rutledge/cfs868.jpg

    See how my ISP likes that...

  4. Even better... by WayneGayle · · Score: 2, Interesting

    ...if they got on the ball and made optional custom LCD screens that attach to the top of the case, flip and fold down. Just gotta put the handle on the back of the case instead of the top. Look to the GameCube for example, brilliant i think.
    -WG

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    "America, I smoke marijuana every chance I get."
  5. Idea for making a flat panel more portable... by MsGeek · · Score: 4, Interesting
    1. Get a flat panel display with a detachable base. Detach it. Store the base somewhere safe so that you can have access to it when you want it.
    2. Get a collapsable tabletop easel from an art supply store.
    3. Hang the flat panel on the wall when at home, tote the collapsable easel and the flat panel display in your carrier along with your keyboard, pointing device and whatnot.
    4. Unfold the easel and set the flat panel display on it as if it was a canvas.

    Problem solved.

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    Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power multiplied.
  6. Build your own projector! by SWTP · · Score: 2, Interesting

    A few items bacck on /. is an article-thread on a DYI video projector. Now if you could combine this with that in one box.... :)

  7. Re:LAN gaming is a big hassle by liquidsin · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I'll avoid the obvious bashing of pro-MS comments, since there are thousands of others who will take that on. But seriously, console over computer for a lan party? You can't play strategy since everyone else can see what you're doing (if you're all on the same tv...and if you're not, then a portable console is no good if you have to lug around televisions). And even if you're not playing strategy, why would you want to share a television screen with someone else for a fps or even racing? About the only good multiplayer you can have with a console is arena fighting, like Mortal Kombat, or something like Super Smash Brothers Melee, which is the best reason ever to own a console. Other than that, lan parties are the way to go.

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    do not read this line twice.
  8. it seems to have a crappy motherboard by Billly+Gates · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I had nothing but problems with generic motherboards. I originally blamed the problem on Windows but I noticed a big difference between Intel and Asus motherboards vs the rest of them. Shuttle chipsets like the one above have some known reliability problems. I guess this system is fine for a gamer and non 24/7 use but I would not want to run my main system on it.

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    http://saveie6.com/
  9. i like my SV25 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    the Shuttle Spacewalker SV25, although somewhat of a noisy little beast, adequately serves and a nice desktop box... it has the same form facter as the SV24, and somewhat smaller form factor than the SS4X , SS5X, and box in the article...

    it includes P/S, PCI riser, mobo, CPU fin/fan, power cord, floppy, and IDE cables...

    what's nice is that everything on the mobo works well with Linux, including sound, Ethernet, USB, IEEE 1394 sensors, etc.... you can use a Via C3 CPU (such as the .13 micron 866MHz) without a CPU fan... the P/S fan is noisy however, but this is related to resonance of the all aluminum chassis, especially when placed on a desk...

    i use a combo DVD/CDRW drive, and a hard drive fits in the floppy slot underneath the CD-ROM (who uses a floppy anymore?)... i also stuck in an ATI TV VE Wondow mini-PC card and now watch TV in a separate desktop using xawtv...when i want to watch a DVD and burn a CD, i attach a VST Smartdisk FireWire external via the IEEE 1394 port, and the drive is bus-powered!

    the unit can take up to 1GB of RAM, but i find 256MB entirely adequate... i also used a 933MHz PIII in the unit (w/a CPU fan)... the CPU/Sys temps rarely go above 99F...

    the Savage video chipset works with the latest XFree86 release, but if you want to watch TV, download the latest savage_drv.o module from the maintainer's page - it will enable use of xawtv... don't know why the standard XFree86 release savage_drv.o module doesn't enable TV...

    there is an active group of users and modders... i have no interest in going to a P4-based box, as i don't believe there's a low-power CPU for the socket (the VIA CPUs are cheap, btw - in the $50 - $60(US) range for 800-900MHz chips...

    the SV25 is very nice and hits a sweet spot on price (about $220+S/H if you shop around)... if you have extra 370 socket CPUs, some RAM, an HD and CD-ROM, this is a cheap way to go...