<!–#set var="article_header" value="The Smallest of Them All:
The P4/2400 Micro PC” –>
The World’s Smallest PC: The Jadetec Micro System
If the customer really were king and had the pick of the bunch, then the decision would naturally fall in favor of a mini or a micro PC. But, in reality, the customer is anything but a pampered monarch, and so must be content with one of the various compromises on offer. The informed observer quickly realizes that the PC market doesn’t have the courage to come up with new ideas – and, in particular, more compact forms. The current sales slump cannot be assigned only to the weak economy as a whole. Now, as before, discounters still offer unlovingly thrown-together, hospital-gray crates at dubious prices, presumably in the hopes of at least making the same sales as the previous year. All the same, that gives them acceptable margins on sinking unit turnover. The trend, though, has finally broken out of the stable: PC systems are getting more compact, and the final goodbye to the 8-by-15 gray box is just waiting to happen.
In the last few weeks, we’ve had some interesting candidates in the mini PC class (Whoohoo! A Mini PC That Goes To The Max) that we put to the practical acid test. In the results for the last test line-up, the Shuttle Mini System cut an extremely dashing figure. The current version is equipped with AGP graphics that will even sway 3D-game fans. For such compact dimensions, it performs well and, furthermore, needn’t feel out of place in an office or the home. Users have the choice between two versions, because the Shuttle PC (see Goodbye to Hulking PCs: Athlon Mini-PCs Set The Trend) comes in a variety of platforms: as an AMD or Intel version with Athlon XP/ Pentium 4, and complete with an effective heatpipe.
The generation game: micro, mini, midi and maxi PCs crowd onto the market as those hulking tower dinosaurs face extinction. Every company PM manager should be aware of this fact.
The THG lab in Munich had exclusive use of the Jadetec Micro PC for our tests. It is even tinier than the Mini PC, and weighs in at just 3.5 lbs – that’s less than a notebook. The first encounter with the Micro PC tends to leave the impression that you’re dealing with a kitchen appliance – a toaster, for example. Only when you get up really close do you realize that the whole row of connectors on the back makes it more likely that it’s a computer.
Impressions Of The Micro PC
Mini PCs and THG go back a long way. Our last article on the subject drew a tremendous response – hundreds of e-mails prove that there’s a huge interest in new and compact shapes and sizes. At this point in the proceedings, here are a few pictures of the micro PC that give you a general idea of its functionality and usefulness.
The Jadetec Micro PC is smaller than a notebook, and, except for the keyboard and display, its components are fully-integrated.
A glance at the connectors on the back: besides USB 2.0, FireWire (IEEE1394), network, modem, S-Video, SP/DIF and sound, there’s even 1 GB network.
The Micro PC head on: the standard CD-ROM drive can be replaced with a DVD or DVD/RW burner. There are also USB 2 connectors and an infrared sensor for Fast IrDA.
The Jadetec viewed from the side: the vents let in air to cool the P4 processor.
Impressions Of The Micro PC, Continued
Folding feet: the Micro PC will do its work standing or lying on its side.
One small criticism: the target clientele would surely be happier with a matt case finish.
Plug-in for PC cards (PCMCIA): the slot is on the top.
“…And action!” for digital video editing: the FireWire connector can control a DV camera.
The Technology Up Close: Three Different Boards
A fair deal goes into the Micro PC – it’s made up of three different boards altogether, spatially arranged. The following pictures show how the Micro PC’s innards were put together.
This is what you see with the case open: a mini CPU cooler and a 2.5″ hard drive.
The Pentium 4 sees the light of day after the cooler is removed.
Built on three boards: the mainboard with SiS650/961 chipset and P4 socket, PC card board and I/O board.
Proprietary shape and size, and the densest integration: the motherboard with the SiS650 chipset including SiS961 Southbridge. In addition, there are chips for a network, FireWire and USB 2.0.
Built-in board with Pentium 4/2400 and cabling.
The Technology Up Close: Three Different Boards, Continued
Internal interface to connect the PC card board.
A glance at the top of the PC card board, which includes a 1 GBit Intel network controller.
Brand new: the RC8254OEM Intel chip offers 1 GBit LAN functionality.
Underside of the PC card board with PCMCIA slot.
There’s no room for a conventional 3.5″ hard drive here, so a 2.5″ hard drive, similar to those used in notebooks, is deployed.
Upgrades and Added Power
The PC sent to us for testing was equipped to the hilt. We received a model factory-equipped with a Pentium 4/2400, backed up by 512 MB DDR266 memory and a 60 GB hard disk. The CPU has only limited upgrade possibilities because the SiS 650 chipset only supports a 100 MHz Front Side Bus. This means that it’s only possible to upgrade to a P4/2600, since this is the last CPU with 100 MHz FSB. The limit for RAM is 1 GB, as there are only two SO-DIMM slots available. If required, the substantial hard drive can be exchanged for a larger 80 GB model – there’s no room for a second hard drive in the housing. But here the user should concentrate on the system’s compact dimensions that still deliver the goods when it comes to performance.
Memory extension: the memory slots are below the CD-ROM drive. The Micro PC can handle maximum memory of 1 GB DDR226.
The test PC was already factory-equipped with 512 MB DDR226 memory.
Not exactly cheap: the 512 MB SO-DIMM memory module (DDR266).
A sighting of the compact CD-ROM drive, the same as is used in notebooks.
Not Suitable for 3D Games: The Built-In SiS Graphics
The integrated SiS graphics can handle a maximum 2D resolution of up to 1600 x 1200 at a 75 Hz refresh rate.
The extensive adjustment options for the SiS graphics in the control panel.
A glance at the most important system drivers in Windows XP.
Micro PC vs. Mini PC: A Question of Taste?
There’s no simple solution to the question of which is the right PC, Micro or Mini. Because Shuttle’s Mini PC is based exclusively on conventional PC technology, with the only difference being that the components have been organized intelligently and frugally, the costs are substantially lower. On the other hand, the Micro PC from Jadetec has opted for an original solution – linking PC and notebook technology. In addition, it’s worth noting that the Mini PC can be optionally fitted with high performance AGP graphics – perhaps an ATI Radeon 9700 Pro. That will even keep demanding game freaks quiet. But for the typical user buying a Micro PC, 3D games are less of a factor. Office applications or the ability to show presentations will be more probable uses.
Comparison of two different approaches: on the left, the Shuttle Mini PC; on the right, Jadetec’s Micro PC.
Mini PC and Micro PC with connectors from behind. Both systems offer almost the same functionality.
Benchmark Test: Office And Internet Performance
The following benchmarks show that the Micro PC doesn’t do well running 3D games. But that’s not too surprising, since this PC was not designed as a gaming machine.
A different picture emerges under Sysmark 2002. Applications that make frequent forays onto the hard disk have a negative effect on system performance compared with other test systems. The Jadetec really comes into its own running Internet applications. Its office performance scores fewer marks with performance on a par with a P4/1500 with an old Willamette core.
What Happened in the THG Lab
Under laboratory conditions, the Jadetec Micro PC proved that it is capable of providing a pleasant working environment if office applications are what’s mostly being run. The lab engineers put the Micro PC through a whole course of hoops, including our well-known CPU stress test that includes about 30 hours of uninterrupted operation at maximum load. The result was that the P4 CPU didn’t at any time go into back-burner mode. The platform also proved to be remarkably stable processing DV video material. The PC compressed almost 30 GB of data with a frame rate of just under ten images a second. It must be said that the procedure took almost nine hours, though. The technicians uncovered one anomaly when they deactivated all the COM ports.
After that, Windows refused to start. This can be assigned to the original configuration at installation and is comparable to the behavior of some Asus motherboards. All the same, the Micro PC performed all tests without a murmur and, despite the high load, the system temperature rose only slightly. Acoustically, too, the PC hummed softly in the background. This is something that cannot be taken for granted for such a compact system.
The type plate informs us that it’s an EZ1 – whatever that means.
The casing, with its high-gloss finish, deserves some criticism. It fails to leave an impression of high quality. But it would be unfair to linger on this point, since the remaining system details, all finely crafted, certainly carry the day. There’s no doubt that a lot of manual labor goes into assembling the Micro PC, because its construction is much trickier compared to conventional systems.
The case is from this designer, not a household name yet.
Conclusion: Ultra Compact All-Around PC with High Performance Density
There’s no question that Jadetec’s Micro PC is among the smallest PC systems there are. It will fit into any briefcase and weighs a mere 3.5 lbs. In appearance and dimensions, it can be compared to a modern toaster as found in most households.
Defining the target group is not so easy. In terms of performance, the Micro PC comes out ahead of the top group of high-end notebooks. After all, the Pentium 4/2400, in conjunction with 512 MB of DDR266 memory, takes care of performance. As far as equipment goes, it features all the most important interfaces, such as USB 2.0, FireWire, SP/DIF, modem and network functions – and the additional 1 GBit connection is currently in a class of its own. An S-Video output is available for presentations.
That’s why business customers, for example, could use this device when commuting between an organization’s subsidiaries and headquarters, or when at their home office. You have to make sure that monitor, keyboard and mouse are available, however. At a price of just shy of $2000, the Micro PC is more suited to well-lined pockets, and it mustn’t be forgotten that a well-equipped notebook with an integrated 14.1″ screen can be had from a discounter for around $1300. One aspect of the Micro PC should certainly be noted: this computer is a sure eye-catcher in any office, not to mention when clients start discussing it. A notebook, on the other hand, is rather more mundane, regardless of its accoutrements and characteristics. To make the Micro PC even better, though, we have a suggestion. The quality and the finish of the casing are not exactly what the targeted premium customers will be expecting from a PC in this price range. How about a matte finish (coating) instead of the greasy gloss? In this segment, more than any other, the feel and look of a product play a decisive role. After all, the cultivated and discerning target audience will be looking for the equivalent of a fine glass of wine, not a beaker of tap water.
What’s noteworthy in any case is that Jadetec is treading new paths with its Micro PC. Firstly, it’s a combination of notebook and PC technology that allows the computer to be built so compactly. On the other hand, compromises in terms of performance had to be made compared with a hulking high-end PC tower. The integrated SiS graphics and its disappointing hard drive performance contribute to a less-than-satisfactory system performance. Nevertheless, we tried to deploy the Micro PC as a video-editing platform, and that works every time! There are weaknesses in rendering because the hard drive hinders better performance.
