Gigabyte Brix GB-XM14-1037 - Build pictures and thoughts

[cptwhite_uk]

Hi all,

Just thought I'd post you some pictures and my thoughts regarding the Gigabyte Brix Ultra Compact PC I've just put together for the living room. The original thread with the components I bought can be found here in my original thread:

http://forums.hexus.net/review-my-bu...x-nano-pc.html

Suffice to say the base spec is:

Intel Celeron 1037U (Dual core 1.8Ghz)
4Gb RAM 1600Mhz
120Gb Crucial M500

Total cost for the unit was £215 without the O/S which was transferred from the previous media PC.

The unit comes with everything but the hard drive, RAM and OS

Starting with first impressions the packaging is very sturdy and somewhat minimalist:



The unit itself is a very minimalist and have beautiful chamfered edges, very iPhone-esque. You can also see the ports available on these views:

2x USB (2.0?) 1x Front / 1 x Rear
Full size HDMI
Mini DisplayPort
Full size Ethernet port




As you can see on the last view when mounted with the VESA bracket there's an arrow to indicate which is the top for optimal ventilation

Here's the full contents of the box:

Driver CD (no auto / express install) Just the basic drivers in individual folders numbered for order of install
VESA mounting screws
Power cable and transformer
The unit itself
VESA bracket



If we remove the 4 screws in the middle of the rubber feet this is what we're presented with. PLease note the base is the correct orientation for re-applying. The base can only be inserted one way. The unit is slightly off square which eliminates two possibilities, and the 180 deg rotated option won't fit due to a slight lip on the base / internal shelf which prevents it sitting flush is inserted the wrong way around. The base is removed by pulling the small "grip handle" (near the top left screw on the base)



In the view you can see the RAM modules towards the front, and the SSD (top) rear and Wireless receiver (bottom) rear, underneath the SSD (wireless receiver comes with the unit):



Installing the SSD and RAM took all of 5 minutes, windows 7 installed from a USB stick within 20 minutes, and I had basic Microsoft Security Essentials, VLC, Chrome and other basics installed within the hour.




I have a portable DVD drive hooked up to the Brix and sat onto of the Freesat box for CD/DVD playback if required.



Here's the new living room setup with the unit mounted to the back of the TV. Unfortunately the TV has mounting brackets for 100mm x 200mm which I hadn't checked, thus the unit is working off two screw ports, but given the weight this isn't an issue.

The unit works by fitting the supplied VESA bracket to the back of the TV using the 4 supplied screws. Two special screws for hooking the Brix unit into keyhole slots on the VESA bracker are then screwed onto the Brix back plate, the unit is the then simple "hooked" onto the unit - good for tool less removal from the TV



Let me know if you have any questions or want me to run any specifc benchmarks. Windows benchmark score is typically 5.9. The graphics score 5.4 and the SSD 7.9

[Bluecube]

What's it like to use as HTPC? Have you tried any games on it yet? This has Steambox written all over it but only if the CPU/ GPU is upto it... Looks like a nice easy build for what looks like a dinky wee machine.

[Pob255]

Not for directly playing games, probably as a streaming box

[OilSheikh]

Celeron, in this day and age? I bet even an Atom chip beats a Celeron!

[malfunction]

Celeron, in this day and age? I bet even an Atom chip beats a Celeron!

Depends on how many threads you're using:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/7314/i...z3770-tested/2

Though the point here is enough performance in a small quiet box.

[watercooled]

Celeron is just a brand name - this CPU is a dual core IVB CPU like an iSomething, but without features like hyperthreading, turbo and some cache.

[Willzzz]

Those are quite useful features mind.

[watercooled]

Not always (as you can see in a discussion in the OP's other thread), and I was mainly referring to the comparison to Atom - i.e. I meant Celeron hasn't stood still relative to other processors.

[cptwhite_uk]

I'm primarily using it to playback HD content, and for that purpose it's absolutely fine. Keeping the O/S install clean with just chrome, microsoft security essentials and vlc Boot times have been kept nice and nippy, as are shutdown times.

Any specific benchmarks you'd like me to try on it just list them below.

[Agent]

Do you have a power measurer? Would love to know how much it's pulling from the wall.

I have a new i3 here (ITX, CM case and such), but this would have easily sufficed looking at it. Would also look nicer under the TV and could link it to a NAS.....

You're making me want to spend more cash

[cptwhite_uk]

Unfortunately I don't have a multimeter, I'll ask around see if I can locate one.

[Enter-77]

I really want one of these as a browsing machine in the living room. Tempted to go with an Acer Nettop because it already comes with everything. BTW liking the OLD XBOX 1 sitting next to your telly :L