Final Thoughts

Whenever we wait at Pocket-size Class Gene (SFF) systems or even laptops, we often come away thinking much could exist improved or added. This was not the case with the Asrock Ion 330HT-BD. Maybe the biggest disappointment remains the Cantlet processor, as even this newer dual-cadre version is still defective in the power department.

In all fairness, it wasn't until we benchmarked the Atom 330 that we realized just how boring it is compared to other modern desktop CPUs. We spent days playing with the Ion system, installing software and configuring it for daily use and overall it felt quite snappy in Windows 7.

The single-cadre Atom 230 nosotros had tested earlier is a real slug when paired with Microsoft'southward latest OS, to the point where information technology'south besides frustrating to use. While it'south possible to utilise the Atom 230 on Windows XP without much trouble, you still don't want to throw any serious tasks at information technology. The Cantlet 330 surprised us, running smoothly on Windows vii, and beingness completely honest I might not have a problem using it as my piece of work PC on a daily basis.

We can think of a number of reasons why the Asrock Ion 330HT-BD is the ultimate HTPC. Its power to play 1080p content smoothly is a basic requirement that goes along the built-in Blu-ray role player. Add to that its meaty size, fashionable design, ultra quiet operating volume, low power consumption, remote command and HDMI back up. That'due south not to forget the Ion 330HT-BD doesn't lose on the PC connectivity front with eSATA, WiFi-northward, 6x USB ports and Optical/Digital audio out.

We were likewise pleased to see what was subconscious on the BIOS, which provides a great deal of tweakable options. The overclocking abilities of the Ion 330HT-BD were impressive, equally we had no problem squeezing an extra 400MHz out of the dual-core Atom processor.

In terms of features and performance we feel the Asrock Ion 330HT-BD is about as good equally a nettop is going to get right now. At $580, Asrock seems to be charging a off-white price for the Ion 330HT-BD.

Outstanding production: Asrock Ion 330HT-BD Nettop

If yous wanted to build a similar system yourself, an Atom 330/Ion motherboard is going to cost at least $175 alone, a decent Mini-ITX case with power supply to house information technology volition cost anywhere from $fifty to $100. The 2GB of DDR2 memory will set you back some other $50, the Seagate hard drive is $65 and the Sony Blu-Ray player is worth roughly $150. All upward this gets u.s.a. to $500 without the remote and wireless LAN menu.

It is worth noting that the cost doesn't include an operating system, so y'all must budget for this. Windows 7 seems to exist the way to go with the Asrock Ion 330HT-BD.

Overall nosotros are left impressed with the Asrock Ion 330HT-BD. With base models starting at $350, there should be a version for everyone. While nosotros have focused on using the Ion 330HT-BD as a HTPC solution, this tiny system could exist used for various tasks and is suitable for general usage also.