2004-12-21 - Spode's Abodes: "SN85G4: What more should a PC have?"
 Spode's Abodes, one of the biggest UK hardware testing sites has taken a closer look on the SN85G4 and was quite impressed...
The Chassis:
"The main cover has a black brushed finish which would fit in almost any environment. Instead (of a floppy) they have included a 7 in 1 card reader which has the slots careully cut out in the mirror panel. With most people owning digital cameras now, this is probably more useful."
Interior:
"In the interior everything is preinstalled to do the installation faster. There is a special drive cage which you can remove by two screws and lift out the chassis. An IDE cable and molex are already in place for the CD-ROM drive to speed up installation. It is however quite tidy, as there are cable tidiers at most points to route the cables properly. The ICE heatpipe cooling system is an intrinsic feature of the Shuttle Design.This is a very good system which stops the heat from building up in the middle of the case, and avoids any potential problems with cabling obstructing the fan."
Back side:
"What is notable is the audio. Not only do we have optical SPDIF in and out, but full 5.1 surround output."
Final thoughts:
"This barebones unit is excellent. It is sleek, performance is excellent and noise levels are low. What more could you want out of a PC? It is as good as a pre-built. If this didn’t predate the Sempron, we’d suggest it was made for it." |