Interesting barebone from ASUS (1 Viewer)

[Spragleknas]

ASUS P2-M3A3200

Link: ASUSTeK Computer Inc.


Specs:[7b](filtered)
CPU

Socket AM2 (AMD)

North Bridge: AMD RS780G
South Bridge: AMD SB700
Minne

2 x DIMM
Dual DDR2 800/667/533
Support max. 4GB

2 x PCI-e x 1
Note:1 x PCI-e x 16, 1 x PCI-e x 1 (Optional: with VGA card)

Integrated ATI Radeon™ HD3200 Graphics
Max. resolution: 2048 x 1536
Support Microsoft DirectX 10

1 x ATA 100
2 x SATA II
1 x 10/100/1000 Mbps
Realtek RTL8111C

Realtek ALC883
Azalia 8 Channel

Size: 91mm (W) x 275mm (H) x 357mm (D)

1 x 3.5" Internal
1 x 5.25" Front Panel

2 x USB2.0
1 x Microphone
1 x Headphone
1 x 4-in-1 Card Reader (MS, MS Pro, MMC, SD)
1 x IEEE 1394 (4pin)
1x CF Card Reader

Back IO
4 x USB 2.0
1 x Line-in/Line-out/Mic-in
1 x PS/2 Keyboard
1 x PS/2 Mouse
1 x RJ45 LAN
1 x Back Surround LR/Side Surround LR/Center LFE
1 x S/PDIF-out (Optical)
1 x D-sub
1 x HDMI
1 x Serial Port


Peak 200W (PFC)

Idle mode: 31dB

Optional Functions: VGA Card (HD3450)

If the price is right, this might be a small and good choice for HTPC usage. Availability will probably be a problem where I'm from

 

[tsamb.]

Yes should be interesting...

I have used its predecessor the P2-M2A690G in the past with varied results. (The main problem being the lack of HD decoding power from the 690G.) Said predecessor was around $250 NZD when I got it a year and a bit ago. I would imagine this case would retail for the same or a smidge more.

The case itself on the outside is fairly attractive -- a lot more so than other Asus barebones. It is reasonably solid in terms of construction, although the riser card inside can cause a bit of trouble in helping to mis-shape the case when trying to put the cover back on. Also the front fold-down flap which houses the USB ports, the cardreader and the front panel audio connectors is a tad flimsy. (It is also annoying that you need to have the flap open to plug in front panel headphones/mic.) A big setback with this case for me was that it is not really designed to lie flat. It is possible to take off the footstand and lie it flat, but it leaves you with an ugly, holey, unpainted steel edge on one side and when it's lying flat you can't open the front panel. Another gripe about the exterior is that although the CD tray opening mechanism is very nicely engineered, I had to pad a bit out with some duct tape (a mod that you can't see from the outside) for mechanism to actually open the optical drive. (Had the same problem with an LG drive AND an Asus drive!) You also have to push the buttons pretty hard to turn the system on or open the drive.

As for the interior of the case, nothing much to complain about in there. It comes with its own HSF which is surprisingly quiet in most instances. Everything is laid out nicely for such a small form factor. Cabling is nicely cut to length (for example 10cm SATA cables instead of 50cm) making the interior nice and clean when everything is in. The only problem I came across with the interior is that a couple of the bigger Hauppauge cards would not fit in the case. One of my dual tuner cards was too wide and a single tuner card (even low profile) was too long (the HSF got in the way). I ended up using an external USB tuner.

All in all this was a nice case to work with and served its purpose well, other than the little niggles about the exterior.