Computer Systems

  Home arrow Computer Systems arrow Page 3 - Giga-Byte G-MAX TA4 Mini PC Review
Watch our Tech Videos 
Dev Hardware Forums 
Computer Cases  
Computer Processors  
Computer Systems  
Digital Cameras  
Flat Panels  
Gaming  
Hardware Guides  
Hardware News  
Input Devices  
Memory  
Mobile Devices  
Motherboards  
Networking Hardware  
Opinions  
PC Cooling  
PC Speakers  
Peripherals  
Power Supply Units  
Software  
Sound Cards  
Storage Devices  
Tech Interviews  
User Experiences  
Video Cards  
Weekly Newsletter
 
Developer Updates  
Free Website Content 
 RSS  Articles
 RSS  Forums
 RSS  All Feeds
Write For Us 
Contact Us 
Site Map 
Privacy Policy 
Support 
 USERNAME
 
 PASSWORD
 
 
  >>> SIGN UP!  
  Lost Password? 
COMPUTER SYSTEMS

Giga-Byte G-MAX TA4 Mini PC Review
By: Gnorb
  • Search For More Articles!
  • Disclaimer
  • Author Terms
  • Rating: 4 stars4 stars4 stars4 stars4 stars / 28
    2004-01-30

    Table of Contents:
  • Giga-Byte G-MAX TA4 Mini PC Review
  • What Comes in the TA4's Box?
  • A Look at the System
  • The GA-8IGVT Motherboard Upclose
  • The BIOS
  • TA4 BIOS, Part 2
  • Can You Tango with a Penguin?
  • Video Benchmarks
  • Motherboard Benchmarks
  • Conclusion

  • Rate this Article: Poor Best 
      ADD THIS ARTICLE TO:
      Del.ici.ous Digg
      Blink Simpy
      Google Spurl
      Y! MyWeb Furl
    Email Me Similar Content When Posted
    Add Developer Shed Article Feed To Your Site
    Email Article To Friend
    Print Version Of Article
    PDF Version Of Article
     
     

    SEARCH DEV HARDWARE

    TOOLS YOU CAN USE

    advertisement

    Giga-Byte G-MAX TA4 Mini PC Review - A Look at the System


    (Page 3 of 10 )

    As I mentioned before, the first thing that impressed my about this system was its sheer size. The design garnered more than a few “oohs” and “aahs” from some of the Dev Hardware staff, including an exited “Ooh… that’s cool!” from “Cardboard” Nathan, a staff member and DevH contributing writer. In fact, as you can see in the specifications, the TA4 is listed as being 64(D) x 213(W) x 234(H) mm. That puts it at about two thirds the width of a PlayStation 2, and just about as high. Due to its small size, I was able to fit it comfortably right next to my monitor on my desk.

    TA4 - Smaller than a PS2TA4 - Smaller than my PS2

    TA4 - Next to my monitor

    Its small size makes it perfect for anyone who needs a computer, doesn’t have a lot of space, and doesn’t have either the capital or inclination to spend the money on a similarly powered laptop.

    The system’s external layout is pretty straight forward. The system has a somewhat bulky power button at the top of the box, as well as its Slim CD holder. The lower half includes all the most commonly used system features, including an audio port (for headphones), a MIC, two USB 2 ports, and a PCMCIA slot. Overall the front design is quite comfortable to work with. My only complaint was with the center-snap CD tray, found on most laptops. Due to the vertical orientation of the CD-ROM, it made it a bit uncomfortable to load the disk (the computer kept tipping over every time I loaded one). Although the original setup doesn’t come with an optical disk drive of any sort, this is something that prospective users might want to keep in mind when dealing with this thing.

    TA4 - FrontTA4 - Back

    The back of the system is laid out in a pretty much a standard manner, so there’s nothing much to note. I was a bit surprised to see the native use of a DVI (LCD display) connector, but after thinking about it for a second (and finding the adaptor in the box), I realized that it made more sense than a VGA (for CRT monitors) connector. This unit is targeted more towards corporate uses, and most large corporations today use LCD monitors for the sake of power consumption (besides, they’re easier on the eyes, look better, and take up less space). In addition, if you’re in the market for a space saving PC, you’re probably already rid of your old, bulky CRT.

    Other than the monitor connector, the rest of the system is a standard affair, including PS/2 connectors for the mouse and keyboard, two USB ports, FireWire port, onboard LAN (RJ45), S Video (TV-Out), SPDIF Out, COM 2 port, power plug for the external power supply, and system fan. Giga-Byte has done a great job with creating a plainly laid out system that’s comfortable to work with. (Note: I’m sure that you’ve noticed the large “Pull” knob on the side of the unit. I’ll cover that later. In short, it’s what lets you pull out the system motherboard from the casing.

    More Computer Systems Articles
    More By Gnorb

    blog comments powered by Disqus

    COMPUTER SYSTEMS ARTICLES

    - Apple Doubles iPad Max Storage
    - CES 2013 Brings New Toys, Devices, More
    - Latest iMac Not For Tinkerers
    - Latest Apple Offerings: iPad Mini, Redesigne...
    - Digital Storm ODE and HP Pavilion Slimline
    - Alienware M11x and HP ProBook 5330m Laptop R...
    - Acer Aspire Ethos and TimelineX Laptop Review
    - HP Pavilion dv6t-6000 and Dell XPS 15z Lapto...
    - Lenovo IdeaCentre and Alienware Aurora Review
    - Gateway FX6850-51u and Velocity Micro Edge Z...
    - HP Pavilion p6720f and the Gateway DX4850-45...
    - HP Pavilion g6-1a69us and Toshiba Satellite ...
    - Toshiba Portege R835-P56X and Toshiba Satell...
    - Asus K53E-B1 and the Toshiba Satellite L655-...
    - Toshiba Portege R705-P35 and the Samsung QX4...

    Developer Shed Affiliates

     




    © 2003-2013 by Developer Shed. All rights reserved. DS Cluster - Follow our Sitemap
    KEITHLEE2/home/servers/www.devhardware.com/www/zdeconfigurator/configs/INFUSIONSOFT_OVERLAY.php/home/servers/www.devhardware.com/www/zdeconfigurator/configs/ OFFLOADING INFUSIONSOFTLOADING INFUSIONSOFT 1debug:overlay status: OFF
    overlay not displayed overlay cookie defined: TI_CAMPAIGN_1012_D OVERLAY COOKIE set:
    status off