Form factors of motherboards. Advantages of hard drives in different form factors

Solutions based on hard drives form factors 2.5" and 3.5"

Hard drives in two form factors 2.5" and 3.5" - practical differences and areas of application.

Often, instead of specifying a specific hard drive form factor in inches(A double quote is designated precisely inch), computer hardware suppliers use the acronyms SFF and LFF, abbreviations for the phrases Small Form Factor and Large Form Factor, respectively. It is not difficult to guess that any (both SATA and SAS) hard drives of a smaller form factor 2.5" received the designation SFF HDD, but more 3.5" - LFF HDD. It is no secret that in modern high-performance hard drives of 3.5" and 2.5" form factors, manufacturers use platters of the same size - from 2.5" HDD. Therefore, often, both the capacity and performance parameters of 2.5" and 3.5" hard drive models from the same manufacturer look the same Moreover, some manufacturers have announced the cessation of production of high-performance 3.5" hard drives, leaving top HDD models only in the 2.5" form factor. The availability of high-performance 3.5" form factor hard drives is steadily declining. Based on the realities of the modern market, manufacturers consider it economically infeasible to use more than 2 platters inside one hard drive. For reference, it is possible to install up to 3 platters in a 2.5" form factor hard drive (15mm high), and up to 5 platters in a 3.5" HDD.

2.5" drive

3.5" drive

What should those consumers do who cannot or do not want (for various reasons) to use modern hard disks 2.5" form factor? Manufacturers offer an intermediate solution - the use of 2.5" hard drives in a 3.5" form factor. As a 3.5" hard drive, a regular 2.5" hard drive is offered, installed at the factory by the manufacturer in a special metal mounting case - a carriage. Please note that removing this hard drive from the mounting enclosure may not be covered under warranty for some manufacturers. Among the undoubted advantages of this design, it should be noted that the engineers of the manufacturing companies accurately calculate the dimensions and rigidity of the structure, guarantee the standard arrangement of connectors and mounting holes for 3.5" hard drives, and ensure optimal cooling of the hard drive installed inside.

If the transition to a smaller form factor is inevitable, what will consumers benefit from switching to a 2.5" hard drive form factor?
What are the differences, pros and cons of disk subsystems based on hard drives of various form factors and their scope of application? In two words - what's the difference?

Obviously, the smaller the hard drive, the more such hard drives should fit inside the server.

Today, the following number of hard drives are traditionally installed in rack-mounted servers:

	server height	number of 3.5" bays		number of 2.5" bays
	1U	4 compartments		8 compartments
	2U	12 compartments		24 compartments
	3U	16 compartments		32 compartments
	4U	24 compartments		48 compartments

In the general case (as can be seen from the table), it is possible to install 2 times more 2.5" form factor hard drives in servers compared to servers of the same size but with 3.5" hard drives.

As mentioned earlier, in the segment of enterprise-class hard drives, the maximum capacity of drives of two different form factors is the same, based on this, the use of a disk subsystem with 2.5" bays allows you to double the maximum total storage capacity. And even when using low-price hard drives range, in which, today, the maximum capacity of 3.5" form factor hard drives is approximately 2 times greater than that of 2.5" drives, the maximum capacity of disk subsystems with bays of different form factors will be approximately the same.

As an additional bonus of using 2.5" hard drives, it is obvious that due to the smaller dimensions (a 2.5" drive is smaller than a 3.5" drive in depth), the disk subsystem in the server occupies less space, which allows manufacturers to slightly reduce the size of servers. It should also be noted that most Modern SSDs (solid-state drives) are available in a 2.5" form factor and the use of 2.5" bays in the server guarantees compatibility when installing SSD drives, and, what is especially important, in the future - with possible server upgrades.

Smaller hard drives are actively used in systems with small dimensions, in high-density servers, modular and blade servers. For example, in one 2U high case there are 4 dual-processor servers and 24 2.5" form factor hard drives, that is, 6 2.5" form factor hard drives are connected to each server at once. To obtain the same number of 3.5" disks, the server case must be 2 times higher - not 2U, but 4U high. Such a parameter as the maximum amount of disk space is of course important, but not always. In enterprise-class server disk subsystems, disk subsystem performance (input/output operations per second, IOPS) is much more important than the total disk storage capacity. The number of RAID groups (LUNs) of the disk subsystem and their performance (IOPS) increase with the number of connected hard drives, so it is obvious that a larger number of 2.5" disks will provide a serious advantage compared to a small array of 3.5" HDDs.

For comparison, two 2.5" enterprise-class 10,000rpm (revolutions per minute) hard drives on a good RAID controller will outperform one 3.5" drive with 15,000rpm. At the same time, the price of two 2.5" 10,000rpm disks with a capacity of 300GB and one 3.5" 15,000rpm disk with a capacity of 600GB will be approximately the same.

Such a parameter as the linear read/write speed on external tracks, theoretically, should be higher for 3.5" hard drives than for 2.5" (at the same spindle speed and the same recording density) simply due to the physically larger size of the platters, but in reality there are differences are insignificant, since high-performance hard drives of different form factors often contain platters of the same size.

In general, the more hard drives a server has, the greater the power consumption (the power supplies must be more powerful) and the greater the heat dissipation (the server ventilation system and cooling costs must be more powerful). However, compared to 3.5" hard drive models, modern 2.5" hard drives have 2 times lower power consumption (in all modes) and, as a result, lower heat generation and cooling costs. Thus, a server with 24 2.5" hard drives consumes less electricity and heats the surrounding space than a server with 12 3.5" hard drives.

Great attention is always paid to the reliability of hard drives. Due to the reduction in size (and additional engineering solutions) 2.5" hard drives have increased resistance to vibration and mechanical stress. This is confirmed by the manufacturers themselves; the mean time between failures (MTBF) of the latest models of 2.5" hard drives is 2 million hours, compared to the best models 3.5" hard drives, for which MTBF is declared at 1.3-1.6 million hours.

And lastly, despite the fact that this is not relevant in servers, 2.5" drives produce slightly less noise during operation compared to 3.5" models.

As a result, we can briefly formulate the pros and cons, as well as the areas of application of hard drives of various form factors.

Advantages of hard drives in different form factors

3.5" LFF - more capacity per disk, less price per gigabyte:
• with the same recording density, more information can be placed on a larger platter
• the maximum capacity of one HDD is greater (in the segment of low-price hard drives)
• cheaper cost per gigabyte of disk space

2.5" SFF - more capacity and performance per unit of space occupied by a server or rack storage system:
• 2 times more storage capacity in a limited space - smaller dimensions and, as a result, higher capacity density per unit volume of space (Gigabyte/cm3) or per unit of server size in a rack (Gigabyte/Unit)
• higher performance of the storage system in limited space - smaller dimensions and, as a result, higher I/O density of the disk subsystem per unit volume of space (IOPS/cm3) or per unit size of the server in the rack (IOPS/Unit)
• 2 times less energy consumption (in all modes) and, as a result, less heat generation and cooling costs
, modular and blade servers
• in systems with high disk subsystem performance due to a large number of fast hard drives -
• in systems with a large number of RAID groups -
• in systems with maximum reliability of all components -
• in systems with low or limited power consumption -

The article compares different types of small form factor boards. Having chosen computers on a module, the author explains why CoM is most suitable for modern tasks and what the features of the four CoM form factors that are de facto standards are. It also tells you how to choose the appropriate module for your own project.

Representative office of Congatec AG, Moscow

The miniature form factor is not a new invention in the field of embedded systems, but the need to reduce system size, weight and power has increased the requirements for it, which has translated into a number of design decisions. Almost two decades ago, the PC/104 board with its small dimensions (3.55 × 3.78″) revolutionized modular industrial computers. However, over the past years, the concept of small form factor modules, or SFF (Small form factor), has led to the emergence of a difficult to manage group of heterogeneous platforms and so-called standards.

In general, SFF boards can be divided into three groups:

Single-board computers, SBC (single-board computer – English), all functionality of which fits on one board without the possibility of further expansion;

Stack-type modules (the PC/104 family de facto belongs to them), allowing the formation of devices of different levels - from a “simple” SBC to large backbone systems made of standardized modules with arbitrary expansion options;

Computers on a Module (CoM), where the core computing functions are concentrated in a standardized module coupled to a standard or custom circuit board.

Single board computers provide highest level vertical integration of boards and have the lowest cost, which is especially noticeable when there is a large number of them.

If a standard SBC does not meet the specifications, a custom board must be created. Its development takes quite a long time and requires the work of a considerable number of highly qualified specialists due to the complexity of today's ultra-fast and miniature microcircuits - some with grid spacing printed circuit board 0.600, 0.500 or even 0.400 millimeters. In addition to the hardware, it is necessary to create BIOS drivers (basic system input/output) and O/S (for the input/output subsystem). Today, in a highly competitive environment, companies are striving to optimize R&D efforts by focusing on the most important activities in order to be the first to reach the market.

Computer modules assembled like a shelf (or sandwich), namely in the PC/104 format, are profitable because whatever functionality is required, the device is always ready for sale. Hardware development is simple and quite fast, since you only need to design a solution, buy modules and assemble them “in a stack.” What are the disadvantages here? Systems based on PC/104 modules are ideal for certain applications where a simple and robust solution is needed, but the processing power, graphics performance and heat dissipation requirements are not as high. However, the connectors and system require capital expenditure, and much of the ecosystem is focused on the ISA bus.

As technology has moved away from ISA and parallel buses over the past two decades, the once versatile PC/104 world has fragmented into many variations and upgrades. Currently there are PC/104, PC/104‑plus, PCI/104, PCI/104‑Express, PCIe/104 and SUMIT-ISM. This often leads to quite complex combinations and combinations in the ecosystem. What once seemed like an ideal advantage becomes a huge burden when it comes to developing a new product. Many traditional products and components have expired and are difficult to replace. Cooling can also be a daunting task due to the design's low heat dissipation requirements.

The current generation of CPUs, including Intel's Atom and AMD G-series processors, are now the preferred and often the only choice for mid-range fanless devices. Additionally, in many applications the overall stacked area of ​​PC/104 cards poses a layout challenge. The once industry-leading form factor PC/104 is no longer a trendsetter.

Thanks to the open international SMARC standard, computers on a module (CoM) offer a wide range of performance and sizes, but only four form factors are the true, de facto standards that are supported by regulatory authorities and major distributors. Let's list them (Fig. 1): this is ETX; its successful external update known as XTX; COM Express, which is today the undisputed market leader in high-speed systems, and the relatively new Qseven - a form factor for low power consumption, mobile and ultra-mobile CoM applications.

Rice. 1. The evolution of computers on a module from the ETX to Qseven form factor

Together, these four form factors incorporate all the typical advantages of computers on a module. While most companies' solutions don't compete with the latest computer technologies with their ultra-thin pins and highly EMC-sensitive high-speed signals, computers on modules offer the most powerful tools to help you tackle your toughest projects. These devices are supplied fully assembled and guarantee a short development period. Dividing into two parts - a common (CoM) and a dedicated (main board) - makes it easy to scale and upgrade options, and also provides a “tailored to measure” platform when it comes to wireless I/O connector size and placement. Upgrading to the latest computer technology with lower power consumption and more processing power is as easy as replacing the computer module. Due to the nature of CoM, modules in this format are found in an almost limitless number of applications. With PC-on-a-module, OEMs can be future-proofed with multiple suppliers, scalable performance, a platform that meets the latest requirements, and faster time to market. All these advantages lead to a more competitive final product on the market for OEM.

Features of four CoM form factors

Embedded Technology eXtended, or ETX, introduced in 1998, became the first de facto standard in a series of CoM form factors. It retains the same I/O system, supports PS/2 and a board size of 3.7 × 4.5″ (95 × 114 mm). ETX became an approved standard in 2000. Due to its maximum possible TDP (thermal dissipation requirement) of 40 watts, it is used primarily in the industrial segments of the computing and automation market. From other industries that use large installed systems based on computer modules of the ETX form factor, we can name medicine, transport and games. Together with the PC/104 format, ETX is the senior established standard among small form factors with unlimited ISA support. Currently, ETX modules are used primarily in legacy designs that need to support an ISA bus that is over twenty years old. Due to the discontinuation of the 855 chipset from Intel, today ETX form factor modules are equipped primarily with Geode, VIA or Atom processors, and the latest ETF modules are equipped with AMD processors G‑series, which offer full graphics and increased CPU performance.

The XTX form factor, introduced in 2005, is an update to the ETX and is fully compatible with it. It features native SATA support (four ports) and four PCIe routes, replacing the ISA bus on the fourth connector. This increases I/O performance to 2 GB per second per route, including current high speed interfaces on the motherboard. If ETX compatibility is required but support is not required ISA buses, then XTX is the most suitable option. XTX is a low-cost upgrade to the line from the ETX form factor to modern high-tech platforms beyond the 855 chipset, as well as a gateway to dual-core processor power. ETX modules find applications in areas such as industrial computing, automation, medicine, transportation and gaming.

COM Express

COM Express was introduced as a standard by the PICMG* consortium in 2005. The main goal was to create a universal, scalable CoM standard free of legacy boards. The dimensions originally specified by PICMG were 3.7 x 4.9″ (95 x 125 mm) for the main boards and 4.3 x 6.1″ (110 x 155 mm) for the extended boards. At the request of a large group of product manufacturers, COM Express was introduced extra size 3.7 × 3.7″ (95 × 95 mm) – compact, approximately the same as the PC/104 board (90 × 96 mm). In addition to a new connector design and several size options, the COM Express board comes with a number of important new features, including: six PCIe routes, a PEG port option (consisting of sixteen PCIe routes), an SDVO interface, Gigabit LAN and supply voltage changes from 5 to 12 Q. TDP requirements, previously a maximum of 40 W (ETX/XTX), have been increased to 137 W, including the most powerful high-end processors and graphics chipsets. Freed from the junk pioneered by PICMG, COM Express has become the most popular CoM standard, with the richest ecosystem and vendor support. For computers on a module today, there is a wide selection of embedded x86 processors - from a low-power single-core Atom to a high-performance quad-core i7. COM Express form factor modules are used for high-power gaming computers, high-performance medical equipment and digital signage, industrial computing, automation, telecommunications, transportation, and point-of-sale card terminals.

The newest of the CoM standards. It was created in 2008 to support small low-power devices, mobile and ultra-mobile applications. The board size (Fig. 2) is only 2.76 × 2.76″ (70 × 70 mm), no expensive board-to-board connector is required, but rather an inexpensive but still reliable 230-pin header used in the MXM board slot , which is widely used in mobile video cards. The heat dissipation is limited to 12 W, and the specified voltage of 5 V allows mobile device work efficiently on two lithium batteries. Qseven supports more modern I/O buses, including up to four PCIe routes (no plug) with graphics supporting two ports - LVDS and SDVO (shared with the HDMI/display port). Qseven supports CAN, SPI, LPC and SDIO interfaces to guarantee maximum flexibility for mobile applications. Qseven is not an x86-only platform, it is also defined and supported by ARM. A very useful feature is the common Embedded Application Programming Interface (EAPI) for industrial applications such as watchdog, I²C bus, display brightness adjustment, BIOS storage and reading system temperatures. The form factor is used in handheld and ultra-mobile devices, computer panels, entry-level games, simple medical equipment, simple digital equipment, industrial computers, automation, transport, in mobile applications for terminals. The Qseven format is suitable for any application powered by battery or using PoE technology, that is, power over a twisted pair Ethernet network.

IntroductionOver the past few years, the market personal computers has changed a lot. A large number of users, using computing technology for surfing the Internet or as a home entertainment center, have begun to approach PCs as if they were ordinary household appliances. As a result, the structure of demand for all computer components has changed dramatically. Many people suffered from this, including component manufacturers.
In light of the fact that the number of computer enthusiasts is gradually declining, manufacturers motherboards began to face the fact that the demand for their high-end products was declining. On the other hand, the ever-increasing integration of system logic sets began to lead to the fact that most motherboards from different manufacturers began to be very similar to each other in their characteristics, preventing manufacturers of high-end motherboards from standing out among their peers. In this situation, those motherboard manufacturers who do not have large OEM orders began to feel somewhat insecure in the market, since the production of cheap solutions alone “will not go far.”
One of the ways out of the impending crisis for motherboard manufacturers was to diversify production and offer completely different types of products. As we can see, many of the former motherboard manufacturers began to produce video cards. Some have entered the server market. Some manufacturers began to offer laptops or PDAs. Other manufacturers began to produce and actively promote so-called Small Form Factor (SFF) PCs. We will dwell on them in more detail.
SFF PCs are small computers designed for use at home or in the office. They are united by a key feature that follows from the name, namely small size. At the same time, SFF computers also have a number of other advantages over their counterparts, for example, reduced noise levels. But this is more a consequence than a cause. In addition, in their design, SFF PC manufacturers try to make it look in such a way that in the eyes of an inexperienced user looking at the SFF PC, the line between a computer and any other household appliance will be erased.
SFF PCs are supplied in the form of barebone kits, that is, in the form of a kind of “skeletons” for creating ready-made systems. This is not surprising. While board manufacturers are quite capable of producing special motherboards and cases at their own facilities, they cannot produce processors or hard drives. Therefore, a classic barebone SFF PC includes a case with a power supply, a motherboard with an integrated graphics core, or a video card. However, the contents of different barebone kits may vary.
Today in our laboratory we found the first such skeleton kit, Small Form Factor PC, from FIC. Naturally, we couldn't deny ourselves the pleasure of testing it. Moreover, with its small size and quite “adult” characteristics, it won the sympathy of your humble servant.

Specifications and appearance

So, the laboratory received an SFF PC from FIC, Samba(SM)-1845, for testing.

This skeleton kit, according to the official specifications, is intended for the assembly of a home or office computer, based on the Socket 478 Intel Celeron processor or Intel Pentium 4 with a 400 MHz system bus. The motherboard used in Samba-1845 uses an i845 chipset with support for PC133 SDRAM, and also has an AGP 4x slot into which AGP video cards can be installed in a slim form factor.
To give the reader an idea of ​​the size of the Small Form Factor PC, here is a photo of the Samba-1845 standing next to a traditional mini-tower from Inwin:

Please note that Samba(SM)-1845 allows both vertical and horizontal installation system unit.

The Samba-1845 specifications are as follows:

Socket 478 support Intel processors Pentium 4 and Intel Celeron with a bus frequency of 400 MHz;
Kit Intel logic 845 with ICH2 southbridge;
Two DIMM slots supporting up to 1 GB PC133 SDRAM;
AGP 4x slot and two PCI slots;
AC97 audio codec CS4299 with SPDIF support;
One 3.5" internal compartment for ATA-100 hard drive, one 3.5" external bay for a standard 1.44 MB drive, one 5.25" external bay for an external ATA-100 optical drive;
Integrated 10/100 Mbit Ethernet controller Intel 82562;
150W power supply from Delta;
Four USB 1.1 ports (two on the front panel and two on the rear);
Two IEEE1394 ports (one four-pin and one six-pin);
Two PCMCIA Type II slots;
Dimensions 310(width) x 360(depth) x 93(height) mm.

In addition, the Samba(SM)-1845 package includes a 3.5" 1.44 MB disk drive, as well as a slim video card manufactured by FIC, based on the GeForce2 MX 200 chip.
On the front panel of the Samba-1845 there are the front parts of the compartments for the drive and CD-ROM (the front panel of the CD-ROM is closed by a door); two PCMCIA Type II slots, which can be used to connect additional devices to the computer, traditionally intended for use in laptops; power button and several connectors closed with a slide. Pulling back the slide, we find two USB 1.1 ports, six-pin and four-pin Firewire ports and a microphone input. These are the capabilities of Samba-1845, facing the user.

Having turned the Samba(SM)-1845 180 degrees, we find a power connector, one serial and one parallel ports, an RJ45 network port, two more USB 1.1 ports, PS/2 connectors for connecting a mouse and keyboard, audio input and audio -output, as well as optical SPDIF output. In addition, there you can also find a D-Sub video output from the video card supplied with Samba(SM)-1845. As you can see from the rear panel, Samba(SM)-1845 allows the installation of two additional cards extensions.

After removing the cover from the Samba(SM)-1845, it turns out that to turn this skeleton kit into a full-fledged SFF PC, it is necessary to install a hard drive and CD-ROM drive, as well as a processor and memory. In addition, Samba(SM)-1845 will allow, at the user’s request, the installation of two additional PCI expansion cards, for example, a modem and a USB 2.0 controller, but this will not yet exhaust the capabilities of the kit for expanding capabilities. Support for two PCMCIA Type II slots allows connection to Samba(SM)-1845 of almost any external devices.

Motherboard

Unlike other barebone manufacturers, FIC uses a special motherboard for its Samba(SM)-1845, and not a serial integrated board, which is also sold separately. However, this is quite understandable. The Samba(SM)-1845 board has a number of unique features, which we will talk about below.

The motherboard of the same name as the SFF PC itself is based on the i845 logic set and supports two DIMM slots for PC133 SDRAM. Unfortunately, this is exactly what should be recognized as the main disadvantage of Samba(SM)-1845: the board does not allow the installation of any more modern types of memory, as a result of which the performance of a system built on Samba(SM)-1845 will be significantly limited precisely by the type of memory used. The decision of the Samba(SM)-1845 designers looks even more strange if we take into account the fact that PC133 SDRAM and DDR SDRAM now have almost the same price on the market. Therefore, the only justification for the designers of this SFF PC can only be that the i845 logic set itself with SDR SDRAM support costs slightly less than its DDR counterparts.
Also, the choice of the i845 chipset as the basis for Samba(SM)-1845 led to the fact that although the board supports Socket 478 processors, it does not have official support for the 533 MHz bus. So, if you follow the instructions, you will have to install either a Celeron or a Pentium 4 with a 400 MHz bus in Samba(SM)-1845. However, as a practical test has shown, Samba(SM)-1845 can work with more modern processors with a 533 MHz bus.
As an advantage of the applied solution, it should be noted that the motherboard supports external video cards, and this makes it possible to further upgrade not only the processors, but also the video subsystem.
External slots on Samba(SM)-1845 are made on an additional riser card. In this way, FIC engineers were able to achieve a significant reduction in the height of their SFF system. The riser card used in Samba(SM)-1845 has two PCI slots and one AGP 4x slot.
The choice of the i845 chipset as the chipset also led to the fact that the board uses a somewhat outdated ICH2 south bridge. However, its major shortcomings can only be attributed to the lack of support for the USB 2.0 protocol, which can easily be compensated for by using external controllers if necessary, since the Samba(SM)-1845 has free PCI slots.
Otherwise, the board supports the entire set of integrated devices, implemented both through the chipset, which include AC’97 audio (the CS4299 codec is used) and USB, and through external controllers, for example, two IEEE1394 ports.
Separately, we should mention the PCMCIA controller, thanks to which the Samba(SM)-1845 has a truly remarkable expandability via PCMCIA Type II cards.
I should also note that the Samba(SM)-1845 board has only one IDE channel. However, taking into account the fact that the Samba(SM)-1845 system itself is not intended to be equipped with more than two devices, this fact does not look like a big drawback.
The BIOS through which Samba(SM)-1845 is controlled is a regular Phoenix/Award v6.00PG with minimum number settings. Given the fact that specified system is positioned on the market of home and office computers, the ease of configuration is its undoubted and significant advantage.
The video card included in the Samba(SM)-1845 kit is a regular GeFroce2 MX200 with 32 MB of SDR memory manufactured by FIC itself.

This video card allows you to get an entry-level video subsystem, which, however, can be quite successfully improved by replacing this video card with more modern ones. By the way, Samba(SM)-1845 can accommodate not only slim video cards, as required by the instructions. Some small classic format video cards can also be installed in Samba(SM)-1845.

power unit

I would like to say a few words about the power supply used in the Samba(SM)-1845.

For its barebone, FIC used a small-sized unit from the Chinese company Delta Electronics. Despite the low power of 150 W, this unit is compatible with the ATX 2.03 specification and has an additional 12-volt cable for use with Pentium 4 motherboards. At the same time, taking into account that in a system based on Samba(SM)-1845, only one hard drive and one optical drive, and also it is not allowed to install video cards with high power consumption (due to the possibility of using only video cards small size), a power of 150 W should be quite sufficient for systems built using very powerful processors, with frequencies up to 2.6 GHz.
Also, the unit has three additional power cables, as a result of which, after installing a disk drive, CD-ROM and hard drive into the case, there will be no free “tails” left.
This power supply has one small fan, which is obviously intended to cool the unit itself. Its power is clearly not enough to blow air through the entire case (and this is clearly necessary, given the possibility of using Pentium 4 family processors in Samba(SM)-1845).

Cooling system

Given that the SFF PC is, by definition, a small computer, traditional cooling systems cannot be used in it. Moreover, manufacturers are trying to make their SFFs as quiet as possible, so they are trying to reduce the number of fans in such systems. As mentioned above, the fan used in the power supply is intended only to cool the unit itself. Therefore, a common solution for SFF PCs is a cooler that simultaneously cools the processor and exchanges air in the case with the environment.
The solution chosen by FIC engineers for cooling the Samba(SM)-1845 is distinguished by its simplicity on the one hand and originality on the other. An aluminum radiator from AVC is placed on the processor, which is attached directly to the case with four spring-loaded bolts, and a large fan is located exactly above it, throwing air out through holes cut in the case cover.

This ensures not only effective cooling of the processor, but also other system components due to the fact that the fan blows air not only through the processor heatsink, but also through the entire system.
As for noise, the system contains only one large and one small fan, which are not so noisy. According to official data reported by FIC, the noise level of Samba(SM)-1845 does not exceed 30 dB. By the way, the large main fan located above the processor is low-speed and its rotation speed is about 2500 rpm.

Assembly

Having described the skeletal system from FIC, we will try to assemble on its basis full-fledged computer. The first thing you need to do is open the case. To do this, you need a Phillips screwdriver - the Samba(SM)-1845 cover is screwed on with three screws. After removing the cover, the user sees the following picture:

After removing the bar to which the fan is attached, the user has easy access to all components of the system. True, installing the hard drive requires removing the basket above the power supply, but this operation is hardly labor-intensive, since the basket itself is secured with two screws, which can be accessed without problems. Another positive point is that the hard drive in the basket is not mounted rigidly, but through four rubber gaskets, which are also designed to reduce the noise level produced by the Samba(SM)-1845.
The only question that may arise during the assembly process after installing the hard drive is CD-ROM drive, processor, heatsink, memory and, if necessary, expansion cards - this is how to connect a motherboard with one 80-wire cable, HDD and an optical drive, given that the disk and CD-ROM connectors are located quite long distance from each other and directed in different directions. Fortunately, the Samba(SM)-1845 comes with a specially curved IDE cable, which makes connecting IDE devices quite simple.
As a result, we get the assembled Samba(SM)-1845:

After installing the fan in place, the arrangement of components in the system looks a little cramped, however, that is why it is a Small Form Factor PC.
I note that during the assembly process it turned out that the DIMM modules were incorrectly marked on the board and after assembling the kit it refused to start. However, the cause of the problems was quickly found out, the memory module was replaced, and after that everything went like clockwork.
So, the system is assembled, it's time to move on to tests.

Test results

Before going directly to the test results, I want to tell you about an unexpected thing that happened while preparing for testing. As it turned out, despite all the specification statements, and also despite the fact that the i845 logic set used in Samba(SM)-1845 does not officially support the 533 MHz bus, our system successfully launched with Pentium processor 4 2.4B, designed to use exactly this bus frequency. Moreover, the system actually operated at a Quad Pumped Bus frequency of 533 MHz. In this regard, it was decided to conduct testing specifically with the Pentium 4 2.4B processor, since the behavior of Samba(SM)-1845 with such a CPU seems extremely interesting.

As a result, the composition of the test system was as follows:

SFF PC Samba(SM)-1845;
Processor Intel Pentium 4 2.4B (bus - 533 MHz);
Memory – 256 MB PC133 SDRAM;
Fujitsu MPG3409AH hard drive;
CD-ROM ASUS 32x.

During testing, the system proved to be extremely stable; there were no complaints about it from this point of view. The power of the 150-watt power supply was also enough to power the system described above, even when used in the most severe conditions.

As a result, the following indicators were obtained:

Test	Result
SYSmark 2002	211
SYSmark 2002, Internet Content Creation	291
SYSmark 2002, Office Productivity	153
3DMark2001 SE, Default	1545
Quake3 Arena (four), Fastest, 640x480x16	169.8
Quake3 Arena (four), High Quality, 800x600x32	50.6
PCMark2002, CPU score	5797
PCMark2002, Memory score	4090

Actually, the results obtained are not surprising. The low performance in 3D graphics tests is explained by the weakness of the video card used in Samba(SM)-1845 - NVIDIA GeForce2 MX200 with 32 MB of SDR SDRAM. Moreover, the frequencies of this video card are 175 MHz on the chip and 167 MHz on the memory. In general, Samba(SM)-1845 can be considered only conditionally suitable for 3D games.
As for the results in processor tests and in the SYSmark 2002 office test, it should be noted that they are inferior to the results obtained on full-fledged systems with a similar CPU by only 10-15%. This lag is caused by the use of low-performance PC133 SDRAM in Samba(SM)-1845.
However, apparently, trying to eliminate this shortcoming, FIC will soon begin shipping a new version of its SFF PC, Samba(SM)-1845GL. This barebones system will be based on the i845GL chipset and support DDR266 memory. However, due to the choice of chipset, this time the system will not have the ability to use external AGP graphics cards, but will use the Intel Extreme Graphics graphics core built into the i845GL. However, in Samba(SM)-1845GL, upgrading the video subsystem will be possible by using external PCI format graphics cards; fortunately, in Samba(SM)-1845GL the number of PCI slots will be increased to three. Also, a new version Samba(SM)-1845GL will also support the USB 2.0 protocol, implemented by the capabilities of the ICH4 south bridge.
Returning to the results of our testing, it is also necessary to note the effectiveness of the cooling system used in the Samba(SM)-1845. During operation and stress tests, the processor temperature did not rise above 67 degrees, and the temperature inside the case was always below 37 degrees.

conclusions

Small Form Factor PC Samba(SM)-1845 looks like a good basis for a home or office computer if this computer is not planned to be used for 3D games. Otherwise, the characteristics of Samba(SM)-1845 are such that this platform will be quite sufficient for use in almost any area where high computing performance of the system is not required. In addition, Samba(SM)-1845 has nice design and operates with very little noise.
Unfortunately, with all the undoubted advantages of this solution, it is necessary to note a significant drawback of the FIC Samba(SM)-1845. This barebone system deprived of all support from the FIC. The company does not offer any new BIOS firmware, no new drivers for Samba.

Pros:

Stylish design and small size;
Low noise level;
Two additional PCI slot and support for AGP video cards;
PCMCIA Type II support;
Supports USB, IEEE1394, Ethernet and AC’97 audio;
Easy to assemble.

Minuses:

Works with PC133 SDRAM;
Low-performance graphics subsystem;
Lack of USB 2.0 support;
Lack of online support on the FIC website.

Nowadays, ready-made computers can be bought in most stores. household appliances. But this approach does not suit everyone. Assembly from components to order allows you to produce a system unit that is suitable for the tasks of a specific person. In addition, such a computer will be unique.

Usually, when configuring a system unit, the case is chosen, as they say, “for delivery.” Yes, this approach is valid for office PCs, where the goal is to save money. Previously, when computers of the modern ATX format were just appearing in Russia, most cases differed only in the height and design of the front panel, people did not think about the choice at all. The most popular format was Tower (regular tower). Gaming and powerful configurations were assembled in a Full-Tower (the same tower, but one and a half, or even two times higher) most often with a door on the front wall. Horizontal, so-called desktop monitors, on which monitors stood, gradually disappeared from sale. Initially, all the cases were “just gray boxes”, then silver and black colors came into fashion.

If anyone thinks that everything remains the same, they just haven’t been to a computer store for a long time. Nowadays you can find cases of various shapes, colors and sizes on display cases. And when assembling, for example, a small computer, it is the case that most often becomes decisive. Today's article will help you not to get lost in this diversity.

Midi-Tower and Mini-Tower standard sizes.

Despite the desire for miniaturization, vertical midi-tower cases remain the most popular. Approximate dimensions: width 15-20cm, height 43-45cm. Such cases are capable of accommodating a full-size standard ATX-format motherboard, power supply standard size, several hard drives and floppy drives. Universal application. The dimensions are suitable for both high-performance computers and office PCs. There are most often 6 expansion slots. However, such a number of expansion cards is not needed modern computers, especially office ones. MicroATX motherboards immediately have built-in audio and network cards, and the processors have a built-in video core. Thanks to this, you can save on size - use a mini-Tower case. It is lower than a midi-Tower (about 33-35cm in height), however, and you won’t be able to install much in them: 1-2 optical drives, 1-2 hard drives and about 4 expansion slots.

The presence of a power supply in tower-format cases and its location.

Often cases of this format are equipped with built-in power supplies. In the case of an office computer, the hardest work for which is table editors and Email, can be used simple cases with built-in power supply, power 300-450W. A multimedia PC, as well as a mid-level gaming PC, can get by with a 500-600W unit pre-installed in the case. Most often, this solution allows you to save money, but for serious workstations or powerful gaming computers this will not be enough. Power supplies built into cases are usually of simple series with a minimum set of connectors; connecting a powerful video card or a large number of hard drives will be difficult.

Micro-Tower and Slim-Desktop sizes.

What if we made the body even smaller? This is how Micro-Tower and Slim-Desktop appeared. The first ones are lower than the mini-Tower, and there is only one bay for 5.25-inch drives. The second ones are narrower than standard towers. The width can be reduced by placing the power supply vertically, sometimes even in the front. Compartment for optical drives also located vertically or absent altogether. This allows the body to be positioned both standing and lying down, which is why the word desktop is in the name. Computers with low power consumption and, accordingly, heat dissipation are usually assembled in such cases, since air movement in them is difficult.

Desktop size.

Full-Tower, Ultra-Tower and Super-Tower sizes.

Non-standard solutions and modding.

But what if you want something non-standard? It is possible to purchase a case in your favorite color that will fit into the design of your room or office. For example, pink. If your favorite color is black, the variety of cases of course increases, but manufacturers have not considered it the only color for a long time. The choice of materials is not limited to steel - various are used in finishing. Budget segment. In this range there are cases for office system units with a 350-400W power supply; you can also find cases for HTPCs with a 200W power supply with support for mITX-format motherboards. The number of ports, expansion slots and pre-installed fans is minimal.

3500r - 6000r. Cases with a 450-500W power supply, or mITX cases with a 300W power supply, can already be assembled into multimedia computer for the home, but some interesting solutions, as in the previous group, there is no need to wait.

6000r – 13000r. Here you can already find interesting options, closer to the upper limit - even Full-Tower cases with a window on the side wall, adjustable fan speed and 600 W power supplies, in which you can easily assemble, for example, a media server with a large number of hard drives. Modern video cards, even powerful ones, do not have as high power supply requirements as before, which means gaming computer entry-level, intermediate, and even above-average levels will feel good in cases in this range. It is, of course, worth paying attention to the number of case fans: one on the front wall, and one on the back - the required minimum. However, the missing quantity can always be purchased separately.

Cases without built-in power supply.

900r – 2500r. First level. Cases for the office, as simple as possible, black boxes. However, when installing a powerful power supply, nothing prevents cases from the upper price range (2000r-2500r) from being used at home. At the same time, do not forget about compatibility with components, for example, gaming video cards.

2500r - 8000r. Average level. Here is everything that was discussed in the article. And regular towers, and cubic cases with interesting color schemes, and aluminum cases for HTPC, and Full-Tower for systems of any power.

8000r – 22000r. Top level. The most thoughtful in terms of design, materials and cooling of the case. Suitable for the most demanding users. It is in such cases that “top” systems are assembled.

From 22000r. Premium level. There is no upper price limit. For those users who are not ready to put up with the fact that someone else will have a similar case. Often produced in small batches, from unusual materials. They have a memorable design.