Desktop PC case form factors…. Midi-Tower and Mini-Tower sizes

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 the highest level of 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 a long time and requires the labor of a considerable number of highly skilled specialists due to the complexity of today's ultra-fast and miniature chips - some with a PCB grid pitch of 0.600, 0.500 or even 0.400 millimeters. In addition to the hardware, it is necessary to create BIOS (basic input/output system) and O/S (for the input/output subsystem) drivers. Today, in a highly competitive environment, companies are striving to optimize R&D efforts by focusing their efforts 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 today the preferred and often the only choice for mid-range fanless devices. Additionally, in many applications the overall stacking 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 of these benefits result in a more competitive end product in the market for OEMs.

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. Other industries that use large installed systems based on ETX form factor computer modules include medicine, transportation and gaming. 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. With Intel's 855 chipset discontinued, ETX form factor modules today feature primarily Geode, VIA, or Atom processors, while the latest ETF modules feature AMD G-series processors, 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 path, including current high-speed interfaces on the motherboard. If ETX compatibility is required, but ISA bus support is not required, 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 are used 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 COM Express product manufacturers, an additional size of 3.7 × 3.7″ (95 × 95 mm) was introduced - compact, approximately the same as the PC/104 card (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. The thermal dissipation requirement (TDP), previously a maximum of 40 W (ETX/XTX), has 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 built-in x86 processors - from low-power single-core Atom to 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 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 the mobile device to operate 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, and mobile terminal applications. The Qseven format is suitable for any application powered by battery or using PoE technology, that is, power over a twisted pair Ethernet network.

Nowadays, ready-made computers can be purchased at most hardware stores. 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 can accommodate a full-size standard ATX-format motherboard, a standard-sized power supply, 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, modern computers, especially office ones, do not need such a number of expansion cards. MicroATX motherboards immediately have built-in sound and network cards, and 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 spreadsheet editors and e-mail, you can use simple cases with a built-in power supply with a power of 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. The optical drive compartment is also located vertically or is 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, you can build a multimedia computer for the home in them, but you can’t expect any interesting solutions, as in the previous group.

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 that an entry-level, mid-range, and even above-average gaming computer 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. Entry level. Cases for the office, as simple as possible, black boxes. However, nothing prevents cases from the upper price range (2000r-2500r) when installing a powerful power supply 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. Upper 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.

IntroductionThe personal computer market has changed a lot over the past few years. 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.
With the number of computer enthusiasts dwindling, motherboard manufacturers have begun to see demand for their high-end products dwindle. 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, as the official specification states, is intended for assembling a home or office computer based on a Socket 478 Intel Celeron or Intel Pentium 4 processor 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:

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

The Samba-1845 specifications are as follows:

Support for Socket 478 Intel Pentium 4 and Intel Celeron processors with a bus frequency of 400 MHz;
Intel 845 chipset with ICH2 south bridge;
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 bay for an 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; a 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 rotated 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 expansion cards.

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 you to connect almost any external devices to Samba(SM)-1845.

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 discuss 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 without any problems 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 upgrade not only the processors, but also the video subsystem in the future.
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 IСH2 south bridge. However, its major drawbacks 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 includes 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 the usual Phoenix/Award v6.00PG with a minimum number of settings. Considering that this system is positioned for the home and office computer market, the ease of its 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 can be installed, and the installation of video cards with high power consumption is not allowed (due to the possibility of using only small video cards), a power of 150 Watts should be quite enough 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 a full-fledged computer based on it. 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, CD-ROM drive, processor, heatsink, memory and, if necessary, expansion cards is how to connect the motherboard, hard drive and optical drive with one 80-wire cable, given that that the disk and CD-ROM connectors are located at a fairly large distance from each other and are 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 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 the Pentium 4 2.4B processor, designed to use exactly this bus frequencies. 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, the new version of Samba(SM)-1845GL will 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 a 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 does not have any support from FIC. The company does not offer new BIOS firmware or new drivers for Samba.

Pros:

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

Cons:

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