With High Definition applications in mind PCSTATS tested the AOpen Mini PC's ability to handle Microsoft WMV-9 high definition video on its mobile Core Duo T2400 processor and integrated 945GM graphics chipset. A video was played back via Windows Media Player 10, which was downloaded from Microsoft's WMV HD Content Showcase. The Discoverers (IMAX) video is available in both 720P and 1080P formats, and CPU utilization was monitored through Task Manager to give a general indication of system load.

When running the 720P version of the Discoverers video, CPU usage jumped between 30-45% which is a bit on the high side... still, there is still lots of CPU resources for other applications running in the background.

CPU usage when running the 1080P version of the video shows that CPU usage jumps between 63-78%, that is definitely a little high. The system will not drop any frames but you will not want to have anything intensive running in the background for sure when watching a high definition video.

The socket 478MT mobile Intel Core Duo T2400 processor and Intel 945GM chipset are positioned side by side because one thermal solution cools both integrated circuits.

BIOS Features and Options

The AOpen Mini PC MP945-VX is definitely not an overclocker's machine and the system has less BIOS options than even the older MP915-B system. No overclocking tests conducted with the AOpen Mini PC MP945-VX, since there are no options in the BIOS.

In the Advanced Chipset Features section there are only a few options. Here users can adjust the onboard videocard's frame buffer size and change the video output mode. I'm not sure what the DVMT/FIXED Memory Size does but that is adjustable as well.

The only other interesting menu in the BIOS, it's pretty bare but as you can imagine the AOpen Mini PC MP945-VX was not designed as an overclocker's machine.

Prelude to Benchmarks

The details of how the AOpen Mini Mini PC MP945-VX test system was configured for benchmarking; the specific hardware, software drivers, operating system and benchmark versions are all indicated below.

In the second column are the general specs for the reference platforms this mobile Core Duo powered Intel 945GM based small form factor PC is to be compared against. Please take a moment to look over PCSTATS test system configurations before moving on to the individual benchmark results on the next page.

PCStats Test System Specs:

SFF System Specs SFF System Specs Desktop System Specs Processor: Core Duo T2400 Intel Pentium M 740 Clock Speed: 11 x 166 MHz = 1.83 GHz 13 x 133 MHz = 1.73 GHz Motherboards: AOpen Mini PC MP945-VX AOpen Mini PC MP915-B (Super Multi) Shuttle XPC SD11G5 (i915GM) Videocard: Integrated Intel 945GM Graphics Integrated Intel 915GM Graphics Memory: 1024MB PC2-5300 DDR2 1024MB PC2-4200 DDR2 2x 512MB Corsair Twin2X1024-8000UL Hard Drive: 80GB 2.5" Fujitsu 60GB 2.5" Hitachi 74GB Western Digital Raptor CDROM: DVD/Combo DVD/Combo AOpen Combo 52x PowerSupply: 65W Delta DC12V 65W Delta DC12V Delta 22W 12VDC/18A Heatsink: AOpen Custom AOpen Custom Shuttle ICE Heatsink Software Setup WindowsXP MCE SP2* Intel INF 7.2.1.1003 WindowsXP SP2 Intel INF 7.2.1.1003 Benchmarks SYSMark 2004 Business Winstone 2004 Content Creation 2004 Super Pi SiSoft Sandra 2005 PCMark05 3DMark05 UT2004 Doom 3

* - The system came preinstalled with Windows XP Media Center operating system.

Page 1: AOpen Mini PC MP945-VX Ultra Small Formfactor PC Review
Page 2: First Impressions: Big Potential
Page 3: External Features of the MP945-VX
Page 4: Internal Features of the MP945-VX
Page 5: System board, memory and thermal solution
Page 6: Internal Wireless 802.11b/g and Jacks
Page 7: Complaints and HTPC Applications
Page 8: High Definition Content Playback and BIOS
Page 9: Benchmarks: SYSMark 2004
Page 10: Benchmarks: Office Productivity, SiSoft Sandra, Super Pi
Page 11: Benchmarks: PCMark05, 3DMark05
Page 12: Benchmarks: UT2004, Doom 3
Page 13: One Great Little HTPC Machine?