ABIT graphics/MSI

NV35 gets OTES: The Siluro FX5900 OTES

Besides DigiDice, ABIT had their GeForce FX 5900 powered OTES card on display, the Siluro FX5900 OTES. Like the Siluro GF4 Ti 4200 OTES we reviewed last year, the Siluro FX5900 OTES utilizes heat pipe technology for cooling. This time around ABIT sticks to NVIDIA’s specifications, with the core clock frequency at 400MHz while its 128MB of memory is clocked at 850MHz. ABIT outfits the card with a blue LED but unfortunately chose to omit video input support, a decision we have seen other manufacturers take with their GeForce FX 5900 products.

In addition to the Siluro FX 5900 OTES, ABIT also plans to make an OTES card based on the GeForce FX 5600 Ultra, the Siluro FX5600 Ultra OTES. As of right now, no plans are in the works for an OTES GeForce FX 5900 Ultra card, much less even a regular GeForce FX 5900 Ultra card with more conventional cooling. The Siluro FX 5900 OTES is shipping now; expect a full review of this card to be published shortly on FiringSquad.

MSI

Like ABIT, the highlight at MSI’s booth was small form-factor. In MSI’s case, the MEGA 651 was the product being showcased, with fully functional MEGA 651 systems up and running in MSI’s booth. Based on the SiS 651 chipset, the MEGA 651 supports Intel’s 400MHz and 533MHz front-side bus Pentium 4 processors up to 2.8GHz. Like other small form-factor systems, the MEGA 651 offers PCI and AGP slots for expansion, as well as a 200-watt power supply.

What really sets the MEGA 651 apart however is its front panel LED display, the first of its kind in the industry. The display kicks in for playing audio CDs, displaying the traditional information you’d find on a consumer CD player. The front panel has controls for adjusting volume, as well as your standard play/pause, stop/eject and fast-forward and rewind buttons. MSI also ships the MEGA 651 with an IR remote.

One of the biggest criticisms aimed at the MEGA 651 is its SiS 651 chipset. This is technology that is extremely outdated. When you couple this with the hi-fi nature MSI is shooting for with the MEGA 651, MSI’s use of the Realtek ALC650 AC’97 CODEC seems like an oxymoron.

MSI's upcoming nForce2 SFF system

New chassis design and color scheme

MSI’s answer to MEGA 651 critics is coming in the form of MSI’s upcoming nForce2-based MEGA PC. This small form-factor system will be based on NVIDIA’s IGP variant of the nForce2, so AMD’s 400MHz FSB Athlon XP 3200+ will not be supported. In addition to the new chipset, this system sports a stylish new chassis. The system MSI had on display at QuakeCon had a black mirror finish, with maroon trim. Other than the new chassis and chipset, other details on this system are limited; we don’t even have a final name for the product. We definitely like the new look MSI is headed in though.

See the MSI carrying bag?

The new design still retains the audio controls and media readers