Specifications

The iDEQ’s back panel is strikingly similar to that of Shuttle’s XPC. It has 1/8” audio connectors, PS/2 ports, an optical output, two 15-pin VGA connectors, Firewire connectivity, a pair of USB 2.0 ports and an RJ-45 port. There are also two bays available to accommodate the system’s AGP and PCI slots.

The back of the chassis

iDEQ 200N front panel

Even the bottom of the iDEQ is specially engineered. It has three distinct indentations, each making contact with a different hotspot on the motherboard above it (IGP, MCP-T and power circuitry). Rather than have heat from the platform circulate within the chassis, the indentations conduct it into the chassis itself. As a result, the iDEQ gets noticeably warmer, but the components inside are purportedly that much cooler.

Specifications

Centering on the nForce2 IGP, Biostar’s M7NBA motherboard is, once again, comparable to the Shuttle SN41G2. The nForce2 IGP ensures mainstream buyers have access to suitable 3D, even if hardcore enthusiasts will add their own adapters. Unfortunately, it also limits the processor upgrade path to an Athlon XP 3000+ because the IGP doesn’t offer support for the 3200+’s 400MHz front side bus. Two memory slots accept up to DDR400 modules with a 2GB ceiling. However, as we established in our ASUS A7N8X Deluxe review, DDR333 settings deliver optimal performance due to the synchronous memory and processor buses.

Expandability is one of the most important aspects of a SFF system, especially since wireless hasn’t yet caught on in that segment. The iDEQ 200N comes equipped with one AGP 8x slot and a single PCI slot as well. Moreover, the M7NBA has the option to install a WLAN module; however, our evaluation sample only had a silk-screened outline where that slot would normally reside. According to Biostar, the slot can be added if it sees significant demand in the future. Other models of the iDEQ, the 200T for instance, may include the slot. Additionally, the iDEQ 200N is set up to accept Realtek’s RTL8180 WLAN chip, giving it 802.11b compliance right out of the box. And because Biostar engineered the chassis to function as an antenna, wireless functionality is nearly transparent. As with the WLAN slot, though, the integrated wireless chip isn’t part of the package quite yet. Then again, Shuttle has been working on its wireless solution for over a year, so Biostar’s progress thus far is commendable.

One of the most significant departures between the iDEQ and XPC is Biostar’s Serial ATA implementation. The nForce2 chipset doesn’t have native support, of course, so Biostar added VIA’s VT6420 controller with RAID support. There are also two standard IDE channels, each featuring ATA-133 capabilities.

VIA Serial ATA RAID controller onboard

The iDEQ 200N versus Shuttle SN41G2

Beyond the USB 2.0 capabilities offered by NVIDIA’s MCP-T, Biostar also employs the Realtek RTL8801B PHY to enable a pair of IEEE 1394 ports. The Realtek RTL8201BL brings 10/100 Ethernet to the table. And finally, Realtek’s ALC650 gives the iDEQ six-channel audio support through the MCP-T.