Biostar iDEQ 200T: Great Performance & Brilliant Design
by Wesley Fink on September 29, 2003 10:24 PM EST- Posted in
- Systems
Final Words
With each new Small Form Factor that we test at AnandTech, we end up asking the question, “Is it as good as Shuttle?” Shuttle pioneered the SFF, and they have never rested on their laurels. They have continued to perfect the SFF from that first introduction in 2001. With the Biostar iDEQ 200T, it appears that we finally have a unit where the answer is, “Yes, it is as good as Shuttle or maybe even better!”Shuttle has always been praised for the care and thought that goes into their SFF designs. Everything just seems so carefully designed and manufactured. So when the Biostar is praised as the easiest SFF to setup that we have ever seen, it is saying something.
The Biostar is even faster than the excellent Shuttle, and it will compare well to any 865/875 system to which you wish to compare it. The Biostar system holds its own against the best 865/875 systems to which we compared it. It also overclocked to the same levels that we were able to achieve with the Shuttle SB65G2. The Biostar even handled the demands of our power-hungry, top-of-the-line ATI 9800 PRO, and then overclocked well with that card as well. In every test we ran, it was as stable, cool, and quiet as you could want in a computer.
We are impressed with the Biostar. It is clear that Biostar set out to capture a significant portion of the SFF market, and that requires much more than just a slapped-together little computer. Biostar carefully studied the things the market leader, Shuttle, does very well. They then designed an attractive unit with careful attention to how the end-user would actually use the computer. The cooling system had to be as effective as the outstanding Shuttle ICE system, and it appears to work well and is very quiet in normal operation. Shuttle’s ICE is still a better cooling system in our opinion, but Biostar comes close. The most brilliant move on Biostar’s part was the incredible attention to assembly details. You can put together the Biostar in about half the time required for the Shuttle — without having to unscrew cages to get at hard to reach memory slots or a CPU socket. The little things like all the hard drive and floppy cables being cleverly pre-routed are sure to impress the end-user. Even the 3-piece top is a thoughtful improvement to Shuttle’s bulky one-piece shroud. Biostar even priced the unit about $50 less than Shuttle’s comparable unit to make it an even more attractive value.
If you are looking for an Intel 865 or 875 computer in a small and quiet package, we highly recommend the Biostar iDEQ 200T. It will impress you with its easy assembly and thoughtful attention to details. It will also continue to impress over time with its excellent overclocking capabilities, stability, and quiet operation.
With that said, we should also point out that we have just taken a look at the final release version of the Shuttle SB65G2. Shuttle has increased the power supply to 220W, and the BIOS has all the overclocking options that you could possibly want. If you plan to overclock your SFF computer, then Shuttle should be your choice right now. That is until Biostar improves their BIOS overclocking options and increases their power supply. It is great to finally have some real competitors to Shuttle in the SFF market. It means better products and greater value for you in a small, quiet computer system.
We have just received our first Athlon64 SFF systems. Keep checking AnandTech to see what Shuttle and Biostar have created with Athlon64 SFF systems.
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Anonymous User - Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - link
A 30dB box is possible, if you're very careful. Use very low-noise fans, be extremely careful with airflow, put passive sinking on everything possible, and maybe put some Dynamat on the side case.Anonymous User - Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - link
Great review. I havethe 200T and love it, SFF Tech has a dedicated biostar forum too if you own one of these boxeshttp://forums.sudhian.com/categories.cfm?catid=96&...
Anonymous User - Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - link
I think the dimensions of the box is important for SFF reviews. I can always go find em myself but It'd be nice to reference them from the review. Maybe even a size comparion between the Biostar and the Shuttles. Just a thought :)Wesley Fink - Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - link
#8 -You are correct, but the picture was to illustrate how the card slots are used on most SFF machines - not to point out a feature on the Biostar. I have changed the text to make it clear that the slot cage picture is a similar Shuttle SFF.
#10 -
I did test the SPDIF out with a Dolby Digital receiver and it works as it should. I did not check SPDIF in.
hirschma - Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - link
Some commentary from an iDEQ 200N owner...* I'd like to see confirmation that the SPDIFs function as listed in the review - in input, one output. The same was claimed for the 200N, and it was simply not true, despite Biostar's and many reviewers assertions to the contrary. Biostar ended up pulling that spec when I bitched about it (and did nothing else). Biostar does not stand behind its product in that regard.
* The box is very quiet, so much so that I use it as an HTPC. I did not do any scientific measurement, but it is simply not audibile from more than 2 feet away.
* The build quality is excellent, best in an SFF that i've seen.
* The stability of the AMD version is flawless.
Biostar is, IMO, building better SFFs than Shuttle, but due to their reluctance to address the SPDIF issue that bit me, I won't be buying any more Biostar product.
jonathan
Netopia - Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - link
The last photo on page 2 is in fact NOT a picture of an iDEQ box, but shows a picture of a the back of a Shuttle box and then describes (in words) the iDEC.Joe
Wesley Fink - Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - link
Benchmarks are only relevant as comparisons. The measured noise level of the Biostar is about the same as a Shuttle, which is considered the standard for quiet in an SFF.Measuring 4" from the center of each side is a carryover from earlier SFF tests done at AnandTech. That is likely the result of using test instruments with a threshold of 50db. Our new instrumetn can measure to 35db.
We will add a sound level measurement to future reviews from the working position - about 0.62 meters or 2 feet from the front of the SFF to the ear.
Shalmanese - Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - link
"We measured noise from the middle of each one of the four sides, 4" from the chassis."I assume most people are not in the habit of placing their computers 4" away from theirs ears. The biostar is about the same loudness as a shuttle which is pretty damn quiet.
Shalmanese - Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - link
It would be a good idea to hook up a good 500W power supply to the SFF to test just HOW limited overclocking is hampered by the 200W PS.Anonymous User - Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - link
Furthermore, 50dba is 10x the noise level of 40dba, correct, but your hearing does not work on the same scale. i do not recall the exact numbers but i think its quite lower than 10x