Having tried to gain any information about the Jetway MiniQ 760 Barebones system (http://www.jetway.com.tw/evisn/oem/miniQ760.htm) , and finding virtually nothing, I decided to write a small review to let community out there know about this product. I came across the system on sale at www.Googlegear.com for $ 225.00 (before a $ 50.00 rebate). I was looking for a mini PC using the nforce 2 chipset, and this fit the bill.
I didn't know anything about Jetway, and searches across the Forums came up with little info. Evidently, Jetway has little presence here in the US, but is more common in Asia and Europe. They seem to have a reputation for having cheap but reliable products.
I was pleasantly surprised by the Barebones kit when it arrived. The wiring was very neat, and access was very good for such a small case. The kit also included a sticker for various floppy drive manufacturers, in order for you to match case color. I had ordered silver floppy drives to match case, but they really aren't necessary if you want to use their stickers to cover floppy drive plate.
In addition, there is a flap that covers the 5 1/4 inch drive bay that allows you to use a DVD/CD drive of any color because it is covered by this flap that opens when cd/dvd is ejected. Once again I had purchased a silver drive to match case, but it really isn't necessary.
The aluminum case has an acrylic facing that can be removed, and various case face plates can be attached. The kit contained a choice of 4 different face plates that you could use to snazzy up your pc. I elected to go with the plain aluminum color which was quite attractive, and was surprised to find hard drive and power indicator leds were a bright blue.
Included are directions: which have enough detail and photos to allow for a quick and easy build. Following their sequence of directions, I was up and running in less than an hour, installation of Win Xp and drivers included!
Cables for IDE, and floppy were included. In fact, Hard drive cable was pre-folded, and tied to allow for optimum length and ease of installation. The hard drive mount was easily removable for installation of the drive, and I would advise people to connect the IDE cables and floppy cables while the hard drive carrier is removed. The floppy drive and Optical drives are easily installed, and one finds that the power Molex connectors are available and tied/fixed to their positions to allow for easy connection.
Included in the kit are a huge heat sink, (aluminum with copper) , silicone thermal grease, and an 80 mm fan for the processor. I didn't know that was included, so I had purchased retail version of the AMD XP processor and now have an extra fan!
The hardest part of the installation was attaching the 80 mm fan to the heat sink. The screws were so tight, that I almost stripped the heads trying to tighten the fan to the sink.
The kit includes a nice carrier bag that comes in handy if you want to transport your MiniQ to a lan party.
In addition, there is a tv out card that is included also.
Installation of the drivers from the included cd was a breeze, and the included a hardware monitor. Temperature readings were about 43 to 45 degrees Celsius for processor, and 33 degrees for the case. Not bad for such a cramped case.
I will try to post some additional information when I have time to run speed tests on the system, and determine its reliability. For now it seems quick and stable. I am running the onboard video, but there is an open AGP slot for those who want to upgrade.
In summary, I found the Jetway MiniQ 760 to be a pleasant surprise. I have built 3 identical systems for my office and couldn't be happier. The kits have a lot of extras and Jetway has paid a lot of attention to the details. I wish I could find or provide additional information on reliability, but for now I am happy with my experience.
Jetway MiniQ 760 Barebone http://www.jetway.com.tw/evisn/oem/miniQ760.htm
I didn't know anything about Jetway, and searches across the Forums came up with little info. Evidently, Jetway has little presence here in the US, but is more common in Asia and Europe. They seem to have a reputation for having cheap but reliable products.
I was pleasantly surprised by the Barebones kit when it arrived. The wiring was very neat, and access was very good for such a small case. The kit also included a sticker for various floppy drive manufacturers, in order for you to match case color. I had ordered silver floppy drives to match case, but they really aren't necessary if you want to use their stickers to cover floppy drive plate.
In addition, there is a flap that covers the 5 1/4 inch drive bay that allows you to use a DVD/CD drive of any color because it is covered by this flap that opens when cd/dvd is ejected. Once again I had purchased a silver drive to match case, but it really isn't necessary.
The aluminum case has an acrylic facing that can be removed, and various case face plates can be attached. The kit contained a choice of 4 different face plates that you could use to snazzy up your pc. I elected to go with the plain aluminum color which was quite attractive, and was surprised to find hard drive and power indicator leds were a bright blue.
Included are directions: which have enough detail and photos to allow for a quick and easy build. Following their sequence of directions, I was up and running in less than an hour, installation of Win Xp and drivers included!
Cables for IDE, and floppy were included. In fact, Hard drive cable was pre-folded, and tied to allow for optimum length and ease of installation. The hard drive mount was easily removable for installation of the drive, and I would advise people to connect the IDE cables and floppy cables while the hard drive carrier is removed. The floppy drive and Optical drives are easily installed, and one finds that the power Molex connectors are available and tied/fixed to their positions to allow for easy connection.
Included in the kit are a huge heat sink, (aluminum with copper) , silicone thermal grease, and an 80 mm fan for the processor. I didn't know that was included, so I had purchased retail version of the AMD XP processor and now have an extra fan!
The hardest part of the installation was attaching the 80 mm fan to the heat sink. The screws were so tight, that I almost stripped the heads trying to tighten the fan to the sink.
The kit includes a nice carrier bag that comes in handy if you want to transport your MiniQ to a lan party.
In addition, there is a tv out card that is included also.
Installation of the drivers from the included cd was a breeze, and the included a hardware monitor. Temperature readings were about 43 to 45 degrees Celsius for processor, and 33 degrees for the case. Not bad for such a cramped case.
I will try to post some additional information when I have time to run speed tests on the system, and determine its reliability. For now it seems quick and stable. I am running the onboard video, but there is an open AGP slot for those who want to upgrade.
In summary, I found the Jetway MiniQ 760 to be a pleasant surprise. I have built 3 identical systems for my office and couldn't be happier. The kits have a lot of extras and Jetway has paid a lot of attention to the details. I wish I could find or provide additional information on reliability, but for now I am happy with my experience.
Jetway MiniQ 760 Barebone http://www.jetway.com.tw/evisn/oem/miniQ760.htm