Ultra slim, ultra small form factor PCs are great for various reasons -- they save space, power, and are easy to move around. And the Gigabyte BRIX PC is a great new addition in this category. Let's see what it has to offer.
Processor - Intel® Celeron® Processor N2807 up to 2.17GHz, Memory - 1x8GB 1333MHz SO-DIMM DDR3L, Expansion Slots - 1 x Half-size mini-PCIe (WiFi+BT card), Front I/O - 1 x USB 3.0, Rear I/O - 1 x HDMI, 2 x USB2.0, 1 x RJ45, 1 x DC-In & 1 x Kensington lock slot, Side I/O - 1 x VGA D-Sub, 1 x Audio-out / Mic-In, Storage - 2.5” thickness 7.0/9.5mm Hard Drives (3Gbps SATAII), Support OS - WIN7 64bit, WIN8 32/64bit & WIN8.1 32/64bit.
The requisite number of accessories are included with the Gigabyte BRIX. This includes a backplate for attaching the BRIX onto a monitor's VESA mount, a DC power adapter and a set of plugs for different IEC sockets. Needless to say, a quick installation guide and a driver disk are also part of the package.
The front of the BRIX PC has a glossy finish and there are ventilation slits all around the device. When mounted onto a monitor the BRIX will be oriented with the power button on the top-right corner. This leaves very few ports points upwards and thus, less prone to being stuffed with dirt.
On the left side of the BRIX we find an HDMI, an ethernet, 2x USB and the DC power socket. Right beside the vents we also see the Kensington lock slot.
On the bottom surface you have a VGA port and a audio I/O port. Including a VGA port helps use the BRIX with legacy systems that still adhere to old standards.
The right side is pretty simple with just one USB 3.0 port alongwith an Intel sticker.
On the underside of the BRIX we have some more ventilation slits along with the product information. The rubberised feet help cushion the device regardless of whether it sits flat on a table or on the backside of a monitor. The model featured here (GB-BXBT-2807) is powered by an Intel Celeron N2807.