| ASRock Vision 3D Blu-ray Compact HTPC |
| Reviews - Featured Reviews: Notebook | Compact PC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Written by Olin Coles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wednesday, 24 November 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
ASRock Vision 3D 137B Blu-ray Disc HTPCBenchmark Reviews has tested several products designed for the Home Theater PC segment, from fancy HTPC enclosures to efficient compact computer systems. Of them all, only ASRock has ever really delivered on the packaged HTPC concept, and they inch closer towards desktop performance levels every time. In previous articles we've tested the ASRock ION 330 and Core-100HT HTPC's, and while both small form factor computer systems provided decent results, neither could be considered a rival to desktop graphics performance. Sure, they could play movies at 1080p, but that's an expected feature by today's standard. Armed with NVIDIA's GeForce GT 425M PCIe graphics card, this HTPC can support NVIDIA PhysX, NVIDIA 3D Vision, and NVIDIA Optimus technologies for the first time. The ASRock Vision 3D HTPC updates video output from HDMI 1.3 to HDMI 1.4a and replaces the analog VGA connection with a digital dual-link DVI output. This allows the ASRock Vision 3D to play back 3D Blu-ray Disc movies, or play video games using NVIDIA's 3D Vision technology. The list of 3D applications is growing, evidenced by our 3D Resource Guide. The ASRock HM55-MXM motherboard is a mini-ITX mobile Intel HM55-Express DDR3 platform full of desktop-level potential. The Vision 3D system offers powerful NVIDIA DirectX-11 graphics, dual-core Intel Core-i3 processing, slim Blu-ray Disc optical drive, THX audio output, and even includes SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports on the front and rear of the unit. With HDMI 1.4a support, the ASRock Vision 3D also supports Bitstream audio pass through (Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD Master audio) 7.1 channel surround sound with THX TruStudio PRO, making this the ideal Home Theater PC solution. The ASRock Vision 3D Blu-ray HTPC could be the first solid example of a compact Home Theater PC that finally poses a threat to desktop computers. I've gone on and on about the Death of the Desktop PC Platform in our editorials section, but perhaps a system like the ASRock Vision 3D HTPC will be what finally replaces the platform.
Despite of the high-tech features mentioned above, ASRock's Vision 3D also offers elegant looks to match modern home decor. Encased in aluminum and available in black and silver color with sleek high-gloss contours, the ASRock Vision 3D delivers big inside a compact 2.8 liter enclosure. With an understanding that noise is unacceptable, ASRock designed the Vision 3D HTPC to operate at whisper-quiet levels, creating only 23 dBA under normal operation. In terms of power consumption, the ASRock Vision 3D HTPC uses a 90W power adapter similar to most modern notebook computers. This translates into lower utility costs for electricity, and cost savings over desktop solutions. For many years I've searched for the perfect home theater PC, and every time the 'perfect' combination was within reach a critical drawback would snatch it away. My criteria wasn't very strict, but a man's home theater is a trophy onto itself. The ideal HTPC needed to allow wireless Internet access, comfortable web browsing, fast file transfers, properly display multimedia content over native uncompressed HDMI, and also play PC video games. Not a very tall order, but still no short order by anybody's measure. So while past HTPC projects have come close, the size and functionality have continued to create limitations. ASRock combines the mobile 'Arrandale' Intel Core-i3 370M 2.40 GHz processor and H55 platform to NVIDIA's GeForce GT 425M video card to create a system that appears to meet my requirements for the ideal HTPC on paper. Testing will prove if this idea rewards their design.
Manufacturer: ASRock, Inc. Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by ASRock.
Closer Look: ASRock Vision 3DDespite its miniature size, the ASRock Vision 3D HTPC system actually contains more processing power than the majority of desktop computer systems currently in existence. Measuring 7.87"(W) x 2.76"(H) x 7.87"(L), the aluminum mini-ITX chassis is available in either black or silver with a plastic cover made to a gloss finish. In this review, we test model 137B that comes with a BD/DVD multi drive, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi adapter, and Media Center Edition remote control. The 137D model removes Blu-ray disc functionality and replaces it with DVD. ASRock offers a total of six different Vision 3D models, which come in Blu-ray or DVD with three different processor options.
All six models utilize the same mini-ITX enclosure in black or silver finish, and receive either the Intel Core i3-370M CPU (Vision 3D 137B/137D), Core i5-460M (Vision 3D 146B/146D), or Core i5-560M (Vision 3D 156B/156D). Our Core i3-370M HTPC packs an incredible amount of hardware inside a tiny 8-inch square enclosure. One look at our full hardware component report will reveal a much bigger picture, and help fill in the details for our closer look section. 
The front panel on the ASRock Vision 3D HTPC offers a slim Blu-ray or DVD optical drive with slot-in disc opening, two SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports, audio input/output jacks, and a 4-in-1 card reader with support for SD, MMC, MS, and MS Pro. The aluminum chassis is finished with a fine grain texture that hides fingerprints and will not show light scratches. This is a swift departure from previous designs that featured glossy surfaces on every panel. Clearly ASRock has learned from experience, and the Vision 3D series is better for it.
ASRock markets the Vision 3D series as a self-contained HTPC system; just add Operating System. ASRock has used its experience with previous HTPC designs to assemble the most complete all-in-one kit possible with the series. Users are still given the freedom to choose and install the Operating System that best fits their needs, whether that OS is Windows or Linux, which helps cut down on production costs. Those willing to take risks might even consider building the Vision 3D system into a Hackintosh HTPC by using the Apple Mac OS, although 3D support for this platform is very limited.
One particular perk included with the ASRock Vision 3D kit is a included Windows Media Center remote control, which transmits to the integrated Microsoft eHome Infrared Transceiver on the HM55-MXM motherboard. The remote is full-function, and supports all MCE extensions. While some users may consider a separate remote unnecessary, since most HTPC users will undoubtedly utilize a Media Center specific keyboard such as the nMedia HTPCKB, it helps transition the PC into a fully-integrated home theater component. In the next section, Benchmark Reviews will detail some of the more advanced features hidden inside this Intel Core-i3 HTPC platform...
ASRock 137B Detailed FeaturesWhen you task your design engineers with building on a micro-sized scale, component placement must be handled with the utmost efficiency for the system to work. ASRock has done an excellent job finding a home for everything needed to bring the HM55-MXM platform to life on the mini-ITX form factor. All-solid capacitors prolong component lifetime and can endure harsh operating conditions, and the thick PCB is quality-made. Engineers designed the ASRock Vision 3D platform to be completely silent, emitting only 23 dBA under normal operation. As a result, the only fan on this system efficiently exhausts heated air out through a deflector vent at the rear of the chassis.
On the back panel ASRock outfitted the Vision 3D kit with native HDMI 1.4a audio/video output for uncompressed high-definition displays, along with Dual-Link DVI output for standard and 120Hz digital monitors. External storage devices can be attached by the 3.0 GB/s eSATA port, five Hi-Speed USB 2.0 ports, or single SuperSpeed USB 3.0 port. A digital optical audio TosLink output compliments the 5.1-channel analog audio outputs, and Gigabit Ethernet allow for network connectivity.
The ASRock HM55-MXM motherboard is directly designed for HTPC purposes. The component layout is completely different for this platform, which offers one spare SATA 3Gb/s port and a mini-PCI Express port (filled with an Atheros AR9287 wireless network adapter). These two features, along with the added eSATA port, Realtek RTL8168/8111 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet adapter, and NEC uPD720200 SuperSpeed USB-3.0 controller all add up to reasons why the ASRock Vision 3D series could be the ideal all-in-one HTPC Media Center solution. This particular ASRock Vision 3D (model 137B) features the 2.40 GHz dual-core Intel Core i3-370M mobile processor. The i3-370M includes 3MB (128KB L1 per core, 512KB L2 per core, and 3072KB shared L3) of Intel Smart Cache memory on a 32nm process, and includes Intel's 64-bit instruction set. The i3-370M maintains a 35-watt TDP, which operates separately from the 45nm Intel HD Graphics integrated 500 MHz Ironlake-M GPU. The CPU processor measures 81mm2 while the GPU measures 114mm2, and both are cooled by a low-profile heatsink and silent blower fan assembly. Unlike the ASRock Core 100HT series, the Vision 3D does not make use of Intel's integrated HD Graphics because of the installed discrete graphics card.
The NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M mobile graphics card plays a huge role in the ASRock Vision 3D platform, and could arguably be the centerpiece to this HTPC. Using NVIDIA's GF108M GPU, the GeForce GT 425M delivers 96 Unified Shaders over 8 pixel pipelines with one TMU per pipeline. The 560 MHz GPU (1120 Shader clock) supports DirectX 11 extensions and offers a 256MB GDDR3 video frame buffer at 800 MHz. Located on the motherboard's only PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot, the 40nm GF108M GPU occupies 114 mm2 and is cooled by a copper plate with a single attached heat-pipe rod.
The ASRock HM55-MXM motherboard supports only 1.5 volt DDR3 SoDIMM memory, so upgrades to 8GB (maximum allowed by motherboard and Intel i3 limitations) will need to maintain JEDEC standards. ASRock includes two ASint Technology SSZ3128M8-EDJ1D dual-channel 2GB DDR3-1333 (667MHz) SoDIMM modules, which offer the following latency timings:
A steel drive tray assembly houses a slim-line internal SATA optical drive (DVD or Blu-ray), and 500GB Seagate Momentus 5400.6 SATA hard disk drive (unformatted). Regardless of HTPC or Nettop application, the high-capacity drive inside the ASRock Vision 3D system will easily handle the storage needs demanded of it. For power users who want more performance without sacrificing capacity, the Seagate Momentus-XT Solid State Hybrid Drive is an excellent alternative. 
The internal drive tray pulls out away from the enclosure once two retaining screws are removed, allowing for motherboard or drive access. The HM55-MXM motherboard has a third SATA and power connection add-on, should you need it, but the drive tray does not accommodate mounting. Luckily, there's just barely enough room beneath the tray for another 2.5" SATA notebook drive.
ASRock Vision 3D FeaturesThe following Vision 3D features and details are provided by ASRock, and may be subject to change: ASRock Vision 3D HTPC Series is developed to match the trend of 3D entertainment. It has a powerful build-in graphic card which supports 3D game and 3D movie, allowing users to enjoy a high class entertainment experience! The soon to be released ASRock Vision 3D comes with everything essential for a HTPC platform. Featuring Intel Core architecture-based processors and NVIDIA 3D Vision Capable, GeForce 300 / 400 Series, ASRock Vision 3D can provide you an absolutely realistic 3D image display! Still, ASRock Vision 3D has adopted lots luxury components include the stylish, high glossy aluminum housing, SuperSpeed USB3.0 support that delivers data transfer rates up to 10X faster than USB2.0, slot-in optical drive that provides a more convenient way of computing operation! For audio aspect, Vision 3D supports 7.1 CH HD audio with professional THX TruStudio PRO solution which allows user to have a rich variety of programming and be entertained by a better way! To realize modern computing mission, ASRock Vision 3D series equipped with BD Combo, 802.11n Wireless network, and even bundled with a user-friendly MCE remote controller. ASRock AIWI Rock You EverywhereKeep Moving Playing Games By Holding Your iPhone. Wanna play PC games like Wii? ASRock AIWI software makes your dreams come true! Using ASRock AIWI to connect your apple devices to the ASRock HTPC via WLAN, then you can interact with the PC games with delicate touches and body motion while getting responsive shakes and vibrations that correspond from the game stores. ASRock App ChargerFast Charge & Charge Anytime. Simply installing the App Charger driver, it makes your iPhone charge up to 40% faster than before. ASRock App Charger supports continuous charging when your PC enters into Standby mode (S1), Suspend to RAM (S3), hibernation mode (S4) or power off (S5). The App Charger technology has been fully applied on ASRock Full series motherboards. High speed Wi-Fi 802.11n (300Mbps)
ASRock Core 100 series mini HTPC, has two invisible antennas (placed in a vertical/horizontal position) hidden inside the front panel, which provide larger signal coverage and faster connection speed. With the unrestricted-direction antennas design, the HTPC can be used as the wireless network receiver, as well as the network bandwidth sharing device. Mini Size and Silent OperationWith stylish and compact design, ASRock Core 100 HTPC series has a volume of 2.5 liters only, which enables you to put inside the TV cabinet and connect it with LCD TV. Running a silent operation which is merely 25dB, Core 100 HTPC series ensures you a quiet computing environment as well. Low Power ConsumptionOur Core 100-BD system is very environmental-friendly. Our idle mode is running with only 20.1W which is different from other desktop computers which usually need 50W-80W. ASRock Core 100 HTPC series can save a lot of electricity and money each year. Ultra DurableBy adopting 100% Japan-made high-quality conductive polymer capacitors which can extend the system life to at least 2.5 longer, ASRock Core 100 HTPC series provides the stability, reliability and longevity essential to meet the power, processor, and other components needs for running today's most demanding applications and games. MCE Remote ControllerEnjoy more of your favorite entertainment by MCE (Media Center Edition) remote controller! The MCE features the entertainment center which allows you to enjoy a more convenient way of watching DVDs, TV, listening to music, and so on by the easy-operate remote controller.
Vision 3D 137B SpecificationsThe following Vision 3D 137B specifications and details are provided by ASRock, and may be subject to change: Intel Core i Series Mobile Processor FamilyBased on Intel Core i mobile processor architecture, ASRock Vision 3D offers an astonishing performance compared with the Intel Atom series CPU. Especially when users using kind of CPU heavy loading application, i.e install the USB TV card for recording, the Intel Core i series processor can definitely provide the better video recording performance. Additionally, Vision 3D supports Intel Core i7/i5/i3 mobile processor family, delivering unmatched technology for intelligent performance on the most demanding tasks, such as creating digital video and playing intense games. The State-Of-The-Art 3D Technologies Bring You Fantastic 3D ExperienceCombining contemporary design with cutting edge 3D technology, the ASRock Vision 3D brings together the awesome NVIDIA GeForce GT425M graphics and NVIDIA 3D Vision technologies to deliver breathtaking authenticity in 3D experience. With the latest graphics technology, this system is able to playback Blu-ray movie at 23.976 fps (frame per seconds), it is much more suitable to present the world class quality for HD TV. Moreover, this system even comes with HDMI 1.4a port that can ensure the High Definition 3D experience. The ASRock Vision 3D offers you a complete high-performance HTPC in a modern, fashion but small unit. Supporting the fantastic 3D gaming, move and all the essentials, the ASRock Vision 3D allows you to enjoy the next dimension in HTPC entertainment. Plus, we're pleased to announce that ASRock Vision 3D is the first HTPC supporting Blu-ray 3D in the world. NVIDIA GeForce GT425MTap into the horsepower of NVIDIA GeForce GT425M GPU for a visually-charged boost on your favorite applications. GPU-accelerate the editing of your photos and HD videos and level-up your game on the latest DirectX 11 titles. GeForce GT425M features industry-leading technologies including NVIDIA PhysX, NVIDIA 3D Vision, and NVIDIA Optimus. Give you the world's fastest performance and futuristic, visually-stunning graphics. NVIDIA 3D Vision CapableNVIDIA 3D Vision technology is a combination of Graphics Processor Units (GPU), specialized 3D glasses, software, and certified displays and projectors that deliver an immersive 3D experience on your PC. With over 400 games already supported by NVIDIA 3D Vision, you'll never be stuck for something to play. SuperSpeed USB-3.0 PortsWorld's first USB 3.0 HTPC system, delivers data transfer rate up to 5Gb/s and 10X faster than USB2.0 with optimized power efficiency. USB3.0 promises a major leap forward transfer speeds and capacity. Supports HDMI Audio Pass ThroughASRock Core 100 HTPC series conducted with Intel HM55 Express chipset supporting HDMI Audio Pass Through (Bitstream) and Native Dolby TrueHD & DTS-HD Master Audio. ASRock Core 100 series HTPC ensure to provide the compressed audio data to amplifier, and you can get the terrific sound experience. THX TruStudio PROTHX TruStudio PRO solution ensures you the premium audio quality, effects and features for PC systems equipped with onboard audio. For instance, the TruStudio Surround technology expands your stereo content into surround sound; the TruStudio Crystalizer technology restores the compressed sound source and can let you hear every detail in riveting surround sound.
EDITOR'S NOTE: For a more detailed inventory of all hardware included with the ASRock Vision 3D 137B, please see our full hardware component report. ASRock Software Suite
CyberLink PowerDVD 10 OEM BD 3D
* Bundled with BD Combo version. CyberLink DVD Suite - OEM & Trial
Motherboard Testing MethodologyBenchmark results are only as good as their test methodology, and there are several different methods to compare product to one-another. Yet, even when you try to directly measure motherboard performance the features don't always stack up. Since processor compatibility changes across platforms, and firmware/driver updates change frequently, it's very difficult to compare motherboards in an "apples-to-apples" fashion. Still, we try. Each benchmark test program begins after a system restart, and the very first result for every test will be ignored since it often only caches the initial test. Each test is completed up to five times, with the highest and lowest scored removed. The average results of the three remaining tests are displayed in our article. Since all of the benchmarks we use for testing represent different game engine technology and graphic rendering processes, our battery of tests will provide a diverse range of results for you to gauge performance on your own computer system. Although many gamers and PC hardware enthusiasts are still using Windows XP, Benchmark Reviews has made the switch to Microsoft Windows 7 as the Operating System of choice for our test platforms. Each system compared was tested using common software and Operating System variables, however not all aspects could be matched identically. The CPU Benchmarks were collected from PCMark Vantage, AIDA64, PerformanceTest, and CINEBENCH test suites, and all used common settings for each test. PCMark Vantage features test suits with static settings, which include the TV/Movies, Gaming, and Music. PerformanceTest also conducts tests with static settings, such as the 2D and 3D graphics performance. ASRock Nettop ION 330 HTPC
HP Pavilion DM3-1044NR Notebook
ASRock Core-100HT Intel i3-330M HTPC
ASRock Vision 3D Intel i3-370M HTPC
Intel X58-Express Desktop System
Support Hardware
Test Software
PCMark Vantage Test ResultsPCMark Vantage is an objective hardware performance benchmark tool for PCs running 32- and 64-bit versions of Microsoft Windows Vista or Windows 7. PCMark Vantage is well suited for benchmarking any type of Microsoft Windows Vista/7 PC: from multimedia home entertainment systems and laptops, to dedicated workstations and high-end gaming rigs. Benchmark Reviews has decided to use a few select tests from the suite to demonstrate simulate real-world processor usage in this article. Our tests were conducted on 64-bit Windows 7, with results displayed in the chart below. TV and Movies Suite
Gaming Suite*
Music Suite
* EDITOR'S NOTE: Hopefully our readers will carefully consider how relative PCMark Vantage is as "real-world" benchmark, since many of the tests rely on unrelated hardware components. For example, per the FutureMark PCMark Vantage White Paper document, Gaming test #2 weighs the storage device for 100% of the test score. In fact, according to PCMark Vantage the video card only impacts 23% of the total gaming score, but the CPU represents 37% of the final score. As our tests in this article (and many others) has already proven, gaming performance has a lot more to do with the GPU than the CPU, and especially more than the hard drive or SSD (which is worth 38% of the final gaming performance score). TEST SUMMARY: With the understanding that the storage drive determines 40% of the score, all systems use the same OCZ Vertex SSD. The processor and graphics make up only 60% of the score, creating some room between notebook, HTPC, and desktop products. The ASRock Nettop ION 330 HTPC (1.6GHz Intel Atom N330/ION GT9400) generally scores the lowest of all system's tested, although the ION portion of this platform does it's part to boost gaming performance. HP's Pavilion DM3-1044NR notebook (1.3GHz Intel Pentium SU4100/4500M GMA HD) uses a mobile Pentium processor as a stepping stone between Atom and the Core i3 processor. With a show of force, the ASRock Core-100HT HTPC (2.13GHz i3-330M/GMA HD) works well enough for music and gaming, but isn't much better at TV and movies than a Pentium-M. ASRock's Vision 3D HTPC (2.4GHz i3-370M/GT425M) helps to bridge the between efficient compact and high-performance desktop (i7-930/GTX580) platforms, and clearly outperforms the other portable systems by a large margin.
AIDA64 CPU BenchmarksWhen development ended for Lavalys EVEREST the team picked up with AIDA64, an industry leading system diagnostics and benchmarking solution for enthusiasts PC users. During system optimizations and tweaking it provides essential system and overclock information, advanced hardware monitoring and diagnostics capabilities to check the effects of the applied settings. CPU, FPU and memory benchmarks are available to measure the actual system performance and compare it to previous states or other systems. Furthermore, complete software, operating system and security information makes AIDA64 a comprehensive system diagnostics tool that offers a total of 100 pages of information about your PC. All of the benchmarks used in our test bed rely on 64-bit instructions, and consume very low system memory while also being aware of HyperThreading, multi-processors, and multi-core processors. While the AIDA64 CPU tests really serve to compare the processor performance more than it measures platforms, this tool still offers a glimpse into what kind of power each platform possesses. These tests include: Queen, Photoworxx, ZLib, AES, and Hash.
Queen and Photoworxx tests are synthetic benchmarks that operate the function many times over and over-exaggerate by several magnitudes what the real-world performance would be like. The Queen benchmark focuses on the branch prediction capabilities and misprediction penalties of the CPU. It does this by finding possible solutions to the classic queen problem on a chessboard. At the same clock speed theoretically the processor with the shorter pipeline and smaller misprediction penalties will attain higher benchmark scores. Like the Queen benchmark, the Photoworxx tests for penalties against pipeline architecture. The synthetic Photoworxx benchmark stresses the integer arithmetic and multiplication execution units of the CPU and also the memory subsystem. Due to the fact that this test performs high memory read/write traffic, it cannot effectively scale in situations where more than two processing threads are used. The EVEREST Photoworxx benchmark performs the following tasks on a very large RGB image:
The Zip Library test measures combined CPU and memory subsystem performance through the public ZLib compression library. ZLib is designed as a free lossless data compression library for use on virtually any computer hardware and operating system. The ZLib data format is itself portable across platforms and has a footprint independent of input data that can be reduced at some cost in compression. The AES integer benchmark measures CPU performance using AES data encryption. It utilizes Vincent Rijmen, Antoon Bosselaers and Paulo Barreto's public domain C code in ECB mode and consumes 48 MB of memory. TEST SUMMARY: AIDA64 does an excellent job of illustrating the difference in processing superiority between mobile and desktop CPUs. The ASRock Nettop ION 330 HTPC (1.6GHz Intel Atom N330/ION GT9400) seems to match up well to the mobile Pentium processor in HP's Pavilion DM3-1044NR notebook (1.3GHz Intel Pentium SU4100/4500M GMA HD). ASRock's Core-100HT HTPC (2.13GHz i3-330M/GMA HD) is only 277MHz behind the ASRock's Vision 3D HTPC (2.4GHz i3-370M/GT425M), which is why both processors produce very similar results in these tests. Although it's not exactly a fair comparison, the quad-core 2.8GHz Core i7-930 desktop processor illustrates just how far (or close) the others are to catching up.
Passmark PerformanceTestPassMark PerformanceTest is a PC hardware benchmark utility that allows a user to quickly assess the performance of their computer and compare it to a number of standard 'baseline' computer systems. The Passmark PerformanceTest CPU tests all benchmark the mathematical operations, compression, encryption, SSE, and 3DNow! instructions of modern processors. In our tests there were several area's of concentration for each benchmark, which are combined into one compound score. This score is referred to as the CPU Mark, and is a composite of the following tests:
Taken together as a whole, the eight separate CPU tests offers a very realistic segment of what taxes the processor most for users. These tests are grossly exaggerated synthetic benchmarks, but they can still help illustrate the difference between similar hardware. TEST SUMMARY: Collectively speaking, Passmark PerformanceTest simply reinforces the scores we previously explained in the AIDA64 test results section. Obviously the quad-core Core i7-930 desktop processor far exceeds performance of the mobile variants, but we've decided to include it for comparison purposes. Ignore the desktop baseline if you will, because the dual-core 1.6 GHz Atom 330 (ASRock ION 330) and 1.3 GHz Intel Pentium SU4100 (HP Pavilion DM3-1044NR) try their best to match Intel's latest Core i3-330M (Core 100HT) and i3-370M (Vision 3D) processor series in the CPU tests. 2D Graphics tests demand heavily on the computer's processing power, and therefore relegates the higher-performing CPUs to lead the charts (if only by a small margin). While the Intel Core i7-930 sets the bar at 531 '2D Marks', the Intel Core i3-370M inside the Vision 3D actually holds its own and produces 516 marks. Similarly, the i3-330M shores up 457 marks. 3D Graphics testing was a different, as it depends on GPU power. Our desktop baseline uses the most powerful GPU available at the moment: NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 580 video card. This puts the others at a serious disadvantage, especially the integrated Intel GPUs (which failed at least one test in the 3D Graphics benchmark with the remark 'video card must support at least 4x anti-aliasing'). Despite having a reduced score, the ASRock Core 100HT and HP Pavilion DM3-1044NR notebook still outperform the NVIDIA ION graphics processor, and give contrast to the NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M in the ASRock Vision 3D 137B Blu-ray Disc HTPC.
Cinebench R11.5 BenchmarksMaxon Cinebench is a real-world test suite that assesses the computer's performance capabilities. Cinebench is based on Maxon's award-winning animation software, Cinema 4D, which is used extensively by studios and production houses worldwide for 3D content creation. Maxon software has been used in blockbuster movies such as Spider-Man, Star Wars, The Chronicles of Narnia and many more. Cinebench Release 11.5 includes the ability to more accurately test the industry's latest hardware, including systems with up to 64 processor threads and the testing environment better reflects the expectations of today's production demands. A more streamlined interface makes testing systems and reading results incredibly straightforward. The Cinebench R11.5 test scenario uses all of a system's processing power to render a photorealistic 3D scene, "No Keyframes" the viral animation by AixSponza Motion Design. This scene makes use of various algorithms to stress all available processor cores. The OpenGL graphics card testing procedure uses a complex 3D scene depicting a car chase with which the performance of your graphics card in OpenGL mode is measured. During the benchmark tests the graphics card is evaluated by way of displaying an intricate scene that includes complex geometry, high-resolution textures, and a variety of effects to evaluate the performance across a variety of real-world scenarios. The OpenGL tests in Cinebench force processor-first graphics computation before offloading work to the available video card. Cinebench R11.5 reveals performance results illustrated in the chart below:
Cinebench R11.5 Processor Benchmark ResultsTEST SUMMARY: Cinebench does an good job of translating CPU processing power into a graphics representation, and illustrates the differences between components. The dual-core 1.6GHz Atom 330 (ASRock ION 330) and 1.3GHz Intel Pentium SU4100 (HP Pavilion DM3-1044NR) appear to function similarly in the CPU Multi-Core benchmark test, but both fall rather flat in terms of CPU performance here. Intel's Core i3-330M (ASRock Core 100HT) obliterates them both with 137~240% boost, only to be dominated by the 2.40 GHz Core i3-370M (ASRock Vision 3D). The unfortunate news here is that the Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD caused Cinebench OpenGL tests to fail on the HP Pavilion DM3-1044NR notebook (1.3GHz Intel Pentium SU4100/4500M GMA HD) and ASRock's Core-100HT HTPC (2.13GHz i3-330M/GMA HD). The ASRock ION 330 scored 4.67, beating the ASRock Core 100HT's Intel GMA HD score of 1.17 by nearly 300%. This reverses results in PCMark Vantage, and creates even more doubt that the ASRock Core 100HT HTPC can handle 3D gaming... but the next few tests will settle this point. The ASRock Nettop ION 330 HTPC (1.6GHz Intel Atom N330/ION GT9400) easily pushes past the integrated HD graphics, only to be outdone by ASRock's Vision 3D HTPC (2.4GHz i3-370M/GT425M).
Handbrake Media EncodingEncoding DVD-format multimedia to use on portable devices such as a SmartPhone is becoming very popular. Using a 22-minute long television episode (the show isn't important, and I don't want to give away my poor taste in television programming), I've used Handbrake to encode the DVD into MP4 format. To remove the optical drive from impacting test performance, all of the VOB files were moved to the local drive (Vertex SSD). The output file was also saved to the same system drive.
TEST SUMMARY: Intel's N330 Atom processor, albeit dual-core in nature, fails to compete with the others in terms of encoding performance and takes nearly a half-hour to complete the job. Hyper-Threading seems to help the HP Pavilion DM3-1044NR notebook (1.3GHz Intel Pentium SU4100/4500M GMA HD), but 21 minutes is nothing to brag about. It's not until we get to the ASRock Core-100HT HTPC (2.13GHz i3-330M/GMA HD) that encode times are more acceptable, and the 2.4GHz i3-370M paired with the GeForce GT 425M helps gives the ASRock Vision 3D HTPC a slight advantage. Intel's quad-core 2.8GHz Core i7-930 desktop processor with GeForce GTX 580 doesn't exactly encode in snap, but it does the same job in half the time. Blender Layer RenderingBlender is a free open source multi-threaded 3D content creation suite, available for use on all major operating systems under the GNU General Public License. Our tests use Blender to a very limited degree of its full capability (see blender.org for more detail), but the image rendering function serves its purpose well. Using the icetest project, we allow the processor in each system to render the image layers. This might seem like a fairly simple task, as I did at first, but that was before I realized how long it takes each system to render.
TEST SUMMARY: Blender does an excellent job of illustrating the difference in rendering power between mobile and desktop CPUs. The ASRock Nettop ION 330 HTPC (1.6GHz Intel Atom N330/ION GT9400) rendered the icetest project in 57.0 seconds, which in improved to 32.6 seconds with the mobile Pentium processor in HP's Pavilion DM3-1044NR notebook (1.3GHz Intel Pentium SU4100/4500M GMA HD). ASRock's Core-100HT HTPC (2.13GHz i3-330M/GMA HD) manages to render in 17.4 seconds, which is improved to 15.3 seconds using the ASRock Vision 3D HTPC (2.4GHz i3-370M/GT425M). With all the muscle and might of Intel's quad-core 2.8GHz Core i7-930 desktop processor, the icetest project is rendered in 12.4 seconds and demonstrates how closely the others are catching up.
Video Game PerformancePC video games have never favored integrated chipset graphics over discrete video card solutions. Take HP's Pavilion DM3-1044NR notebook (1.3GHz Intel Pentium SU4100/4500M GMA HD) or ASRock's Core-100HT HTPC (2.13GHz i3-330M/GMA HD), both of which are built for multimedia and entertainment. Both of these products rely on the integrated Intel 4500M GMA HD graphics solution, and both barely afford the ability to play 3D video games. Even with a product like the ASRock Nettop ION 330, an HTPC that used NVIDIA's GeForce 9400 GPU on the ION platform, playing video games meant dialing down the settings to their lowest options. While discrete graphics have the advantage of large memory buffers and powerful dedicated graphics processors, they seldom fit inside the micro-size package an integrated or mobile GPU can. The GeForce GT 425M PCI-E video card could be the exception. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M is a capable mid-range laptop graphics card based on the Fermi GF108 GPU. It supports DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.0, giving it the power to play the most modern PC video games with tesselation and PhysX effects. Sadly, none of the ASRock Vision 3D systems offer any of the other mobile GeForce products, such as the GeForce GT 445M that comes with 144 cores clocked to 1180 MHz or the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M with 192 cores at 1350 MHz. The only difference between the GeForce GT 420M, GT 425M and GT 435M is the speed, as they all receive 96 'CUDA' cores. Lightweight Gaming PerformanceBenchmark Reviews has tested frame rate performance using several video games displayed at 720p (0.92 MP) and 1080p (2.07 MP) HDTV resolutions, and the ASRock Vision 3D 137B Blu-ray Disc HTPC proved itself capable of every streaming video and 2D application we threw at it. These lightweight tasks were inconsequential to the GF108M GPU, which didn't drop a single frame. 3D video games require considerably different processing power, and it seems that ASRock finally found an HTPC graphics solution worthy of its platform with the GeForce GT 425M. The GT 425M included with the Vision 3D kit clocks the GF108M shaders to 1120 MHz and the GDDR3 RAM to 800 MHz. Several games were tested and played on the ASRock Vision 3D system. Some relatively low-intensity titles such as Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty, Sid Meier's Civilization V, Team Fortress 2, World of Warcraft, Street Fighter IV, and The Sims 3 were among them. These games were all capable of being played on a 1920x1080p HDTV, even when some of the quality settings were turned up high. For example, using maximum quality with anti-aliasing and anisotropic filtering with Street Fighter IV we received 33.4 FPS using the GeForce GT 425M. Those same settings produced 53.2 FPS when played at 1280x720p. Keeping maximum quality and effects while disabling anti-aliasing and anisotropic filtering helped deliver 50.6 FPS at 1080p, and 79.3 FPS at 720p. Team Fortress 2 offered similar performance over the same settings, which works well for this First-Person Shooter. Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty, Sid Meier's Civilization V, and World of Warcraft are designed to be played by gamers using computer systems with minimum graphical power. As a direct result, these games allowed us to indulge in higher quality settings even when played at 1080p (@60Hz). HDTVs operating at 120Hz or 240Hz 3D HDTVs will have a small performance impact, but should be comparible to these results. Alternatively, the NVIDIA 3DTV Play software will also allow you to play these games on your 3D-compatible HDTV. Monitor users might consider the ASUS VG236H 120Hz LCD Monitor 3D-Vision Set, which includes a NVIDIA 3D Vision shutter glasses kit. As a word of caution, the ASRock Vision 3D may offer 3D gaming support, but the quality settings will need to be reduced to produce satisfactory frame rates (this isn't the case with 3D Blu-ray disc movie playback). 
I personally prefer playing intense action first-person shooter games on high-resolution monitors and not HDTV resolutions, but I decided to change my display format and play some of the more entertaining titles available. The first was Battlefield Heroes, an online-only first-person shooter that requires very little graphic processing but still offers outstanding game play and hours of fun. Comparing the desktop gaming experience of playing Battlefield Heroes on high-resolution monitors (1680x1050 or 1920x1200) against the integrated Core i3 GPU experience on my 1080p HDTV actually offered no perceivable difference, which is exactly what desktop graphics should begin to fear. When it came to parlor games such as Mahjong, Bejeweled 2, Solitaire, online Poker, or puzzles, the GeForce GT 425M is purely overkill. It's not uncommon for someone to play these games on a desktop computer, but it's much more comfortable to relax on a couch or recliner and take it all in with your feet up. I don't imagine that NVIDIA's GeForce GT 425M graphics card will threaten gaming consoles since they've got advanced graphics processors of their own and a proprietary game format, but then again consoles don't have Starcraft II, WoW, Spore, or The Sims to their credit. The bottom line is that ASRock's Vision 3D HTPC can handle all the streaming video content you can ask of it, and 3D games with low graphical demand will pose no problems. 3D Gaming PerformanceMMORPG's such as Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty, Sid Meier's Civilization V, World of Warcraft, and The Sims 3 are all fun games in their own right, and scrolling 2D fighters like Street Fighter IV have their place from time to time, but most gamers also want to play desktop-dominant FPS titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops, Fallout: New Vegas, and even Grand Theft Auto. Racing games such as Need for Speed, GRID, and Gran Turismo all belong on the big screen, as do flying games such as Tom Clancy's HAWX 2. In this section, I used the ASRock Vision 3D HTPC with several of these games to see if the NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M could handle the stress. In nearly all games, the answer was a hushed 'yes'. We already concluded that Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty, Sid Meier's Civilization V, World of Warcraft, and The Sims 3 can all be played well above 30 FPS even with some settings turned up, but the other games require motion-dependant fluid frame rates. Call of Duty: Black Ops was playable at 1280x720p, albeit with all the graphics quality settings turned down. Fallout: New Vegas and Grand Theft Auto could be played at 1080p at around 30 FPS, but not without dropping quality in most places (namely anti-aliasing). Racing games surprised me, allowing Need for Speed, GRID, and Gran Turismo 4 to all play with a few high quality settings at 1080p. Then there was Tom Clancy's HAWX 2...
Tom Clancy's HAWX2 works incredibly well with the tessellation-optimized Fermi architecture in the GF108M GPU, finally making NVIDIA's effort more transparent. Even without these optimizations, HAWX 2 is a game primarily comprised of clear blue skies that require very little graphics processing power. As a result, the GeForce GT 425M inside ASRock's Vision 3D HTPC performed extremely well with this game. Easily playable at 1280x720p, HAWX 2 produced 30 FPS with maximum quality settings and 8x AA, 35 FPS with 4x AA, and 36 FPS with only 2x AA. On a 1920x1080p display we received 25 FPS with 2x anti-aliasing and maximum quality settings, which rise to 31 FPS when AA is disabled. Perhaps I was being unrealistic by expecting people to pass-up their gaming console or desktop PC just to play these games on an HTPC, but the ASRock Vision 3D is making it happen with the GeForce GT 425M.
ASRock HTPC Final ThoughtsComputers are at a constant struggle with scaled performance, and the PC is ground zero for innovation. CPU's and GPU's have both become much smaller, while fitting many more transistors into them. The opposite is true for their total package size, as evidenced by the growing dimensions for heatsinks and printed circuit boards. These things directly relate to HTPCs, primarily because personal entertainment enthusiasts demand oversized performance inside of undersized enclosures. While CPUs have scaled accordingly, as has storage media with the SSD, it seems that GPUs are just now arriving at a point where compact size doesn't necessarily mean limited performance. Intel and AMD each offer dual-core mobile processors, and they offer excellent performance with very low power consumption demands. Seagate offers a 500GB Solid State Hybrid Drive that outperforms some of the fastest desktop hard drives while remaining notebook-sized. SoDIMM-sized system memory has made 4GB RAM modules available to compact computers, breaking a barrier that has held notebook computers back for years. Even motherboards have shrunk to miniature proportions, such as the micro-ITX form factor seen with the ASRock HM55-MXM. The only remaining holdout has been the graphics processor, up until now.
Modern integrated graphics (such as Intel's GMA HD) are sufficiently powerful enough to display high definition video content at 1280x720p or 1920×1080p resolutions, but expectations change once 3D video games are added into the equation. It takes a more powerful mobile GPU to share the same gaming experience equal to desktop PCs or gaming consoles. The problem is power, as all mobile devices must adhere to a strict power consumption threshold. This is why development on new compact discrete mobile graphics solutions moves so slowly, and products like the GeForce GT 445M (and especially the yet to be mass-produced NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M) only see implementation in platforms with a looser power envelope. As we've just discussed in the previous section, the ASRock Vision 3D HTPC offers ample gaming performance thanks to the GeForce GT 425M video card. Perhaps they've read the writing on the wall? The desktop computing segment shrinks by the day, ever woefully losing market segment to compact computing devices like this one. It's not my place to tell someone how to run their business, but one would think that selling leaded fuel in the hydrogen age would be a losing proposition. Intel has conceded defeat to NVIDIA in the GPU industry, and has returned to doing what they've always done best. Perhaps it's time for AMD and NVIDIA to seriously focus themselves on the mobile graphics market, and place their development in this sector ahead of desktop graphics. Doing things incrementally better each time is not nearly as important as doing things that the industry needs.
ASRock Vision 3D 137B ConclusionIMPORTANT: Although the rating and final score mentioned in this conclusion are made to be as objective as possible, please be advised that every author perceives these factors differently at various points in time. While we each do our best to ensure that all aspects of the product are considered, there are often times unforeseen market conditions and manufacturer changes which occur after publication that could render our rating obsolete. Please do not base any purchase solely on our conclusion, as it represents our product rating specifically for the product tested which may differ from future versions. Benchmark Reviews begins our conclusion with a short summary for each of the areas that we rate. HTPC performance is a subjective matter, since there are notebook and desktop computers to compare against. In the most simplified terms, the ASRock Vision 3D HTPC series performs mid-way between multimedia/media center notebook computers and high-end desktop computer systems. Everyday computing tasks such as web browsing, document creation, and email are all very basic chores for the Intel Core i3-370M processor. Some Media Center enthusiasts only browse the web and watch moviews or flash-based video, while others listen to music and play an occasional video game. It's really never been closer to 'one size fits all' than it is right now. If you're a home theater enthusiast, or just someone who wants more functionality out of their entertainment center, ASRock's Vision 3D-series offers one of the most competitive HTPC kits I've tested up to this point. Based on our Handbrake and Bender benchmark tests, the 2.40 GHz Intel Core i3-370M delivers more than enough processing power to encode and render at levels very similar to the 2.80 GHz quad-core i7-930 desktop CPU. This is a good step forward towards one day matching desktop processor performance, but it's only one leg that's moving this quickly. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M is a great start in the same direction, but the desktop counterparts are still worlds apart. High Definition HDMI media playback using Windows Media Player, Adobe Flash Player (10.1.102.64), and VLC Media Player (1.1.5) each worked flawlessly for saved MKV or MP4 files. Adobe Flash Player software has come a long way, yet many of the lessons in our Adobe Flash HD-Video GPU Acceleration Guide still apply. Even 3D Blu-ray Disc playback using Cyberlink's PowerDVD 10 performed flawlessly, and using NVIDIA's 3D Vision kit we enjoyed Avatar and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs in full 3D. Gaming and 3D playback opened up new entertainment possibilities, but the GT 425M kept us wanting just a little more muscle. The Intel Core i3-370M / NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M graphics inside the Vision 3D HTPC delivered more than enough processing power to deliver multimedia without dropping frames or breaking the audio playback, but video games required a bit of compromise. 2D Parlor-style games such as Mahjong, Bejeweled 2, and Solitaire are not enough to stress the GT 425M graphics, and basic 3D games such as Street Fighter IV, Team Fortress 2, and Battlefield Heroes worked extremely well with maximum quality settings. Lightweight 3D gaming was possible with improved quality settings, allowing us to play Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty, Sid Meier's Civilization V, World of Warcraft, and The Sims 3 all on the ASRock Vision 3D HTPC without issue. Racing games such as Need for Speed, GRID, and Gran Turismo played very well with moderate quality settings, as did flying games such as Tom Clancy's HAWX 2. Some significant quality concessions were necessary to play first person shooters like Call of Duty: Black Ops, Fallout: New Vegas, and Grand Theft Auto, but the mere fact they could be played on a compact HTPC should be impressive.
While a small number of critics may consider the appearance and styling of ASRock's Vision 3D system to be ordinary, I think that most others will likely appreciate the elegant style and subdued looks. After all, people prefer to have inconspicuous consumer electronics in their entertainment center, and not a neon spectacle with flashing lights everywhere. The ASRock Vision 3D series comes in either anodized black or silver aluminum with a fine-textured finish that hides fingerprints, and maintains an incredibly small profile. Essentially, the ASRock Vision 3D measures up to be everything you wanted your gaming console and DVD/BD player to be, plus so much more. All-solid capacitors and a thick PCB earn the ASRock HM55-MXM motherboard very high construction ratings, but the real attraction is the well-conceived layout that allows so much to be packed into a little mini-ITX profile. The aluminum enclosure is much stronger than required, making the solid walls and gloss-finished thick plastic lid strong enough to sustain heavy impact without damage. ASRock went small on the Intel HM55-Express motherboard, but it doesn't go small on the BIOS. All of the functionality and customization you find in other motherboards is also available here... up to and including overclock tweaks. While Benchmark Reviews didn't spend time covering this aspect, primarily because HTPCs favor low operating temperature over maximum clock speeds, it certainly appeals to enthusiasts wanting to squeeze every last frame out of their performance. For the perspective of an avid HTPC builder, it's the HDMI 1.4a output that sells this kit along with wireless-N Wi-Fi capability and GeForce GT 425M graphics. Even with the low-profile cooling fan spinning under stressed use, the ASRock Vision 3D system was completely silent; as in absolutely no audible noise at all. This is a welcome night-and-day departure from the XBOX360 and PS3 gaming consoles, which usually start humming like leaf blowers once they warm up. As of January 2011 the ASRock Vision 3D 137B Blu-ray Disc HTPC was available online at NewEgg for $979.99. This retail price could be a turnoff for some budget shoppers, but there are options. The ASRock Vision 3D 137B model with Intel Core i3-370M sells for $849.99. Alternatively, NewEgg still sells the ASRock Core 100HT HTPC for $649.99. Packaged with a slim DVD-burner, 500GB hard drive, 4GB of DDR3, Wireless-N Wi-Fi adapter, SuperSpeed USB-3.0 ports, and a Media Center Edition remote control, this could be enough to satisfy consumers searching for a capable HTPC. For users who like the size and features but don't need the processing power, The ASRock ION-330 series is still an excellent buy. ASRock's base-model Nettop ION 330 sells at NewEgg for $329.99, while the Wi-Fi model costs $419.99 and a Blu-Ray Disc version sells for $499.99. The ASRock Vision 3D series is the best pre-built HTPC kit on the market, and features all the makings for a ultimate home theater PC. Delivering enough graphics power to enable games like Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty and Sid Meier's Civilization V at 1080p is appreciated, which is why the ASRock Vision 3D HTPC series receives our Golden Tachometer Award. What it lacks in demanding 3D gaming performance it makes up for in Wireless-N Wi-Fi connectivity, SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports, and an ultra-compact footprint. The dual-core 2.40 GHz Intel Core i3-370M mobile processor and NVIDIA GeForce GT 425M graphics propel this system through any HD media you demand of it, and HDMI 1.4a output with 7.1 digital audio paired with THX TruStudio PRO adds excitement to the home theater experience... especially 3D Blu-ray movies. For home theater enthusiasts, the ASRock Vision 3D-series will be a perfect fit as the front-room HTPC, and the added Blu-ray Disc playback capability ensures a relatively future-proof HTPC platform. In terms of pre-built HTPC solutions, ASRock appears to have carved a solid niche market for themselves within the growing compact computer industry. Pros:
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Comments
Question, and I apologize if you mentioned this, but which display(s) did you use during testing? Regular monitors at the resolutions mentioned, or did you use an HDTV for the 1080/720p tests?
I feel your pain, and also suffer from buyer's remorse for the hardware I purchased for an already inferior HTPC. There was a mix of displays used, and the exact models and details are listed in the "Motherboard Testing Methodology" section.
Thank you, so much.
the HDMI output connected on Receiver (audio) and the DVI-I output connected on HDMI input on TV 3D, using DVI to HDMI adaptor (video 3D). What's the problem?