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Test Results Continued
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Comparison: Hiper Media Center H2 vs. A3
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Activity
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HMC-2K53A-H2
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HMC-2K53A-A3
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Avg. CPU Usage
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System Power (AC)
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Avg. CPU Usage
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System Power (AC)
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Off
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N/A
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2W
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N/A
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2W
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Sleep (S3)
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N/A
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6W
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N/A
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3W
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Idle
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1%
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~82W*
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3%
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~59W
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1080p H.264
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38%
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~89W
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31%
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~79W
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WMV3 VC-1
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44%
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~92W
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43%
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~80W
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CPUBurn
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100%
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105W
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100%
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97W
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* The H2 did not have Cool'n'Quiet support in Vista,
resulting in higher idle power consumption.
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Compared to the previous Hiper Media Center incarnation however, we see
some nice improvements in power consumption: approximately 10 to 12W during
moderate use. Idle power was much lower since Cool'n'Quiet did not function
on the H2 with Vista. Video playback also improved slightly in terms of
CPU usage, and there was absolutely no stuttering on the A3, unlike the
H2, which stumbled at times in HD playback.
GENERAL IMPRESSIONS
VIDEO
The HMC A3 worked perfectly well with a BenQ
FP94VW 19" LCD at 1440x900 resolution, connected via D-Sub.
This monitor also has an HDMI port with audio available through a line-out
jack. When we connected the HMC through HDMI, we were not able to get it
working at the proper native resolution. The driver would only allow 1152x648,
1280x720, 1776x1000, and 1920x1080. At 1280x720, the desktop was cropped
and we could move the mouse cursor past the edges of the screen. After fiddling
with the drivers and sound control panel for some time, we were unable to
get full audio functionality working through HDMI either. The sound came
through fine when we tried the speaker diagnostic test, but we couldn't
hear the audio from any video or music files, or from clicks made with the
mouse. Since we did get some sound out of it, we assume it's either a Vista
or driver issue, which may be worked out eventually.
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At 1280x720, things didn't look quite right.
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PERIPHERALS
The built-in WiFi card worked as it should, detecting and
allowing easy access at 54 mbps to the wireless network in the lab. The
included Vista remote control also worked to perfection, with a full of
control for Vista's Media Center. It was a little thin, but very comfortable,
and intuitive/easy to use. The range of the remote was approximately 3.5
meters (11.5 feet) with direct line-of-sight. This addition really cements
the system firmly as a Media PC adding a level of usability and enjoyment
lacking in the previous model. The front display and all its buttons were
also fully functional.
NOISE
As none of the fans in the system have been changed from the previous model,
the noise level remained the same. 31 dBA@1m when idle, and 35 dBA@1m during
stress testing with CPUBurn as measured by our B&K sound level meter.
It's an acceptable amount of noise for a home theater PC. The addition of
the southbridge fan made the unit unbearable, even for a media center. If
Hiper felt that the southbridge wouldn't be adequately cooled they could
have requested MSI to use a larger passive heatsink instead. The sound the
fan emitted was akin to a high-pitch optical drive motor spinning at moderate
speeds or a very small vacuum cleaner. It was loud enough that we did not
even bother measuring or recording its noise level.
COOLING
The CPU and Core temperatures did not exceed 50°C on load and 40°C
when idle, which is fine performance. Still, it's a cramped system with
limited cooling and airflow, so it's best to stick to 65W or lower TDP processors.
Also make sure the system has plenty of breathing room — placing it
on the top of the rest of your home theater equipment would be ideal as
long as it is not enclosed in a cabinet.
The low profile heatsink is effective with the low 45W TDP processor, and
in an open environment, it was barely warm to the touch with CPUBurn running.
The northbridge and southbridge heatsinks on the otherhand were another
story. The southbridge in particular, was scorching, and it makes sense
that Hiper decided to include the optional fan this time around. We performed
all our tests with the fan disconnected, however, to eliminate it's annoying
noise, and no instability was noted.
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