ASUS Terminator 2 T2-AE1: Mod-friendly Barebones System

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Devonavar
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ASUS Terminator 2 T2-AE1: Mod-friendly Barebones System

Post by Devonavar » Wed Jun 21, 2006 1:49 pm


Rusty075
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Post by Rusty075 » Wed Jun 21, 2006 6:03 pm

I'd have a hard time paying $100-125 for that when you could build an equivalent system in something like an NSK3300 for $130. <$50 754 mobo's with everything onboard are pretty easy to come by these days.

I'd guess that value-level SI's are Asus's real market with this one.

dougz
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Not a good choice for Linux users

Post by dougz » Fri Jun 23, 2006 1:40 pm

Devon -- Exellent review, as usual.

Typical Linux user lament:
Buy anything that does not have an SIS chipset. I'm having major problems enabling DMA on my Asus K8S-Mx. Also, the onboard graphics chip is not well supported (SIS760). Plus the onboard LAN (SIS190) is not at all supported. Same problems in Warty, Hoary and even with the SimplyMepis Live CD.

See here for more info:
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthre...&highlight=sis

Source -- http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=21410
Nvidia seems to be the optimal choice for Linux users.

qviri
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Post by qviri » Sat Jun 24, 2006 5:49 am

Rusty075 wrote:I'd have a hard time paying $100-125 for that when you could build an equivalent system in something like an NSK3300 for $130. <$50 754 mobo's with everything onboard are pretty easy to come by these days.
Interesting comparison.

When I first saw the pictures of the outside, I said "omg this is my socket 754 build." But the comparison with the 3300 is valid, and one of undetermined result.

Up here, we can get a NSK3300 for $100 and a T2-AE1 for $140.

If I go for the 3300, I'd want a PCI-E motherboard for upgradeability, so it would end up more expensive. Quieter for sure, though.

Devonavar
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Post by Devonavar » Sat Jun 24, 2006 10:02 am

Another comparison that I look at was with a pre-buit Dell system. Dell sells a rock bottom system for US$279 ... which is pretty tough to beat. Who knows, it might even be quieter than the T2-AE1 in stock form.

jaganath
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Post by jaganath » Sat Jun 24, 2006 12:14 pm

Dell sells a rock bottom system for US$279 ... which is pretty tough to beat. Who knows, it might even be quieter than the T2-AE1 in stock form.
If you're talking about the Dimension B110, I doubt it is quieter than the T2, not with an 84W Celeron D 325. They would have to have the quietest fan in history to keep that one cool'n'quiet.

Rusty075
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Post by Rusty075 » Sat Jun 24, 2006 1:07 pm

qviri wrote:If I go for the 3300, I'd want a PCI-E motherboard for upgradeability, so it would end up more expensive. Quieter for sure, though.
The T2 isn't PCI-E, so right off the bat you'd have to swap its mobo for a new one...which makes it just a $140 case.

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Post by qviri » Sat Jun 24, 2006 1:23 pm

Rusty075 wrote:
qviri wrote:If I go for the 3300, I'd want a PCI-E motherboard for upgradeability, so it would end up more expensive. Quieter for sure, though.
The T2 isn't PCI-E, so right off the bat you'd have to swap its mobo for a new one...which makes it just a $140 case.
Yeah, I know. It wasn't meant to be an equal comparison ;)

The Terminator also uses a proprietary form factor motherboard... so there goes that...

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