A quick look at Giada’s Mini PC portfolio
will show that several models of the series share the same appearance.
Following the common design of a net top, Giada’s Mini PCs such as the i51,
i35G, and the Q11 sport the shape and size of a hardbound book. Deviating from
this look, Giada’s latest attraction, the D2305, highlights a different design.
Giada
Mini PC D2305
Dressed up in a rounded, matte-black
enclosure, the Mini PC D2305 is an outright HTPC with the poise of a chic
embellishment in a modern living room setting. In front, the Mini PC presents
an inconspicuous design, thanks to its slot-loading DVD burner and ports hidden
behind the discreet plastic flap. To complete the HTPC feel, Giada has bundLED
the D2305 with a remote control. Other elements present on the D2305’s fascia
are the silver power button and LED indicators that represent infrared and hard
disk activity.
In addition to the card reader, USB 3.0
port, and audio jacks in front, the Mini PC D2305 offers more connectivity on
the rear side. It has an eSATA, headphone jack, optical S/PDIF connector, two
USB 2.0 ports, and two USB 3.0 connectors. For video output, the HTPC comes
with one HDMI and one DVI connector, while network connectivity is supported by
a LAN port and Wi-Fi.
In
addition to the card reader, USB 3.0 port, and audio jacks in front, the Mini
PC D2305 offers more connectivity on the rear side.
Within its compact frame, the Mini PC D2305
makes use of an Intel HM77 platform with 4GB DDR3, 500GB HDD, and NVIDIA
GeForce GT 640 graphics card. The most prominent spec detail of the D2305 is
its use of a dual-core Intel Core i5-3317U, a processor that is usually found
inside current Ultrabook models. Hence, we compared the D2305’s scores with
those of the similarly specced Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga, Samsung Series 5 Ultra
Touch, and the Toshiba Satellite U920t.
Although the systems compared are all
equipped with a Core i5-3317U chip, it is obvious that the Mini PC was left
behind in terms of the overall PCMark 7 score, as seen on the chart.
The Ultrabooks’ dominance is reasonable as
their main storage is based on the faster solid state drive, shadowing the
performance of D2305’s hard disk drive. However, the D2305 shines brightest in
the graphics area, thanks to its use of the GT 640 GPU which outdid Intel’s HD
Graphics 4000 on the Ultrabooks.
A
quick look at Giada’s Mini PC portfolio will show that several models of the
series share the same appearance.
For consumers who are planning to own an
HTPC but do not want to go through the fairly niggling process of DIY system
building, the Giada Mini PC D2305 is an auspicious alternative that can be
purchased for the price of $680 or around PhP 27,000 after conversion.
Key Features
of Giada D2305 Mini PC
§ Intel®
Ivy Bridge CoreTM i5/i7 Processor (optional by SKU)
§ Mobile
Intel® HM77 Express Chipset
§ NVIDIA®
GT640, DX 11 supported
§ Slot-loadBlu-ray
Disc/DVD drive
§ Built-in
mSATA SSD
§ Intel
SRT technology
§ Supports
Trusted Platform Module (TPM)
§ USB
3.0& 2.0 Ports
§ Integrated
Wi-Fi & blue Tooth
§ Near
silent operation
§ Low
power consumption
§ Ultra-compact
footprint - Size: 174 x 230 x 55mm
§ Optional
Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 8 ready
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