Functionality

In terms of functionality, we begin to see a divergence between the different boxes.

Picking a favorite in terms of functionality is a tough proposition but the CA2 gets the pick as most functional. The multimedia card reader is a nice inclusion and it was something that I hoped to see on the other SFF boxes but alas no one else followed through. The front panel connectors on the CA2 are not stealthed up front and Gigabyte manages to keep it looking tidy while keeping it useful. Second place is the EZ65 which has the best array of options in terms of audio connectivity. The Qbic comes in a close third with a good number of both USB and Firewire ports. The Condor takes last place. One of the few critiques regarding the Condor is the lackluster front panel that only includes a headphone jack, 2 USB ports and an optical out port. I would have liked to see a microphone jack up front and the optical out jack on the rear. The lack of firewire is also somewhat surprising. Being billed as a gaming machine does not let the Condor completely off the hook with this oversight.

The casual computer user will appreciate the connectivity options of the G-Max CA2. A MMC reader should replace all floppy drives

CA2,EZ65,3401a,Condor

Expandability

Expandability is something that usually associated with SFF boxes as the size tends to prohibit expansion. Starting from the bottom this time, the CA2 from Gigabyte offers no room for expansion. It was a good thing that the CA2 has all the doodads built in already as it is the only SFF here without a PCI slot. The size of the CA2 also prevents longer AGP cards to fit in the system - 5700s and single slot 5950s like the Gainward will not fit in the CA2. The CA2 technically has 2 3.5" bays but the lack of stealthing on the drive bay prevents the floppy bay to do double duty as a second hard drive bay. Practicality issues ignored, the lack of a secondary IDE channel makes the addition of a 2nd hard drive impossible so the CA2 is limited to a single HD and a single optical drive.

The EZ65 takes third place not because of any perceived faults but because it is the prototypical SFF with a single PCI slot and room for two 3.5" drives as well as a single optical.

The two gems in the lineup are the Qbic 3401a and the Condor. Remember how I commented that the Qbic looked porky? It was for a good reason. This bad boy can house 2 optical drive and 2 3.5" drives. The possibility of two optical drives is pretty impressive as it is the only SFF box in our roundup with the ability to do this. I'm under the impression that Soltek may be the only manufacturer who allows 2 optical drives.

The Condor takes a slightly different route - 2 PCI slots. Want to upgrade the sound? Not a problem. Want to upgrade the sound and add wireless support? Not a problem either. The Condor is the only SFF that I'm aware of that can take a dual slot video card like the 6800 Ultra or the 5950. On other SFF boxes this is not an option as the AGP slot is on the outside and the heatsink faces the out of the case and not towards the other PCI slot. This is not an oversight in design. The graphics card is a major source of heat and burying it in the middle of a SFF is not the best design decision. Back to the Condor however, because the motherboard is more traditional than a lot of the other SFF sibilings so a dual slot graphics card is possible.

The Condor gets my pick for being tops in expandability. While multiple optical drive option in the Qbic is a nice thing it is not totally necessary. The ability to use any graphics card in a SFF is important in my view and the Condor is the only one that fits the bill. Being able to plunk in a couple PCI cards is also a good thing.

Cant argue with the Condor's 2 PCI slots and the ability to toss in a 6800 Ultra

Condor,3401a,EZ65,CA2