Monoblock for the "difficult" user
Somewhere in the spring of last year, I strongly wanted to change the coffin under the table for something more elegant, or rather, for a candy bar. I do not like Apple products, therefore only the market of ordinary PCs was considered. It is still not as developed as the notebook market, and basically provides products for the simple person with an uncluttered mind. Even the articles all boil down to “It's cool and comfortable, blah blah blah, here's a photo from Google, blah blah bla” - no tests, no autopsies, no live reviews. In general, the task turned out to be non-trivial, and in order to satisfy my requirements as much as possible, I had to tinker.
The choice fell on the line of Sony VAIO, but rather on the model VPCL 13M1R (series L / J). Below, I just want to share my buying experience, tell about it from the perspective of a person who is interested in information technology and has certain wishes for organizing a working-game space. But at the same time to show that this miracle of technology is inside.
Over the past 10 years, my interest in information technology has changed from strong to moderate. I still love to tinker with the system setup, I use my own Miranda and Fubar assemblies, and in my pocket I carry HTC Desire with firmware from HTC Desire HD. It is interesting for me to feel other software products and systems, but to the constant change of hardware and the installation of a heap of programs it has long cooled down, and the launch of games not at maximum settings has ceased to seem to be the end of the world. In other words, a slightly narrow-minded attitude towards technology has emerged - hence the desire to “simplify”. Added motivation natural curiosity.
In spite of some coldness to the IT topic, I still have a certain number of increased requirements. The monoblock market still offers only universal products designed for a mass audience - neither gaming nor just well-equipped monoblocks. At least, those I did not fall for the domestic market. Most likely, this is due to the price, since any, even the most ridiculous trinkets, dramatically increases the cost of assembly.
')
In this regard, it was necessary to sacrifice productivity gains and limit the following criteria:
After wandering around the shops and reading the characteristics of different monoblocks, I stopped at the aforementioned Sony model. It is curious that in different markets this company presents its variants, in fact, of the same line. In Japan, for example, they are of different colors, including pink - as many as a dozen colorings.
Beautiful photos of the monoblock described can be easily found in a search engine, so I’ll just show you how it looks in the interior, and at the same time I’ll share the results of the disassembly (I'm curious, yes).
Here it is in all its glory
On the back there are only a few connectors (others on the side), a compartment cover for additional memory modules, and a leg combined with a hard disk cover. The latter, by the way, is quite a standard size, which is surprising.
Next comes the iron lid - it already has additional holes for the TV tuner and some kind of crap on the right (I can’t imagine what could be there).
At the bottom are the speakers and a small fan for blowing.
It looks like the insides in general. At the bottom (and actually at the top), just to the right of the middle, there is a cluster of capacitors blown apart.
Slots for TV tuner and ... TV tuner. Perhaps I would not even refuse to put him there, but I doubt that even the Sony Office itself will help me with this.
Also some mysterious connectors with the words "TIRAMISU" and "CN90". I really do not know what it is, because for me tiramisu is a delicious dessert. But there definitely can be something to stick.
Under this terrible design are the processor and video card. The latter - passive cooling.
Actually video card, tightly soldered to the board.
The processor is not soldered to the board. That's just to change it for nothing, because changing Core2Duo 2.93 to 3.16 will cost you a pretty penny. Although the board itself seems to support Quad.
For interest, I will give my previous configuration and the one that is in the monoblock case.
It was
It became
Below, I briefly summarize the three-month use. The opinion, I repeat, is my personal one, caused by the personal preferences in work and a certain level of training and pretentiousness.
Pros:
Minuses:
In the end, it is usually customary to draw some conclusions, so that we will support the tradition. Today, a person who is not indifferent to IT and wants to buy a monoblock has a small choice. Each manufacturer has relatively powerful models, but most do not have an optical output (sometimes this is critical), the video card is not higher than the GeForce 240M, or even quite weak Intel, or some other bias incompatible with life. And if you can increase the memory, change the hard drive, and even tinker with the processor a little, then you will not be able to insert optics or a more angry video card. Although, most likely, in the near future the situation will change, and gaming monoblocks will appear on the market, and some of the manufacturers may have thought of a model like DLC (Downloadable Content) adjusted for iron for a more capricious audience.
PS: I am ready to answer any questions regarding this device, as well as share what Everest issues. You never know, who else looked at him (the apparatus).
The choice fell on the line of Sony VAIO, but rather on the model VPCL 13M1R (series L / J). Below, I just want to share my buying experience, tell about it from the perspective of a person who is interested in information technology and has certain wishes for organizing a working-game space. But at the same time to show that this miracle of technology is inside.
What for?
Over the past 10 years, my interest in information technology has changed from strong to moderate. I still love to tinker with the system setup, I use my own Miranda and Fubar assemblies, and in my pocket I carry HTC Desire with firmware from HTC Desire HD. It is interesting for me to feel other software products and systems, but to the constant change of hardware and the installation of a heap of programs it has long cooled down, and the launch of games not at maximum settings has ceased to seem to be the end of the world. In other words, a slightly narrow-minded attitude towards technology has emerged - hence the desire to “simplify”. Added motivation natural curiosity.
Criterias of choice
In spite of some coldness to the IT topic, I still have a certain number of increased requirements. The monoblock market still offers only universal products designed for a mass audience - neither gaming nor just well-equipped monoblocks. At least, those I did not fall for the domestic market. Most likely, this is due to the price, since any, even the most ridiculous trinkets, dramatically increases the cost of assembly.
')
In this regard, it was necessary to sacrifice productivity gains and limit the following criteria:
- configuration is not worse than the previous computer;
- nice appearance;
- optical output;
- price around 50 thousand, plus or minus another 10;
- the ability to buy immediately, and not wait for delivery or the appearance of new items on sale.
After wandering around the shops and reading the characteristics of different monoblocks, I stopped at the aforementioned Sony model. It is curious that in different markets this company presents its variants, in fact, of the same line. In Japan, for example, they are of different colors, including pink - as many as a dozen colorings.
Outside and inside
Beautiful photos of the monoblock described can be easily found in a search engine, so I’ll just show you how it looks in the interior, and at the same time I’ll share the results of the disassembly (I'm curious, yes).
Here it is in all its glory
On the back there are only a few connectors (others on the side), a compartment cover for additional memory modules, and a leg combined with a hard disk cover. The latter, by the way, is quite a standard size, which is surprising.
Next comes the iron lid - it already has additional holes for the TV tuner and some kind of crap on the right (I can’t imagine what could be there).
At the bottom are the speakers and a small fan for blowing.
It looks like the insides in general. At the bottom (and actually at the top), just to the right of the middle, there is a cluster of capacitors blown apart.
Slots for TV tuner and ... TV tuner. Perhaps I would not even refuse to put him there, but I doubt that even the Sony Office itself will help me with this.
Also some mysterious connectors with the words "TIRAMISU" and "CN90". I really do not know what it is, because for me tiramisu is a delicious dessert. But there definitely can be something to stick.
Under this terrible design are the processor and video card. The latter - passive cooling.
Actually video card, tightly soldered to the board.
The processor is not soldered to the board. That's just to change it for nothing, because changing Core2Duo 2.93 to 3.16 will cost you a pretty penny. Although the board itself seems to support Quad.
What was and what was
For interest, I will give my previous configuration and the one that is in the monoblock case.
It was
- Monitor: Samsung Syncmaster 214T, 4: 3, matte screen
- Motherboard: Asus M2N
- Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+
- Memory: OCZ Reaper HPC OCZ2RPR8001G, 4 GB
- Hard Drive: Samsung HD753LJ (750 GB)
- Video card: nVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT, 512 MB
- Sound Card: Creative SB X-Fi Xtreme Audio (PCI)
It became
- Monitor: Sony 24 ", 16: 9, glossy screen
- Motherboard: Mmm ... Some kind of on the Eaglelake P43 chipset.
- Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 2.93 GHz
- Memory: Hynix HYMP125S64CP8-S6, 4 GB
- Hard Drive: Western Digital WD1001FALS-55J7B0
- Video card: NVIDIA GeForce GT 330M, 1024 MB
- Sound card: Intel HDA 82801JB ICH10
Pros and cons
Below, I briefly summarize the three-month use. The opinion, I repeat, is my personal one, caused by the personal preferences in work and a certain level of training and pretentiousness.
Pros:
- For work - for the eyes and the ears, for games - I also cannot complain, I personally have enough. For example, the last Need For Speed ​​and Mass Effect 2 go at a maximum without a single blot, but in Divinity 2, the maximum can be set only in homes, and on the street - the average settings.
- An excellent screen, although today there are few who will be surprised, because more or less all manufacturers make quality matrices or borrow from each other.
- Strict, but stylish appearance, which, in my opinion, will not spoil any interior with the exception of “semi-antique” ones. But here excuse me.
- Touch screen. The store looks cool, funny to click, yet there is not at all.
- Very decent keyboard and mouse, bundled. The mouse, by the way, according to subjective feelings, is better than what Logitech produces, which I used to use for many years, until I switched to Razer.
- A good selection of presentation software that attracts attention in the store and demonstrates the main features. I think this is an advantage, because it is in the store that the first acquaintance of the buyer with the goods takes place, and in part it determined my choice. For others, this is somehow poorer.
- Low noise. The store doesn’t hear it anyway, but it feels a little louder than the average laptop, and that's mainly because the fans are right in front of you. If the system unit were under the table, almost nothing would have been heard.
- The number of wires decreased by 2 times. Since I have more than one phone at home, 2 sets of 5.1 speakers, a photo frame, a printer, a scanner and other pranks, this is a significant plus.
- Excellent assembly, everything is very easy to assemble and disassemble without a single problem, breakdowns and "extra" parts at the end.
Minuses:
- The glossy screen glare is very bright, especially if the room has bright wallpapers, a desk lamp is turned on, or the sun is outside the window. As usual, however.
- The touch screen is a little “wooden”, which is especially noticeable if there is a modern communicator at home, like the HTC Desire, iPhone and their ilk. On the other hand, it is not particularly needed - so, to show friends, but sometimes to remember about its presence. But it reacts to passing by animals and large flying objects such as poplar fluff or flies.
- Low upgradeability. I understand that this is a monoblock, and that the manufacturer during its development did not lay the possibility of modernization by the user. However, in this case, it would be more reasonable to approach the issue and at least allow the addition of components, since there are free places on the system board.
- Poor equipment. In the box with a device costing 60 thousand, you still want to find a little more than the computer itself, a keyboard with a mouse and a cloth to wipe the screen.
- Keyboard and mouse do not connect anywhere else. For example, I would love to befriend them with a laptop, but the transmitter is soldered even more tightly than the video card.
- No video output. Even older models have only HDMI input.
- By today's standards, a little outdated processor and memory. In the older models of other manufacturers are already Core i3 - i7, and then the old Core2 Duo, the maximum Quad in the most expensive configuration. The same story with DDR 2 vs. DDR 3.
findings
In the end, it is usually customary to draw some conclusions, so that we will support the tradition. Today, a person who is not indifferent to IT and wants to buy a monoblock has a small choice. Each manufacturer has relatively powerful models, but most do not have an optical output (sometimes this is critical), the video card is not higher than the GeForce 240M, or even quite weak Intel, or some other bias incompatible with life. And if you can increase the memory, change the hard drive, and even tinker with the processor a little, then you will not be able to insert optics or a more angry video card. Although, most likely, in the near future the situation will change, and gaming monoblocks will appear on the market, and some of the manufacturers may have thought of a model like DLC (Downloadable Content) adjusted for iron for a more capricious audience.
PS: I am ready to answer any questions regarding this device, as well as share what Everest issues. You never know, who else looked at him (the apparatus).
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/111103/
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