Review: Intel D945GSEJT half-height ITX mainboard Introduction Intel sets a new standard in the area of green-IT and small form factor! With its price sensitive MiniITX mainboards (D201GLY2(A), D945GCLF(2)), Intel caused some movement on the market within the last couple of years. Until now, Intel is still waiting for competition when it comes to the new mainboard generation with regard to the performance and form factor. Unlike its big brothers (D945 – series), the power consumption of the new Intel „half – height“ mainboard decreased from over 30 watt to under 20 watt according to the data sheets. These results can be achieved thanks to the improvement of the Atom mobile CPU, which was specifically designed for the mobile sector and operated completely passive. Additionally, Intel thought a lot about the form factor and made it possible to create a mainboard with a height of only 2 cm – all CarPC users will be happy to hear this. This creates space for add-ons which weren’t possible up to now, due to the dimensions.
Transcript
Review: Intel D945GSEJT half-height ITX mainboard
Introduction Intel sets a new standard in the area of green-IT and small form factor!
With its price sensitive MiniITX mainboards (D201GLY2(A), D945GCLF(2)), Intel caused some movement on the market within the last couple of years. Until now, Intel is still waiting for competition when it comes to the new mainboard generation with regard to the performance and form factor.
Unlike its big brothers (D945 – series), the power consumption of the new Intel „half – height“ mainboard decreased from over 30 watt to under 20 watt according to the data sheets. These results can be achieved thanks to the improvement of the Atom mobile CPU, which was specifically designed for the mobile sector and operated completely passive.
Additionally, Intel thought a lot about the form factor and made it possible to create a mainboard with a height of only 2 cm – all CarPC users will be happy to hear this. This creates space for add-ons which weren’t possible up to now, due to the dimensions.
Intel successfully came up with ideas to make more add-ons possible. Therefore they are offering two new and interesting modules for the mainboard (optional).
1. Mini-PCI-express UMTS – Module with integrated WLAN
2. USB SSD Module as HDD replacement for integration on the internal USB connector
Both modules can be added without increasing the general height to more than 2cm. We are excited to see if the mainboard will keep what it promises.
Specifications
Model Intel D945GSEJT
Type Low-profile Mini-ITX
CPU / Chipset Intel Atom CPU N270 “passive cooling” –onboard— Mobile Intel 945GSE Express Chipset
RAM 1 x 200-pin DDR2 SO-DIMM, 533Mhz, up to 2GB DDR2 800 MHz and DDR2 667 MHz only 533 MHz possible)
Power supply 12 VDC onboard
External connections
1 x 12 VDC 1 x VGA 1 x DVI 3 x USB 1 x Audio 1 x 10/100/1000 Mb/s (Gigabit) Ethernet LAN
Internal connections
4 x USB 1 x IDE (44Pin) 2 x SATA 1 x Parallel 2 x Serial 1 x PS2 1 x PCI 1 x Mini-PCI Express 1 x SPDIF
Software Driver CD
Dimensions 17 cm x 17 cm x 2cm
Mainboard and ports Intel gave the new D945GSEJT a combination of single mobile Atom N270 CPU and a 945GSE Express Chipset as engine, which already been used by successfully by manufacturers of netbooks (for example Acer, Gigabyte). It is also very famous in the industrial area due to the combination of low power consumption and passive cooling. Intel bets on stable performance in connection with innovative design with the new MiniITX mainboard.
On the back side of the system you will find all necessary ports (VGA, DVI, USB, LAN) and the direct 12 Volt input. The GSEJT therefore doesn’t require an additional internal power supply and can be supplied with power from the external power supply directly. The power supply of the HDD and the drive are directly on the mainboard (see left in the picture below).
A Back panel connectors P SATA 1 connector
B 12 V processor core voltage connector (2 x 2)
Q Intel 82801GBM I/O Controller Hub (ICH7-M)
C SO-DIMM Connector R Parallel port header
D Intel 82945GSE GMCH S Reserved
E Intel Atom processor N270 T Reserved
F Serial port (COM 2) U Front panel header
G Serial port (COM 1) V Front panel wireless activity LED header
H PS/2 keyboard port header W PCI Express Mini Card
connector
I Reserved X BIOS configuration jumper block
J PATA connector (44 pin) Y PCI bus connector
K Reserved Z S/PDIF header L Chassis fan header AA Front panel USB header
M Chassis intrusion header BB Internal mono speaker
header N SATA 0 connector CC Front panel audio header
O SATA power connector DD
Front panel USB header with Intel Z-U130 USB Solid-State Drive support
For additionally required ports the Intel has pinheader onboard. Consequently, the system can be extended with for example up to 4 USB, 2 serial, 1 parallel and one SPDIF interface. The USB port seen in the top right hand corner of the picture is he USB port for the USB SSD (see below).
An extension of the system via PCI and Mini-PCI express is also possible, whereat the Mini-PCI express connector is destined for the WLAN respectively the combined WLAN/UMTS module (see below). If this possibility is not being used, the option is available for other components.
Installation, used hardware and operation Following hardware was used for the test system: - D945GSEJT - 2GB DDR2 SO-DIMM 667Mhz - HDD 2,5“ SATA 100GB - Combo drive - 60 Watt AC adapter
0,0 2,0 4,0 6,0
Gesamt
Prim. Festplatte
Grafik (Spiele)
Grafik
Arbeitsspeicher
Prozessor
Vista Leistungsindex Intel D945GSEJT
Zotac GF9300-D-E
Intel DG41MJ
Jetway NC92-230-LF
Intel DQ45EK
Intel D45FC
Intel D945GCLF
Via Epia MII 12000
Jetway 2.0
Jetway Extreme T2300
Jetway 1.2
Commell LV 679
VIA SN18000
Jetway NC62K Phenom9550
IntelD945GSEJT
2,7 4,1 2,7 4 4,5 3
Zotac GF9300-D-E
4,5 4,5 5,2 4,9 5,8 5,7
Intel DG41MJ 3,8 4,8 3,8 4 5,9 5,7
Jetway NC92-230-LF
3 5,3 3 4,3 4,4 3,3
Intel DQ45EK 1 5,2 1 1 5,9 5,7
Intel D45FC 4,0 4,3 4,0 4,4 5,9 5,7
IntelD945GCLF
2,8 4,8 2,8 4,2 4,4 3,0
Via Epia MII12000
1,0 3,9 1,0 1,0 2,5 1,4
Jetway 2.0 1,0 4,3 1,0 1,9 2,4 2,4
JetwayExtreme T2300
2,0 4,3 2,8 2,0 4,4 4,6
Jetway 1.2 1,0 4,1 1,0 1,9 2,3 1,7
Commell LV679
1,0 4,2 1,0 1,9 4,4 4,8
VIA SN18000 1 0 4 2 2 3 2 0 3 9 2 2
Gesamt
Prim.
Fest
Grafik
(Spie
Grafik
Arbeitsspeich
Prozesso
r
Vista Performance Index Test General comparison of all mainboards: Midfield Atom mainboards: 3rd place
34113559197249810012435
19251914429 2029 5763403
85811410 32871149455915457231975
933192152480 8886147882812
0 5000 10000 15000
3D Mark 03
3D Mark 01
3D MarkIntel D945GSEJT
Zotac GF9300-D-E
Intel DG41MJ
Jetway NC92-230-LF
Intel DQ45EK
Intel DG45FC
Intel D945GCLF
Via Epia MII 12000
Jetway 2.0
Jetway Extreme T2300
Jetway 1.2
Commell LV 679
VIA SN18000 3D Mark Test General comparison of all mainboards: Midfield Atom mainboards: 3rd place
45883104
26611635
13585420
54051628
51575655
1440
0 2000 4000 6000
PC Mark 05
PC Mark 05
Intel D945GSEJT
Zotac GF9300-D-E
Intel DG41MJ
Jetway NC92-230-LF
Intel DQ45EK
Intel DG45FC
Futjitsu D2703SSemprom 2100+Intel D945GCLF
Jetway Extreme T2300
Commell LV 679
Jetway NC62K Phenom9550
PC Mark 05 Test General comparison of all mainboards: Lower third Atom mainboards: 1st place
2419215 66529
575277 13691368
279 14983305
275
1769481 1816
3201507
555 34973477
5573488
3462550
0 1000 2000 3000 4000
OpenGL
RenderingCPU
Cinebench R10 Intel D945GSEJT
Zotac GF9300-D-E
Intel DG41MJ
Jetway NC92-230-LF
Intel DQ45EK
Intel DG45FC
Intel D945GCLF
Jetway Extreme T2300
Jetway 1.2
Commell LV 679
VIA SN18000
Jetway NC62K Phenom9550
Cinebench R10 Test General comparison of all mainboards: Lower third Atom mainboards: 3rd place
240942474152921374
986627561567
385627073
270533900
2718626828
3890
281092147
114481192
83622392390
33292308623030
335032415
230953340
0 10000 20000 30000 40000
DhrystoneALU
(MIPS)
WhetstoneALU
(MFLPOS)
SiSoft Sandra CPU Arithmetik
Intel D945GSEJT
Zotac GF9300-D-E
Intel DG41MJ
Jetway NC92-230-LF
Intel DQ45EK
Intel DG45FC
Intel D945GCLF
Via Epia MII 12000
SISoft Sandra CPU Arithmetic Test General comparison of all mainboards: Lower midfield Atom mainboards: 2nd place
829607741
99065430626039
86246162
29266205409
20527429591
20338329466
1091558731
539084849
354999728
43821980
9513795376
1994494577
19873
0 50000 100000150000200000250000
Integer(iit/s)
Fließkomma(fit/s)
SiSoft Sandra CPU Multimedia
Intel D945GSEJT
Zotac GF9300-D-E
Jetway NC92-230-LF
Intel DQ45EK
Intel DG45FC
Intel D945GCLF
Via Epia MII 12000
Jetway 2.0
Jetway Extreme T2300
Jetway 1.2
Commell LV 679
VIA SN18000
Jetway NC62K Phenom9550
SISoft Sandra CPU Multimedia Test General comparison of all mainboards: Midfield Atom mainboards: 2nd place
430012201390381
768730581
179063006130
28505570
2690
430012401380
395767739
349 17506290
61502440
55702330
0 2000 4000 6000 8000
Integer(MB/s)
Fließkomma(MB/s)
SiSoft Sandra Speicherbandbreite
Intel D945GSEJT
Zotac GF9300-D-E
Jetway NC92-230-LF
Intel DQ45EK
Intel DG45FC
Intel D945GCLF
Via Epia MII 12000
Jetway 2.0
Jetway Extreme T2300
Jetway 1.2
Commell LV 679
VIA SN18000
Jetway NC62K Phenom9550
SISoft Sandra CPU memory band width Test General comparison of all mainboards: higher midfield Atom mainboards: 2nd place
Super PI 8M Test General comparison of all mainboards: Midfield Atom Mainboards: 3rd place (behind the two older brothers D945GCLF(2)) Power consumption
Bootphase 19W Idle 16W Last 18W CD/DVD Load 25W DVD 25W
Acoustic level Due to the passive cooling the acoustic level is not even worth mentioning. Compatible cases There will be special cases for this new mainboard to use this form factor optimal. An example is shown below.
Conclusion Summarizing you can say, the new D945GSEJT is a very well designed mainboard. The combination of the small form factor with the stable Atom performance will make some users hearts skip a beat. In our opinion after the tests, this mainboard definitely has the right to exist and many customers will equip their new CarPC, thin client or home PC with it The newly designed form factor by Intel will bet he future of the MiniITX mainboards. Intel made a big step towards green IT with this mainboard. The board is doing well in the cost/performance ratio. Due to the real Atom mobile chipset and the very small form factor the somewhat higher price is explainable.
