X-bit labs

Condor – Small Form-Factor Barebone System from FIC

Category: Mobile

by Doors4ever

[ 08/30/2004 | 11:21 AM ]

Today we would like to introduce to you a great barebone solution aka FIC Condor. The well-thought design makes it easy to assemble and exploit. The capabilities of the chipset and mainboard are very rich and allow building anything from a typewriter to a gaming station. The low noise level, compact size and elegant looks add the more appeal to this barebone. Interested? Then read more now!

Table of contents:

• Closer Look
  
• Inside the System
  
• Cooling Strategies for FIC Condor
  
• Ready to Go!
  
• Performance in Games
  

The word “barebone” is rather a new entry in the IT dictionary. It denotes a skeleton, a foundation to build a full-fledged computer system upon. Although some manufacturers offer “full-size” barebones (for example, Genius ships computer kits of a system case, mouse with keyboard and a speaker set), this term invokes an image of a small and elegantly-designed box in my mind.

Such micro-cases are absolutely useless for an overclocker, but what about ordinary users?

Personal computers have been developing and specializing. We now have such categories as computers for work, for games, for the Internet.

That’s natural since specialization allows achieving better results. You wouldn’t use a heavy truck to deliver pizza, would you?

Closer Look

Today, I am going to examine a barebone system from First International Computer (FIC). It is called Condor:

First of all, let’s browse through the specification of this device. The Condor is a cute-looking metallic case with a volume of only 11 liters:

• 175.4 x 223.1 x 289.23mm (width/height/length);
• 200W PSU with PFC;
• One 5.25” and one 3.5” “external” bay;
• One 3.5” “internal” bay.

The Condor uses an i865G-based mainboard of a non-standard form-factor (214.3x266.7mm). The mainboard officially complies with Northwood FMB2 and the Prescott FMB1 requirements; it means you are permitted to install powerful enough processors with a power consumption of up to 78W. Socket 478 processors with 400/533/800MHz FSB and up to 2GB of DDR266/333/400 SDRAM are supported.

There’s only one power-on button on the front panel:

This lack of controls is deceptive: the left part of the front panel covers the optical drive bay. The button that opens it is designed as a decorative strip:

The door is opened up to give way to the outgoing tray. You can adjust the spot of the press to the particular optical drive model.