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Final Words
I have to commend MSI for thinking outside the box for the MEGA 651. It is a nice looking PC, in my opinion, with a lot of functionality that will make it a nice choice to be in the center of your home theater setup. From watching DVDs, to playing CDs and MP3s, to listening to the radio& it can do it all. Add a TV-Tuner or All-In-Wonder, and you also have a digital VCR. The HiFi portion works without turning your PC on, and the backlit display will grab the attention of guest you're entertaining.
As a PC, the MEGA 651 proved to be a decent performer, despite using a one-year-old chipset. Performance surpassed the XPC SS51G, though it was clearly outclassed by the ABIT IC7. The MEGA 651 did not crash once during testing, which bodes well if you like to work, as well as play. As a LAN rig, it won't win many speed awards, but it's fast enough, when paired with a fast CPU and video card, that you shouldn't get fragged because your game stuttered at the wrong time. MSI also sells a LAN bag, though availability and pricing is unknown at this time.
There are plenty of areas we had issues with though. For one, although it outperformed the XPC SS51G, Shuttle has improved their product line with upgrades to newer Intel (and AMD) chipsets. This of course means the absolute latest technology will probably function in the Shuttle XPCs, though they do not have anything that remotely comes close to MSI's HiFi aspect. Still, if you like living on the edge, the motherboard used in the MEGA 651 leaves a lot to be desired. It won't take a lot of rocket science to improve support for Hyper-Threading, 800FSB, SATA and Dual Channel PC3200, but this is something MSI should address in the near future.
Another issue, though not dire, is the amount of heat this thing generates. There isn't a whole lot of room inside, and with no dedicated case fan, the MEGA 651's case was warm to the touch. Our system never crashed, as mentioned, and it never clock throttled, but be warned if you have ideas of adding a 2nd hard drive. Remember, the CDROM drive is on an always-on state, so we also would have liked some way to power off the MEGA 651 completely, other than pulling out the power cord.
The pricing is something of a mixed bag. The MEGA 651 retails in the , which isn't so bad when you consider how much newer SFF PCs are. The XPC SS51G is closer to the 160$ mark though, which is a lot cheaper for a SFF with the same motherboard. It doesn't have the HiFi features though, or the card reader, which accounts for the difference in price.
If you're planning to build a HTPC, the MEGA 651 is for you. It has all the tools, and the looks to make for a good match. For those who just need a nice box that is quick, the MEGA would make a good choice, but it seriously needs a motherboard upgrade. Otherwise, it is fast, stable, and has some nice features that other manufacturers do not have. Highly recommended.
Pros: Looks sexy, good performance, HiFi features very useful.
Cons: Motherboard is behind the times, and LCD could use more functionality. Runs very warm.
Bottom Line: All in all, the MEGA 651 is something that you should consider when shopping for a nice small form factor PC. Outside of the heat it produces, a lot of the flaws can be addressed with one motherboard change. Something for MSI to consider.
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MSI MEGA 651 PC: The MSI MEGA 651 PC is a full-function multimedia PC that combines information and entertainment to offer hi-fi stereo, DVD/VCD, MP3, TV and high-performing computer functions.
