Integrated Peripheral Performance

With so many features built in, there is probably no need to add too many add-on cards. We'll take a look at some of the onboard items, and see how they will affect system performance. Tests will be done with the same hardware configuration as the rest of the benchmarks earlier.

IGP

I chose not to do 100 benchmarks with the IGP, because let's face it; we know it will be weak. We won't leave you hanging though, so here's some FPS action for yeah with UT2003.

UT2003 - IGP Testing - 1024 Resolution, High Detail

At under 20FPS, the onboard video will not cut it for any modern day action game. We're not going to waste time with AA results (it was 8.7 FPS), since the IGP is just not powerful enough. If you intend to do any serious action gaming, pick up a gaming card.

Sound tests

Next on the list is the audio. We downloaded and installed to test its CPU utilization.
Like past tests using the Realtek solution, CPU utilization was fairly high thoughout the DirectSound3D tests. CPU utilization never got to 10%, but it did average in the 5% - 7% range, which is a lot higher than the <2% averages we've seen with the nForce 2. This is a synthetic benchmark though, and since I know all of you enjoy a game or two, let's see how the sound will affect UT 2003 performance.

The [H]ardocp tool has an option to enable and disable sound during testing.

UT2003 - 640x480, Min Detail

The Realtek takes quite a bit out of the MEGA 651's performance when it is enabled. Granted, the likelyhood of our readers playing at 640x480 is low, so let's see how it affects performance at a higher resolution and detail level.

UT2003 - 1280x1024, Max Detail

Much better this time around, but there is still a noticeable drop in our benchmarks. Real-world gaming shouldn't be affected though, thus we're concluding that the CPU utilization should be acceptable for the majority of users.

In terms of sound quality, I found gaming to be very acceptable, and ever since Scott posted in our forums how much he enjoyed Evanescence - Fallen, I've been listening to that quite a bit as well. The music is a mix of calm and fast paced rock, and the singer's haunting vocals played out quite well through my Logitech THX Z-560's. There does seem to be some cracking though when there is serious disk activity, and I have yet to determine the cause of it.

One thing I should mention is that I found music quality to be richer when using the HiFi portion of the MEGA 651. The highs were higher, and the bass seemed to have more kick to it. This was using the Logitechs though, and listening to music through the MEGA 2.0 speakers was not as enjoyable.

Network Performance

We used DU Meter to test the networking speed, and Windows Task Manager for CPU usage. We copied a variety of multimedia files, varying in size of 30MB to as much as 800MB per file from the IC7 machine, to our MEGA 651.

Download speeds averaged about 9.36MB/sec, which is about the average with the type of files used in previous tests. CPU utilization averaged about 10%, with 8% being the low mark, and 12% being the high.

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.