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Not everyone has space for huge full tower cases. Add a 21" monitor, and the next thing you know, there won't be any space on your desk for a keyboard and mouse. Attending LAN parties can also be a chore if you have to lug around a 50lb PC as well. The first batches of small form factor (SFF) PCs semi-addressed the above concerns, but most lacked an AGP slot to power the latest video cards, so for LAN gaming, they were not that appealing.
Things changed in the last 12 months though, as a few companies started producing more gaming oriented SFFs. Shuttle is probably the most popular, given its sharp looks, and good performance. The first AGP equipped Shuttle, the SS51 which we reviewed here, was a Pentium 4 only solution. They have an AMD solution now, using the nForce2, but a problem with Shuttle's SFFs is that they're priced fairly high. I honestly think the price is justified though, but not everyone wants to drop 300$ to 400$ on a box, and for the corporate market, buying a few dozen of these is likely to give the CFO a mild heart attack when the bill rolls in.
is no stranger to SFFs, as they've been producing them for quite some time. The , which is the subject of todays review, does mark a number of firsts for MSI though. For the first time, they now have an AMD powered SFF. As a whole, AMD solutions tend to be cheaper since the CPUs are not expensive, and IT departments looking to overhaul a network of PCs can appreciate the lower costs. Secondly, it is MSI's first SFF with an AGP slot, albeit a half height slot, but at least it's a start. We'll get more into the pros and cons of their AGP slot later on in the review.
Specifications
MS-6390 V2.0A Mainboard w/VIA® KM266 + 8235L Chipset
200/266MHz FSB: Supports AMD® AthlonXP, Athlon, and Duron, up to XP2600+
WHQL Certified and AMD Certified
Memory: 2 x DIMM (DDR266/200), max. 2GB
Video: Integrated in VIA® KM266
Audio: ALC 650 5.1 channel audio codec
Network: VIA® VT8235 integrated MAC + VIA 6103 PHY
Device Bays: 1 x 5.25” & 1 x 3.5” exposed & 1 x 3.5” hidden
Slots: 3 x PCI Slot, 1 x AGP (Support AGP2.0 2x/4x)
Front Panel: 2 x USB 2.0 Port
Rear Panel: 4x USB 2.0 Port + 1 x Speaker-out Jack + 1 x Mic-in Jack (5.1 ch.) + 1 x Line-in Jack + 1 x VGA Port + 1 x LAN Jack + 1 x COM Port + 1 x Parallel Port + 2 x PS/2 Port + 1 x Power Connection
Form Factor: Micro-ATX
Hardware Monitoring: CPU Temp., System Temp., Voltage
Power Supply: 180W PSU (110V w/o PFC and 220V w/i PFC)
Dimension: 92(H) x 310(W) x 426(D)mm (Liter: 14)
Metis 266 Front Features:
• Supports 1 x 5¼” bay for Optical Device
• Supports 1 x 3½” bay for FDD or ZIP DRIVE
• 2 x USB 2.0 Headers w/ Cover
• Executive Black Finish Chassis
• Professional Silver Device Bezel
• CPU Thermal Exhaust Vent
• Exciting BLUE LED Power Light
Metis 266 Rear Features:
• Power Connector
• KB / Mouse – PS/2
• USB 2.0 x 4
• Parallel Port + COM1
• VGA Port
• 10/100 Ethernet Port
• Onboard 5.1ch Audio
• AGP Slot x 1
• PCI Slot x 3 (low profile)
• Chassis Lock
• Capable of using AGP graphics accelerator card
• Supports up to 3 x PCI devices
• Worldwide Power Supply with PFC function
 
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The MSI Metis 266 ships in a nice black box, though don't expect anything like carry handles. The box was both larger and heavier than I expected, but I guess I shouldn't be too surprised since the Metis is an all steel construction, and not aluminum. This of course saves you quite a bit of money, and in the end, provides a sturdier case to put your monitor on if space is tight on your desk.
There are quite a few accessories, though MSI had the foresight to preinstall almost everything, including the IDE and floppy cables. There is a well written manual, driver CD, an AVC heatsink.
 
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A power cable is provided, and you also get a set of mounting stands if you wish to mount the Metis vertically. Although it's a SFF, lying it flat will use up more desk space than a mid tower, so the mounting stands can be quite useful in clearing the area.
Next Page - The Case
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MSI Metis 266 SFF: With desk space at a premium, a lot of corporate types are looking towards small form factor PCs. They are also gaining acceptance with enthusiasts, but is the Metis 266 one of those SFFs they should consider?
