We're not in a post-PC world. The PC isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Bulky towers are maybe on their way out, but all-in-ones and small desktop computers are here to stay. The BIS-6763 - by industrial PC leader Habey USA - is a preview of what's to come.
This tiny PC (only 190 x 190 x 67 mm) is brilliantly build. The case itself, made of thick aluminum, is gorgeous. The BIS-6763 also offers a wide array of I/O ports including six USB 2.0, HDMI, VGA, COM and Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000Mbps.
We didn't like the power button though. It doesn't sound luxurious enough. It's pretty hard to press, and frankly the included LED is glaucoma-inducing.
Access to the internals is a breeze. The layout of the motherboard encourage easy user upgrade of the memory (one DDRIII SODIMM slot)...
... and storage (2.5" SATAII bay). Note that the BIS-6763 is a barebone system. Memory and storage drive are not included (the good news is ultimate flexibility).
The cooling system is amazing. Two large circular aluminum heatsinks connect the CPU and chipset to the ribbed case (thermal paste is pre-applied, see picture). The system idles at 26°C over ambient, and up to 38°C at full load. We tried a premium thermal compound (Noctua NT-H1) for a modest but still significant 1 to 4 °C gain. We know that 54°C at idle is perftecly fine, but we sure would like to see lower temperatures in the fanless world.
The Core i3-2367M, which can also be found in Toshiba's Portégé Ultrabook, is a 2 core / 4 threads CPU with a 17W TDP. Our friends from Santa Clara did a terrific job. It's not only snappier than Atoms and Brazos, it's also a true desktop replacement.
Performance-wise, Intel's HD 3000 is on par with a Radeon HD 5450 and entry level NVIDIA cards. Light gaming and image processing are not out of reach, even if the BIS-6763 feels more like a perfect browsing station / HTPC.
The BIS-6763 is an OEM product for now. It is destined for advanced users and computer geeks. Besides the included 60W power supply, it comes in a plain cardboard box, without drivers or manual. Without bloatwares too, which is refreshing.
The BIS-6763 is available for $499 and is an excellent base for a PC with no moving parts. It's totally silent and offers desktop performance. Thermal results could be improved - at least for our serenity - but we really loved it.
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
