is a central processor on the basis of which entry-level computing systems with good technical parameters can be organized. These are tablets, minicomputers, and netbooks. It is about this single-chip computing system that will be discussed further.
Which PC is this processor for use with?
The ATOM Z3735F is aimed at the niche of the most affordable mobile devices with a good level of energy efficiency. First of all it is tablet PCs. Another use for this processor - these are minicomputers that allow you to turn any TV or monitor equipped withHDMI -port, into a full-fledged entry-level PC.Well, although they are extremely rare, there are still netbooks based on this CPU.In such computing systems, low cost, acceptable level of performance and energy efficiency come to the fore. It is all these three features that are perfectly combined by the hero of this review.
Brief technical specifications
It looks pretty good in terms of hardware parameters. Its characteristics are as follows:
4 blocks for processing program code with frequencies from 1.33 GHz to 1.83 GHz.
Technological process - 22nm, TriGate.
Thermal package - 2.2W.
Level 2 cache - 2MB.
Supported RAM type - DDR3. Its maximum size is 2GB.
HD Graphics 311 - 646MHz, one screen supported.
Practical examples of use
The most common use caseis a Compute Stick from Intel.This is a miniature computer made in the form of a flash drive. But only now instead of the usualUSB-connector in this case is usedHDMI. Enoughinstall this pc inHDMI-a monitor or TV port, and this will allow you to get a full-fledged personal computer, which, moreover, runs under Windows OS. This mini PC is priced at $ 139 by the manufacturer itself.
Outcomes
— this is another example of how meticulous Intel is in its analysis of the microprocessor market.Based on the results of such an analysis, several possible models of central processing units appear in each niche. In any case, the excellent hardware characteristics of this chip entirely correspond to the niche for which it is targeted. And it is for this reason that Intel occupies a dominant position in the processor market and leaves its direct competitors far behind. Moreover, its proposals have the maximum level of functionality and affordable cost.
Today, on the Bangud website, you can purchase various electronic equipment, which is based on the Intel atom z3735f processor. One of these devices is a miniature computer box that connects directly to a TV. The cost of such a set-top box is 9225 rubles. Free delivery to the Russian Federation is carried out within 2-8 weeks. Delivery is completely free.
But we will return to the description of this prefix a little later. Let's first see what the Intel atom z3735f processor itself is.
Intel Atom Processor Z3735F Series Specifications
- Product Collection - Intel Atom® Processor Z3700 Series;
- Code Name - Products formerly Bay Trail;
- Vertical segment - Mobile;
- Processor Number - Z3735F;
- State - Launched;
- Release date - Q1'14;
- Lithography - 22 nm;
- Recommended price for buyers - $ 18.00;
- Number of cores - 4;
- Number of threads - 4;
- The base clock speed of the processor is 1.33 GHz;
- Signal frequency - 1.83 GHz;
- Cache memory - 2 MB L2;
- Scenario Design Power (SDP) - 2.2 W;
- The available options for embedded systems are none;
- Datasheet - view now;
- "Conflict-free" products - yes;
- Max. memory size (depends on the type of memory) - 2 GB;
- Memory types - DDR3L-RS 1333;
- Max. number of memory channels - 1;
- Max. memory bandwidth - 10.6 GB / s;
- Processor Graphics ‡ - Intel® HD Graphics;
- Graphics Base Frequency - 311 MHz;
- Graphics Burst Frequency - 646 MHz;
- Sockets Supported - UTFCBGA592;
- Case size -17mm x 17mm;
- Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) ‡ - yes;
- Intel® 64 ‡ Architecture - Yes;
- The instruction set is 64-bit.
Intel Atom Z3735F is a four-core processor. It is based on the Bay Trail-T platform. This platform operates at 1.8 GHz. Since the hallmark of this device is energy efficiency, its direct purpose is to work with tablets.
The low-power P1271 processor, along with the Tri-Gate transistors, allowed to reduce power consumption to the lowest possible value. If we compare this model with the Z3735D, then the manufacturers have created a different version of the BGA in it.
The improved and updated architecture of Silvermont became the core of the processor cores. One such improvement in this architecture is an increase in performance per clock by about 50%. In addition, new SSE 4.1, 4.2, AES-NI features have been added, and hyper-precision technology has been deactivated.
If we again compare the Intel Atom Z3735F with another model Z2760, then it works much faster. Moreover, it can still compete with some Temash and Kabini APUs, for example, such as the A6-1450 or A4-5000.
It cannot be said that a processor with such indicators will be able to cope with complex software tasks, for example, work in complex graphics programs or programs intended for technical processing.
In addition, complex and modern games will also be too tough for this processor. But on the other hand, the processor will be able to cope with ordinary everyday tasks quite easily. At the same time, the user will not even feel any difficulties when working with ordinary applications.
link .
Intel GEN7 architecture is the basis for the integrated graphics engine card. It is also known as HD Graphics (Bay Trail). This card supports DirectX 11th version. With only four executive devices in its arsenal, the card can operate at a fairly low clock frequency - up to about 650 megahertz.
Will such a video card be able to cope with modern games? The answer is unequivocal - no. The fact is that HD Graphics (Bay Trail) is even slower than Ivy Bridge - it can easily handle old and not very carp video games. In addition, it will become a serious help for comfortable work with various office applications and to some extent speed up the process of playing and processing video files.
Since its TDP is at 4W, the SoC can be installed in ordinary tablets.
Some gamers are wondering if the Intel Atom Z3735F processor can handle the GTA San Andreas IV toy? The answer will be the same unequivocal - no. Because the requirements of the game, and the minimum ones, are as follows:
Operating system: Windows Vista - Service Pack 1 / XP - Service Pack 3
Compare Intel Tablet Processors
Z3735D, F, G, Z3736F, Z8300 and Z8500 based on test results
The result in terms of multi-core is the same for both processors: 2.148 and 2.141. The single core test is also the same: 778 versus 787. But the Pass Mark test gave slightly different results. The Intel Atom Z3735F has a score of 885, while its opponent has a 920.
Specification. In frequency, both processors showed the same numbers: 1.33 GHz. Dynamic frequency difference: Intel Atom Z3735F is present, while D does not. Memory and power consumption are almost identical.
It turns out that when choosing, you can not overload yourself with thoughts about which is better, but buy either Intel Atom Z3735F or Intel Atom Z3735D.
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 1.8Ghz, AMD Athlon X2 64 2.4Ghz
Memory: 1.5GB + 16GB hard disk space
Video card: 256MB NVIDIA 7900 / 256MB ATI X1900
Comparison of Intel Atom Z3735G and Intel Atom Z3735D models. In the multi-core test, the J model is slightly inferior in all parameters, but in the Pass Mark test, the G processor overtook the D model. In the specifications, the J model is inferior to the opponent at a clock frequency of 1.58 GHz versus 1.83 GHz. In overclocking, the processor has the ability to overclock up to 1.83 GHz. For the rest of the parameters, these devices do not differ.
Set-top box computer
The set-top box has Bluetooth, Wi-Fi from Intel. 86-bit operating system Windows 10 (licensed version). If you come across the eighth version of Windows, then it will be possible to update it officially and free of charge to the latest, tenth version.
On the Bangud website, you can purchase set-top boxes that run on the Windows 10 operating system, and their processor is the Intel Atom Z3735F series. You can view and select these and other products by clicking on link .
The package contains:
- User manual;
- Prefix;
- Power adapter with different plugs.
Please note that there is no remote control or HDMI cable included. This set-top box acts as a mini-computer, so it will be possible to connect both a mouse and a keyboard to it. If the presence of the control panel is very critical for you, then you can try the remote control from another Mele console, but already on Android.
On the left side face there is a slot for inserting a memory card, an on / off button, a socket for a USB connection. On the back, where the antenna is located: a headphone hole, two USB sockets, an Ethernet connection, HDMI and VGA connections. Power adapter socket and lock.
Compact Intel Compute Stick model STCK1A32WFCR based on SoC Bay Trail platform. The device as a whole has shown itself to be good for a certain class of tasks. However, some of its characteristics, in our opinion, should have been slightly improved, which would significantly change the comfort in everyday work.
In January, the company offered an updated version of the Intel Compute Stick STK1A32SC using the Intel Atom x5-Z8300 SoC. This is the first Cherry Trail device we have met. Although formally, last year in foreign online stores, one could find references to compact systems with these chips.
In terms of positioning and use cases, nothing has changed here. The manufacturer talks about the organization of mobile workstations, work in thin client mode, universal embedded solutions, home multimedia systems and other similar scenarios where small size is important, but high performance is not required.
The product, like its predecessor, is made in the "HDMI-dongle" format, although, in our opinion, this is a certain compromise in terms of appearance in working order due to the need to connect several cables. The computer runs Windows 10 and can run standard software, including business applications, accounting and office programs.
It is unlikely that the company is counting on large retail shipments of this product. The Intel Compute Stick is more likely to be considered a benchmark for other manufacturers and a demonstration of Intel's capabilities both from the point of view of a chip developer and complete solutions. The most likely buyers are enthusiasts, as well as orders for the commercial segment.
Delivery set and appearance
On the box of the sample provided for testing, there were marks that it was a pre-sale engineering sample, so it is quite possible that a different, more attractive packaging option will be used in retail.
Comes with a power supply, a small flexible HDMI extension cable, and some documentation. Note that the power supply in this case has the parameters of 5 V 3 A and a non-removable cable with a Micro-USB connector. In our opinion, this is not the best option in terms of connection reliability and long-term operation. In many tests, we successfully used a third-party version with an output of 2 A, we will tell you more about consumption in the corresponding section. Note that our power supply unit was designed for an American outlet, but for a sample it is forgivable.
The device ships with Windows 10 Home 32-bit. For special projects, the company offers a modification without an operating system.
In the downloads section of the manufacturer's support site, we see electronic versions of documentation, BIOS updates, and drivers for Windows 8.1 and 10 32/64 bit operating systems.
The design of the computer case has changed little. The outer parts are made of sturdy black plastic. The main part of the surface is matte, but there is also a glossy insert with the manufacturer's logo and one LED indicator. Note that there is still less gloss.
Overall dimensions excluding the HDMI connector are 38 × 113 × 12 mm. That is, the novelty is slightly longer and thinner than the first version. At the same time, the weight is quite large - about 60 g, which is due, in particular, to the presence of metal radiators.
A standard HDMI plug is installed on one of the short ends. True chances are that you will connect your computer without a cable a little. It is also worth recalling that the model has only a wireless network adapter, so the quality of reception will have to be taken into account when installing.
On the upper surface of the case, as in the first modification, we see two grilles, one of which, which is larger, hides a fan built into the device. An active cooling system, as we saw earlier, is essential to be able to run at full speed under load. However, we will check this point in testing.
On one of the long side ribs we see a microSD card slot as well as a lanyard hole. The slot is spring loaded and the card fits completely. This is convenient during operation, but may require a tool to eject the card.
On the opposite side are the power button, a Micro-USB 2.0 port for power supply, and two USB A ports - one version 2.0 and one version 3.0. The presence of two ports, as well as the implementation of a high-speed standard are one of the significant advantages over the first version of the computer.
Considering the similarity with its predecessor, the main remarks have not changed - the power supply via Micro-USB can hardly be called the correct option, and the compact size in practice is interesting mainly at exhibition stands, but not when connecting a monitor, power supply and external devices.
Specifications
The Intel Atom Z3735F from the first version has been replaced with a more recent SoC - Intel Atom x5-Z8300. This more modern (announced - Q2 2015) is made using 14 nm technology and has SDP 2 W (22 nm and 2.2 W for the Atom Z3735F). It also has four processing cores supporting 64-bit computing, and their base clock speed is 1.44 GHz (1.33 GHz for the Atom Z3735F). At the same time, in overclocking mode (Burst), it can increase to 1.84 GHz, which is approximately the same as the previous model. In idle state, the core frequency can be reduced to 480 MHz.
But we see the most significant changes in the block for working with three-dimensional graphics. Its name remains the same - Intel HD Graphics. And the frequency even decreased to 200/500 MHz versus 311/646 MHz in normal mode and in overclocking mode, respectively. At the same time, the manufacturer has significantly increased the number of execution units - three times. Probably, it was on them that the resources were spent (recall that the technical process of the chip has become smaller, and the consumption has hardly changed).
From the point of view of media applications, we note that the video output complies with the HDMI 1.4b standard and provides output modes 1080p60 inclusive and broadcasting digital audio. And the hardware video decoding unit built into the chip supports, in particular, H.264, H.265 (HEVC) and VP9 codecs.
Checking the digital audio output to the receiver via HDMI in Kodi 16.0 showed that this time too, you can only count on "normal" DD and DTS. Their HD versions DD TrueHD and DTS HD MA cannot be output in their original form. So there is only one option for decoding in the player and output in multichannel LPCM.
The maximum amount of supported RAM for the platform has not changed, so in the new version of the microcomputer we again see 2 GB. However, the speed has slightly increased - now you can use DDR3L-RS 1600 versus DDR3L-RS 1333 in the previous version.
In addition to the previously used USB 2.0 standard format (Type A), the new product also includes a USB 3.0 port. Firstly, it allows you to connect two devices at once without a hub, for example, a receiver of wireless input devices and a storage device. And secondly, version 3.0 has a significantly higher speed (although this will need to be checked in tests), which will help expand the volume of the built-in storage.
The latter does not differ in volume from the first version - the SanDisk DF4030 model has a volume of 32 GB and an eMMC interface. It is quite enough for a set of an operating system and an office suite, but in general this option should be called rather minimal than sufficient.
Also, we did not forget about the microSDHC slot, which supports the SDXC v3.0 standard, so if necessary, you can use it to increase the amount of data and program storage.
Significant remarks to the first version concerned the built-in network controller. It only supported the 2.4GHz band, the maximum connection speed was 150Mbps and the actual speed was very slow.
The new product, thanks to the PCIe bus port in the SoC, is equipped with a dual-band Intel Wireless-AC 7265 adapter with support for the 802.11ac standard. In addition, the model has two antennas and is formally capable of providing connection speeds up to 867 Mbps. But even this point is worth checking in tests. Also note the presence of a Bluetooth 4.2 controller with BLE support.
But with the power supply, almost nothing has changed - for its supply, the Micro-USB port familiar from smartphones is installed. The complete power supply unit has parameters of 5 V 3 A, so, in our opinion, there may be problems with reliability and long-term operation. Of course, it's convenient that the port is standard, but we don't think that installing a more suitable “round” connector has significantly reduced the comfort of working with the device.
So, once again, let's note the most significant differences between the devices of the new and previous generations: faster graphics, a USB 3.0 port, a more efficient dual-band wireless adapter. These are quite significant characteristics, in our opinion, so that the new product clearly outperforms the first model, even taking into account the cost increased to $ 160 for the version with the Windows operating system.
The latter is 32-bit Windows 10 Home, which is somewhat strange for a device positioned primarily for business. However, you can install a different version without any significant problems, especially considering the two USB ports.
Testing
Despite the higher speed of the graphics module, it's probably not worth saying that this takes the device to a new level. Its main applications are still massive tasks - the Internet, office documents, simple work with multimedia files, online communication and simple games. In such an entry-level segment, it is always difficult to move to the next level.
Before testing, we installed the 32-bit version of Windows 10 Pro and all updates on the computer. We performed a similar operation with the first generation of the device, which made it possible to compare them more correctly. Note that the previous version had an option in the BIOS for selecting a performance optimization mode and this time the tests were run with the “Balanced” setting. While this item is absent in the new product, and in general the BIOS is rather sad in terms of advanced settings.
Let's start our exploration of the new platform with synthetic benchmarks and specialized tests. First, let's check that the installed fan excludes throttling and frequency reduction when the device is operating under heavy load. In idle mode, the clock frequency of the computing cores is 480 MHz, and their temperature does not exceed 63 degrees. The fan is not audible in this state, however, almost any user action, for example, opening a page on the site, leads to a change in its state and the noise becomes noticeable in a quiet environment. Unfortunately, despite the presence of a three-wire connection, we did not manage to find out the fan speed.
The integer computing load (Stress CPU pattern) of the stability test in AIDA64 causes the maximum temperature to rise to 67 degrees, while the core frequency rises to a stable 1.6 GHz.
A more difficult option is to load all components at once. Here we see an increase in temperatures up to 81 degrees, and the frequency of computing cores during the test changes from 1.36 to 1.6 GHz.
Both versions of the tested load do not cause overheating and the resulting throttling with a significant decrease in processor speed. So we can say that the active cooling system used here also copes with its task.
Note that we were unable to see the maximum frequency in the overclocking mode this time even with a single-threaded load. However, these characteristics are of less and less importance today because of the automatic algorithms for selecting clock frequencies implemented in processors, depending on various conditions.
The next couple of screenshots show the results of the RAM and GPGPU benchmarks of the AIDA64 benchmark for the new and past solutions.
It can be seen that in this case, support for higher frequencies for the RAM does not play a big role. One of the explanations may be the need to increase the delays to ensure such a regime.
But on tasks using graphics cores, the new solution is much faster, as we suggested earlier from the characteristics. The increase in the number of execution units has a very good effect on the test results. So if you plan to use specialized software that can work with OpenCL, the new product will be able to provide several times higher performance.
Now let's compare the speed of the system drives. Formally, both options use the same version of the eMMC interface, but the results depend directly on the installed chip models.
The test shows that there is no significant difference in this case. The maximum read speed is about 150 MB / s, and the writing is about two to two and a half times slower. They are far from budget SSDs. However, do not forget that the requirements, including the volume and number of working files, in this case are significantly lower.
Above we said that the new product has a USB 3.0 interface, and given the dependence on the controller, its real speed is of interest. This testing was done in conjunction with an SSD connected via a USB 3.0 adapter. Three screenshots correspond to ports 3.0 and 2.0 on the new computer and 2.0 on the previous version.
200 MB / s is pretty good, even by desktop standards. Note that USB 2.0 is also faster in the new chip. Let us recall, however, that the previous generation was tested using a hub, since it was required to connect both a keyboard and mouse receiver and the tested drive.
The next interesting question is the performance of the wireless controller. In the first generation, it was connected to the SDIO bus and provided connection speeds of up to 150 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band using the 802.11n standard. Now we are dealing with a full-fledged PCIe device that supports dual bands and the 802.11ac protocol, and also has two built-in antennas. We just had a powerful Asus RT-AC5300 router for testing, with which we checked the devices. The distance between the router and the computer was about four meters of line of sight. The tests were carried out in one / two and eight streams.
Quite consistent with the characteristics of the modules when operating in the 2.4 GHz band, we see a two-fold increase in speed. And switching to 5 GHz shows even better results. However, other adapters with 802.11ac and a pair of antennas often performed significantly better. Judging by the connection log of the router, the connection speed of the adapter of the new computer in the 5 GHz range was only 300 Mbps. That is, the 802.11ac protocol did not work. This may be due to regional restrictions or the characteristics of the adapter installed in the device.
In any case, improving the performance of your network connection has a positive effect on the usability of your computer.
Moving on to the integral Futuremark benchmarks, which we use for these entry-level devices. For testing, computers were connected to a Full HD monitor, in which the tests were run.
For the template for working with real PCMark8 applications, Microsoft Office 2016 was additionally installed. The rest of the tests were carried out in Accelerated mode.
In the first two scenarios, the advantage of the novelty is 30% and 60%, respectively. At the same time, the other three did not react in any way to the new platform. Given the configuration of the devices, it seems that only Home and Creative actively use GPGPU technologies.
Let's take a closer look at the work of the graphics part of the platform in the 3DMark test. Although we repeat once again that these solutions are clearly not intended for modern 3D games on the Windows desktop platform. This is clear even from the power consumption level.
It is interesting to look at the distribution of "graphic" and "physical" points here. While the former benefited greatly from the new chip (the gain was approximately 100% to 150%), the latter simply did not notice anything. So this is another confirmation that when creating Cherry Trail, the developers paid attention to the graphic part.
Well, the last tests, which also fit into the described scheme, will be three benchmarks for browsers. Recall that they test directly the "computing" part of the system, and not the display of documents or other visual functions. Testing was carried out in a standard browser of the operating system. As we can see, the difference in speed does not exceed three percent.
Additionally, we checked the power consumption level of the device. The scenarios have not changed - idle, Wi-Fi communication, and two AIDA64 stress test load scenarios. But this time, due to the higher consumption of the computer, we measured it “from the wall outlet”, and not as the current on the 5 V bus. So it would not be very correct to directly compare the results with the previous article.
The maximum level does not exceed 10 watts. However, it should be noted that only the receiver of the Logitech wireless kit was connected to the computer. If USB sticks or other devices were required, consumption would clearly be higher. One more note to this parameter: an attempt to use a third-party 2A power supply showed that it is not enough in 3DMark tests - the device rebooted a few seconds after the main unit was started. So the equipment with a 3A model is justified in this case. This is worth considering if you plan to use the computer in your own graphics-intensive projects.
Conclusion
Intel has made a significant update to its Atom SoC. Even the younger model has received very useful improvements in terms of the implementation of the simplest analogue of a desktop computer. In our opinion, the most important of these are the emergence of a USB 3.0 port and a fast wireless controller.
Another accelerated part of the chip - the graphics unit - might be interesting to use with modern software that supports GPGPU. But we wouldn't talk about a new level of 3D graphics in games.
The device has retained its compact size and active cooling system. The latter demonstrated an effective solution to the problem of overheating and performance degradation, which we encountered earlier on some models of compact systems.
The novelty, complete with an operating system, is offered at about the same price as the first generation. Overall, the $ 160 price tag looks pretty good. Probably, we can expect more affordable analogs from other manufacturers to appear on the market.
The device is quite suitable for the scenarios of use described at the beginning of the article, including simple office computers, terminal solutions, multimedia and presentations, an additional workplace for home or office.
Good afternoon.
This story will be about how I needed something working, compact, x86 compatible and with VGA on board.
A little background.
It just so happened historically that I don't have a single TV antenna at home, which I don't really regret. But sometimes you want to watch films taken on the Internet, and sometimes torrent-tv, and so that it was all on TV, and even with maximum comfort. It is logical that some kind of prefix is needed for this. Having tried various options, I settled on the fact that the most satisfying device for me is an ordinary laptop connected to a TV set. On it it is possible to surf the Internet and Kodi with a plugin for torrent-tv with a cut skin for yourself, and so on and so forth. To do this, in the open spaces of avito, an 11 "non-laptop with Intel Celeron N2810 on board, with passive cooling, 32Gb SSD and with a completely unbuttoned screen was found and bought. For a crazy 3500 rubles. HDMI, for which it was referred to the back of a TV with an IR receiver connected, where it has existed for six months and pleases with its amazing performance.In the kitchen, instead of a TV, an Asus multimedia monitor (which I got for free) of 22 "was used, to which half of a 15" Samsung laptop (which I also got for free) was connected in a similar way via an HDMI adapter<>DVI (found in a pile of junk). But trouble happened and the monitor stopped working. In the process of analyzing the problem, it turned out that the monitor stopped working from DVI and functions perfectly from VGA. I dismissed the purchase of an active converter from HDMI to VGA due to the "standard" resolution of the monitor 1440x900, and therefore decided to shake Samsung out of the microwave and replace it with something small, compact, which can be attached to the back of the monitor and get rid of the eyebrow bundle of wires ... And use the freed half for something else, in the end, all sorts of core i3 on the road are not lying around. Looking for something suitable brought me to Taobao, where this gadget was ordered.
Purchase
At the time of purchase, this board was also present on Aliexpress, but the price tag was completely different. Approximately 5200 rubles ($ 74) for a fee and 2800 rubles ($ 40) for EMS delivery to Russia. On Taobao, the price tag was 420 yuan and 12 yuan shipping across China. The seller was essentially the same, a la the official Qotom store.Therefore, after thinking about 7 seconds, I decided to order there through the wonderful intermediary Yoybuy. Order placed, paid ... and ... nothing ...
The seller turned out to be from the category of those who accumulate orders, and then send them out in large quantities. But I really wanted to pay and therefore I waited patiently. After almost 3 weeks, the shipment finally took place, after 3 days it was already in the Yoybuy warehouse, repackaged and sent by airmail, because the weight of the parcel was only 150 grams and the delivery was only $ 4.07. After a couple of weeks, I received a light and neat box in the mail and went home to study the contents.
Lyrical digression: google the manufacturer
With a shallow googling, the official one pops up. Which does not have this board. Generally! But we are not bastard and hieroglyphs do not scare us, so we find where already.
From this page, we can easily find out that this board belongs to the 工控 主板 无 风扇 class, the Pico ITX form factor. In general, this is an industrial board.
The characteristics are actually the most common:
CPU: Intel Atom z3735f
GPU: Intel Intel HD Graphics
RAM: 2Gb
Storage: 32Gb eMMC
Network: Realtek RTL8152B 100Mbit, Wi-Fi 802.11n + Bluetooth
All kinds of connectors: 1 x MicroSD, 2 x USB 2.0, 1 x Micro USB, 1 x VGA, 1 x HDMI, 1 x 3.5mm Jack, 1 x 5 volt 2 ampere power connector.
Size: 105mm x 70mm
There is absolutely nothing else on the site. No documentation, no drivers, no BIOS, nothing.
Unpacking
The package came in a standard box from Yoybuy.
Inside which lay a bag with a skein of pimpled packaging.
And already inside this skein is an antistatic bag with a warbler and a scarf.
And that's all. No instructions, no wiring, no piece of paper or the most seedy sticker.
The scarf itself
Seller photos
And here is what I got.
Little blue.
A cursory examination revealed the presence of the absence of the connector and the surrounding element base.
After looking at various pictures from the Internet, it becomes clear that this is an unsoldered internal USB, and not a COM port as it might seem at first.
Between the USB ports, there is a seat for the IR receiver.
However, no one promised him. But it prompts all sorts of thoughts about what this board was originally intended for.
The quality of the soldering is Chinese. The board is made by automatic soldering, but the connectors are already ... well, yes, Chinese.
"A little" flux.
And a few more photos.
The fee is very small. Straight baby.
Enough to pickle! It's time to turn on!
We grab VGA, USB stick from a wireless keyboard with a tach, Micro USB wire connected to a two-amp charger and press to turn it on. The white LED lights up.No, he's really neutral white. 
And after 20 seconds we find ourselves in a beautiful Chinese Windows 8.1 Pro without activation.
There is nothing to catch in it, it is definitely subject to demolition, so let's take a look in the BIOS. We press Del or Esc and we find ourselves in a wonderful, ascetic 32-bit UEFI BIOS. 
The only thing that is there is the ability to select the device from which you want to boot. No, not as you thought, with plus and minus signs to set the order of loading. Namely, we select a line from the list of possible devices, press Enter and boot from this device. No F12 or F2 for the list as it boots. Only hands, only hardcore. This is where the first nuance grows. If a bootable USB stick sticks out in the board, then the board will boot from it upon reboot. UEFI itself allows loading any 32-bit.efi modules, not just Windows Boot Manager, so * nix-like systems can be installed here as well.
We set the top ten and start the tests.
I did not carry out tests of processor and graphics performance, because they will not differ in any way from tablets or Mini PCs built on the same platform. Therefore, we will conduct tests of the eMMC module, the cooling efficiency.
Installing dozens was not without difficulties. Drivers for Realtek I2S Audio Codec and, accordingly, Intel SST Audio Device were not installed. They did not want to be installed by standard means, the update of the Intel SST Audio Device driver swore that it did not fit this OS version. But as always he helped out
Iron
The properties of the system show that you can poke your fingers into the board. Even with all ten.
USB 3.0 is not there, I don’t know why, but it’s done so strangely.
Let's go to eMMC.
What can I say. The results are scary.
The volume of the carrier is also well cut.
You can compare the difference compared to the connected 32GB flash drive.
This microcircuit is responsible for all this disgrace.
Now let's get down to cooling.
AIDA64 outdoor stress test indoors at 26 degrees Celsius showed the following result.
It didn't come to throttling, but you can try to improve the result.
We remove the radiator and see a blue miracle cutter thermal pad.
We pick it out, we smear the processor with the classic KPT-8.
And we test again.
Better now. Now let's test it with full heating, loading both the processor and the graphics.
The result is quite acceptable, but obviously, when installed in a case, this board will need stronger cooling at full load.
Ethernet works WI-FI catches a close point even without connecting an external antenna, Bluetooth connects, memory cards are read. In general, everything is functioning.
Well, it fits perfectly for our purposes, so we deliver Kodi, MPC, Total Commander and Chrome. We plug in the fish soup, launch the last series of Vikings in MPC for the test and ... oh my God, what is this gurgle instead of sound? The feeling that the audio track in mp3 is 20 kilobits, not more. I run the same series on the desktop and make sure that everything is in order with the track. Well, well, we have to solve the problem. First, I go through the MPC forums, but no one has such cases. I start to climb the MPC settings and change the audio filter settings. The effect is zero. I am changing the MPC version to an older one. The effect is zero. I launch Kodi and find the same nonsense with sound there. I stop tormenting the MPC and start tormenting the Realtek and Intel drivers, which did not stand up normally anyway. I start to sort out various driver packs, install different versions with Softpedia, at some point I bring it to the point that the sound disappears altogether. Damn what to do? Is it all covered with a copper basin? And then it dawns on me!
I disconnect the AKG HEADSET compatible with the iPhone from the board, turn on the usual headphones and the sound becomes just right! Now you can definitely put an end to it. Screw the board to the monitor, as I was going to, and enjoy the serials with borscht, even though it is harmful)))
Let's summarize.
Pros:- very compact
- good performance (z3735f is quite a peppy processor)
- VGA (well, this is for me personally)
- reasonable price
Minuses:
- terrible BIOS that kills good and useful functions (Wake on Lan) for example.
- eMMC lousy
- soldering connectors in Chinese style.
In general, I am satisfied with the purchase. This is exactly what I was looking for.
Intel Atom Z3735F- a new processor model based on the Bay Trail-T. The clock speed ranges from 1.33 to 1.83 GHz. Unlike its predecessors, the Atom Z3735F is characterized by a fairly low level of power consumption, which is why it has found its widespread use in tablet devices and mini-computers. Low power consumption was achieved with the P1271 process based on Tri-Gate transistor elements. The processor cores are based on the Silvermont architecture, but with significant improvements that almost double the performance. Intel Atom Z3735F is equipped with SSE 4.1, 4.2, AES-NI functions, full hyper-streaming support.
The Z3735F has a clear advantage over the Z2760 and can compete with the Temash APUs, including the A4-5000 and A6-1450 models. The computing power of the novelty is quite enough to run numerous applications, but at the same time, it is still not enough to run the most modern games.
The integrated HD Graphics card is created using Intel GEN7 technology and has full support for DirectX 11. Working at low frequencies - up to 645 MHz and having only 4 executive modules in its arsenal, it will allow you to run only outdated games on the device. Overall, the Intel Atom Z3735F is the ideal solution for the average user for everyday tasks. One of the first mini-computers to receive this processor is one that has already established itself as a productive system for various tasks.
Intel Atom Z3736F- a processor model with 4 cores and a lower power consumption level. The work is carried out at a frequency of 1.33-2.16 GHz, the extremely low level of power consumption was achieved thanks to the implementation of the P1271 process. The SoC technology is based on the implementation of the Bay Trail-T platform.
In the Atom Z3736F model, the Hyper-Threading function has been deactivated, there is support for the SSE 4.1 and 4.2 instructions and AES-NI.
These innovative implementations have resulted in an increase in productivity of about 50% over their predecessors. The model successfully competes with the APU A4-5000, although it belongs to the mid-price category.
Overall, the Intel Atom Z3736F can handle many of the challenges of day-to-day computing, but it is not capable of meeting the demands of powerful games. The integrated HD Graphics (Bay Trail) runs on Intel GEN7 architecture, and has full support for DirectX 11 libraries. The low 646 MHz operating frequency will allow you to fully enjoy legacy games, but will not be able to meet the requirements of modern applications. TDP system consumption is only 4W. This processor is successfully used in the Pipo X7 mini-computer.
