GPU benchmarks, power-draw, and general usage observations
| Terminator Salvation 720p (mov) playback via VLC | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| HP Pavilion dv2 | ASUS U20A | ASUS Seashell 1005HA | Packard Bell Imax Mini |
| 46.2 | 45.65 | 49.2 | 52.6 |
However, dial the load up to 720p and the non-GPU-accelerated trailer exacts a significantly higher load on the Atom chip. CPU utilisation is still nowhere near maximum, but bit-rate spikes cause the picture to corrupt in places.
| Terminator Salvation 1080p (mov) playback via VLC | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| HP Pavilion dv2 | ASUS U20A | ASUS Seashell 1005HA | Packard Bell Imax Mini |
| 80.2 | 88.41 | 88.6 | 94.1 |
1080p is just a no-go area for Atom 230/N270.
| Terminator Salvation 1080p (mov) playback via MPC-HC | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| HP Pavilion dv2 | ASUS U20A | ASUS Seashell 1005HA | Packard Bell Imax Mini |
| 14.5 | 92.6 | 93.8 | 17.1 |
The NVIDIA GeForce 9400M can help accelerate the decode of H.264 MOV files, via MPC-HC, yet it takes a few minutes to set it up via the program's complex control system.
| Laptop - Quake 4 - 1,024x600 low-detail | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| HP Pavilion dv2 | ASUS U20A | ASUS Seashell 1005HA | Packard Bell Imax Mini |
| 82.5 | 25.8 | 13.07 | 44.9 |
We've reduced the gaming load to venerable Quake 4, which runs smooth enough on the Imax Mini. Run Call of Duty 4 or Enemy Territory: Quake Wars at 1,024x768 and the lowest IQ settings and they're just not playable. You can forget about gaming on the 32in TV's native resolution of 1,366x768.
General usage
The Imax Mini works reasonably well when running one or two lightweight applications concurrently. Add in a few more, spanning the taskbar, and the creamy smoothness that most PC users are accustomed to on the desktop begins to disappear rather quickly; the system slows down significantly. The sluggishness can be attributed to the combination of Windows Vista and Atom 230 chip.
Load up the 'net and BBC's iPlayer can pull 25 per cent CPU utilisation. Add in the usual suspects - MP3 songs, IM, etc - and load can rise close to 35 per cent. However, the acid test that it fails to fully pass is Adobe Flash, which is not yet accelerated by the GPU. A regular YouTube clip is smooth enough, but add in HD and the system hits 100 per cent utilisation and turns any clip into a slide-show, much like VLC-run 1080p MOV. The Asteroid Impact HD is a case in point - a clip that average less than 30 per cent on a Core 2 Duo E6700 chip.
Substandard performance is kind of acceptable on a netbook that has a 10in 1,024x600 screen and weighs 1kg, but cumbersome and annoying when on a 23in, 1080p-capable monitor.
