The Foxconn R30-D2 packs a lot of power into a small package for you to build a home server or home theater PC. This tiny system measures only 280x282x95mm and can be placed vertically or horizontally, so it'll fit just about anywhere. It has all the features you need to work, or play, efficiently and quietly.
This barebones kit integrates an Intel Atom D510 dual-core processor with comprehensive performance and low power consumption. With two 240-pin DIMM slots, it can support up to 4GB DDR2 667/800 memory to meet your computing needs. Two 3.5" along with a single 5.25" drive handle your data storage. This barebones also boasts Intel GMA 3150 video and 6-channel audio as well as one PCI slot and Gigabyte LAN support.
Compact and StylishThe Foxconn R30-D2 combines an ultra-compact design with stylish looks for seamless integration into any home décor. The included stands allow for vertical placement to save more space.
Integrated Intel Atom D510 ProcessorIntegrating an Intel Atom dual-core processor D510, one of the Intel's smallest and lowest power processors, the Foxconn R30-D2 delivers the power and performance you need, perfect for building a smart, small server or HTPC system.
Integrated Intel GMA 3150 Graphics CoreThe Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 3150 (GMA 3150) graphics core is an intelligent and responsive graphics engine built into the chipset that is on the motherboard. This integration provides incredible visual quality, faster graphics performance and flexible display options without the need for a separate graphics card.
Pros: Pretty good price for a D510 motherboard + case + cpu. Starting the Cons here since I need the space: It's not nearly as quiet as all the prior reviews say it is. There's 3 fans in this system (cpu, case, power supply), and the power supply fan is by far the loudest. It's a Yate Loon D80SH-12B (80x15mm); the manufacturer rates this at 29 cfm and 32 db. For comparison, I have two i7 systems in my office, one with 5 fans and 3 hds and the other with 6 fans and 4 hds, and this R30 is easily the noisiest. Part of this is due to the i7 systems being in cases that are noise dampened well. According to the power supply fan's specs, you'll need a 40 ohm resistor to volt mod it to run at 7v. I had a low-noise-adapter (black) from a Noctua fan I wasn't using that turned out to contain a 50 ohm resistor. Using this resulted in the power supply fan getting 6.2v, but it spins up fine and runs at a nice whisper now. Doing so involves cutting and splicing wires.
Cons: The case fan (80mm) has a 3 pin header and reports its speed, but you can't control it--although the BIOS does have support for smart fan speed control and the fan connection on the motherboard is 4 pin for pwm control. Smart fan control is supported for the cpu fan (40mm) as well and does work. On the stock firmware (P03), saving BIOS changes and exiting would occassionally power off the system rather than rebooting. The BIOS changes appeared to have been saved successfully though. The latest firmware can be found by searching for the Foxconn D51S motherboard and an update is available (P04). This appears to fix the BIOS save and reboot issue. It doesn't appear possible to generically prioritize USB drives for booting. There's a "boot other devices" option in the BIOS, but it doesn't appear to work. Every time you put in a new/different USB drive, the BIOS sees it as a different drive and you need to go in there and prioritize it over the hard disk.
Overall Review: The manufacturer's support site does not list this product as being available. The closest matches are the R30-D1 (Atom D410) and the R40-D2 (Atom D510). The R40-D2 might have been a better deal. The grill at the top of the R40, when oriented vertically, would seem to dampen noise a little better than the grill on the R30. At current prices, it's about $10 more shipped, but includes a built-in card reader. All the other specs appear to be the same, except for case appearance. It unfortunately also appears to suffer from the same noisy power supply fan. Modding/changing the power supply fan will void the warranty on it. There's 4 screws to remove on the power supply to get to it--3 visible and 1 under a warranty-void-if-removed sticker.