Zotac Fusion Mini-ITX Motherboard (Fusion-B-U)

Specifications:

Overall these specs look solid: Dual core APU @ 1.6GHz and a Radeon 6310 should have no problems with general computing tasks and HD Video playback.  6 Channel video means this board supports 5.1 Surround right out of the box; an added plus if you’re putting this in a HTPC.  Wireless N and Gigabit Ethernet for the best connectivity and speeds.  SATA III and USB 3.0 is an added bonus for connectivity.  While the RAM speeds are a little slow (1066) is it more than capable of handling daily computing tasks and HD Video.

A Closer Look

Taking a closer look at this APU Fusion we see the large 2 copper pipe heatsink taking up seemingly most of the board.  We also see our 2x SO-DIMM slots and our Wifi Card (an AzureWave AR5B95).  The thing that makes this board special is the lack of a 24-pin ATX connector and a 4-pin MOLEX plug replacing it.  This board runs off of an external power brick instead of the classic PSU.  This brings a couple things into play: 1.) less flexibility with power ports because you’re forced to use the included MOLEX to 4x SATA plugs leaving anything MOLEX out of the question.  2.) This might bring a less chance of failed hardware (Bricks generally last longer than PSU).  I’m not sure how I feel about this because any mini-itx case that I can find either comes with a small form factor PSU or a port for one.  So you’re either forced to take it out and have a large gaping hole in the back of the case or have it sit there and be useless.  I understand the “all-in-one” solution but I think they’re going a bit overboard with the idea.

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