Sept 16, 2003 — by Mike Chin
| Product | Commell LV-670M & LV-670 Mini-ITX integrated motherboard |
| Manufacturer | Commell Systems Corporation |
| Prices – Direct from Commell | |
| LV-670M | US$225 |
| LV-670 | US$175 |
| LV-670M + P4-M-2.2 | US$475 |
| LV-670M + P4-M-2.4 | US$525 |
The Commell P4-based Mini-ITX motherboards came to light back in April when Commell first released info about their LV-670 boards. There are two now versions: the LV-670 for standard desktop P4s and the LV-670M for Mobile P4-Ms. The latter is a reduced power dissipation P4 for use in notebooks. The concept is simple: Put the power of an Intel P4 in the Mini-ITX package for those who feel the VIA processors don’t compute hard and fast enough.
Commell’s LV-670M-P22: with Mobile P4-2.2 & U1 copper cooler
VIA’s original concept for the Mini-ITX platform was to embed a low power consumption CPU to a fully integrated miniature-size motherboard to enable PCs that are inexpensive, small, quiet and cool enough to go just about anywhere. It seems to have been perfect strategy to best utilize the existing technology of VIA’s C3, which was adapted for their M-ITX boards. While the C3 is an efficient and cool running processor, it does not have the sheer number-crunching power of the Intel and AMD processors, particularly when it comes to floating point performance, a parameter that’s key for gamers and imaging. But now that Small Form Factor (SFF) PCs are all the rage, Commell’s P4 Mini-ITX makes some sense.
Commell is not the only one marrying the P4 to Mini-ITX. A company called Lippert markets a M-ITX board that uses a 1.6GHz Pentium M (Banias) processor. VIA appear to have been involved with a similar project, but as their P4 mainboard has been sold to FIC, it is probably FIC who have taken over the project Epiacenter reported on in early August.
Can a P4-based Mini-ITX board can stay true to VIA’s original vision of a high efficiency, cool running, low power consumption, easy-to-quiet, inexpensive mini PC? The quick answer to this question is: Not likely.
Currently, the least power-hungry P4 appears to be a P4-2.0-533MHz bus, with a “Thermal Design Power” of 52.4W. Mobile P4s are for notebooks and less widely available to the consumer. The bottom of Commell web page for the LV-670M shows an option with the P4-M-2.2, which may be about the least power hungry P4-M right now. Intel rates the TDP of this processor at 35W.
Intel CPU power dissipation numbers are a far cry from the VIA Nehemiah-core C3. The 1Ghz C3 is rated for just 11W Typical Power (similar to Intel’s TDP) and 15W maximum. The respective numbers for the yet unreleased 1.4Ghz model are still low, just 18W and 24W.
One of the samples provided by Commell is the LV-670M-P22, which is a LV-670M complete with P4-M-2.2 and a low-profile 1U all-copper heatsink fan. This CPU has about 3 times the power dissipation of the VIA EPIA M10000 Mini-ITX motherboard (1 Ghz Nehemiah-core C3 CPU), which is also on hand for comparison. The computing power of the P4-M is at least double that of the C3-1.0 in every area area of performance, however, and likely 3 times or more in some areas.
So now that basic power dissipation data is on the table, we have a handle on how these P4 M-ITX integrated motherboards might be best assessed.
This article will attempt to answer the following questions about Commell’s P4 M-ITX initiatives:
1) What is the intended function of these boards? Who will use them and in what applications?
2) Do boards run efficiently enough to be cooled quietly in a Mini-ITX PC case? Is this just a matter of which CPU is chosen?
3) What is the performance advantage of the Commell P4 M-ITX?
3) Do these boards offer a viable, different and useful alternative for small PC buyers? The point is, there are already VIA M-ITX boards as well as micro-ATX / SFF motherboards and barebone systems from Shuttle, Biostar, ECS, FIC, Asus and many others. It seems that virtually every motherboard maker is making SFF barebone systems. The market for SFF PCs may be strongest in Asia and Europe, but it is also catching on in the US & Canada. Where does the Commell P4 M-ITX fit in this rapidly populating landscape?
The focus of this article will be mostly on the Commell LV-670M-P22 because of the Mobile P4-M’s lower power dissipation makes it more attractive for SPCR readers. A P4-1.8 will also be installed on the LV-670 as a check and confirmation about heat issues, but the primary testing will be done on the Mobile P4 board.
ABOUT COMMELL
Commell Systems Corporation describe themselves as…
“a major in the industrial PC-based computing platform and solution to support the industrial PC market much more professionally, closely, directly and actively… [and] will continue do our best to offer the industrial PC-based solution to the market and the world.”
It is notable that Commell have 5 categories of Single Board Computers, of which “Mini-ITX EmbATX Platform” is just one. In total, Commell offers over 30 models of “single-board computers.” So it is clear that Commell is no stranger to the concept of all-in-one motherboards.
Commell has 6 interesting lines of products in their Mini-ITX EmbATX Platform page, 5 of which are M-ITX:
LV-670M – P4-M Mini-ITX, subject of the this review
LV-670 – P4 Mini-ITX, subject of the this review
P4BGA – Mini-FlexATX P4-478 DDR, (170 x 245 mm size) Intel 845G/GE/PE and ICH4 Chipset
LV-603 – 370 Tualatin – P3 / Celeron & VIA C3 CPU support, Mini-ITX form factor (170 x 170 mm), Intel 815E / ICH2 Chipset, SDRAM, Built-in 128-bit VGA
LV-602 – Similar to LV-603, based on VIA/S3 PL133T Chipset + 8604T & 686B, Savage 32MB video memory
LV-660 – VIA Eden/C3 533MHz Mini-ITX board
LV-670M DETAILS
Commell offers a fair amount of technical information on their web site. The LV-670/670M Manual in PDF format is an obvious source of technical details, drawings, architecture block diagrams and setup information. This support page has all the documents relating to the LV670 boards.
COMMELL LV-670M SPECIFICATIONS
| Form Factor | Mini-FlexATX / Mini-ITX form factor at 170 x 170 mm |
| CPU | Micro-FCPGA Mobile Intel Pentium 4 / Celeron CPU up to 2.5 GHz @ 400 MHz FSB On-die 512KBytes Full-Speed Level 2 (L2) cache Support Intel NetBurst Microarchitecture |
| Memory | One 184-pin DIMM socket Support up to 1 GBytes DDR266/333 SDRAM |
| Chipset | Intel 845GV chipset with 82845GV GMCH and 82801DB ICH4 |
| Watchdog Timer | Programmable generates NMI or system reset watchdog timer with 1 to 255 sec. / min. of time out value |
| Power Management | ACPI 1.0 compliant, supports power saving mode with ATX PSU |
| Real Time Clock | Intel ICH4 built-in RTC with onboard lithium battery |
| PCI Enhanced IDE | Dual UltraATA/100 bus master IDE channels Support up to 4 ATAPI devices on 40-/44-pin IDE ports Jumper selectable Vcc power output on 40-pin IDE1 for power cable free DiskOnModule flash disk |
| VGA Interface | Intel 845GV GMCH built-in Intel Extreme Graphics with 266 MHz VGA core and 256-bit 3D engine Intel Dynamic Video Memory up to 64 MB shared with system External DB15 female connector on rear I/O panel |
| LVDS Interface | Intel 845GV GMCH built-in Intel Extreme Graphics with onboard Chrontel CH7017A built-in LVDS transmitter Resolution up to 1600 x 1200 @ 16M colors Support single/dual channel 18-/24-bit LVDS TFT LCD Onboard 40-pin Hirose connector |
| TV-out Interface | Intel 845GV GMCH built-in Intel Extreme Graphics with onboard Chrontel CH7017A built-in TV-out encoder External AV RCA and S-Video connector rear I/O panel |
| LAN Interface | Intel ICH4 with onboard Intel 82562ET Phy Intel PRO/100+ 10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet interface 10/100Base-TX auto-switching, IEEE802.3U compliant |
| Audio Interface | Intel ICH4 with onboard ACL650 AC97 3D audio codec 5.1 channel, line-in, line-out, Mic-in, CD-in and S/P DIF interface |
| IEEE1394 | PCI Agere FW323 IEEE1394 controller with 100/200/400 Mbps of data transfer rate |
| Hi-Speed USB 2.0 | Intel ICH4 chipset built-in Hi-Speed USB 2.0 interface with 480 Mbps of data transfer rate and bootable setting in BIOS |
| Multi-I/O Port | Intel ICH4 and LPC Winbond W83627HF-AW super-I/O controller 1 x RS-232 serial ports, 1 x SPP/EPP/ECP parallel port 4 x Hi-Speed USB 2.0 ports with 480 Mbps of data transfer rate IrDA port, Floppy port, PS/2 keyboard / mouse port |
| External I/O Port | PS/2 keyboard / mouse port AV RCA and S-Video TV-out, VGA, Parallel Port Dual Hi-Speed USB 2.0, LAN IEEE1394, 5.1-CH and S/P DIF Audio |
| Solid State Disk | DiskOnModule IDE-based, bootable, driver free flash disk PIO mode 4 with 16.6 Mbps of data transfer rate Flash memory capacity up to 512 MBytes |
| Expansive Slot | One 32-bit PCI slot supports 2 bus master PCI via riser card |
| Environment | Power Requirement: Standard P4 ATX power input Board Dimension: 170 x 170 mm (L x W) Operation Temperature: 0 ~ 60°C (32 ~ 140°F) |
Most of the capabilities are common enough with other motherboards, and with the VIA Mini-ITX EIPA boards, but some things do stand out in that spec sheet:
1. The CPU is removable. The 478-pin Micro-FCPGA Mobile P4-M package goes into a notebook type socket that allows the CPU to be removed at will. (The CPU removability also holds true for the LV-670.) The VIA M-ITX boards do not allow the CPU to be removed; they are permanently embedded.
2. The chipset is Intel-based. It is the 845GV chipset with 82845GV Graphics & Memory Controller Hub (GMCH) and 82801DB ICH4.
3. LVDS TFT LCD Interface. An onboard LVDS transmitter offers single/dual channel 18-/24-bit LVDS interface for TFT LCD with up to 1800 x 1200 of resolution and 24 bpp of color. This is most useful in industrial workstation, POS/POI, kiosk, ATM, LCD PC, panel PC, GPS/Car PC, and other computing platforms for LVDS-based LCD flat panel.
4. Solid State Disk. The onboard IDE-based, bootable and driver free DiskOnModule flash disk interface is meant for high reliability and disk-free industrial embedded applications. Use of the flash disk may preclude the use of a hard drive; the connection is to the same IDE channel. This is not clear from any of the technical documentation.
5. The difference between the LV-670M and the LV-670 is obscure. A line-by-line comparison of the specs for the 2 boards suggests there is only one substantial difference: The LV-670M’s support for the Micro-FCPGA Mobile P4 / Celeron @ 400 MHz FSB vs the LV-670’s support for desktop P4 / Celeron @ 533 / 400 MHz FSB w/ Hyper-Threading Technology. But the two boards use exactly the same chipset. Physically it is only the CPU mounting socket that is different. The LV-670M uses a mobile P4 socket while the LV-670 uses the standard desktop socket with locking arm. Whether the LV-670M would accept a desktop P4 or the LV-670 a Mobile P4 is not clear. Presumably this could be set in the BIOS or in the wiring of the sockets – both are 478-pin.
The opening photo of this article showed the packaging for the LV-670M plus all of its contents. The plain brown cardboard box tells you right away that it is not designed to woo distracted customers in retail showrooms. No, this is a properly serious industrial package.
Here are some detailed photos:
In the photo above, the small white connector on the farthest left (next to the RAM slot) is the LVDS TFT LCD Interface. The think black slot next to the blue colored IDE connector is when the DiskOnModule flash disk plugs in. You’ll also notice the absence of the plastic heatsink retention frame that normally bolts around the CPU socket. The optional CPC-1400 1U heatsink / fan bolts in through the retention frame mounting holes.
As you can see from the photo above, the in/out back panel is packed, like other M-ITX boards. The specs above will verify that the LV-670M is equipped with everything a VIA EPIA M has.
This shot above clear shows the low height of the cooler. The LVDS TFT LCD Interface is also clearly visible in the forefront. Note too, the springs employed to achieve even pressure all around the physical heatsink / CPU interface.
There were some interesting space-saving strategies employed on this board. Note the way the CMOS battery is suspended in an L-shaped clip over the corner of the southbridge chip.
The PCB trace side shows the metal support piece to which the heatsink is attached from the other side. This is a very secure heatsink mounting method. In essence, the CPU is firmly sandwiched along with the PCB between the metal support and the heatsink.
Removing the heatsink, it is clear that Commell technicians went overboard with the silicon thermal interface material. There was at least half a teaspoon! It all got cleaned away with lint-free paper and 99% isopropyl alcohol. A very thin layer of Arctic Silver 3 was applied before putting the HS back on.
But before covering it up, let’s have a close look at this Mobile Intel Pentium 4 Processor-M:
This was my first peek at a Mobile P4-M; I had been unaware that it doesn’t have a heat spreader as with the desktop P4s. To my way of thinking, this is a good thing: One less layer for the heat to get trapped behind. (Many of you already know that the heatspreader main function is mechanical protection against core crushing by ham-fisted users and poorly designed heatsink clips.) The CPU is clearly marked as an SL6VB. According to Intel’s processor code finder, the code RH80532 marks it as an OEM unit. The core voltage is 1.3V, the thermal guideline is 35W, and the thermal spec is 100°C. The CPU is locked in place in the photo; the little round slotted knob is turned counterclockwise 180 degrees with a small screwdriver to release the CPU.
An Aside: The Mobile Intel Pentium 4 Processor-M is not to be confused with the newer Centrino-based Pentium M, a more efficient device that performs as well or better than the P4-M at lower core speed, lower voltage and lower power. AFAIK, no one has yet produced a desktop motherboard equipped with the necessary Intel 855 chipset to run Pentium M processors. (While I have yet to see an indication of “thermal guideline”, battery life comparisons between a 1.7 GHz Pentium M notebook and a 2.6 GHz P4-M notebook show the former lasting 37% longer, implying that much less power consumption. By the way, according to Intel, the 1.7 GHz Pentium M outperforms the 2.6 GHz P4-M in every other parameter. When and if the Pentium M is migrated to the desktop, efficiency lovers will rejoice.)
Finally, the CPC-1400 Low Profile 1U Pentium 4 CPU Heatsink/Fan, made of a single 196 gram piece of copper and topped with a 10mm low profile 60mm fan. It is noisy at stock voltage: 36-38 dBA according to Commell. The captive spring-loaded screws are a nice touch for consistent performance. The base is flat but the finish could be improved; the visible polishing lines could be felt with the fingernails.
TESTS & MEASUREMENTS
The Commell LV-670M with Mobile P4-M 2.2 and CPC-1400 cooler was set up on a test bench with the following components:
- Hitachi / IBM GXP-180 30G hard drive
- Crucial 256MB DDR266 SDRAM
- Seasonic Super Tornado 300 power supply
- Samsung CD-RW
- Windows XP Pro SP1
- Samsung SyncMaster 173B LCD monitor
The test instruments included the usual Kill-a-Watt AC power meter, a supersensitive calibrated B & K sound level meter, an ordinary digital display multimeter, and many software tools such as Motherboard Monitor 5, Sisoft Sandra, and CPUBurn — all listed in the https://silentpcreview.com
ANALYSIS
While the VIA M-ITX systems can generally be made not only small but also very quiet, the Intel & AMD SFF competition is virtually as powerful as PCs in bigger conventional cases (though usually noisier). A very important aspect of the M-ITX form factor: It does not offer an AGP slot, only built-in video and one PCI slot. This means that M-ITX cannot appeal to gamers or anyone heavily into video. The other SFF boards are mostly micro-ATX based, and they all offer an AGP slot even if built-in VGA is offered. They can thus draw in gamers who want the convenience of small size.
The P4-based M-ITX is something of a crossbreed between optimized efficiency and all-out brute power. While the processor core is now on the same power curve as those of other SFF boards, the video is still limited to an onboard Intel graphics engine which is adequate but no gamer’s rig.
The gist of this P4-based M-ITX board is that it seems ideal for applications that call for very small size, high computing power, modest video capability and relatively modest electrical power needs.
The Commell P4 M-ITX board is hard pressed to compete against the powerful video / multimedia capability of SFF micro-ATX systems that provide a separate AGP card slot. Having no such slot, the Commell LV-670 boards are limited to PCI cards only.
Price is also a key issue. The VIA M-ITX boards are aimed specifically at the lower end of the market. The VIA M10000 can be found on Pricewatch currently for <US$140 shipped. This is complete with a CPU, as are all the VIA M-ITX boards. To make it run fairly quiet, all that’s needed is something like a cheap <$10 Zalman Fanmate 1 voltage controller to slow the CPU fan down.
In contrast, the retail price of the less costly Commell board, the LV-670, is $175. Add a suitable CPU: The most affordable socket 478 CPU is probably a Celeron P4-2.0, which sells for around US$60. The combination then comes to $235. Then there is the challenge of quietly cooling >50W of heat generated by this CPU in a small Mini-ITX case. (Some would also argue that this CPU isn’t much faster in real computing terms than a VIA 1GHz C3-Nehemiah, that you need to move to a P4-1.8 / 512kb cache at well over $100 to get the computing power benefit of the P4 platform.)
Even more serious competition comes from the makers of SFF barebones systems. Take the recently reviewed ECS EZ-Buddie Desktop (SFF) PC for example. For the same price as the LV-670, the ECS machine provides not only an integrated motherboard, but a complete chassis and power supply and the AGP slot option along with 2 other PCI slots. It’s certainly not as small as the LV-670, but it’s an example of the kind of competition that comes from SFF barebones systems, and there are others which come closer in size to a M-ITX PC.
CONCLUSIONS
The combination of very small size but rather high heat and high computing power but low video power puts the Commell LV-670 Mini-ITX boards in a very small niche. For most of the PC market audience, this niche is sort of between a rock and a hard place. The VIA M-ITX boards are as small, cooler and cheaper, while the microATX P4 / XP SFF boards are as powerful, have much better VGA potential and are cheaper. It is surely no accident that this product is being marketed by an industrial computing company.
Commell may very well have the attitude that if we build it, they will buy. Or because it could be done, it was. There are surely applications where this combination of high computing power, small size and modest video performance will be perfect. It’s probably my lack of industrial imagination or exposure that keeps me from detailing potential ideal applications for this P4-M-ITX. Perhaps in business file servers or database servers where big number-crunching power and small size are important. But desktop systems are unlikely to be among those applications.
Our thanks to Commell Systems Corporation for the review samples and for their kind support.
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