Design and Functionality

As we have already said before, this mainboard is based on Intel Atom 230 processor that is soldered to the mainboard and cannot be upgraded. It is a single-core CPU working at 1.6 GHz, supporting 533 MHz bus and featuring 512 KB L2 cache-memory. The CPU supports Hyper-Threading technology that is why the system sees it as a dual-core processor.

I would like to point out that since Atom microarchitecture is initially intended to minimize power consumption and heat dissipation, single-core Atom 230 can do even with passive cooling. Zotac engineers couldn’t miss taking advantage of this feature: ION-ITX-C is covered with a relatively small aluminum heatsink.

I have to say that only a mainboard with a single-core Atom processor can boast a passive cooling system: the solutions with an integrated dual-core Atom 330 are equipped with an active cooler. If you feel that passive cooling is not enough to ensure proper thermal conditions for Zotac ION-ITX-C, you can connect two fans to it: there is one three-pin and one four-pin connector on the PCB. Unfortunately, the board can’t adjust their rotation speed.

There is a single-chip core logic set with the integrated GeForce 9300 graphics core right in front of the same heatsink as the CPU. By the way, this chip makes the primary contribution to the ION platform heat dissipation and power consumption levels: it heats up way more than the CPU on the Zotac ION-ITX-C mainboard. That is why we think it is not the best solution to use a single heatsink to cover both; the CPU and the chipset. It makes CPU work in worse thermal conditions than it could be in case they used individual heatsinks for the processor and core logic set. Take, for example, Intel mainboards equipped with Atom processors: the chipset there is equipped with an individual active cooler, while the CPU is topped with a compact passive heatsink only.

The graphics core on Zotac ION-ITX-C mainboard integrated into the chipset contains 16 streaming processors and works at 450 MHz frequency. Shader domain frequency is 1100 MHz. In other words, everything is exactly the same as on the reference Nvidia ION platforms that we have already discussed before.

The graphics offered by Zotac ION-ITX-C mainboard is fully compatible with DirectX 10.1 requirements, supports CUDA technology and can accelerate H.264, VC-1 and MPEG-2 video playback due to Nvidia PureVideo HD engine.

Zotac ION-ITX-C is equipped with two DDR2 DIMM slots. These are the only slots on the mainboard PCB that are the same as on the desktop platforms. They let the board work with up to 4GB of dual-channel DDR2 SDRAM. I have to point out that although the chipset supports DDR3 SDRAM, Zotac developers decided to bet on older DDR2 standard, which reduced the system cost, but had a negative effect on its power consumption.

Besides the memory slots, the board is also equipped with Mini PCI Express x1 slot. Other modifications of this mainboard solution this slot may be utilized for the WiFi controller, but it is free on Zotac ION-ITX-C. As a result, you can use it for any devices of your choice, such as TV-tuner or SD-card reader. Moreover, some manufacturers offer Mini PCI Express x1 → fully-functional PCI Express x1 adapters, which expands the mainboard’s ability to accommodate additional devices dramatically.

One of the most interesting peculiarities of Zotac ION-ITX-C mainboard is the power circuitry implementation. You can see free contact slotps for a standard twenty-pin ATX power supply connector to the right of the memory slots. But our mainboard model offers a different option: unipolar external power supply unit similar to a notebook one. The corresponding connector for the appropriate prong-type plug is placed on the mainboard back panel, so when the mainboard is inside the system case, the connector is outside. This solution allows using Zotac ION-ITX-C mainboard not only in standard computer cases, but also in much more exotic systems. Moreover, computer systems built on this mainboard may be totally noiseless: the processor and chipset use a passive heatsink and the “notebook” PSU also contains no fans.

To save the users time and trouble searching for the appropriate power supply unit, Zotac ION-ITX-C comes bundled with Delta ADP-90SB BB PSU with 90 W output capacity and 19 V output voltage. Note that this PSU is too powerful for the cause: for example, most nettops based on ION platform are usually equipped with 60 W PSUs.

It is important to point out that the use of an unipolar external power supply leads to logical problems with powering different devices connected to the board, such as hard drives and optical drives. However, Zotac engineers offered a very elegant solution to the issue: there is a standard output power connector on Zotac ION-ITX-C mainboard that can provide 5 V and 12 V for different devices’ needs. To make it easier to use this connector, they included a splitter among the bundled accessories that allows connecting up to three standard SATA devices to this onboard power port.

The number “three” is not just some number they came up with: it is the number of SATA ports that can be implemented on Zotac ION-ITX-C. Note that these ports are SATA-300 compatible and also support RAID 0 and RAID 1 arrays. Besides that, there are pin-connectors for four additional USB 2.0 ports and a serial port.

Most interface connectors, however, are laid out on the mainboard back panel, as usual. There are six USB 2.0 ports, an eSATA connector and RJ45 Gigabit network connector. There is also a PS/2 keyboard connector there, too.

There are three analogue audio-jacks, optical and coaxial SPDIF connectors. The sound on Zotac ION-ITX-C is implemented via six-channel Realtek ALC662 codec that provides pretty good sound quality (according to the results of our tests in 16 bit 44 kHz mode).

There are also three monitor connectors on the back of the board: D-Sub, DVI and HDMI 1.3 (with sound support). The mainboard can work with any two monitors at the same time and the maximum graphics resolution supported by GeForce 9300 is 2560x1600.