Reviews
Review by Computer Power User Magazine
August 2006
Cerise Mini PC
by Joshua Gulick
Launched in 2003, Cerise Computers is a fairly new kid on the block. The Maryland-based system builder offers the Mini PC as a space-saver that can handle tight fits and even travel with projector-toting presenters.
At 1.96 x 6.49 x 6.49 inches (HxWxD), the Mini PC is tiny, but it offers all the ports you'll need in most situations, including a SPDIF port that plugs into the line-in port. An S-Video port, a DVI port, and an antenna connector also sit at the back of the system, while a front-load DVD-RW sits at the top.
Cerise builds its Mini PC from AOpen’s MP945-VX, which includes the case and most of the components. The socket M 479 motherboard sports Intel’s 945GM chipset and has a single memory slot that supports up to 1GB of DDR2 memory. My review unit included 512MB of DDR2-667 memory and a 1.66GHz Intel Core Duo T2300 dual-core processor, but that’s hardly the fastest the system can handle; Cerise offers dual-core CPUs up to the 2.16GHz T2600. Users can also opt for single-core setups. An 80GB hard drive wraps up the system’s guts.
You won’t find the Mini PC on a gamer’s desk, thanks to the integrated graphics, but it’s not a bad performer in other applications. It crunched a 500MB folder in 5:45 (minutes:seconds) in the WinRAR test and scored 2730 in PC-Mark05, thanks in part to weak graphics performance.
The system lacks expandability, but you can upgrade certain components, such as the processor and memory. Cerise upgrades components in its Mini PC line at cost plus labor. It also offers a noteworthy one-year warranty that includes onsite tech support and 24/7 toll-free tech support. I wouldn’t put the Mini PC in my living room (no TV tuner), but I could see it in the kitchen or at a small desk. It’s more than capable of handling day-to-day tasks and ’Net surfing and it’s quiet enough for any room.