Acer Aspire Revo R3610 Net-top Review
Net – tops, which work on a fraction of a traditional desktop’s power, are perfect alternatives to low cost PCs. While, most of the net tops are available for basic browsing and email, there are very few that can match media centre potential. One of them is the Acer Aspire Revo R3610. It is perfect for users who want to use their PC for the basic stuff such as light gaming. The following is a detailed review on the Acer Aspire Revo R3610. This is perfect for people who would want a small, stylish and a portable net top for basic purposes such as working on Word, Excel etc files and surfing the internet.
Design:
Extremely sleek:
Net – tops have brought in a transition phase in the size of Personal Computers. This Revo R3610 PC has a small form factor and yet is clunky compared to other PCs. Measuring (H x W x D) 7.1 x 7.1 x 2 inches, it is an ultra slim diamond shaped model that is portable and can be easily attached to the VESA mounting on the back of an LCD Monitor. Weighing about 3 Kgs, It comes in a transparent glossy finish comes with a monitor and a foot stand design. The front and back panels have a dark blue finish with a silver Acer logo and a Revo logo on the back. There is a backlit power button located on the upper hand corner of the front panel for easy access. The model can be laid on the side or make it upright using the included V stand. This unique case layout takes very little space and is ideal for the Bedroom, living room or even the kitchen.
Ports and connectivity in Revo R3610:
The Revo offers a decent selection of ports in spite of its small size. A multi – format flash card reader, there are 2 USB ports on the top edge, 4 on the left edge. Present along with them are a Gigabit Ethernet jack, HDMI, VGA video ports and a power jack. On the right side, optical S/PDIF audio jack, a multiformat flash-card reader, headphone and microphone jacks, and an eSATA port.
Features:
The R3610 Nettop Desktop PC is powered by an Intel dual – Core processor and an Nvidia’s Ion Graphics engine that is capable of running on Windows 7. The 1.6Ghz clock speed, the 533Mhz FSB make it 40 percent faster than the Intel Aton N230. The 7.1 Surround sound (via S/PDIF coaxial output), 802.11n Wi-Fi, and gigabit Ethernet bring out its home theatre capabilities. Like several all in one net – tops, this one lacks a monitor and an optical drive as well.
Memory:
The Revo accepts up to 4GB of RAM and there is a 2GB Model available as well. The Technology used is the DDR2 SDRAM and the memory speed is 800Mhz. Like most net – tops, the Acer Aspire Revo R3610 runs using dual channel memory architecture. It does not have a floppy drive or an optical drive and sadly, the maximum upgrade of RAM is 2GB. So, other than replacing the memory and the hard drive, there are no upgrade options.
Connectivity:
Most net tops serve best for browsing the internet and the Acer Aspire Revo R3610 is good at it. There is an in-built 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi controller that enables you to connect to the Internet easily. The Wi- FI controller worked reasonably well and was able to connect to the internet without a hitch. It sadly lacks a Bluetooth dongle.
Processor Details:
The Aspire Revo runs on an Intel’s ultra-low-voltage Atom N330 processor, a dual – core chip that runs with a clock speed of 1.6GHz. The 2GB of system memory comes along with the Nvidia Ion graphics engine, which supports DirectX 10 and full 1080p HD for great imagery.
Despite its Nvidia Ion GPU, the Revo is not a good choice for serious gaming. You should be able to play basic games, but newer demanding ones will not run well. Desktop applications run reasonably well and video playback lacks hard ware acceleration.
Software:
The Acer Aspire Revo R3610’s hard drive comes along with Windows 7 Home Premium (the 64 bit version) pre – installed along with a couple of Acer utilities such as the Backup and recovery software. The System is also provided with a Microsoft Works 8.5 and OEM version of Nero Essentials and trial ware such as the Microsoft Office 2007 and the Mc Afee Internet Security Suite.
Performance:
Performance wise, the Revo R3610 Desktop Computer did pretty much as it was expected to do, that is like most other net- tops .When tested for PCMark Vantage, it scored better than the Asus EEE TopET2002, which runs on the same CPU and 2 GB RAM. On the CPU oriented Cinebench test, the Revo managed to do as well as the Asus EEE top. However, the Revo handles basic tasks slightly slower than the Asus EEE Top and the Acer Aspire AX3810. The NVIDIA Ion GPU is not sufficient for hard core gaming on the R3610. The FPS was just a measly 8.6 frames per second.
The Basic games ran well, but it cannot handle the more advanced ones. When it comes to playing back high definition, the Revo did well. The video played is smooth and does not stutter or stall, however, the 1080p playback is on the choppier side. Download the latest flash player (Flash Player 10.1 Beta ) and that would beef up the performance of the chip. Compared to the Intel processors in the market now, the Ion trumps integrated graphics well. The Sony VAIO P netbook, which runs on an Intel processor, struggles to handle 320×240 resolution video. Audio wise, the speakers provided along give a great output in spite of their little size.
Efficient Power Consumption:
The optimized component placement and the mechanical design bundled along with the Atom processor make the Revo an amazingly low power consumer. It required just 27 watts while running our tests. Another reason why net tops are more preferable these days is because they consume much lesser power. A PC that runs on a Core 2 Duo processor would burn out 154 watts, which is about 5.7 times more than the model. Apart from being energy efficient and less power consuming, the Reva R3610 is amazingly silent and is Energy Star 5.0 compliant.
Accessories:
The Acer Aspire Revo R3610 comes along with an AC Adapter, a Power Cord, a Warranty Booklet, a Wired Mouse and a Keyboard. It would have been better off, if a monitor would have been included.
Warranty:
There is a warranty of one year provided on the Acer Aspire Revo R3610 from the date of purchase. Warranty is provided on service and labour as well.
Verdict:
The Aspire Revo is affordable , yet when the cost of a display is added, you would pay as much as you would for a budget desktop system like the Acer Aspire AX3810. It offers twice the CPU Horse power and also comes with a monitor. However, if you work in smaller quarters and do not require much computing power, the Revo R3610 is definitely a serious contender. It handles basic PC tasks well and allows you to play HD videos and some gaming as well. However, it lacks an optical drive and its processor does not let you play the advanced games. So, if you are looking for a compact PC which can function as a second PC or simply for browsing and a lesser utility bill, the Acer Aspire Revo R3610 is perfect for you.
We have listed the configurations available including the one that we have discussed in the review.
Configurations Available:
| Feature | Revo R3610-L | Revo R3610-M | Revo R3610-MH | Revo R3610-H |
| OS | Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium | Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium | Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium | Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium |
| Processor | Intel Atom 330 Dual Core Processor | Intel Atom 330 Dual Core Processor | Intel Atom 330 Dual Core Processor | Intel Atom 330 Dual Core Processor |
| Hard Disk | 250GB Hard Disk | 500GB Hard Disk | 320GB Hard Disk | 500GB Hard Disk |
| RAM | 2GB DDR2 RAM | 2GB DDR2 RAM | 4GB DDR2 RAM | 4GB DDR2 RAM |
| Graphics | nVidia ION Graphics Solution | nVidia ION Graphics Solution | nVidia ION Graphics Solution | nVidia ION Graphics Solution |
| Revo Wireless kybd & mouse | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless LAN | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VESA Mounte | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Technical Specification Table:
| Manufacturer | Acer |
| Model Name | Aspire Revo R3610 |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | 7.1 x 7.1 x 1.2 inches |
| Colour | Glossy Black |
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 818 x 446 x 550 |
| Clock speed | 1.66 Ghz |
| Multi-Core processor technology | Dual-Core |
| Chipset | NVIDIA ® ION™ graphics processor |
| RAM | Max: 4 GB |
| RAM type | DDR2 SDRAM |
| Processor | Intel dual – Core processor |
| Spindle speed | 5400 rpm |
| VGA | NVIDIA ION™ graphics, support DX10 / Full HD 1080p playback |
| Optical devices | SuperMulti DVD RW with Labelflash™ technology, Blu-ray Disc™ optical drive |
| Software | eSobi, Acer GameZone, Nero 9 Essentials, Acer Arcade Deluxe, EgisTec MyWinLocker, Microsoft Works 8.5, Adobe Acrobat Reader, Acer eRecovery Management, McAfee Internet Security Suite (Trial), Microsoft Office 2007 Home and Student Edition (60 days trial) |
| Networking | LAN: Gigabit Ethernet, Wake-on-LAN ready WLAN: 802.11 b/g |
| Wi-Fi Controller | 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi controller |
| Input and Output | 6 x Hi-Speed USB – 4 pin USB Type A ( 2 front, 4 rear ) 1 x Headphones – Output – Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm 1 x Microphone – Input – Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm 1 x Network – Ethernet 10Base-T/100Base-TX/1000Base-T – RJ-45 1 x Storage – eSATA – 7 pin external Serial ATA 1 x Audio – SPDIF output – TOSLINK 1 x Audio / video – HDMI – 19 pin HDMI Type A 1 x Display / video – VGA – 15 pin HD D-Sub (HD-15) |
| Power Consumption | Around 27W |
| Sound | HD Audio 7.1 channel surround |
| Input devices | Mouse, keyboard |
| Mouse Connectivity | Wireless |
| Box contents | AC Adapter, a Power Cord, a Warranty Booklet, a Wired Mouse and Keyboard |
| Accessories available | Acer wireless or USB keyboard and mouse, Acer LCD monitor, Webcam with stand, USB speaker, VESA mounting kit and 3D game pad |
| Warranty | Limited warranty – 1 year – Parts and labour |
July 3rd, 2010 at 6:21 am
I think this is an excellent unit for a given task – for example I have four PCs for the kids and have LCD monitors with built in speakers, so their clutter footprint is now super minimal. I put a DVD in another PC for all to share – but whether this works for all games remains to be seen.