Gigabyte E350N-USB3 Reviewed
Another day, another E350 review. This time Gigabyte is representing the Brazos platform with the E350N-USB3. The inclusion of USB 3.0 support is certainly a nice touch, though I would prefer to see more SATA connections if I was looking to use the board in a low-power server build. The inclusion of a CPU fan for use in partcularly demanding builds is also a nice touch as most Hudson boards do not offer an option for adding an aftermarket fan. That being said, hopefully the inclusion of the fan isn’t a sign that Gigabyte didn’t offer a capable enough heatsink. The E350 APU’s greatest asset is the performance that it offers in a chip that is relatively easy to cool passively.
When it comes to putting together a small functional PC for your parents or an HTPC for your living room there is a lot more to take into account than normal. In these situations noise, power usage, video performance, and cost also need to be considered. That’s what AMD had in mind when introducing their E350 with AMD Fusion Technology earlier this year.