Comments on: Acer Aspire Revo 3610 Atom ION 330 Review

By: Paul J Roberts

Paul J Roberts — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:37:41 +0000

Oh, hands down the 3610 is the way to go…period. That single core unit will CHOKE on flash content via a browser. And if it has XP on it will utterly fail at dealing with any flash or HD content due to lack of GPU acceleration in XP.

The dual core and Windows Vista or Windows 7 make all the difference in performance. Don’t bother with the 3600 at any cost.

By: dan

dan — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 14:05:06 +0000

hi. what’s the difference in performance between the 3610 and the 3600? In specs all I can see is that the 3600 has a single-core Atom 230 processor while the 3600 has a dual-core Atom 330. They both have 2 gb of memory and hard disk is not important for me as I’m going to replace it anyway with a 500gb WD scorpio black I already own.
I need to chose between them, at similar price, 3600 is new with 2 years warranty, 3610 used, no warranty. Would the 3610 perform significantly better as an HTPC to justify the lack of warranty as compared to the 3600 at the same price?
Thanks

By: Paul J Roberts

Paul J Roberts — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 03:24:37 +0000

Pete,

Thanks! Swing by and look at my setup guide: My Setup That Works.

By: Pete

Pete — Sun, 05 Dec 2010 06:50:21 +0000

Nice review Paul. I am in the process of ordering a Revo right now. I am excited to get rid of cable!

By: Paul J Roberts

Paul J Roberts — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 23:20:59 +0000

Buddy,

Welcome to the blog. Thanks for the insight.

I have a Revo forum too that you may be interested in posting in.
http://www.pauljroberts.com/forum/

By: BuddyRich

BuddyRich — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 13:49:42 +0000

Ive had my 3610 for almost a year. I read about the next Gen Ion2 platform but it does seem to have its drawbacks vs. the original, thanks to how Nvidia implemented the new Atom Pinetrail CPU without a license to use the memory bus on the CPU.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3702/zotacs-zbox-hdid11-review-next-gen-ion-better-worse-than-ion1

That said, other the the flash issue, if you are using it mainly for a HTPC, either will work, and if you do the odd bit of browsing from the couch the Ion2 might be a bit better as the CPU is faster for most tasks but gaming.

If you need more performance than this out of your HTPC you are better off looking at a Core i3 CULV solution like the ASRock:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/3824/asrock-core-100htbd-bringing-htpcs-to-the-mainstream-market

By: Soren Sorensen Denmark

Soren Sorensen Denmark — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 14:01:12 +0000

Hi great review
Now that you have some expirence with this Barebone I hope you can help me.
I have a normal computer in one room, on this i have my Itunes with libery’s ratings and all that. Now i would like to get this avaible in my living room (Wireless or cable) without having my Normal PC turned on.
Therefore I was thinking having a NAS server with my Itunes libery on, get the Acer Aspire Revo 3610 to sync with libery folder on the NAS and still have ratings and all that just as my normal pc.
Is this possible?
Hope you or someother can help me.
Best Regards
Soren Sorensen

By: Paul J Roberts

Paul J Roberts — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 23:35:52 +0000

Well, I don’t put much weight in any benchmarker. Windows gives a single score based on the lowest one on the list.
Anyway, here’s what mine says.

More details about my computer

Base score determined by lowest subscore 3.3
Component Details Subscore
Processor Intel(R) Atom(TM) CPU 330 @ 1.60GHz 3.3
Memory (RAM) 2.00 GB 4.7
Graphics NVIDIA ION 4.3
Gaming graphics 895 MB Total available graphics memory 5.2
Primary hard disk 40GB Free (67GB Total) 5.2
Windows 7 Home Premium

System
——————————————————————————–

Manufacturer Acer
Model Aspire R3610
Total amount of system memory 2.00 GB RAM
System type 64-bit operating system
Number of processor cores 2

Storage
——————————————————————————–

Total size of hard disk(s) 134 GB
Disk partition (C:) 40 GB Free (67 GB Total)
Disk partition (D:) 44 GB Free (67 GB Total)
Media drive (E:) CD/DVD

Graphics
——————————————————————————–

Display adapter type NVIDIA ION
Total available graphics memory 895 MB
Dedicated graphics memory 256 MB
Dedicated system memory 64 MB
Shared system memory 575 MB
Display adapter driver version 8.17.12.5896
Primary monitor resolution 1280×720
DirectX version DirectX 11

Network
——————————————————————————–

Network Adapter Atheros AR5B91 Wireless Network Adapter

Notes
——————————————————————————–

The gaming graphics score is based on the primary graphics adapter. If this system has linked or multiple graphics adapters, some software applications may see additional performance benefits.

By: Paul

Paul — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 21:56:21 +0000

I will look forward to seeing your Windows Experience Index score as soon as you can.
Although useful, I found the problem with JUST looking at raw hardware specs – not that raw data is always easily published, is that they are no guarantee of overall performance; eg. as you point out, the slower clkd SU4100 is 36% faster than the 330; Likewise, the problem with reviewers, is they use a varied mix of commercial benchmark programs, often of different vintages eg 3DMark05 or 06, or Cinebench – often omitting to state version and/or was it single or multi mode, etc etc – and so cannot compare a machine in one publication with another machine reviewed elsewhere. Just recently I saw the same Asus 1215N laptop get a different result using the SAME ‘Benchmark’ on 2 diff websites. Unlike the traditional commercial benchmarks, the WEI benchmark seems to have no user ‘adjustments’ and so should be more consistant and reliable benchamrk. As a number of review sites eg Notebookcheck.net have started publishing the WEI of each model tested, I was thinking it a good, uncomplicated benchmark measure, simple, (et revealing the weakest part of a machine) to quickly compare overall performance of systems.
I would have prefered to see a WEI type of benchmark independant of MS, (who, I heard, tightly control it, not making it available for WinXP) so one could install a WEI anywhere to test/compare older hardware with new. Maybe MS will release it later !

Re. your comment on the future, saw article on a ‘nano ITX’ (at 12x12cm, smaller than Revo) using the 2011Q1 AMD ‘Atom’ competitor, with integrated DX11 GPU. Am disappointed with recent Atom releases – think D525 & N550 poorer than 330. If Acer needed to upgrade Revo this year, should have used one of the better SU series like, as you say, Zotac.

By: Paul J Roberts

Paul J Roberts — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 22:00:07 +0000

Hi Paul. Welcome to the blog and forums.

Answers:

The WEI score? Heck, I don’t recall, but I know it does not change. The hardware is the hardware, so it can’t fluctuate. I’ll post it once I log in and see.

WEI as a benchmark? I guess, but I’d rather look at buss, ram and cpu speeds to determine that.

The 3610 and 3700 have almost a null difference in performance. That’s the truth.

The 3610 has a 1.66 or 1.60 ghz? It’s 1.60. A .06 ghz difference is negligible and not worth concern at all.

If you want an Atom/Ion machine performance and more power, get the Zotac Z mobo with the Intel SU4100 1.3 gzh CPU. It’s lower ghz, but the cpu clock speed is 36% faster than the 3610 or the 3700 machine. That’s where my money is going next!
http://www.zotacusa.com/zotac-zbox-zboxhd-nd21-u-intel-pentium-su4100-1-3-ghz-dual-core-all-in-one-mini-pc.html

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 20:22:49 +0000

Read your interesting review of the Revo R3610 running Win7. Can you let us know what Windows Experience Index Score, and the various sub-scores you got – preferably the initial one that is automatically done/saved when you first install.

The WEI seems a good SIMPLE yet comprehensive, consistant? benchmark to compare machines without the complications of eg PCMark-which year etc – a continually shifting BM ‘standard’ – have been searching for a good database of WEI scores for diff machines, but so far not much success.

Re. your recent comment about ION2, I also was curious to see it benchmarked against the one used in the R3610. See conflicting reports, but the Notebookcheck.net review of the Asus 1215N that uses a D525/ION2 combo indicates no gain over the R3610 – yet D525 rated at 10W more than the 330. BTW is your 330 definitely clkd at 1.66 – as I heard 1.60GHz is its default ?

By: Paul J Roberts

Paul J Roberts — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 03:40:49 +0000

Revo plays all video container types with gpu acceleration. The player is the key here with regard to Itunes Player. I’ve never tried quicktime player ( I hate it and most times never works on any pc I’ve installed it on). But the revo plays H264 mp4 files perfectly on WMP or MPC-HC 64 and on Boxee.

I’d not bother with any Ion2 machine. There has been no proven increase in performance or speed and there is a bottle neck with the Nvidia Ion placement on the mobo that lags most video on Windows OS.

Better off getting one of the Zotac mobo combos with the Intel chip (AU4100). It has only 1.3 ghz but the cpu speed is 33% faster than the regular Atom/Ion 330 or that Ion 2.

So, I’d get a 3610 or build the Zotac.

By: Eug

Eug — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 02:31:50 +0000

Have you tried Apple’s Quicktime player with the .mov H.264 1080p files on their site? I’m just curious. I see that you have had good results with VLC. That’s encouraging, but what file times does it not support GPU acceleration on the R3610?

Although the R3610 is on sale right now, I am considering the AR3700 instead, which has D525 and ION 2, for a little extra CPU and GPU speed.

Mind you, considering the R3610 is only CAD$320 at the moment, and I’m guessing the AR3700 will come in at $400, I wonder if it’s really worth the extra 25% in price and the extra wait. (The AR3700 is already available in the US, but is nowhere to be seen in Canada.)
Eug´s last [type] ..iOS 4 is very- very slow on the iPhone 3G

By: Aspire Revo R3610 - Perfect client setup for MP in New Zealand... - Page 2 - MediaPortal Forum

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 18:48:30 +0000

[...] over a wired network. I would also recommend this site for all things revo in an HTPC world: Acer Aspire Revo 3610 Atom ION 330 Review | Paul J Roberts Don't miss the forums on that site either. I would recommend the unit, but it does take a little [...]

By: Paul J Roberts

Paul J Roberts — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 01:02:07 +0000

Definitely. It handles all those programs just fine. May not be the best Adobe Photoshop editor, but everything else should rock.

By: Iqbal

Iqbal — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:48:01 +0000

Just about to pick up this PC for home office use(word, pdf, stocks, currency exchage, etc). What do you think?

By: Paul J Roberts

Paul J Roberts — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 22:18:31 +0000

I’ve never heard of anything called “HD1″ or “HD11.” There’s a lot of hype out there on these boxes, so beware what you bank on.
The Revo 3610 is the dual core 330 atom with the ION Chip & CHipset. It’s all there is, there’s nothing else

The older 1600 single core (no longer made for almost 2 yrs) had XP and had the ION LE, which was limited to DirectX9 or less due to licensing issues that XP had. Direct X is mostly for video games and has nothing to do with HD playback. That’s the only Ion LE vs. Ion I’ve ever heard about and it has nothing to do with video playback.

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:56:55 +0000

I’m about to pull the trigger on a AR3610-U2002, but I need some info about the Ion chipset: Is the Ion chipset in the U2002 (250G hdd version) the HD 1? I’ve been reading some not so nice things about the HD 11 Ion. As soon as I get a reply, (assuming U2202 is HD 1) I’m going to buy. Thanks in advance!

By: Paul J Roberts

Paul J Roberts — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 17:13:31 +0000

Big Ben,

Glad to hear your revo works with Linux with XBMC.
I don’t talk or troubleshoot either on this blog or forum.

Weekly repairs to use Windows? Fiddle with the registry? Huh? Dude, I don’t know anyone that has to do that….
Besides, Windows environment works more smoothly for media than ANY other OS.

By: BigBen

BigBen — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:49:20 +0000

They are great little boxen, are they not, Paul?
We got a single-core 3600 a year back, and it works just fine on our 720p TV. Got a couple of the 3610s a month back, cheap.
The trick that worked for us was to try Sabayon Linux (amongst many others) – cannot recall which revision it was, sorry – but it had the ability to launch XBMC from the main menu for Media Stuff, and then revert back to Sabayon for surfing etc. Not ideal, but it worked.
So I tampered with Ubuntu 9?? until the interface was what we wanted for TV and we could do enough of the XBMC stuff without using XBMC.
The Ubuntu Netbook version worked fine on the big screen – and the Ion/Atom environment worked fine.
It’s a similar problem, visually – the tiny netbook screen can be as hard to read as a distant TV – but it has big icons and so forth just like a Meeja Center.
Would not willingly use Win again, am too lazy to do the weekly repairs to its defences and forever fiddle with the b***** Registry.