A Closer Look

Despite having already seen the MEGA PC from all its critical angles on page 1 we're going to pull out some shots of the actual review model too simply because if you're anything like me you never trust the marketing hype anyway. In actual fact the only difference is that in the marketing the LCD display is reversed when compared to our actual unit. Our model features black text and graphics on orange while the marketing pictures show it the other way around. If the display can be made to display reversed I haven't found that function yet.

Just a look at the bundled accessories is enough to convince you that this is something out of the ordinary. Alongside a fairly basic but perfectly adequate quick user's guide comes a nice remote handset, two spare fascia plates to enable you to replace the current card reader bay with a hard drive (the blank fascia) or a floppy disk drive. There's also a compact, free standing tabletop antenna that can also be wall hung/mounted if required and of course a driver/utility installation CD.

Only got a boring old beige CD-ROM or DVD? No problem! Your optical drive sits stealthily behind a lightly sprung flip down panel. I have six optical drives here all of which worked perfectly though obviously a slot drive isn't ideal. The way the flip down panel works is pretty primitive, relying on the front of your drive tray to literally barge it out of the way and because it's the coming together of two hard surfaces it does sound a bit like a tram going by.

The MEGA PC's LCD isn't of the dot matrix variety which is a bit of a shame as it limits its flexibility a little but it has plenty of information on offer. The black and white panel is backlit orange.

LCD Function Layout

The top section of the MEGA is home to all the features that can be accessed without having to boot the PC. Using this top power button activates the MEGA in "HiFi Mode" which allows you to play audio CDs, MP3s stored on CD and to activate the AM/FM radio. The Shuttle dial is used by rotating it in either direction and it can also be pressed to access certain functions. Below the Mode button is the eject button for your optical drive. You've probably spotted that it's nowhere near the actual eject button on your drive and it actually accomplishes the task by sending an eject signal along the IDE bus in much the same way as Windows does when you choose the option from there.

Lower down we have the PC related controls such as they are. He we get a power button with accompanying green LED, a HDD activity LED and a suitable difficult to press reset button.

And at the bottom of the front fascia comes an incredible assortment of ports with an optical SPDIF in, a microphone and headphone socket, two USB1.1/2.0 ports, a 6 pin IEEE1394 (Firewire) port and a smaller 4 pin IEEE1394 (Firewire) port. In simple terms this lets you connect your DV camcorder, plug in a mic and have a karaoke evening, listen to your music collection through headphones, plug in a USB games controller (or 2) and turn your MEGA PC into an X-Box like console and a whole lot more too.

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Switching attention to the back the first thing I want to point out are the three retaining thumbscrews. With these removed the wraparound style cover lifts off in one section giving access to the top and both sides. Despite making access easier I'm not usually fond of this idea as it tends to weaken the overall structure but MSI seem to have found a way to maintain rigidity even with the three sides absent.

That small rectangular hole to the top left is to attach a security cable in case you're wondering while over on the right are the two blanks for the internal AGP and PCI slots while just to the left of this is the jack for the antenna to plug in to..

And so the connection-fest continues with an equally impressive selection of ports to the rear. There's a couple of nice surprises here like the optical SPDIF out and the modem and LAN ports and once not so nice surprise....no TV-Out!!!

If you're planning on adding a discrete graphics card, something I strongly suggest you do if you have any plans for moderately demanding gaming, then the lack of TV out isn't an issue provided you buy a suitably equipped card. If however you had planned to kit the MEGA out with just the basics and connect to your TV then your plans are now well and truly scuppered! For a product so clearly aimed at the home entertainment market this is an omission that needs rectifying and quickly even if it means bundling a simple, PCI based card!