Unveiling the Asrock Ion 330HT-BD

The Asrock Ion 330HT-BD is a stylish looking book-sized computer. The glossy black exterior helps it blend into any home theater setup, while its small footprint allows it to fit just about anywhere.

The system measures 195mm (W) x 186mm (L) x 70mm (H). It can be mounted either horizontally or vertically, although Asrock only supplies a grip pad for horizontal use. Having it based on the Mini-ITX form factor it has an internal volume of 2.5L, while weighing 1.7kg fully configured.

The Ion 330HT-BD feels very polished on its whole. Asrock has paid attention to the little details while designing their Ion nettop. The rear I/O panel has been given a coat of black paint, while all the ports have been properly labeled to make installation easier to the user. The Blu-ray player also received a coat of black gloss paint to match the rest of the system.

Around the back you'll find a significant amount of connectivity options for such a small computer. A total of six USB 2.0 ports, LAN, HDMI, VGA, a powered eSATA port, five audio jacks and an optical S/PDIF output are part of the package. There is also a small DC-in power connection for a Delta Electronics 19v AC/DC adapter.

After some quick research it appears this power pack can be purchased online for as little as $15, so should it die out of warranty users are not looking at a significant cost to replace it.

Given that this is the "Home Theater" version of the Asrock Ion 330, it is only fitting that is comes bundled with a Media Center Edition remote control. This should provide a convenient way of watching movies or listening to music from the comfort of your living room couch, completing the 330HT-BD as an ideal HTPC solution.