ASRock Core HT HTPC (Sandybridge) Review

The ASRock Core HT system is covered with adhesive, protective wrap to further protect the piano black finish from damage during shipping.

At the front of the chassis, there is a vent at the side for air flow. Our review unit was supplied with a bluray player. Underneath the drive are two USB 3.0 ports, a microphone and headphone jack and a power on and off button. It measures 195 mm x 70 mm x 186 mm (WxHxL).

The rear connectivity is surprisingly good. There is a power connector to the far left, an optical S/PDIF out port, 5 audio jacks for 7:1 surround sound (THX TruStudio Pro), a RJ45 LAN port (Gigabit), 2 more USB 3.0 ports (blue), 4 USB 2.0 ports (black), HDMI and VGA out and a eSATA 3 port. There is a cooling fan at the far right. The ASRock Core HT is fully connected and covers almost every eventuality. The only thing missing is a DVI connector, but there are HDMI converters and cables available for very low cost online.

ASRock include an anti movement mat in the package, a useful addition to the bundle. It ensures that the ASRock Core HT PC won't move at all, even when placed on a shiny wooden surface.

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