ECS i-Buddie 4 Pentium 4 1.6GHz

Features - Software

Unlike any other prepackaged notebook we have seen, the i-Buddie 4 comes from the factory with no operating system or applications installed. In fact, the only software the i-Buddie 4 comes with is a driver and utility CD. The CD contains drivers for Windows 9x/ME, Windows 2000, and Windows XP, making all those operating systems a viable option for the system. Also included are a few applications, most notably PC-cillin 2000 and WinDVD. The lack of operating system is a big drawback for the i-Buddie 4, as it quickly adds to the cost of the system and adds to the time required to get the desknote up and running.

One unique feature of the i-Buddie 4 that comes as a result of its desktop heart is its BIOS. As a desktop BIOS, the BIOS on the i-Buddie 4 is far more featured than the BIOSes we are used to seeing on mobile solutions. The BIOS allowed us to set the CAS latency for the memory, set the video memory size, and alter the TV output setting of the system. In fact, the BIOS even supports overclocking by increasing the FSB and memory clock speeds in increments of one megahertz. The FSB speed can be increased from 100MHz up to 200MHz and the memory clock can be brought up from 133MHz to up to 255MHz. The BIOS is an AMIBIOS. And don't be scared to push the system to the max: simply unplugging the unit and holding down the power button resets the BIOS settings to default.

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