Gigabyte GB-BX i7H-5500 Broadwell Brix Review

[Burpo]

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8941/gigabyte-gbbxi7h5500-broadwell-brix-review

GIGABYTE GB-BXi7H-5500 Specifications
Processor Intel Core i7-5500U
(2C/4T x 2.40 GHz, 14nm, 4MB L2, 15W TDP)
Memory 2x 8GB DDR3L-1866
Graphics Intel HD Graphics 5500
Disk Drive(s) Samsung SSD 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" SSD
Networking 1x Realtek RTL8111 GbE, 1x1 Intel AC3160 802.11ac Wi-Fi
Audio Capable of 5.1/7.1 digital output with HD audio bitstreaming (HDMI)
Operating System Retail unit is barebones, but we installed Windows 8.1 Pro x64
Pricing (As configured) $786

Full Specifications GIGABYTE GB-BXi7H-5500 http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=5326#sp

 

[SAAA]

Good system, but I was sincerely expecting something more from this tick, like not only base but significant turbo speed increases.

They barely managed to outperform the predecessor and mostly using that TDP room on sustained performance, which isn't bad at all but nothing special too.
Is there a reason 4.5W can give us 2.9GHz in core M but just 3% more with 15W?

Seriously it seems like they are keeping speeds down only to give a big bump after, maybe with Skylake to make it look even better.

 

[Qwertilot]

Think the key there is the 'sustained' part of it

 

[know of fence]

These devices offer pitiful value (performance/$), and loud and inadequate cooling solutions, Which AT doesn't even bother to test.
But there is an argument to be made for these things in terms of power consumption which is basically an order of magnitude lower than that of assembled PCs.
One thing is clear from all these reviews that lowest idle is clearly correlated to max TDP.
Why can't we have lower idle consumption with more powerful hardware, who or what is the cultprit?

 

[Yuriman]

I just moved my 3570K from full ATX to ITX, and recorded the power consumption figures before and after. Going from a 680w PSU, 80+, to a 380w 80+ bronze, and from a full size ATX board to a Zotac ITX board, my idle power consumption dropped from 78w to 47w, with the only other component difference between the two otherwise being a single 92mm fan. I'm sure part of it is from downsizing the power supply, thus moving into a more efficient part of its range.