Introduction

We would like to thank Giada for supplying the review sample.

GIADA is a Chinese company with an active presence in the area of cloud-computing equipment. According to their "About Us" page, the brand name "Giada" is derived from the Italian word for "Jade", which symbolizes the quality and style of each and every product they produce. We find mini- and slim-PC systems, barebones, fanless mini systems, tablets, ARM based PCs, and even a motherboard for NAS servers amongst their products. In this review, we will focus on their ARM-based mini PC with model number Q11.

The Q11 runs an Android OS and is, according to its maker, ideal for digital signature usage, educational purposes, medical and home-automation systems, hotels and, of course, multimedia use at home. This small system uses a single-core ARM CPU clocked at 1 GHz, so it won't set any new records with its performance, but the CPU will do just fine for its intended purpose because it can easily handle 1080p material with the GPU and is, on top of that, very energy efficient, which makes active cooling unnecessary. The Q11 is also equipped with a battery, which allows it to handle power disruptions, and has 8 GB of flash memory. If you want more storage, there is room for a 2.5" HDD inside. Here, we should note that if you cut the power from the Q11 and its battery is charged, it is still able to start up or continue its operation if already active, operating for one minute before falling into deep sleep. Naturally, we expected it to keep operating for as long as its battery could support it for, but Giada apparently had a different opinion on this matter.

Based on its specs, the Q11 looks ideal for a consumer that needs an affordable mini PC with a lot of features. The Android OS offers a high degree of flexibility, and the connectivity options that the Q11 offers (WiFi, Bluetooth, and IR) along with the bundled HDMI port and the audio output for an external amplifier ensure that you will get the most out of this system. Let's examine the features and specifications of this small but interesting PC in more detail on the next page.

Specifications

The single-core CPU of the Q11 is clocked at 1 GHz, which looks rather weak compared to the dual- and quad-core CPUs of current Android devices. Giada was very conservative in this area. They really should use a stronger multi-core CPU. The Mali-400 GPU, on the other hand, still performs decently despite having been around for a while.

The Android OS that the Q11 runs is the 4.0.4 version (Ice Cream Sandwich), and we don't think it will get upgraded to Jelly Bean (4.2) because of the weak CPU and the unit's generally low hardware spec. Also, the unit has, according to Giada, 1 GB of available RAM, but the true value of available RAM is probably closer to 800 MB.

The unit's many I/O ports allow you to connect many storage devices to the Q11. You can also enhance its built-in 8 GB flash memory. The internals house appropriate connectors for a 2.5" HDD or SSD (SATA). The Q11 is, to our surprise, also equipped with a G-sensor (an accelerometer), the usage of which still remains a mystery to us in a mini PC unless you want to throw the Q11 out of a window and acquire detailed information about its fall.

The Q11 is equipped with three video outputs, excluding a DVI one, and features the necessary audio outputs. The networking section has a standard 10/100 Ethernet port and a built-in WiFi and Bluetooth receiver, with an IR one for the remote control. The Q11 does, as you can see, score fairly well in this area.

Strangely enough, Giada decided to equip the Q11 with a battery that will keep it alive when a power disruption occurs. This is a very interesting option and will come in handy in many situations, especially if the mains network in your area is unstable. Finally, the Q11 has very low energy demands, so you can easily leave it on 24/7 (continuously), and its dimensions are very compact. I, while its price tag looks interesting considering its features, especially for the many I/O ports that enhance its usability, do wish it had a stronger CPU.

Packaging

The Q11 comes in a small package. The front has some interesting information on its usage and informs us that this unit is based on an ARM CPU.


This side has a table with the unit's main specifications.


Our sample was, according to this table, a basic one. Things would be a lot more interesting if they were to release a unit with a quad-core CPU and 4 GB of RAM.