Monarch Hornet Pro: "SFF" meets PCI Express, DDR2

Final Words

Let's first begin by talking about the Hornet Pro's cons. As you saw in our June 21st Prescott article, the LGA775 platform offers no performance increase over Intel's Socket 478 Pentium 4 platform or AMD's Socket 754/939/940 AMD Athlon 64 platforms. In fact, in the majority of today's popular programs, LGA775 Prescott platforms generally perform slower than Athlon 64 platforms. That's not to say that Prescott systems are slow; it just means that Athlon 64 systems are faster, and sometimes considerably faster than LGA775, while sometimes being considerably cheaper too. Therefore, the choice of CPU platform with this Hornet Pro system isn't ideal in terms of pure performance, and depending on what your exact needs are, that's either a minor detail or a huge negative.

One other con next to the Hornet Pro's lower performance is that it is priced a bit high for a barebones system; approximately $400 without bells and whistles like see-through side panels, cathode neon lights, and even the Ferrari Red Custom Paint aluminum case. $400 is quite a bit of cash to spend on barebones SFF even if it is a cutting edge system, especially considering that the platform's performance isn't the absolute best available on the market. Still, other manufacturers like Shuttle are pricing their Socket 775 barebone SFFs around $400 as well, so we can't really complain too much, especially considering all the work Monarch has put into its quality case. In fact, we wouldn't really view the price as a "con" per se, but more as a necessary sacrifice.

Of course, there are also quite a few positive attributes about this system. Firstly, the little things about this system really stand out. Cables and wires are tied down and neatly organized so that you won't have to go through the time-consuming task of reorganizing your case's internals (this allows for better air flow and just a generally neater case). Secondly, you get to see temperature readings from outside the case on the front panel, a very convenient way of monitoring your system quickly and easily. Thirdly, there's a very useful carrying handle located on the front of the Hornet Pro, which undoubtedly will come in handy for LAN parties, or any type of traveling you do at all. Fourthly, if you decide to get see-through side panels with your Hornet Pro, you'll receive an 80mm case fan attached to the right side panel, allowing further cooling of your components.

Finally, probably one of the most appealing aspects of this system is its ultra attractive case design and the multiple color arrangements you get to choose with it. Our unit shipped with Ferrari Red, but you also have the choice of Indigo, Black, and Mustang Yellow. The aluminum construction, rounded corners, and well designed panel arrangement make the Hornet Pro a delight to use and light enough to carry to those LAN parties. We really can't emphasize enough how attractive this computer case is despite its large size; it's one of those things you just have to see to appreciate. All in all, this is easily the coolest looking "SFF" we've ever seen.

So with that all said, we can safely say that if you purchase Monarch's pre-built Hornet Pro system, you will be enjoying one of the fastest systems on the planet. It'll still be slower than the very best, but it'll be pretty fast considering the pre-installed components (dual 74GB Raptors, 6800 Ultra, 3.4GHz CPU, etc.) that come with the system. Where you may enjoy the Hornet Pro more is as a barebones system where you will be able to purchase hardware whenever you like and tweak your system to your exact specifications whenever you like. Perhaps most importantly, you'll have piece of mind knowing that your Hornet Pro revolves around an Intel motherboard backed by a 3 year warranty to go along with Monarch's tech support and standard system warranty as well. The track record and reliability of a manufacturer(s) and their warranties are sometimes overlooked by enthusiasts infatuated by performance numbers, and that is one major reason why we think the Hornet Pro should be given serious consideration among hardcore enthusiasts. Ultimately, though, what could keep many enthusiasts away from the Hornet Pro is its slower performance and higher price compared to Athlon 64 systems. If you had to buy the Hornet Pro today you'd be making a fine purchase, but it couldn't hurt to wait and see how LGA775 SFFs from other manufacturers (Shuttle, Soltek, etc.) perform and at what price points they become available. And if you're anything like me, you are probably also interested in seeing how Socket 939 Athlon 64 SFFs pan out.

As always, you can read our previous SFF reviews for more information on all types of SFFs by clicking the "Systems" tab at the top of this page.