Cincoze DS-1402

The DS-1400 Series is inherently designed for fanless operation; there is simply not enough room for enough fan-based cooling in these very compact industrial PCs. However, unlike fixed, non-expandable systems with known thermal loads, DS-1400 Series systems, like the DS-1300 platform before it, can be configured with such a wide variety of processors and an almost infinite number of possible expansion cards and modules that additional active cooling is possible as well. Our review unit came with a high performance Intel Core i9 processor, as well as a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 graphics card. That meant a big booster fan on top of the heatsink as well as an internal fan and the fans that's part of the GTX 1630 card.

The Cincoze DS-1402, like almost all industrial and box PCs, is a simple and straight-forward design from the outside. It is a precision-engineered piece of computing machinery of the highest quality. The design is rational and intelligent down to the smallest detail. Created to provide pretty much whatever I/O a customer needs as well as dual compact (up to 4.3 x 9.3 inch) PCI or PCIe-based expansion cards, the DS-1402's full-load maximum power consumption is 150 watts, supports a wide range of DC power input from 9 to 48 Volt, and can make available up to 110 watts to PCI/PCIe slots.

The picture below shows the system from the back where much of its I/O ports reside:

Unlike with panel PCs that often have all of their I/O facing down on the backside of the unit, box PCs generally have I/O both on the front and on the back. Our review Cincoze DS-1402 provided the following external ports on the back:

• 1 x VGA (1920 x 1080 @60Hz )
• 1 x Legacy PS/2
• 2 x RJ45 GbE LAN (GbE 1: Intel I219; GbE 2: Intel I210)
• 2 x DB9 RS-232/422/485 with Auto Flow Control (supports 5V/12V)
• 1 x Audio Line-out 3.5mm
• 1 x Audio Mic-in 3.5mm
• 1 x Remote power LED
• 1 x Remote On/Off
• 4 x 5Gbps USB 3.2 Gen1 Type A
• 2 x 10Gbps USB 3.2 Gen2 Type A
• 2 x 480Mbps USB 2.0 Type A
• 1 x DisplayPort (4096 x 2304 @60Hz)
• 1 x DC power-in and ignition
• 1 x External fan power
• 2 x Antenna pass-through
• 2 x PCI/PCIe expansion cut-out
• 3 x Universal I/O brackets

Standard front I/O consists of:

• 1 x DisplayPort (4096 x 2340 @60Hz)
• 1 x HDMI (4096 x 2160 @30Hz)
• 2 x 10Gbps USB 3.2 Gen2 Type A
• 1 x ATX power on/off button

CMI modules — CMI stands for Combined Multiple I/O and is a proprietary Cincoze interface. Our review DS-1402 came with dual CMI-LAN01 modules that each added four additional RJ45 GbE LAN ports. Available CMI modules for the DS-1402 provide:

• 4 x GbE LAN with RJ45 jacks
• 2 x 10GbE LAN with RJ45 jacks
• 4 x GbE LAN with M12 connectors
• 4 x GbE LAN with M12 X-coded connectors
• 4 x isolated RS232 with 5V/12V support and DB9 connectors
• 4 x isolated RS232/422/485 with 5V/12V support and DB9 connectors
• 16 x DIO (8DI, 8DO)

The CFM module for the DS-1402 provides:

• A power ignition sensing module with delay time management and selectable 12V/24V voltage
• A PoE (Power over Ethernet) module, individual port 25.5W

• 2 x RS232
• 2 x 5Gbps USB 3.2 Gen1, Type A
• 2 x GbE LAN, RJ45

As we've come to expect from Cincoze, while their products may largely be geared towards industrial customers, that never comes at the cost of attractive design and an ergonomic user interface. An example is the DS-1402's power and a temperature warning LED indicator light with various colors for system temperatur levels, lights for disk and GPIO activity, and then the activity of the two primary Ethernet lines.

While all units have the same footprint, the basic DS-1400 is 3.46 inches tall, the DS-1401 4.25 inches, and the DS-1402 5.03 inches. That means a different chassis and a different heat sink. The incremental height is used to accommodate either one or two PCI/PCIe expansion slots on a riser card that plugs into the system board.

The illustration to the right shows the three currently available DS-1400 models. Each is a different height to accommodate internal expansion as well as the port cutouts for those expansions.

There are pros and cons to a modular system that requires entirely different housings rather than just bolting expansion boxes onto a base unit.

Among the advantages are a more cohesive look, more structural stability and — crucial in fanless systems — the presence of adequate additional cooling through the larger and heavier finned heatsink.

Disadvantages may include the need to stock three different size units rather than just base units and the anticipated number of expansion boxes.

Below you can see the Cincoze DS-1402 opened up. Dismantling a DS-140x unit isn't difficult but, before you get started, you have to figure out how the design fits together and comes apart. As is, the flat bottom plate, held in place with six small screws, is removed first. Then you undo a couple of face plate screws. If no expansions are installed, it's then a simple matter of loosening the screws of four latches that very cleverly secure the entire chassis and all electronics in place. The way it works is that the latches have corresponding grooves in the heat sink. Excellent idea. Once the latches are retracted, the whole chassis simply lifts out. It is a bit more complex when expansion cards are installed and we'll get to that.

Note the light blue rectangles. Those are thermal conductive silicone rubber pads that conduct heat away from the processor and other electronics to the finned external heat sink. The pads are reusable as long as they remain in good condition upon removal of the heat sink.

And note, of course, that this is not just your average basic heat sink. It actually reveals one of the many interesting details and design solutions of the Cincoze DS-1402: the heat sink is more than just an extruded aluminum part; it has copper heat piping integrated in it, optimizing cooling. While overall the DS-1400 Series is a fanless design, it is also modular — if more cooling is needed for a higher-end CPU and its ancillary electronics or for an add-on card, it becomes a powerful hybrid active/passive thermal cooling solution. Our review unit had the most powerful CPU, and so came with a bolt-on fan on top of the unit, pulling cool air through the external fins to increase cooling.

Looking onto the top side of the DS-1402's motherboard (shown below), it's a thing of beauty. On the left are the two CMI expansion modules. On the right a aluminum platform where a standard 2-1/2-inch SATA disk can be mounted on. In the cutout of that base sits one of the unit's mini PCIe sockets.

The square heat sink with its copper heat pipes both cools and conducts heat away from electronics and into the massive external finned heat sink, representing excellent industrial design. Too bad these beautifully machined components are hidden away and not visible to the eye!

Below is an enlarged look at the bottom of the chassis with the NVIDIA graphics card and some other mounting hardware removed.

Note the cutout in the upper right. That's where up to three MEC expansions can go. Our review unit didn't have any of those, and so the space was used to place a fan to augment active cooling of an optional discrete graphics card. On the upper left are the unit's dual SO-DIMM RAM sockets. Our sample came with 4800 MHz Cervoz DDR5 SODIMM memory that Cincoze says improves performance considerably compared to the slower DDR4 RAM used in DS-1300 Series units. In addition, DDR5 supports ECC memory for those who need it. On the lower left is the aluminum-enclosed bay for an externally accessible 2-1/2 inch SATA hard or solid state disk.

The two cutouts on the right of the chassis show two additional empty Mini-PCIe card sockets. Below those is the unit's M.2 Key M connector for a PCIe NVMe SSD, in our unit an M.2 2280 Cervoz 512GB T435 model.

Below that is the PCI/PCIe riser card that, for the DS-1402, comes in four different versions:

• 2 x PCIe x8 slots
• 1 x PCIe x16 and 1 x PCI ex1
• 1 x PCIe x16 and 1 x PCI
• 2 x PCI slots

The question then becomes how much more. The Cincoze GP-3000 GPU computer we reviewed some time ago ago was built to accommodate high-end graphics cards then available, such as the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3090 that was capable of extremely high Open CL performance (Open CL is a programming language used to exploit the full performance of graphics cards for advanced applications).

That extreme graphics high-end is not what Cincoze is after with the DS-1402. The goal here was to create a compact system that can accommodate PCI/PCIe expansion cards including those that add affordable extra graphics performance that is well above the graphics integrated in Intel CPUs. And the NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 1630 that was in our review unit is such a system. It adds a nice bit of extra graphics punch, although not nearly as much as expensive high-end graphics cards from nVidia or AMD. The GTX 1630 card in our test system costs just a fraction of such high-end cards, need much less power, and generate far less heat and noise. The picture below shows the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630-based MSI card.

When we reviewed the Cincoze DS-1302 three years ago, it came with a space-saving nVidia GeForce GTX-1650-based Zotec low-profile card. At the time we asked if such low profile graphics cards are the answer for everyone? The answer, of course, was that it depends. If maximum graphics performance is required, a small form factor cards will likely not do. But it may be fast enough for a given job, and can handle specific graphics requirements at a much lower cost.

The same can be said of the GTX-1630 Cincoze sent us with the DS-1402. It's a newer card that draws just 75 watts. What kind of performance improvements can you expect from adding a low-profile graphics card to an embedded system like the DS-1402? That depends on system configuration, the type of graphics card, and the application. We did some benchmark testing with and without the discrete graphics card installed. The results varied greatly, ranging from a massive a 650% improvement in Open CL performance, nearly the same improvement in the 3DMark Time Spy benchmark, and overall 25% improvement in PCMark 10, to very little different in PassMark 6.1 and CrystalMark. What it boils down to is matching the capabilities and strong sides of an add-on card to the task at hand.

The question is, given the AI-fueled skyrocketing demand for maximum graphics power and dedicated memory, how much incentive is provided with the ability to add lower-end dedicated graphics cards?

The image below shows another one of those special touches we've come to expect from Cincoze computers. It's a clever PCI/PCIe card patented retainer system designed to securely lock PCI/PCIe expansion cards in place. The retainers are adjustable to firmly keep cards in their slots. That provides extra protection from cards shaking loose due to vibration or shocks on the job in vehicles or other rolling stock.

Almost all materials conduct heat, albeit to greatly varying degrees. Thermal conductivity is measured in watts per square meter of surface area for a temperature gradient of one degree Kelvin through a distance one meter.

When it comes to heat sinks and heat pipes in computers, the materials used are generally aluminum and copper. Copper offers about 70% higher thermal conductivity than aluminum, but costs about three times as much weighs more than three times as much.

As a result, in computers copper is primarily used for heat pipes guiding heat away from CPUs and other heat generating electronics. Copper is also used for small thermal conducting plates and such. Aluminum, on the other hand, is frequently used to dissipate heat on the outside of industrial computers, with heavily finned surfaces creating as much heat-dissipating surface as possible.

So both materials have their place, but by and large, systems designers use either one or the other. Cincoze, however, decided to use both, taking advantage of the special properties of each metal.

In the DS-1400 Series, Cincoze uses a hybrid copper/aluminum design where both the CPU heat sink as well as the primary external fanned heat sink and dissipator use both metals. The copper pipes secured into grooves in the actively air-cooled aluminum finned heat sink spread heat faster than aluminum. This way, more heat gets removed faster.

This results in an elaborate, intelligent and nicely executed solution. It'd be overkill if the DS-1400 Series were a one-size-fits-all type of system with predictable heat loads. But that's not the case here; the Series is highly configurable and scaleable. A DS-1400 system equipped with one of the lesser available CPUs with TDPs as low as 35 watts runs cool even at full speed all day without any fans at all. But the DS-1400 Series was designed for scaleable performance with much hotter running CPUs and hot-running expansions. So Cincoze designed it to stay cool no matter what.

The thermal images below were taken with our FLIR One Pro camera. It shows our review DS-1402 in the midst of running one of the demanding 3DMark TimeSpy benchmark. As you can see, equipped with the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1630 card, exhaust and surface temperatures didn't even reach 80F. So the decision to use or not use a (fairly loud) fan with a DS-1400 IPC depends on the processor as well as on workload and expected ambient temperatures.

As is, to provide an idea of the relative performance of the so-equipped Cincoze DS-1402, we ran our standard benchmark suites lineup — PassMark (both versions 6.1 and 9.0), CrystalMark, PC Mark 10, GeekBench and 3DMark, and listed not just the overall results but also some specific graphics benchmarks. For comparison, we added benchmark data of the predecessor Cincoze DS-1302, the Cincoze GP-3000 with its big Geforce RTX 3090 card we recently tested, and also the Cincoze GM-1000 embedded GPU industrial Box PC.

We also wanted to show where the Cincoze DS-1402 stood compared to the highest level of performance you can get in 2024 from rugged server-class laptops equipped with high-end Intel 10th and 11th generation Core processors. We're not naming those reference systems as they are not directly in competition with industrial GPU computers; they are just here for reference.

Cincoze DS-1402 Benchmarks and Comparisons

Manufacturer	Cincoze	Cincoze	Cincoze	Cincoze	Getac	Winmate
Model	DS-1402	DS-1302	GP-3000	GM-1000	X600	L156AD-M1
Year tested	2024	2021	2021	2020	2023	2024
Type	IPC	IPC	IPC	IPC	rugged laptop	rugged laptop
Intel processor	Core i9-12900E	Xeon W-1270E	Xeon E-2278GEL	Core i7-9700TE	Core i7-11950H	Core i7-13700H
Cores/threads	8/16	8/16	8/16	8/8	8/16	6/20
CPU base speed	2.30GHz	3.40GHz	3.30GHz	1.80GHz	NA	NA
CPU turbo speed	5.00GHz	4.80GHz	4.70GHz	3.80GHz	5.00GHz	5.00GHz
Thermal Design Power	65 watts	80 watts	80 watts	35 watts	35/45 watts	45/115 watts
Discrete GPU	GTX 1630	GTX 1650	RTX 3090	Intel UHD 630	RTX 3000	RTX A1000
PassMark 6.1	10,671	10,580	9,197	6,601	6,430	18,369
PassMark 9.0	7,660	7,224	6,856	4,096	6,561	7,613
PassMark 9.0 3D	5,455	9,376	15,590	1,163	4,546	4,509
CrystalMark	613,844	523,970	476,982	362,403	1,016,250	947,568
CrystalMark OGL	58,724	45,246	43,308	12,503	411,397	391,815
Overall PC Mark 10	7,660	6,187	6,519	NA	6,258	6,546
GeekBench 5 Single Core	1,826	1,262	1,155	NA	1,589	1,787
GeekBench 5 Multi Core	10,665	8,315	6,154	NA	6,490	10,429
GeekBench 5 Open CL	24,550	39,398	188,649	NA	76,335	19,990
3D Mark TimeSpy	2,347	3,865	15,563	NA	5,989	2,478

The results show four things:

• First, equipped with an Intel 12th generation Core i9-12900E processor and a dedicated Nvidia GTX 1350 graphics card, our Cincoze DS-1402 evaluation unit performed at an overall level as high or higher than even the highest-end rugged mobile laptop or tablet systems.

• Second, equipped this way, graphics performance can be higher than even what is available with some of the discrete mobile GPUs optionally available in mobile systems — albeit not as high as full-size top-of-the-line, full-size GPU cards with much higher power draws.

• Third, given the very large number of CPU options Cincoze offers for the DS-1402 computer platform, customers should test for themselves how various CPU/GPU combinations perform.

• And forth, don't forget that overall system performance depends on the performance of all components. Even systems equipped with very powerful discrete graphics will still benefit from also having the fastest available PCIe NVMe storage.

The graph below shows the DS-1402's CPU, Graphics and Overall scores in the demanding 3DMark Time Spy benchmark. On the left are the scores with the benchmark running on the integrated Intel UHD Graphics 770, and on the right the scores with the benchmark run on the dedicated nVidia GeForce 1630 card. As you can see, the difference is substantial, with the GeForce run 2.64 times faster than using just the integrated Intel graphics. This multiplier, of course, only applies to this particular benchmarks. It may be lower or higher on other graphics benchmarks. Bottomline line, though, is that the discrete card can make a big difference. Interesting also that with the benchmark using the discrete GPU, the results were virtually the same when connecting the monitor to the system HDMI port ot the HDMI port on the nVidia card. frequencies high, and the DS-1302 apparently can do that.

To help with the CPU decision, peruse the table below. It shows all the different Intel 12th "Alder Lake-S" generation processors available for the Cincoze DS-1402:

The operating temperature range can be as wide as -40°F to 158°F with a low-end 35 watt TDP CPU, and varies depending on processor and GPU options. The upper operating temperature limit drops to 122°F with a 60-65 watt TDP processor even with the external fan kit.

The Cincoze DS-1402 also passed the stringent MIL-STD-810H military standard shock and vibration resistance tests that the US Department of Defense uses to qualify military equipment.

Overall, Cincoze observed proper rugged design principles for this type and class of machine, including the unibody chassis, cable- and jumper-less design as well as integrated anti-vibration measures. They also sought to comply with all pertaining EN 50121-3-2 (EN 50155) rolling stock, and EN62368-1 safety rolling stock standards to ensure stable and reliable performance of the unit. That also includes medical-grade ESD and interference protection, solid-state components as well as wide 9-48VDC input voltage support.

Ruggedness also requires secure mounting methods. Here, the Cincoze DS-1402 offers a wall-mount kit that looks like it could also be used for other mounting locations.

However, even SSDs have their bottlenecks. In terms of performance, for a good while that bottleneck was the SATA interface between the storage module and the computer. The SATA standard has been around for two decades, and its data transmission speed has been maxed out.

The Cincoze DS-1402 offers plenty of onboard wired communication to fit just about any application, augmented by combined multiple I/O interface options as well as ignition sensing for vehicular applications. There is room for plenty of storage, ranging from dual 2.5-inch SATA HDDs or SDDs with RAID 0/1/5/10 support to an M.2 socket for high-speed NVMe SSDs. Thanks to its support for low-profile as well as standard width GPU cards, the very compact DS-1402 is suitable for any number of applications that not only need high-end processing power, but also more GPU performance than integrated graphics can provide. Impressive as well is the superb product documentation and the very detailed product manual. -- Conrad H. Blickenstorfer, December 2024