Constructed of plastic and metal, the A9 has a very solid feel and topping the scales at 600g means it isn't exactly feather light either. The plastic top and sides have a high gloss finish which nicely complements many LCD TVs currently on the market. Given how narrow it is, placing additional devices such as storage or a slim DVD layer along side it on a TV shelf is easily possible.



Rear connectivity options are well laid out with only the USB-B socket (labelled 'Device') seeming out of place. The arrangement allows the A9 to maintain a fairly low profile, essential to preserving a sleek design aesthetic. Note that rear also labels the A9's power requirements, which will be pretty handy if you misplace the power supply.



The left side of the A9 features some ventilation, the second USB HOST socket and 3 in 1 card reader. The card reader is spring-loaded requiring you to insert the card fully until latched in place. The right also features two banks of ventilation, maintaining the high-gloss finish.

On the bottom you find four thick rubber feet, under which are hidden screws to access the device internals. Having such thick feet seems a little odd given the lack of moving parts in the A9; perhaps they're in case you have external mechanical storage on top of the unit and would therefore prevent vibration from being transmitted through your TV stand.



The Noontec A9's backbone is a Rockchip RK2918 System-On-a-Chip designed by the Fuzhou Rockchip Electronics Company, supporting Android OS's up-to 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich). This choice of components also allows the unit to be cooled passively, eliminating moving parts entirely and keeping the unit silent.