Finally! A net-top box with a ULV CPU, not the Atom

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
27,730
8
0
http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/28/zotacs-zboxes-are-small-ion-fueled-and-cheap/

If you're like us, you're constantly on the hunt for the perfect small computer. Now, we're not saying we've found it in this new set of Zotac Zboxes... but we do like where they're coming from. The minimal slivers pack Ion chipsets along with Intel CULV CPUs, making for a power-sipping experience that can actually push a couple of pixels (a couple, not many more). The company is dishing out a few varieties of the mini PCs, all loaded with some variation of Intel's Celeron processors. The HD series (the NS21 and ND22) pack a Celeron 743 or SU2300 CULV (respectively), DDR3 RAM slots, a 2.5-inch hard drive slot, HDMI and DVI-I ports, along with NVIDIA's Ion GPU. There's also an ITX series, all sporting those same CPUs, a single PCI Express x16 slot, a handful of SATA / eSATA hookups, and HDMI, DVI-D, and VGA connections. All the systems have a slew of USB ports, the boxes can be mounted in four different positions (including on the back of a monitor), and though retail pricing hasn't been announced, it looks like at least the ND22 should list for around $270. Hit the source link for all the details, and More Coverage for a review.

Not quite what I want exactly, CPUs are a little slow and the pricey a little high. Would prefer they offered better ULV chips than the Celeron SU2300.

Would SU4100 and SU7300s really be difficult, heat and powerwise, in a chassis that small? Since they fit into notebook chassis smaller than this, I can't see why not.
 

CurseTheSky

Diamond Member
Oct 21, 2006
5,401
2
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They're definitely going in the right direction with these. For 90% of consumers out there, who just want to get online, write a couple emails and possibly watch a video or two, these things would be perfect. I'm hoping they can manage to get the price down to $200 or less at some point.
 

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
22,377
2
81
Nice for nettops, but I don't see the point at those prices for mini ITX, with an H55 chipset ITX board and Pentium G9650 going for not much more. I just built such a setup (micro ATX though) and the system idles at 35W, up to 42W normal use and loads just under 80W. Also, S3 sleep at 2W.
 

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
318
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This is worthless for HTPCs. Sure its more CPU, but still not enough to do something like decode a 1080p movie on the CPU. I would rather have an Atom based system and save power and money.

Now give me i3 power at that price, and we can talk....
 

Bateluer

Lifer
Jun 23, 2001
27,730
8
0
This is worthless for HTPCs. Sure its more CPU, but still not enough to do something like decode a 1080p movie on the CPU. I would rather have an Atom based system and save power and money.

Now give me i3 power at that price, and we can talk....

I'm fairly certain its technically possible to fit an i3 CPU in something with those dimensions, but I'll wager there's some licensing issues that prevent it. Various i3 laptops have dimensions that same size.

MiniITX system are cool, but for the most part, you have to build them yourself. Hardly something that's going to have mass market appeal.
 

DaveSimmons

Elite Member
Aug 12, 2001
40,730
670
126
The ASRock Core systems are i3 mobile chips but at $599 or $699 for systems (RAM, HDD but no Windows or player software). The Mac Mini is 2.4 GHz core duo, but $699.

So they exist, just as $600-700 systems not $2xx barebones.
 

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
318
126
So they exist, just as $600-700 systems not $2xx barebones.

No system exists that I can find that combines a decent CPU i3 or better, a real GPU (so no Intel, preferably Nvidia), and a Blu Ray drive.

That is the killer combo. Everything comes close but not quite.