Haswell NUCs? When?

[jaydee]

someone wants suggest to me? please

What are you going to do with the Zbox that is memory bandwidth limiting?

 

[NTMBK]

What are you going to do with the Zbox that is memory bandwidth limiting?

Using the IGP?

 

[zarellaro]

basically full HD movie and light image editor, some video streaming and office work. What about do you think?

 

[jaydee]

basically full HD movie and light image editor, some video streaming and office work. What about do you think?

I don't think any of those tasks are going to suffer due to single channel memory. I too wish they would have found a way to get a 2nd DIMM slot in there, but mostly for upgrade-ability.


Here's a link (bottom graph) that shows the affect of dual memory channels for the HD 4000 in gaming benchmarks, but I don't think non-games will share the same impact, I don't have any benchmarks though.

http://www.notebookcheck.net/Performance-and-Scaling-Overview-of-Intel-HD-Graphics-4000.82847.0.html

 

[aigomorla]

i want one with 2 gigabit nics instead of 2 HDMI's.

And u guys... i had problems running my other NUC on HD Movies @ 1080p .mkv format.

I am leaning to the CPU not being powerful enough, because when i replaced it to that zotac which has a faster processor, i dont see the same problems.

It could also be that im using CCCP codec package and not VLC... as i dont like VLC's interface over media player classic.

But i thought i share to you why i dont use my NUC anymore and sold it off to my uncle who doesnt have any 1080p collections... nor intends to start a digital library in 1080p.

 

[jaydee]

i want one with 2 gigabit nics instead of 2 HDMI's.

And u guys... i had problems running my other NUC on HD Movies @ 1080p .mkv format.

I am leaning to the CPU not being powerful enough, because when i replaced it to that zotac which has a faster processor, i dont see the same problems.

It could also be that im using CCCP codec package and not VLC... as i dont like VLC's interface over media player classic.

But i thought i share to you why i dont use my NUC anymore and sold it off to my uncle who doesnt have any 1080p collections... nor intends to start a digital library in 1080p.

Which NUC model did you have, and which Zotac model do you have now?

 

[aigomorla]

Which NUC model did you have, and which Zotac model do you have now?

the black nuc... its not the lowest model.. and not the red one with thunderbolt.

replaced to a zotac id89

 

[jaydee]

the black nuc... its not the lowest model.. and not the red one with thunderbolt.

replaced to a zotac id89

This guy? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16856102002

I would think even an i3-3217U (1.8GHz, no turbo) with HD4000 would be able to handle 1080p... The ID89 has a i5-3470t (2.6GHz w/turbo), but only HD2500. Isn't video decode helped by the GPU these days?

 

[Mushkins]

This guy? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16856102002

I would think even an i3-3217U (1.8GHz, no turbo) with HD4000 would be able to handle 1080p... The ID89 has a i5-3470t (2.6GHz w/turbo), but only HD2500. Isn't video decode helped by the GPU these days?

This confuses me too, I have an old laptop with intel integrated graphics that could play 1080p video just fine. Are you doing realtime transcoding or applying a bunch of quality filters or something?

Sounds like something else is going on.

 

[aigomorla]

This confuses me too, I have an old laptop with intel integrated graphics that could play 1080p video just fine. Are you doing realtime transcoding or applying a bunch of quality filters or something?

Sounds like something else is going on.

nah if u google on the nuc u see it has issues playing at 29fps on 1080p.

its mostly on the older codecs which .mkv uses.
However most of my digital library was backed up into .mkv from years ago (i would pick up the Blue Rays on Sale and then encode it.. and then toss it in a box),
and i would rather not have reencode from my originals to fill insufficient hardware.
Were talking almost 6TB in digital library i would need to re encode... i am not dragging out the box i have in my basement with all my BL.

As i am playing a HD movie, it would freeze and start up again every 15-30 seconds..

I tried GPU acceleration... not working.
I tried connecting it to a usb to source... not working...
I tried to stream it... again not working... unless i had a server side Decoder which requires a ton of config... something im not willing to setup if i dont need to.

Installed windows 7 on a zotac... everything works flawlessly on an identically setup system.

The only difference between the zotac and intel... well.... the zotac is 2x faster.. 1.8ghz vs 2.6
NUC is a Q77 package... the zotac is a H61 which intel slab'd later on as Thin ITX...
(not to be confused with Mini Itx.. ITX... Thin ITX is thinner then Standard ITX.)


This problem i also noticed on a Atom based system... which is why im leading to think it was cpu limited... because the problems the nuc was having was the exact same problems i had with atoms...

and why i only use them as firewall routers now... (why i also want dual nic's on a NUC... it would be the TINIEST MOST POWERFUL firewall box u could buy.)
They make awesome Pfsense / Smoothwall boxes...

HTPC.. ugh... no... id rather setup a thin itx.. which the zotac is based off.

 

[voodoo7817]

I am also very interested in the NUCs but am having a hard time figuring out a use-case where something a little larger, like the ZBOX (and its better performance), isn't the better option. I understand the size difference but I am having a hard time thinking where something that small is actually needed. Someone mentioned VESA compatibility, which I believe the ZBOX covers too. Is there another type of compatibility that only these NUCs satisfy?

If there isn't a "technical" compatibility issue that devices these size solve, what are people planning to use their NUCs for that they couldn't use something larger? Aigo right above mentioned a firewall box, but I'm not sure I need one right now. Any other ideas?

I'm asking because I have an older MacMini as an HTPC that I've been thinking I want to replace and it appears that something like a Haswell NUC or a Haswell ZBOX (or equivalent) would be a good fit. While part of me wants to get something as small as a NUC *just because*, I'm not sure I can justify getting one instead of something larger for HTPC use. So if I get a ZBOX-type HTPC, what could I possibly use the NUC for?

 

[blackened23]

I just noticed the new Haswell NUC will have HD5000:

http://www.legitreviews.com/intel-nuc-kit-d54250wyk-spotted-at-pax-prime-w-haswell-cpu-inside_122531

What the eff, man? Desktop gets 4600? Anyways, here's a pic:

 

[aigomorla]

I am also very interested in the NUCs but am having a hard time figuring out a use-case where something a little larger, like the ZBOX (and its better performance), isn't the better option. I understand the size difference but I am having a hard time thinking where something that small is actually needed. Someone mentioned VESA compatibility, which I believe the ZBOX covers too. Is there another type of compatibility that only these NUCs satisfy?

If there isn't a "technical" compatibility issue that devices these size solve, what are people planning to use their NUCs for that they couldn't use something larger? Aigo right above mentioned a firewall box, but I'm not sure I need one right now. Any other ideas?

I'm asking because I have an older MacMini as an HTPC that I've been thinking I want to replace and it appears that something like a Haswell NUC or a Haswell ZBOX (or equivalent) would be a good fit. While part of me wants to get something as small as a NUC *just because*, I'm not sure I can justify getting one instead of something larger for HTPC use. So if I get a ZBOX-type HTPC, what could I possibly use the NUC for?

the zbox wins...
because mainly this:

processor too slow for usage.. upgrade it...
Processor then too fast when you change duty on it... downgrade it..

:hmm:

Want a larger SSD? on the Zotac its easy cuz u dont need to worry about mSATA.

Like to use Wifi a lot.. even better cuz the NUC used to overheat and crash .The Wifi module would over heat the mSATA and halt it.

The NUC has some good points.. however... if ur a moderate hobbyist... u will get sick and bored of it quickly.

 

[bullzz]

nice find blackenend. desktop users cud always overclock or even add a graphics card if needed. cant do that with Nucs. good thinking by intel though

 

[Fjodor2001]

The NUC that blackened23 linked to looks nice!

Will there be any similar ones with 4 cores? Or will the compact design not allow for the additional TDP? Perhaps it will be possible with Broadwell.

Also, no NUCs with slim slot-in Blu-ray burner? And audio-out on the back instead of (or in addition to) the front?

 

[crashtech]

IrisPro + VESA mount would do it for me. Those new NUC kits are looking pretty tasty. That's exactly what I want for the wife's desktop replacement.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I just noticed the new Haswell NUC will have HD5000:

http://www.legitreviews.com/intel-nuc-kit-d54250wyk-spotted-at-pax-prime-w-haswell-cpu-inside_122531

What the eff, man? Desktop gets 4600? Anyways, here's a pic:

I spy a single lone SATA port in the middle, in blue. Wonder what that could be for? Is there enough room inside the NUC for a laptop-sized HDD?

 

[aigomorla]

I spy a single lone SATA port in the middle, in blue. Wonder what that could be for? Is there enough room inside the NUC for a laptop-sized HDD?

no...

im guessing its a esata extender..

so they might have addons which u can just press ontop of the nuc to give it more Storage outside mSATA.
Like an XBOX HDD how it sort of just clipped on.

 

[blackened23]

I spy a single lone SATA port in the middle, in blue. Wonder what that could be for? Is there enough room inside the NUC for a laptop-sized HDD?

Yes and no! You have to use a different enclosure and find a way to power it:

Intel also included a single SATA III header, so you can add another storage drive or an optical drive if you wish. The only issue is that there is no way to fit something like a 2.5″ SATA storage drive in this super small enclosure. It would have been nice if Intel included enough room for a 7mm z-height drive, but that didn’t happen. Even if they did include a way to mount a drive in this chassis, they don’t have a way to power it.

Also:

Intel is considering an Iris Pro version of the NUC which would be amazing for "light" gaming in the living room.

Intel is considering making an Iris Pro version and if that ever comes to market it will need a larger power adapter.

All in all it looks like a nice product.

 

[aigomorla]

why is everyone all interested in mini's..

this is still a very new field in PC...
Its probably the best time to get into mini's if ur bored of overclocking.

Cuz now its not how fast can you go... its how tiny can you get...

 

[blackened23]

It's a pretty amazing piece of kit for a living room - I just want something that is along the lines of a HTPC without taking a lot of space. Something I can do media streaming with and occassional light gaming on the HDTV.

And of course i'll have the behemoth when I need serious gaming or need more CPU grunt.

 

[Hero1711]

Thanks blackened23, I will wait for the Iris Pro NUC.

 

[blackened23]

Thanks blackened23, I will wait for the Iris Pro NUC.

It's not confirmed, though! I hope it happens, but Intel is only "considering" it at the moment according to LR. The normal Haswell NUC is slated for an October release - i'm definitely going to pick one up! (also crossing my fingers for an Iris Pro version)

 

[seitur]

I just noticed the new Haswell NUC will have HD5000:

http://www.legitreviews.com/intel-nuc-kit-d54250wyk-spotted-at-pax-prime-w-haswell-cpu-inside_122531

What the eff, man? Desktop gets 4600? Anyways, here's a pic:

Yeah. All other small factor non-NUC solutions will not have possiblity of HD 5000/5100
Clever since this will give Intel NUCs a competetive advantage, but sucks for people which would want to build i.e. mITX / LGA solution.

 

[crashtech]

Iris Pro being available only on NUC boards will enable Intel to command a price premium for them, which makes it less likely I will play along.

I wonder if there is a VESA-mountable SFF case that would accomodate a 1U style PCIe riser...