Wednesday, July 17, 2002
Goodbye to Hulking PCs - say hello to the miniPC revolution
Posted by Jason Dunn in "OFF-TOPIC" @ 11:00 AM
http://www6.tomshardware.com/howto/02q3/020710/index.html
This is a topic I'm quite passionate about, so stay with me here for a minute. Look at the photo below:
Except for the freaky head-thing, doesn't that rig just fill your heart with warmth? Just imagine - your PC up on your desk without it being the dominant item. And imagine it being nearly silent. I'm getting weak in the knees...
When I first saw the Shuttle last year, I was excited but immediately dismissed it because it was using an SiS graphics chip. SiS? Why would I want a SiSsy GPU like that? It turns out that the chip isn't all THAT bad, but Shuttle will offer a version with an AGP slot. Even better than that (in terms of a performance/cost ratio), nVidia has announced that Shuttle will be using their new nForce2 integrated GPU which includes support for a whole whack of killer technologies (USB 2.0, Dolby 5.1 sound, TV encoder) and some decent graphics power (GeForce 4 MX). The Shuttle units themselves use a special "heat pipe" that dissipates heat in a very unique manner. The net result? A very quiet PC (oh how I wish my wind tunnel of a PC was quiet!).
Mini-PCs like this aren't for everyone - there are some limitations (only one full external drive bay), but the form factor, tightly integrated technologies, and quiet running are very compelling. I agree wholeheartedly with the article linked above when they say that the mini-PC could be a nice shot in the arm for the whole computer industry. It represents something truly "new" that the industry hasn't seen in a while. I've seen other "micro" PCs in the past, but Shuttle seems to have hit the sweet spot of technology and design.<!>
Here's the conclusion from the article (make sure you check out the whole article):
"For the first time, we received a compact mini-PC that is convincing on nearly all fronts. The barebones system SS40 from Shuttle is factory-equipped with a cool looking aluminum case that houses a Flex-ATX motherboard and a capable power supply, as well as a heat pipe system for cooling the CPU. Considering its small dimensions (the PC takes up less than a third of the volume of standard PCs), the features that it offers are quite persuasive. All of the important components, such as graphics, sound, network and FireWire (IEEE1394), are integrated on the motherboard. So, what's the point in buying yet another big, bulky beast of a PC tower when you can have something more compact and erganomic? Compared to the bargain-basement PCs, the Shuttle system reveals good workmanship and high-quality materials. For the majority of users, a PC configuration like the one we used in this test is enough to take on all the necessary tasks.
The only limitations are with 3D games: here, the graphics are a bit too weak. However, the manufacturer plans to come out with a version complete with AGP slot soon. Together with an AMD Athlon XP 1900+ and 512 MB DDR266 (CL2), the mini-system attained high performance levels. The key to the Shuttle system is the integrated heat pipe for the CPU: the rotation speed of the finely-tuned fan is dependent on the CPU temperature.. In practice, the computer works very quietly - which is not to be taken lightly when a heat generator like the AMD Athlon is in use. If you prefer Intel CPUs, there will also be a version for the Pentium 4, to come out shortly."
This is a topic I'm quite passionate about, so stay with me here for a minute. Look at the photo below:
Except for the freaky head-thing, doesn't that rig just fill your heart with warmth? Just imagine - your PC up on your desk without it being the dominant item. And imagine it being nearly silent. I'm getting weak in the knees...
When I first saw the Shuttle last year, I was excited but immediately dismissed it because it was using an SiS graphics chip. SiS? Why would I want a SiSsy GPU like that? It turns out that the chip isn't all THAT bad, but Shuttle will offer a version with an AGP slot. Even better than that (in terms of a performance/cost ratio), nVidia has announced that Shuttle will be using their new nForce2 integrated GPU which includes support for a whole whack of killer technologies (USB 2.0, Dolby 5.1 sound, TV encoder) and some decent graphics power (GeForce 4 MX). The Shuttle units themselves use a special "heat pipe" that dissipates heat in a very unique manner. The net result? A very quiet PC (oh how I wish my wind tunnel of a PC was quiet!).
Mini-PCs like this aren't for everyone - there are some limitations (only one full external drive bay), but the form factor, tightly integrated technologies, and quiet running are very compelling. I agree wholeheartedly with the article linked above when they say that the mini-PC could be a nice shot in the arm for the whole computer industry. It represents something truly "new" that the industry hasn't seen in a while. I've seen other "micro" PCs in the past, but Shuttle seems to have hit the sweet spot of technology and design.<!>
Here's the conclusion from the article (make sure you check out the whole article):
"For the first time, we received a compact mini-PC that is convincing on nearly all fronts. The barebones system SS40 from Shuttle is factory-equipped with a cool looking aluminum case that houses a Flex-ATX motherboard and a capable power supply, as well as a heat pipe system for cooling the CPU. Considering its small dimensions (the PC takes up less than a third of the volume of standard PCs), the features that it offers are quite persuasive. All of the important components, such as graphics, sound, network and FireWire (IEEE1394), are integrated on the motherboard. So, what's the point in buying yet another big, bulky beast of a PC tower when you can have something more compact and erganomic? Compared to the bargain-basement PCs, the Shuttle system reveals good workmanship and high-quality materials. For the majority of users, a PC configuration like the one we used in this test is enough to take on all the necessary tasks.
The only limitations are with 3D games: here, the graphics are a bit too weak. However, the manufacturer plans to come out with a version complete with AGP slot soon. Together with an AMD Athlon XP 1900+ and 512 MB DDR266 (CL2), the mini-system attained high performance levels. The key to the Shuttle system is the integrated heat pipe for the CPU: the rotation speed of the finely-tuned fan is dependent on the CPU temperature.. In practice, the computer works very quietly - which is not to be taken lightly when a heat generator like the AMD Athlon is in use. If you prefer Intel CPUs, there will also be a version for the Pentium 4, to come out shortly."
