Mini PCs are awesome!

[Tekk]

Ok well Im sure its not the first time you guys have heard but I just came across this and actually read an article on Toms hardware about it and besides the fact that it lacks somewhat on the whole 3D graphics portion, it otherwise is pretty kick butt! talk about a small footprint too.

Is it possible to buy the parts myself and put one together? Or is it one of those more proprietary type things where I have to buy it built. Whatever the case they are still cool for simple computing

[edwelly]

are you talking about the bookcase PC's? if so, I agree. Sure you can't really upgrade them but for a simple terminal for the wife and kids, nothing is better IMO...
---edwelly

[Brainchild]

but for a simple terminal for the wife and kids

the kids is the reason I have so many problems with mine
Anyway, do you have a link to this thing I would like to have a look
Thanx

[Imanage]

http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduct.asp?DEPA=1&page=1

Take your pick of these barebones. I have several bookpcs, one for the kids, one for dialing in to work. Small and compact, I put in DVD drives also. Too bad the Shuttle PCs have only one drive bay, would have liked to set it up for cd to cd burning.

That microPC is pretty cool but expensive.

[Brainchild]

It is pretty cool, but I'm afraid someone would mistake it for a game console.
It is very cool looking though

[Geeky1]

IMO, they are perfect for word processing, internet browsing and the like, but for what I use my computers for, they are absolutely useless. I'd love to see one with an AGP slot, because then I could actually use it, but since I play video games, I need all the graphics power I can get. Of course, part of that is because I play games like Black and White (for those of you who are not familiar with it, it is a role-playing/strategy game, but the graphics card has to render an entire 3d world at high detail levels). Of course, being me, I have to play them at 2048x1536/32 bit with all the detail sliders all the way up with Pure Hardware T&L... However, for most people, they would be fine. On the other hand, the one thing that they do have over my computer is the noise factor- I am using an Antec SX1240 case with 5 80mm/50cfm/45db Sunon fans, a Delta 60mm CPU fan, and a 92mm fan, in adittion to the fan in the PSU, and the thing sounds like a wind tunnel. :-)

[jerrygarcia]

Are you talking about these?http://www.newegg.com/app/Showimage....101-406-05.JPG

I wish they were more upgrade-able. I would jump on one.

[jerrygarcia]

Welcome to TechIMO Geek.

[Geeky1]

Thanx. Yes, that is exactly what I was referring to. You can check them out in more detail here:
http://www.spacewalker.com/english/product.htm
-just make sure you scroll down to the bottom of the page. the whole systems are under "barebone system" and the motherboards they are using are under "small form factor motherboards"
As far as I know, Shuttle is the only company that makes them.

By the way- here are links to the individual systems/boards if you don't want to navigate Shuttle's site:

P4 FlexATX Board: http://www.spacewalker.com/english/m...asp?number=175
http://www.spacewalker.com/english/m...asp?number=182 (system)

Athlon/Duron FlexATX Board:
http://www.spacewalker.com/english/m...asp?number=174
http://www.spacewalker.com/english/m...asp?number=184 (system)
http://www.spacewalker.com/english/m...asp?number=192 (system)

PIII/Celeron FlexATX Boards:
http://www.spacewalker.com/english/m...asp?number=122
http://www.spacewalker.com/english/m...asp?number=162
http://www.spacewalker.com/english/m...asp?number=165 (system)
http://www.spacewalker.com/english/m...asp?number=142 (system)

However, what is pretty cool about them is that at least the athlon systems actually use heat pipes to move the heat from the CPU to a separate heatsink like they are doing on the new laptops. Very impressive...

[edwelly]

yep, I would like to have 3 of 'em...
not sure why, but 3 just sounds like a good number to have...
---edwelly