<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Jul 28, 2010 at 04:35, Keith Bachman <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:kcbnac@gmail.com">kcbnac@gmail.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
If considering a Nettop, pay attention to the CPU & GPU in them. Many<br>
(N270, N450) are single core but have Hyper-Threading (2 pipelines) -<br>
some, like the D510 - are dual-core and have HT on them.<br>
<br>
The Intel NM10 chipset is much newer than the 945 series - and at half<br>
the power draw. Also has a (slightly) better IGP.<br>
<br>
I ended up grabbing one of these:<br>
<a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856167041" target="_blank">http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856167041</a> for a<br>
file server/shell box/backup machine. $173 shipped, add 1 or 2 sticks<br>
of DDR2 laptop RAM and HD or two of choice. Ubuntu Server 10.04<br>
installed just fine, no hiccups on hardware at all.<br>
<br>
If you're going to be doing more graphics-heavy stuff, they now have<br>
one with an ATI GPU:<br>
<a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856167042" target="_blank">http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856167042</a><br>
Another $20 for a proper GPU, if you're doing web-stuff might be worth<br>
it.<br>
<br>
Adds HDMI and DVI to the VGA outputs, and a "capable" GPU. (Radeon HD<br>
4330 is a slightly beefier version of the HD4200 - AMD's IGP solution)<br>
This will handle Youtube quite well, at least on Windows (Haven't<br>
tossed Linux on my desktop yet) Also would allow dual displays.<br>
(Generally pick two outputs, might be VGA + 1, I'm not sure)<br>
<br>
No Windows Tax, lets you reuse laptop RAM castoffs from other machines<br>
(scavenged or remaining from upgrades), and whatever HD you want (or<br>
don't - I know someone else who has the previous machine booting off a<br>
CF or SD card - they removed the internal CF slot to add a second RAM<br>
slot)<br>
<br>
My only complaint is that the 50mm fan is a little noisy when I have<br>
it sitting out in the open, haven't found its permanent home yet. If<br>
anyone knows of a quiet 50mm I'd be terribly interested... (I don't<br>
hear the air movement, I hear the high-pitched whine sometimes)</blockquote><div><br><br>I haven't looked into all the different NetPC options yet. But, I've looked at the ASUS primarily because AFAIK it's fanless which is what I'm after. I hear the fans running in the current desktop PC and it's too loud IMO. Also, I'm trying to drop power consumption and reduce space. Thanks for the additional links.<br>
</div></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>-Shawn<br>