Any SFF about the same size as Mac Mini?

[Modafroman]

Hey guys, I was wondering if there are any SFF's around that are about the same size or a little bigger as the Mac Mini, that can take decent CPU's, decent Graphics cards and big enough hdds?

Thanks!

[SLATYE]

Originally Posted by Modafroman

Hey guys, I was wondering if there are any SFF's around that are about the same size or a little bigger as the Mac Mini, that can take decent CPU's, decent Graphics cards and big enough hdds?

Thanks!

There's not space for a decent CPU, a 'decent' graphics card, and a 3.5" HDD in a Mac Mini - it's simply not possible. Even a normal 7900 or X1900 series card would probably be too long for a Mac Mini case.

I think Aopen did have something very small which looked like a Mac Mini - but it used a Pentium-M for the CPU, a 2.5" HDD, and had onboard video.

There's this (probably even smaller than a Mac Mini), but again it's got limited CPU options and onboard video.

There are a few mini-ITX and nano-ITX cases at AusPCMarket and I guess you could get a board for those with C2D support and PCIe 16x - but even then it'd have to be a low-profile video card, and you'd have to ensure that total power draw was very low (most only have a ~80w PSU).

Apart from those, there's this. That's the smallest I've seen with a proper video card and a decent CPU. Unfortunately it's a lot bigger than a Mac Mini.

[Modafroman]

Originally Posted by SLATYE

There's not space for a decent CPU, a 'decent' graphics card, and a 3.5" HDD in a Mac Mini - it's simply not possible. Even a normal 7900 or X1900 series card would probably be too long for a Mac Mini case.

I think Aopen did have something very small which looked like a Mac Mini - but it used a Pentium-M for the CPU, a 2.5" HDD, and had onboard video.

There's this (probably even smaller than a Mac Mini), but again it's got limited CPU options and onboard video.

There are a few mini-ITX and nano-ITX cases at AusPCMarket and I guess you could get a board for those with C2D support and PCIe 16x - but even then it'd have to be a low-profile video card, and you'd have to ensure that total power draw was very low (most only have a ~80w PSU).

Apart from those, there's this. That's the smallest I've seen with a proper video card and a decent CPU. Unfortunately it's a lot bigger than a Mac Mini.

I was thinking that it was going to be hard. IIRC there is only one SFF C2D, which is a shuttle, which compared to the mac mini is a tank. I could get a mATX C2D board, but still its huge compared to the mac mini. I just want a very small, yet powerful box for a Media Centre box and Lanbox.

[SLATYE]

Originally Posted by Modafroman

I was thinking that it was going to be hard. IIRC there is only one SFF C2D, which is a shuttle, which compared to the mac mini is a tank. I could get a mATX C2D board, but still its huge compared to the mac mini. I just want a very small, yet powerful box for a Media Centre box and Lanbox.

No such thing exists. It's just not possible. As I said above, even a normal video card is going to end up longer than a Mac Mini. There's also a lot of cooling to be dealt with, and if you've got both a 3.5" HDD and an optical drive then the system will have to be pretty large. There's the PSU too - a 300w PSU for a decent system will be both large and heavy.

The smallest I can imagine would be something like this in one of the cases from AusPCMarket with a low-profile X1600 Pro - but that'll still need a decent PSU and plenty of cooling.

[Modafroman]

Heh. Speak of the devil, opened up engadget, and what do I see but this: http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/16/d...ke-that-apple/

Hrm. C2D, albeit mobile, 80gb hdd, wifi. It (will) be mighty expensive tho

[SLATYE]

Originally Posted by Modafroman

Heh. Speak of the devil, opened up engadget, and what do I see but this: http://www.engadget.com/2006/09/16/d...ke-that-apple/

Hrm. C2D, albeit mobile, 80gb hdd, wifi. It (will) be mighty expensive tho

It's also almost certainly got Intel GMA950 for the video - if it was anything better, the article would have mentioned it. It'd be okay for videos, but not much else.

Is a Shuttle really too big to carry around to LANs?

[vindicator]

The Mac Mini can be upgraded to C2D Memron. Have a search of XS.

[terrastrife]

http://www.commell.com.tw/Product/ETX/ES-270.htm

and smaller =)

and what would you do with quad gigabit?

http://www.commell.com.tw/Product/SBC/LS-570.HTM

[bYrd]

The problem is that Commel other "industrial" motherboards are prohibitively expensive, and probably unattainable unless you buy in bulk lots.

Wy not just get a Mac Mini? There really isn't anything better for the size or price, and of course it's Windows compatible if that floats your boat.

JB

[MrSmith]

Originally Posted by bYrd

The problem is that Commel other "industrial" motherboards are prohibitively expensive, and probably unattainable unless you buy in bulk lots.

Wy not just get a Mac Mini? There really isn't anything better for the size or price, and of course it's Windows compatible if that floats your boat.

JB

He doesn't want onboard video.

[Beavy]

Just make a mATX based tower, will be just as easy to take to lan's as anything smaller. Upgrading/modding a shuttle is a bitch, and much more expensive to upgrade in the future.

[Varuna]

Buy a laptop and a NAS.

[MrSmith]

Originally Posted by Varuna

Buy a laptop and a NAS.

Laptop
What's a NAS?

[Beavy]

Originally Posted by MrSmith

Laptop
What's a NAS?

Google/Wikipedia is your friend - Network Attached Storage?

[terrastrife]

uATX case is the way to go... they take less space then a shuttle on ya table.. theyre not as wide =)

or a desktop case, under your screen, even less space ^^