ASUS Eee Box EB1012-B0257 Nettop PC - Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I bought this last December and use it to surf the internet on our family room TV. It works pretty well. I do not feel that it is underpowered for my needs (browsing, YouTube, watching local videos on my computer, viewing JPEG pictures, etc). I sold my Western Digital TV Live after I bought the EeeBox EB1012.
I put the computer horizontally in my TV console (because it would not fit standing upright with the stand) even though the manual says not to do so. I don't know why the manual shows not to do this... maybe due to lack of ventilation when it is on its side (as another reviewer pointed out)? To help improve air flow I put this on top of 4 "rubber feet". I don't use this much so hopefully the subpar ventilation in my setup won't be a problem.
One complaint I have is the lack of control over the display resolution. I have a problem with "HDMI overscan" where the image is too big for the TV. I have to reduce the resolution from 1920x1080 to the next smaller one which does not totally fit the TV screen. The pre-installed driver had a scale adjustment so I was able to reduce the resolution so it fit my TV perfectly. After running Microsoft update that feature does not work well anymore. There is still an option to scale the desktop but when I click on it another box comes up but only 25% of it is visible -- making it useless as I cannot see all of the controls.
Also, while this comes with 2GB of RAM and supports up to 4GB it isn't easy to add memory yourself. The case is not easy to open and if you break it your warranty might be voided. According to an Asus representative one has to have an authorized service center do it. That's kinda silly to pay so much (shipping + service fee + likely-to-be-inflated RAM price) to upgrade this computer.
I don't use the WiFi since I use a Linksys powerline adapter for faster data rates and a more reliable connection.
I find the ASUS support to be inferior to US companies such as Dell, HP, etc. Their website isn't very helpful, IMHO.
Overall I'm still happy because it fits my needs.

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The EeeBox PC EB1012 is the perfect solution to your daily work and entertainment needs. It gives you an energy efficient computing platform for tasks like viewing media files, surfing the internet and other applications. The EB1012 is powered by the Intel Atom 330 dual core processor, which is built specifically for PCs like the EB1012. And with the accompanying NVIDIA ION graphics processor, the EB1012 treats you to an impressive multimedia performance with a low power consumption of just 40W. Don't let its size fool you, but within the confines of the EeeBox PC EB1012's slim form factor hides a high definition home entertainment center. The EB1012 comes with HDMI connectivity to provide high definition video playback; delivering crisp and clear images to your HDTV or LCD monitor. That visual drama is further complemented by an audio jack with S/PDIF 5.1 channel support that gives you an unparalleled audio experience. Lastly the EeeBox PC EB1012 is designed for convenient connectivity, and comes with a multitude of I/O ports to cater to an assortment of devices.The EB1012 comes with a 1 year parts and labor warranty.It comes with keyboard/mouse/vga port.

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Asrock Intel Dual Core Atom Wireless LAN Barebone ION 330-HT (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I purchased this nettop with the intention of using the open-source XBMC software as the hub of my home theater. With one notable exception, this computer has worked very well for that purpose.
Installing XBMC to the hard drive using the 9.10 Live CD went very well - everything installed without a hitch, and connecting the 330HT to my flatscreen using the HDMI output on the back worked beautifully. All the drivers necessary to use this nettop with XBMC were included on the Live CD, including the VDPAU library that allows the GPU to handle hardware video decoding. Playing 1080p blu-ray rips over the gigabit network is flawless and hiccup free, and uses around 5% of the CPU power. The spdif optical output allows me to pass DTS audio tracks directly to my receiver, and I'm loving life.
The drawback:
The 330HT differs from the 330Pro in the inclusion of an infrared receiver and a Windows MCE compatible remote. The infrared receiver is not on the USB bus, and ASRock has been remiss in providing functional Linux drivers for the receiver. This may not be a problem for you if you intend to run a Windows OS on the nettop, but if you want to use the Ubuntu-based XBMC live CD, as I did, you'll find that the current iteration of drivers (version 1.0.1 as of 01/25/2010) provide functionality, but include a number of bugs. First, the receiver will not acknowledge the first command from the remote - it seems to "wake up" in response to a button press (e.g., play, stop, etc.), but not to accept the command. So you're forced to press the button twice to get the nettop to respond. Subsequent button presses, if done soon enough, are usually acknowledged (although it seems to miss a few here and there sometimes). After a few minutes without remote control input, however, the IR receiver seems to go back to "sleep" again.
Even more problematic is the inability of the system to properly initialize (right term?) the IR driver when resuming from a suspend state. You can successfully put the nettop into a suspended state using the remote, and can even wake it out of sleep using the remote, but once awakened using the remote, the IR receiver will not recognize any further remote control input until you restart the system (by plugging in a keyboard, for example, since your remote is now useless).
Many people that have experienced these problems have broken down and purchased a USB IR receiver (the kind Microsoft sells, for example), since the drivers for those receivers are far more polished and problem-free. Doing so negates the whole advantage of the 330HT over the 330 Pro, however, so bear in mind the incremental cost of the only-partially-functional IR receiver when deciding between the two models. You can get the IR-receiver-free ASRock 330Pro (Black) and a USB recevier / remote control combo like this one for about the same price, and guarantee yourself Linux compatibility.
If you want the cleaner look of an integrated IR receiver and plan to use a Microsoft Windows OS, or if you're optimistic about ASRock's development of Linux drivers (I don't know enough about the company to know if they'll respond to consumer demand for improved drivers or not), then go for the 330HT.

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Asrock ION 330-HT Intel Dual Core Atom 330/ 2DDR2-800/ Nvidia ION/ 320GB/ 802.11 b/g/n wireless LAN Black Barebone

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ZOTAC Atom Dual-Core D510/Intel NM10/WiFi/A&V&GbE/Mini PC Barebone System ZBOX HD-ID11-U Review

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(More customer reviews)I was a little concerned that the Z-BOX would be a bit underpowered, but the new atom processor coupled with the ION chip set give it plenty of go.
With win7 it works right out of the box, although you'll need to get the latest NVIDIA drivers (windows update has these as optional updates), and it required a Bios update to quiet the fan, but once that was done it was pretty much inaudible, especially with the TV on.
As an indication of how it handles the load, Media Center uses about 40% CPU (distributed across the 4 cores) even when recording 2 HDTV channels using separate USB DVB-T receivers and playing back a previously recorded show (all at 1080i).
There was even enough grunt in the ION graphics (which are supposed to be equivalent to a GeForce 218) to get it play Left 4 Dead, UT3, Portal etc. all at near HD resolutions, with reasonable frame rates, although the details and reflections were turned down.
Getting it to work with MythTV (back end / front end all in one) was a little more challenging, but that's down to Linux not the PC. In the end, it worked for that as well.
It wakes as expected from signals on the Microsoft USB remote control, but not the RF keyboard or mouse, and the BIOS doesn't support wake on lan - for me not a show stopper.

The only other minor issue I have found is that any drives attached to the eSata port get seen as non-removable, only gets detected if the device is present at boot, and Windows crashes if it's unplugged.
Does run a little warm, especially when you hit it hard with games, but it doesn't seem excessive.
On the whole, I'm very happy with it!

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ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11-U Atom Dual-Core D510/Intel NM10/WiFi/A&V&GbE/Mini PC Barebone System

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ASUS Eee Box EB1501P-B016E Nettop PC - Black Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've only owned this computer for 1 month, but feel compelled to offer a different viewpoint to the other reviewers. When I purchased this computer, it had no reviews, and I was not fully sold on the concept of a 'net top' (worried about intolerably slow performance). I have been building my own systems for work and personal use for 15 years and bought this system to replace a home-built system. I expected to be disappointed. I expected the system to only be usable for web browsing and to stutter a bit on video streaming.
My first impressions of the Asus EB1501P - it's cute! it's small! it's light! It's literally smaller than my wireless router.
Set up was a breeze. It took about 30 minutes to do everything -- starting windows for the first time w/ its configuration steps, removing some of the unnecessary software that was pre-installed, locking down some of the security settings & unneeded services, customizing settings, and backing up the system. It took a very short period of time to migrate my data and install the applications running on my previous system. Wireless networking worked immediately out of box, even with uncommon security settings, which was a pleasant surprise and has never been the case with any other computer or device I've used. It has a short wireless antenna and receives a much stronger signal from my router than any other device I have. The included wireless keyboard and mouse work well. I haven't tried the remote yet. Unlike my much more expensive computers, this worked out of box with a 5.1 channel audio receiver without any additional set up.
Out of box system performance is slower than your average NEW desktop but not unusable. This is due to the limited amount of memory (ships with 2GB). When running a number of very intensive applications, the system was consistently using 1.5GB of memory. This does not leave much overhead. Apps were slow to open (~10 seconds - I am impatient) and sometimes switching between apps froze the app for a couple of seconds. This is comparable or BETTER than any "net book" laptop I've used. Even with these limitations, the system lived up to my expectations based on its intended purpose and specifications and is completely usable for web browsing, music streaming, and video playback.
I made two modifications which made me exceptionally happy with this system:
1) Upgraded the memory to 4GB - if you are already spending this much on a net box, the memory upgrade is only another $75-80 and drastically improves performance.
2) Added a large USB drive for media file storage & backup.
With these changes, the system is performing well enough to replace my other computers for normal daily use. I was most concerned with multi-tasking. I have Firefox, Chrome, iTunes, Tivo Desktop & Service daemon, Norton Internet Security, Windows Media Player, most of Asus's apps, and a few other intensive things, all open and used concurrently without issues. Streaming music and video has not caused any substantial resource spikes. (Caveat, I've heard 1080p playback via HDMI is choppy, but that lower resolutions are just fine -- I've done HD internet streaming with no problem but mostly at 480i). Memory usage is consistently in the 2-2.5GB range (and has never gone over ~2.8GB), which is not a problem in a 4GB system. CPU usage is almost always very low.
Sidenote: all of my software was bought for a Windows XP 32-bit system, and I have had no problem at all with apps working on Windows 7 64-bit, which is pre-installed on the Asus.
Literally my only complaint was that I could not find clear specifications in order to confirm the type of memory used by the system. I had to wait until the system arrived to open the case.
Rating is -1 star for two reasons: 1) price... I think it's a lot for what you get, but that said, every other similar system I've looked at was more expensive without much advantage; and 2) I think this could have been built with 4GB memory for a very small incremental price and would have been a much better system.
Here is the upgrade kit that is needed to bring the system to 4GB. Upgrading the memory was easy and there are tutorials on the web for other Asus models with identical case design). Note the pre-installed memory is 1 - 2GB stick, but the existing memory is an off-brand and I didn't want to have to worry about potential problems with mismatched memory.
Crucial Technology Unbuffered Non - ECC DDR3-1066 1.5V 4 GB Memory Kit CT2CP25664BC1339

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Full HD Entertainment in a Box Featuring Next-Generation NVIDIA ION graphics and the Intel Atom D525 dual-core processor, the compact EeeBox PC EB1501P delivers Full 1080p HD entertainment and responsive multitasking performance in a small size.About the size of a paperback novel, you can now do more with less as you perform your day-to-day tasks while using 70-percent less energy than an average bulky desktop.1 Its VESA mount makes it the perfect fit behind a monitor in any home or office—eliminating messy cable clutter. HDMI ready, transform the EeeBox PC EB1501P into your personal media hub when you connect to HDTVs for super-sized high definition visuals and 5.1 channel surround sound. Boasting Super Speed USB 3.0, charge USB 3.0-enabled devices quickly and transfer files from USB storage devices up to 10 times faster than previous generation USB 2.0 speeds.2 Complete with a wireless keyboard, wireless mouse, and media remote, you have everything you need to plug in and start experiencing simple, high-value computing right out of the box. The EeeBox PC EB1501P features 2GB DDR3 system memory, Gigabit LAN, 320GB hard drive, slot-in Super Multi DVD drive, S/PDIF audio out port, 5-in-1 card reader, eSATA port, and Windows 7 Home Premium.

Key Features
Next-generationNVIDIA ION graphics for full 1080p HD playback and casual gaming (Learn more)
Intel AtomD525 dual-core processor for responsive multitasking efficiency (Learn more)
HDMIconnectivity for high-quality video and audio on compatible HDTVs and displays (Learn more)
Ultra-compactsize and VESA-ready mount that fits almost anywhere you want (Learn more)
Slot-inSuper Multi DVD drive lets you enjoy your favorite movies andmovies (Learn more)
Greendesign—Energy Star 5.0 and EPEAT Gold certified—saves upto 70-percent in power consumption compared to generic desktop PCs1 (Learn more)
SuperSpeed USB 3.0 for quicker device charging and up to 10x faster transfersthan USB 2.02 (Learn more)
Complimentarywireless keyboard, wireless mouse, and remote control

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Complete Home Theatre Package
Power in Connectivity
Mountable Compact Design
Cost-Saving Green Efficiency
Relax, ASUS Has You Covered Ranked as the #1 most reliable PC brand by 3 independent sources,3 readers and editors alike choose ASUS as their trusted notebook and netbook. We tirelessly strive to exceed expectations of quality to ensure you an unmatched peace of mind every time you start your PC. We also back our commitment with the industry's most comprehensive warranty.
1 Year ASUS Warranty4
Offers a level of coverage that would add hundreds of dollars tothe price of competing products:

1 year warranty
1-way free standard shipping
24/7 tech support

What's in the Box
EeeBox PC EB1501P
Quick Start Guide
AC Adaptor
Power Cord
Stylish Stand
VESA-Mount Kit
S/PDIF Adapter
Wireless Keyboard
Wireless Mouse
Remote Control
Warranty Information Card

Specifications
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (64 bit)
CPU: Intel Atom D525 processor (1.8 GHz)
Graphics: Next-Generation NVIDIA ION graphics with 512MB DDR3 VRAM
Wireless Data Network: 802.11 b/g/n (@2.4 GHz)
Network: Gigabit LAN 10/100/1000 Mbps
Optical Drive: Super Multi DVD+/-RW
Memory: 2GB DDR3-1333 MHz RAM, 1 x SO-DIMM slot (expandable to 4GB)
Storage: 320GB 5400RPM hard drive
CardReader: 5-in-1 Card Reader (SD/SDHC/MS/MS Pro/MMC)
I/O Ports: 1 x built-in mini card, 1 x HDMI port, 1 x D-sub port, 1 x eSATA port, 1 x external microphone, 1 x headphone jack, 1 x RJ-45 (NIC), 4 x USB 2.0 ports, 2 x USB 3.0 ports, 1 x WiFi antenna
Power Adapter: 65 watts
Dimensions: 7.6 x 7.6 x 1.54—inches
Weight: 2.6 lbs
Color: Black

All specifications and terms are subject to change without notice. Please check with your supplier for exact offers on selected models.Products may not be available in all markets. Product may not be exactly as shown in images. 1 Max power consumption of the EeeBox PC EB1501P is 65W compared to traditional 250W desktop PC. 2 All figures theoretical values compared to USB 2.0 benchmarks for reference purposes. Actual speed depends on device and system status.3 Rated number 1 Windows-based PC maker in PCMag.com's Service & Reliability Report 2010. Rate number 1 PC brand according to SquareTrade, the leading direct-to-consumer warranty company (for more information visit http://www.squaretrade.com/pages/laptop-reliability-1109/ ). Rated number 1 reliable PC maker in Q2 2010's RESCUECOM report http://www.rescuecom.com/2010-2nd-Quarter-Computer-Reliability-Report.html 4 Covers North America only. ASUS reserves the right to exclude certain SKUs; check with your retailer to confirm coverage of specific models. Valid for notebooks purchased in the US and Canada only. For complete details, please visit: usa.asus.com/event/ASUS360.

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ViewSonic VOT132 Mini Desktop PC Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Pro:
Great PC for surfing the web and email. Performance is excellent for such a small form factor. Liked the first one so much , bought a second.
Con:
Fan gets a bit loud when using the unit. No internal optical drive.

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VOT132 PC Mini

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Lenovo Ideacentre Q150 Series 40814AU Desktop (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I got this for a home theater PC to watch downloaded videos on my LCD TV. I had looked at the Mac Mini and other options, but chose to buy this. It has the same nVidia 9400M graphics as the Mac Mini and it's about the same size (maybe smaller). The only difference between the two (other than $350 in price) is that the Ideacentre uses a dual core Atom instead of a Core 2 Duo processor.
The dual core Atom D510 is surprisingly zippy. With the ION graphics, it has no trouble handling 1080p video (x264 with DTS for example). Out of the box HDMI video with audio over HDMI worked like a charm. It was really plug and play. Has optical digital audio out on the front (SPDIF) if you need it. Runs quiet. Even has the VESA bracket to mount it to the back of your LCD TV!
The included remote is very good overall. Took me a few minutes to realize that the USB transceiver was stored in the battery compartment of the remote. Once I found it and plugged it in, it worked great. Only (trivial) complaint is that there are no function keys.
If you need a small HTPC that will play anything, give this little guy some serious consideration!


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Lenovo Ideacentre H215 Series 08931EU Desktop (Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Pros:
Very low price
Attractive glossy case
Great expansion possibilities
Cons:
Integrated graphics architecture
Wired mouse & keyboard
Includes bloatware
No WiFi
Overall:
I'm very happy with my purchase. We had a laptop go dead in my house and needed a quick'n'cheap replacement. Benchmarks online indicated that the new Radeon 3000 graphics chipset was very good as far as integrated graphics go. Even though this computer had less storage, RAM, and an inferior CPU for the price to many competing computers, that was enough to make me go with this one.
Quick and easy, out of the box, turned on, it was ready to go in very short order. It comes with a 15-day McAfee installation that needs to get shown the digital door, and a variety of Lenovo-branded applications that are likely useless, but at least they're harmless. For such a cheap computer, this is a very low level of bloatware. I would have liked a wireless mouse and keyboard considering how cheap they are, but what they offer isn't bad. The integrated memory card reader is a nice touch, but the lack of WiFi was sorely missed.
320GB of storage is fine, the optical drive is an optical drive, and the memory is good. It comes with Windows 7 x64, but only has two memory slots and as such maxes at 4GB of memory with 2GB included in one of those slots. Hopefully, memory sticks with greater than 2GB will arrive soon, thus allowing you to take advantage of the x64 architecture and install more than 4GB of memory. Even if that never happens, though, 4GB is enough to keep you happy for at least five years, and very likely more.
Performance is as expected. It pushes a 1920x1080 monitor perfectly well. Online Flash videos play in high-def without issue. Adobe Lightroom runs smoothly. This would do well as a media PC for your television setup since the fans inside are very quiet.
What this computer will NOT do is play games. I figured it would be comparable to the five-year-old laptop (that came with desktop gaming hardware), but it does not. World of Warcraft is entirely unplayable at the monitor's native resolution. You will NEED an external video card. This has the added bonus of freeing up the 256MB of RAM that the video architecture hijacks. Stock, the computer turns out ~1,100 in 3DMark06. Very good for this price range, but not good enough.
It's here that I'm so glad I went with this computer. The motherboard inside has lots of room to breath and everything is easily accessible. Better still is that it has a PCI slot, two PCI-Express X1 slots, and a PCI-Express X16 slot. Wow! Usually, discount computers skimp anywhere they can, and expansion slots on the motherboard are some of the first things to go. Totally kickass. Also kickass, installing the new video card automatically disables the integrated video card. No need to go into the BIOS to disable it. Is this new? I haven't been building computers in awhile. I still remember DIP switches and jumpers. Sigh. Those were the days.
Moving on. Consider before you buy a video card, though. I bought a Radeon 5750 to guarantee Warcraft nirvana and it requires a 500 watt power supply, where the included PSU is only 180W. You can buy a silent 500W PSU for $35, but that's more money, and if budget is a consideration, every dollar counts. Still, I think it's worth it. The overall component choices made by Lenovo are quite solid, and with an extra $165 spent on the video card and power supply, the computer can run World of Warcraft at max graphical settings at the monitor's native resolution and maintain framerates above 30fps. The 3DMark06 score is now ~12,000. With a little money spent now and then, this super-cheap computer could remain modern and usable for many years.
You can find this computer for about $20 cheaper ($359) at BestBuy. Just thought you'd like to know.

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Safe, Fun, Family Computing. Fun is non-stop multimedia from a PC that takes care of all the family\'s needs - the affordable Lenovo H215 desktop computer. For homework, family finances, editing photo albums or watching movies, the Lenovo H215 desktop computer is the ideal family PC. The AMD Athlon II X2 processor combined with plenty of DDR3 memory makes the Lenovo H215 powerful and flexible enough to handle most all home computing tasks. Plus the Lenovo Rescue System provides peace of mind by making data backup and recovery simple and easy. Best of all, it\'s from Lenovo, makers of the award-winning ThinkPad and legendary service and support.

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Zotac ZBOX Intel Atom D525 1.8 GHz Dual Core with Blu-ray All-in-One Mini-PC ZBOXHD-ID34BR Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Pros:
-Bluray. Woohoo!
-Very thin/light/quiet/small. And I mean quiet!!
-Attractive, has options in BIOS to turn off the blue light which is great!
-I created a bootable SD card using Windows7-USB-DVD-tool.exe ... if you want to create a bootable SD/USB flash card from a DVD ISO, this is the best way to do it!! Worked like a charm on this unit.
-Reasonable speeds... one of the best nettops out there, this is new hardware folks.
Cons:
-Only one legacy usb port, for some reason my legacy usb devices and thumb drives don't work in the newer high speed usb ports on this, needed to buy a usb hub to be safe.
-250GB HD? You do realize people are dishing out $500 for this thing, and using it almost entirely as a livingroom media solution, most likely to rip DVD's, etc... I would expect 500GB at the VERY LEAST.
-Would have been happier with more than 2GB RAM, especially at this price point, but that will suffice for most applications of this box. This is not as big of a deal to me.
-If you use NetFlix streaming to a TV like I do, be prepared that HD encoding will slow down majorly on this box at times. I turn off HD feature on NetFlix streaming entirely to avoid this. These units are hardware equipped for Flash acceleration, unfortunately NetFlix uses MS Silverlight. This is not Zodac's fault and does not count against them in this review, just pointing that out because I know other people will be trying the same stuff.
Overall, you can't get a much sexier nettop than this, but I have to give honest criticism where it is due. Don't cheat your customers on basic necessities. You should have had one less USB 3.0 port, and one more legacy port. This isn't 2015 yet. And you went cheap with the 250GB HD, IMO. I would have gladly spent a few extra bucks for 500GB.
But again, gosh this thing looks sexy in my living room next to my TV. Love showing it off.
Come to think of it, haven't tried overclocking yet... can't comment on the overclockability of this unit.
EDIT: my CPU overclocks stable at 206MHz (base speed) without any changes in fan speed/voltage
AND, buy this HD Decoder card that fits perfectly on this Motherboard in the extra mini-pcie slot, it makes a huge difference in your ability to watch streaming HD video without lag/choppiness: (search google for "logicsupply" which is where I got mine, and get the Broadcom Hardware Decoder BCM970015 - PCIe Mini Card (BCM970015))
It was on sale for $35 from this same website when I bought it a couple weeks ago... now it's at $50. Still well worth it.


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Experience stunning high-definition Blu-ray video playback in glorious 1080p with the ZOTAC ZBOX Blu-ray HD-ID34 powered by Next-Generation NVIDIA ION technology with 512MB of DDR3 video memory. NVIDIA PureVideo HD technology enables the ZOTAC ZBOX Blu-ray HD-ID34 to deliver perfect Blu-ray video playback using the integrated slot-load Blu-ray drive with native 1080p video output to let users experience the movie the way directors intended. An Intel Atom D525 joins the Next-Generation NVIDIA ION graphics processor to form an energy-efficient duo able to deliver a premium computing experience with rich audio, video and web capabilities with the ZOTAC ZBOX Blu-ray HD-ID34. Class-leading expansion capabilities equip the ZOTAC ZBOX Blu-ray HD-ID34 with room to accommodate one mini-PCI Express slot in addition to the standard two USB 3.0, USB 2.0 port, combo eSATA 3.0 Gb/s and USB 2.0 port, DVI, HDMI, S/PDIF optical outputs, 6-in-1 memory card reader and 802.11n WiFi – a 250GB hard drive and 2GB of DDR2 memory are included.

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Zotac MAG Intel Atom N330, NVIDIA ION, 2 GB DDR2, 160 GB HD, eSATA, HDMI HD-ND01-U Mini PC - No OS Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)**************************************************
UPDATE - 10/21/2010
This HTPC is still running fine after almost a year with daily use. A few additions to my previous review:
1. HDMI Audio - The audio channel mapping across HDMI is wrong. The nvidia driver has swapped the side and rear surround channels. To work around this, I am now using the optical out for audio, which is handled by the realtek driver and maps the channels correctly. 5.1 audio seems fine, while the support for 7.1 audio is another matter. I haven't been able to confirm as Media Center doesn't seem to know how to test 7.1.
2. NETFLIX/Silverlight - While Netflix has normally worked flawlessly through Windows Media Center on this unit, the addition of HD streams from Netflix doesn't work well. Apparently Silverlight, the control that Netflix uses to render video, doesn't support FULL hardware acceleration. As a result, the stream has to be manually forced back to standard, or else stuttering and choppiness will occur.
**************************************************The only reason I don't give this five stars is that it doesn't come with Windows 7 like the Acer Revo 3610 does for $29 more.
With that being said, if you have your own OS to put on this little gem, then consider it worthy of 5 stars and save yourself the $29. I don't consider the lack of the wireless keyboard/mouse combo a factor because the set included with the Acer isn't really useful for a HTPC.
The Pros:
* Small form factor - sleek look, packed with capabilities.
* Atom 330 + nVidia ION - a match made in Heaven.
* HDMI out.
* Built in N Wifi.
* 2GB RAM, 160 GB HD included
* Windows 7 Pro 64bit installs without a hitch - driver support is superb.
* Shows 4 CPU's in Task Manager.
* VESA mounting + vertical stand included
* Plenty of ports - USB, digital audio out, HDMI, VGA, card slot, eSATA, audio
The Cons:
* Has small fan on chipset heatsink - makes some noise when in use.
* Gets a little hot.
* Silver plastic is really coated black plastic - can scratch.
* Vertical mounting stand attachment is a little difficult.
* 5400 rpm drive may be a little slow for intensive tasking.
I purchased this unit to act as a HTPC running Windows 7 Media Center to replace the cr*ppy WD HD TV Live and Asus O!Play units that I bought and returned because they don't work.
Within two hours I was watching streaming media on this device. I created a bootable USB key using diskpart, copied the Win7 DVD to the key, and installed from it. I then updated to all the drivers available from the Zotac website, and was in business.
I added a generic Windows MCE remote USB IR key and was streaming recorded HD TV content from one PC to this one, watching flawless 1080p HD with multi-channel audio through HDMI.
Miscellaneous Notes:
* It moves in and out of sleep pretty quickly, and draws little power in any mode.
* The NVidia display drivers as well as Media Center also have the capability for compensating for any HDMI overscan your TV might experience.
* Has a cool orange ring on the side for power status, but also has a lighted power button that indicates power/sleep states.Is this a desktop replacement? No. Is it the perfect HTPC? Just about. If it were silent and included a wireless keyboard/trackball combo, it would be indeed perfect.

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Zotac MAG Intel Atom N330, NVIDIA ION, 2 GB DDR2, 160 GB HD, eSATA, HDMI HD-ND01-U Mini PC - No OS

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Dell 2.8 Ghz. Super Fast GX Computer, Huge 750GB Hard Drive, 1GB RAM, DVD Player (DVD-ROM), and New Licensed Windows XP with Genuine Microsoft Authorized CD Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this for my mother as a Christmas present. So far, this desktop has performed perfectly. It is VERY fast and was easy to set up. There is plenty of space on the hard drive and the start up is quick and painless. I'm always hesitant to purchase electronics online - especially computers - but this turned out to be an excellent refurbished computer. My mother is very happy, and wouldn't you know it, her old computer died the exact same day I brought her this one!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Dell 2.8 Ghz. Super Fast GX Computer, Huge 750GB Hard Drive, 1GB RAM, DVD Player (DVD-ROM), and New Licensed Windows XP with Genuine Microsoft Authorized CD

This computer has been refurbished by a Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher. It includes an Original Genuine Licensed Windows XP Operating System with a new sealed Official Microsoft CD from a Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher. Beware of Software Piracy. Many other sellers offer a non-original copy of Windows XP. A non-original or counterfeit copy may leave your computer at risk and inhibit your right to critical security updates and is also illegal. SUPER FAST DELL Optiplex Pentium 4 2.8 GHz computer system ready to use. This UPGRADED DELL includes: 1GB of DDR Ram Memory, a Giant 750GB Hard Drive, Fast DVD-ROM (Plays DVDs and CDs), loaded with great software. It is ready for any Cable/DSL internet connection. Also included FREE: Scrolling Mouse, Keyboard, and Hi- Fi Stereo Amplified Speakers! The Dell Optiplex was designed for heavy professional use at large fortune 500 companies. They differ greatly from the Dell consumer line of computers sold in stores, which are usually not as high quality. The Dell Optiplex cases and interiors are more durable and very well designed for the demanding corporate customer. These computers are great for all users. This Dell Optiplex is an excellent choice for Office, Home, or School. Students, Professionals, Educators, and Parents can all benefit from this computer. Even in demanding network environments where multiple computers are inter connected, and consistent operation is a must, the Dell Optiplex is a proven performer.

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Acer AspireRevo AR3700-U3002 Slim and Compact Desktop - Blue Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is just a quick note to fill in a couple of details not in the listed specs, now that I've actually received and set up 2 of these.
The version of ION graphics is listed on the box as "GT218-ION" They work perfectly, so far as I can tell for You Tube HD (and Hulu) videos. (I did first upgrade Flash to version 10.1.)
The "wireless" mouse and keyboard work via a nano-size dongle installed in a USB port, and are fine up to a distance of about 5 feet. They are seen by Windows as 2.4GHz, but are not listed as Bluetooth.
Both the VGA video to a 20" 1600 x 1200 pixel LCD PC monitor and the HDMI video to a 46" 1080p (1920 x 1024 pixel) LED TV work fine. (I did reduce the resolution slightly on the TV due to the TV's overscanning otherwise hiding the edge of the PC display screen. I'm sure the overscan can also be adjusted in the TV settings to resolve this without reducing resolution, but didn't find the place to do so quickly enough.)
Speed is listed as 3.5 on the Windows Experience, compared to 2.1 on our Asus Eee PC 1000 running the 32 bit version of Windows 7 Home Premium. (These new PCs run the 64 bit version.)
These are marvelously quiet. The only time the fan is ever audible is for a moment during the initial power-on sequence.
I had no trouble installing our Samsung USB DVD player. Just plugged it in and it was immediately recognized. Likewise, pointing to my HP 2605 networked color laser printer - found and configured automatically. (One suggestion: when the printer installer offers to update its list of printer drivers, let it.)
It wasn't initially clear how I would reinstall everything if the hard drive ever fails. The PC didn't come with any media to be used for that. (I later discovered the included program eRecovery creates an image of the factory setup on 3 DVDs, with a fourth DVD for drivers, and easily made a set on DVD+RW disks, using the above-mentioned external DVD driveSamsung USB 2.0 8x DVD Writer External Optical Drive for Mac and PC SE-S084C/RSBN (Gloss Black).)
Another day in and I've removed some of the unneeded pre-installed programs, disabled unwanted startup programs with msconfig, installed Microsoft Security Essentials, Firefox (along with add-ins Firefox Sync, NoScript, Flashblock, and BetterPrivacy), and Microsoft Office 2007 (2010 comes pre-installed, but would have cost me extra.) Windows Update has found and installed dozens of security upgrades.
Day 3: Telecommuted using this PC today. The VPN link was fine, as was management of a remote database application and a GoToMeeting that included both audio and video. Nothing I did today spiked CPU utilization about 40%! I also checked electricity used, and found it usually under 25 watts, barely more than the 20 watts used by our Asus Eee PC 1000 netbook, despite this Acer having more cores (2 rather than 1), faster clock speed (1.8GHz in place of 1.6GHz), and a 216GB hard drive (rather than 40GB of SSD.) Both 802.11b WiFi and Gigabit Ethernet Internet links work fine.
I'll keep adding more as I finish configuring these, but wanted to post now in case anyone else has been wondering whether these actually exist and are any good. The answer is yes!
Update: Two weeks in, this has still been a perfect choice for both of us. Everything is now configured just the way we like, and a full system backup made, just in case. (I used our USB external DVD+RW drive, but any external USB drive with enough space would do.)
For anyone wondering whether the standard 2GB of RAM is enough, neither of ours has yet used even half of that yet, even though one of our PCs typically has a dozen windows open in different applications simultaneously.
Highly recommended!

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Acer AspireRevo AR3700: Mini Home Entertainment Center
Ultra-sleek and about the size of a book, the space-saving and quiet Acer AspireRevo AR3700-U3002 nettop is an easy fit for any room in the house--perfect for use as a fully functional home office PC or as a multimedia hub for casual gaming when connected to an LCD or HDTV. Its compact 1L size makes it easy to stand discreetly on a desk, and you can even attach it to the back of an HDTV or monitor with the included VESA mounting kit.
The space-saving AspireRevo is ideal for streaming movies, TV shows, music and other online media as well as tackling everyday computing needs with ease.

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