Soltek Mini PC, an improvement over Shuttle!

[Crashman]

The Soltec is around 2 inches taller so it can accomodate an extra CD drive! And the hard drive bay...too small for two hot hard drives, but at least the physically fit, even if they do get cooked!

The revolution has already started. In the medium term, conventional desktop systems will disappear from the market, to be replaced by high-performance laptops and mini systems with new form factors.

Yes, I see a trend, and the trend is toward growth in size to support added devices! Soon we will have a PC that can support 4 PCI slots! Maybe a larger capacity power supply as well, to address his power supply heat concerns! I have found the perfect solution for these concerns, in <A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/app/Showimage.asp?image=11-108-250-01.JPG/11-108-250-07.jpg/11-108-250-04.JPG/11-108-250-05.jpg/11-108-250-09.JPG/11-108-250-06.JPG/11-108-250-03.JPG" target="_new">This Futuristic Design</A>!!! And for home theaters, the future just might bring you <A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/app/Showimage.asp?image=11-119-018-01.JPG/11-119-018-03.JPG/11-119-018-04.JPG/11-119-018-06.JPG/11-119-018-07.JPG" target="_new">Designs like these, which go well with your other home theater equipment</A>!!!

Oh, you say those designs have already been on the market for years? Try telling that to our PRIZED IDIOT, Frank Völkel, who wants to promote these senseless designs for what reason, to kill the future of multi purpose PC's?

Why does this jerk-off promote this crap? Who among us does he hate so much as to encourage us to paint ourselvs into corners? What you have here is mini-PC's that do few things well, take up as much desk space as any other tower (desktops ard horizontal, not verticle, doofus), doesn't fit your home audio rack (and looks stupid when mixed with such components), etc. With such self serving promotions showing up on enthusiast sites, enthusiast hardware will continue to get more expensive, and your choices will continue to dwindle.

<font color=blue>Watts mean squat if you don't have quality!</font color=blue>

 

[TileGeek]

Yo Crashman,

I love all of the rants & information that you have given me over the many months that I have been a member of this community!

I have a Shuttle XPC, & while it is quiet, it is not a real replacement for a real PC. With it's 200 watt PSU, I do not want to run it 24/7. At 49C cpu/ 47C system @ idle, this adds up to a shortened system lifespan.........without even OC'ing.

My only saving grace is, I broke up with my GF & I now plan to sell this little box to some girl or Mac freak who likes the quiet & cuteness of this Shuttle unit......... although, I am considering, building a alternate plexiglass case cover with 1 80mm fan blowing over the video card on the side, ripping out the stock PSU & replacing it with a small exhaust fan & mounting a 431 watt Enermax PSU right on top, over the Heat Pipe........... but that would totally destroy any idea of cuteness that Shuttle created this box for.

Bottomline..........listen to Crashman, don't waste your time with a poor performing compromise, get a real PC, with room to upgrade!

Peace Out.............tg

I'm a man in a Box

 

[Javic]

Crash! I read this review today and thought the very same thing! I know they're trying to target the lan party guys, but hell if you want a small lightweight case to take to parties, get an aluminum microATX case! First thing I noticed when I saw the Soltek was that its growing to be a regular PC. Then I read how the noise from this thing can easily exceed 50db. What the hell is that? If I wanted to listen to white noise in my livingroom, I'd just turn the TV onto an invalid station and stare at snow all day.

I won't even go into the prices of these things, and its all just for the size and the looks. Waste of money in my eyes.

Anyway, once again I agree with your viewpoint. Avoid these things like the plague, because if people keep buying them, there will just keep being more and more of them. Unless they can give me a decently sized CHEAP solid state drive to put in it, along with a minidisc type drive that I can store 5GBs on, they can keep these things for themselves!

BTW.. I've been idly looking at microATX cases for a system to connect to my home theater... which brand/model was that black one you showed? I looked all over NewEgg the other day and didn't see that one.

Edit...Sorry I meant the small black desktop case.<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Javic on 03/19/03 08:13 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[LumberJack]

Agreed... such pc form factors do not belong in enthusiast sites. Those systems are for people with too much money on their hands who watch too much tech TV and think its cool...



To err is human... to really screw things up you need a computer!

 

[Crashman]

The black one, you mean the desktop? That was the ultra expensive CoolerMaster unit. If you can live with something a bit wider, <A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/app/Showimage.asp?image=11-129-131-01.jpg" target="_new">This One</A> is full ATX desktop, the same width as a traditional stereo component, but you'll have to wait for them to stock it.

<font color=blue>Watts mean squat if you don't have quality!</font color=blue>

 

[Javic]

Nice! Could you possibly put a model number in your posts so I don't merely have a picture to go by and have to search through all of NewEgg's cases, clicking on all the pictures to find it? :tongue:

 

[Crashman]

<A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduct.asp?description=11-119-018&depa=1" target="_new">Expensive mATX</A>, <A HREF="http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProduct.asp?description=11-129-131&depa=1" target="_new">Midpriced ATX</A>.

<font color=blue>Watts mean squat if you don't have quality!</font color=blue>

 

[Javic]

Awesome, Thanks!

Have you seen any updated info on when the Antec Fusion will be out, or when there will be more info on it? I checked around the web today and everything I saw said February. Also I scanned the Antec site and there is absolutely no mention of the Fusion at all.

 

[Crashman]

No idea. But I did have a Gateway desktop case of similar dimensions painted black in my HTPC settup.

<font color=blue>Watts mean squat if you don't have quality!</font color=blue>

 

[Javic]

Cool. The problem I have is that there's not much room left in my component rack, so I can't use a case that's too tall. I was looking at my Compaq small form factor case at work today and thinking that I might just have to look for one of those. Its only about 4-5" high. Hmm... I wonder if they'll notice if it disappears one day... I have 3 other comps at my desk

 

[Crashman]

Yes, mine is about 4 inches tall, it uses half height slots. You should buy it, I really need the money.

<font color=blue>Watts mean squat if you don't have quality!</font color=blue>

 

[Javic]

Hahaha!! Post some pics of it and give me a price and I'll think about it. Are you looking to just sell the case or the whole system? If I went with a mATX case I'd end up having to buy a new MB anyway. Also, is yours 17" wide? The size of standard A/V components?

 

[Crashman]

Crap, sorry about that. OK, here's the confusion:

Another guy was asking about mini-pc's. I have a Gatway mATX mini-PC for sale. It's about 4 inches tall.

Now, I HAD another PC set up as a Home Theater PC. It was one of those Gatway converatble towers (the ones where the drive cage can be removed and reinserted sideways for desktop use). It's about 17 inches wide, but far too tall(around 7 inches). I actually thought about cutting it down to make it only as tall as needed to clear the cards!

<font color=blue>Watts mean squat if you don't have quality!</font color=blue>

 

[igottaknife]

OMG would you stop trolling about the XPC's!?? Look I have a SN41G2 AND a SB51GB AND a Coolermaster ATC-600 (the same dimensions as the 610). The XPC's are tru desktops. They actually fit <b>on my desk!!!</b> The ATC microATX's are at least twice as deep and twice as wide. Also the SN41G2 runs hotter since its an AMD, but the SB51G runs at 100F under full load. And yes there is a compromise. I can't run RAID. Boo hoo how many people do? I have a WD 120GB with 8MB cache and since I aint running a pr0n server it's fine by me. It's a clean package that works well.

You are right with one thing tho. The CoolerMaster cases are better suited for adding to an entertainment system which is <b>exactly</b> what I have in mind for mine.

Leave a real <A HREF="http://forumz.tomshardware.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=faq" target="_new">link</A>

 

[igottaknife]

just wanted to add this for you guys.

I bought a vid card off Crashman a while back and he's a pretty reliable guy. If you remember Crash I bought your PCI Radeon off of ya a while back. Still works.

Leave a real <A HREF="http://forumz.tomshardware.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=faq" target="_new">link</A>