It's time for the eighth comparative test of Mini-PCs. While initially, Shuttle was the only manufacturer to cause a sensation with its various versions of the XPC series, more and more manufacturers have now ventured into this growing territory. In the meantime, even a few micro versions (Jadetec and Saintsong) that combine notebook and PC technology have emerged. This is no solution for the ambitious user, as performance falls well short of expectations and can't compete with that of a desktop. At present, well known manufacturers such as Asus, ECS, Gigabyte, MSI, Shuttle, Soltek and Soyo are offering their barebone systems. In this comparison, we subjected four PCs for the Intel P4 platform to a practical test.

Soyo's Mini Dragon barebone system exemplifies the company's take on the new concept.

ECS' EZ Buddie offers an overclocking controller on the front.