No More Penny-Pinching: Seven Mini-PCs On The Catwalk

Aopen XC Cube EZ65309, Continued

Aopen took its time developing a mini-bare-bones - or the Marketing strategists just didn't think this market segment was very important. At first glance, the XC Cube EZ65 catches the eye with its white case, recalling Apple's design. Overall, the system makes an elegant impression unmatched by any of the other test candidates. The workmanship is nothing to sniff at either - low tolerances and an easily removed case are not yet to be taken for granted in this market. On the front, the drive frames are hidden behind lids, and additional ports are also covered. The UX4SG-1394 mainboard is based on the Intel 865G chipset and thus offers integrated graphics. For users who only want to work in 2-D, this solution will be plenty. As an option, powerful graphics can be added by means of the AGP slot - in the test we used a GeForce FX5950 graphics card.

The drives are concealed behind lids

Button to open the DVD-/CD drawer