Newsday.com: "Smaller PCs Attracting Bigger Share of Interest"

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.newsday.com/technology/ny-txdolinar253772078apr25,0,2534102.column?coll=ny-technology-columnists' target='_blank'>http://www.newsday.com/technology/ny-txdolinar253772078apr25,0,2534102.column?coll=ny-technology-columnists</a><br /><br /></div>"Small computers are . . . BIG! I've been waiting almost two years to write that sentence. That's how long it has been since I built my first toaster-sized, aka small-form factor PC, Shuttle's SV-25. This one is the Model T of the genre, back when the only people who heard of these things were geeks. It really was like a circa 1900 automobile. A noisy little guy, it rattled and stuttered, so in the end I turned it into a dedicated music server and locked it in a closet, where I didn't have to hear the roar of its fans. On the other hand, it has been running 24/7 for all that time, with nary a crash. It is the most reliable computer I've ever owned. "<br /><br />A good overview article on the current state of the SFF (small form factor) market. I love little computers. :-)

[Kent Pribbernow]

I love little computers. :-)

Why can't you like big clunky black towers like the rest of us? :wink:

Seriously, tiny PC form factors are great for general purpose and basic mutlimedia. But for workstation + gaming, the big rigs still rule. Video upgrade capability is an absolute must for my needs.

That said, small PCs look seeeeeeeeexy. :way to go:

[Jonathon Watkins]

...But for workstation + gaming, the big rigs still rule.

For Workstations that fair enough, but you can game very well with a SFF. Many will take AGP cards and a Radeon 9800Pro will set an Athlon 3200+, Opteron or Pentium 3400 off very nicely. I even built a Shuttle with Raid 1, via an add-in PCI card. It won't do for my 4 drive Raid 1+0 array, but otherwise, they are indeed the bees' knees. :D

[Kent Pribbernow]

For Workstations that fair enough, but you can game very well with a SFF. Many will take AGP cards and a Radeon 9800Pro will set an Athlon 3200+, Opteron or Pentium 3400 off very nicely.

Falcon NW makes a SFF gaming system called "Fragbox". Haven't yet looked at one myself, but I'll bet it's a nice little pixel pumper.

[Jonathon Watkins]

Falcon NW makes a SFF gaming system called "Fragbox". Haven't yet looked at one myself, but I'll bet it's a nice little pixel pumper.

And - you can take them to LAN parties very easily! :way to go:

[Suhit Gupta]

Given a choice and equivalent specs, would you guys go for a SFF PC or one of those 8-9lb desktop-replacement laptops?

Suhit

[ctmagnus]

I would want the laptop becasue if I want to work elsewhere I grab the laptop and have the CPU, display, KB, pointing device all there. No separate components to move.

[Jason Dunn]

Seriously, tiny PC form factors are great for general purpose and basic mutlimedia. But for workstation + gaming, the big rigs still rule. Video upgrade capability is an absolute must for my needs.

Why? You can get SFF PCs with AGP + PCI slot, and everything else is on board. There are limitations around having one optical drive and only two hard drives, but video updgrading is not one of the limitations (unless you're talking about the new monster nVidia cards that need thermo-nuclear power to use...)

[Jason Dunn]

Given a choice and equivalent specs, would you guys go for a SFF PC or one of those 8-9lb desktop-replacement laptops?

I haven't spec'd it out exactly, but my hunch is that a desktop replacement laptop such as the hp zd7000 will be quite a bit more expensive than a SFF PC with the equivalent specs. Then again, you pay more for being able to pick up the whole damn thing and move it with the screen attached. ;-)

[klinux]

I had a SFF once (the original SV24 from Shuttle) but it sounded like a wind tunnel even after extensive modding. Gave it up for Macs and Dells for their quietness.

[Jason Dunn]

I had a SFF once (the original SV24 from Shuttle) but it sounded like a wind tunnel even after extensive modding. Gave it up for Macs and Dells for their quietness.

Yeah, early SFF PCs were loud - heck, even the one I'm using now is load, but you can certainly get quiet SFF PCs - the ST62K is amazingly quiet. By far the quietest computer I've ever heard (not heard?) that still uses fans.