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Shuttle has announced the Barebone X27D with Dual Core Intel Atom 330 CPU.

Shuttle Inc., the market leader in the Mini-PC segment and the manufacturer of multi-form-factor solutions now presents the successor to the successful market introduction of its first Nettop Barebone. The Shuttle Barebone X27D is the first Shuttle barebone to have an Intel Atom 330 Dual-Core processor working inside.

This nettop uses a Mini-ITX motherboard featuring a dual core Intel Atom 330 CPU, Gigabit Ethernet, 2 SATAII ports and DVI output. It is also available as a configurable system under the X2700B reference.

You can find specifications and a comparison of the X27/X27D in this article I posted a few days ago.

Shuttle Barebone X27D Specifications:

• CPU: Intel Atom 330 CPU (1.6GHz dual core)
• Chipset: Intel 945GC + ICH7
• RAM: 1 x 240-pin DIMM, up to 2 GB of DDR2 533/667 RAM
• Display: Intel GMA 950 Integrated Graphics, 1 x  VGA output, 1 x DVI output
• Audio: 5.1 Channel HD Audio
• Storage: 1 x IDE port, 2 x SATA2 ports
• LAN: 1 x Marvell 88E8056 Gigabit
• I/O: 10 x USB 2.0 (4x rear panel, 2x front, 4x internal), 1 x serial, PS/2 ports

Read the press release here.

Product page here.

Technorati Tags: 945gc, atom, barebone, dvi, mini motherboard, mini-itx, Shuttle

ZOTAC has announced the nForce 630i-ITX WiFi motherboard that we mentioned last week.

This new Mini-ITX motherboard has the same features as the ZOTAC nForce 630i-ITX board with the addition of integrated 802.11b/g WiFi.

Note: we were hoping for 802.11n WiFi on this board, as there are other Mini-ITX boards - such as the Magic-Pro MP-NC81 (similar to the Jetway NC81-LF board) - which are available with 802.11n as add-on.

ZOTAC nForce 630i-ITX WiFi specifications:

• CPU: LGA775 socket for Intel Core™ 2 Duo/Quad/Extreme CPU
• Chipset: NVIDIA nForce 630i
• RAM:  2 x 240-pin DIMM, up to 4 GB of DDR2 800 RAM
• Storage: 2x SATA ports, 1 IDE port
• Expansion slot: 1x PCIe x1 slot
• Video: NVIDIA GeForce 7100 integrated graphics, 1x VGA output, 1x DVI output
• Audio: 5.1 audio
• LAN: Fast Ethernet (10/100 Mbps)
• WLAN: Integrated 802.11b/g WiFi
• I/O:  8x USB 2.0 ports (4 external, 4x internal via onboard connectors)

Read the press release here.

Product page here.

[Update: fixed the number of SATA ports from 4 to 2. Tech specs of web site indicate 4, pictures show 2]

Technorati Tags: 630i, Jetway, Magic-Pro, mini motherboards, mini-itx, WiFi, ZOTAC

VIA has announced the VIA EPIA-P710 Pico-ITXe motherboard at ESC Boston.

It claims this is the first board based on the new Pico-ITXe specification:

The VIA EPIA-P710 is the very first board to take advantage of the new Pico-ITXe standard and SUMIT™ connector specifications. Using the SUMIT connectors to mount a customized expansion board, the VIA EPIA-P710 allows simple connection of both high and low speed, legacy and serial buses including S-ATA, USB 2.0 and PCI Express.

VIA EPIA-P710 Specifications:

• CPU: 1.0GHz VIA C7 processor
• Chipset: VIA VX800
• RAM: 1x SO-DIMM socket, 2 GB DDR2 667/533 RAM max.
• Storage: 1x 44 pin IDE, 2 x SATA
• Expansion slots: 2 x SUMIT QMS Connectors (3 USB, LPC, 2 PCIex1, PCIex4, SMBus and SPI)
• Display: Integrated VIA Chrome9 HC3, 1x Single-Channel LVDS pin Connector, 1x VGA heade
• Audio: VIA VT1708B HD
• LAN: 1x VIA VT6122 Gigabit LAN Controller (connector board required)

Read the news release here, and the product page there.

Technorati Tags: C7, mini motherboard, Pico-ITXe, VIA

Shuttle has published details on their new Shuttle X-Series Barebone X27D.

This nettop uses a Mini-ITX motherboard featuring a dual core Intel Atom 330 CPU. It is otherwise identical to the Shuttle X-Series Barebone X27.

Other features of the Mini-ITX board in the X27/X27D include Gigabit Ethernet, 2 SATAII ports and DVI output. Worth noting is that there is no PCI or PCIe expansion slot available (there is an empty space on the board where the connector should be).

For those looking for a complete Mini-ITX Atom board, and don’t want the hassle of getting a separate case and power supply, this is a good system to buy. You may even be able to get it as a complete system under the X2700B reference when Shuttle releases it.

Here is a comparison table of the X27/X27D models:

There is another Shuttle product in their range - the KPC K58 - that uses a Mini-ITX Atom motherboard. Similar to the X27, I would expect Shuttle to soon release the KPC K58D - upgrade of the KPC K58 with the dual core Atom 330 CPU.

[Update: fixed the number of USB ports from 4 to 10, and reference to complete system X2700B (was X2700D)]

Technorati Tags: 945gc, atom, barebone, dvi, mini motherboard, mini-itx, Shuttle

VIA Technologies has announced it will be demonstrating the VIA VB8001 Mini-ITX motherboard this week at the Embedded Systems Conference, Boston, MA.

The VIA VB8001 is the first board based on the VIA Nano processor.

This mini motherboard supports up to 4GB of RAM, and features Gigabit Ethernet, 2 SATA ports and a PCIe x16 slot.

VB8001  Specifications:

• CPU: VIA Nano CPU (1.6GHz)
• Chipset: VIA CN896 + VT8237S
• RAM: 2x 240-pin DIMM socket, up to 4GB of DDR2 533/667 RAM
• Storage: 1x IDE, 2x SATA II ports
• Expansion slots: 1x PCIe x16 slot, 1x mini-PCI slot
• Display: Integrated VIA Chrome9™ HC graphics, 1x VGA
• Audio: VIA VT1708A HD audio
• LAN: 1x VIA VT6130 Gigabit Ethernet port
• I/O: 8x USB ports (2x external, 6x internal), 2x Serial ports (1x external, 1x internal)

Read the full press release here.

Technorati Tags: CN896, mini motherboard, mini-itx, nano, VIA

The MSI IM-945GC Mini-ITX motherboard (also known as the MS-9832) is slowly appearing in retail channels at the time of writing.

This is the first Mini-ITX Atom motherboard to feature 4 onboard SATA ports, making it an excellent candidate for a low power home server.

With the Atom N270 processor and 945GC chipset, it will not be as power efficient as the MSI IM-945GSE. Still, MSI has been able to keep the board fanless.

Other features for this board are one DIMM (up to 2GB RAM), 2 Gigabit Ethernet ports, one PCI slot and one Mini-PCIe slot, 3 serial ports (headers for up to 3 additional ports) 4 USB 2.0 ports (headers for up to 2 additional ports), one IDE port.

Here is a comparison table of the different MSI boards with Atom CPU:

Technorati Tags: 945gc, atom, mini motherboard, mini-itx, MSI

Jetway has published details on their new NC92 Mini-ITX motherboard series, available with either a single core Atom CPU (NC92-230-LF) or the new dual core Atom 330 CPU (NC92-330-LF).

Compared to the NC91-230-LF board (similar to Intel’s reference board D945GCLF), the NC92 mini motherboard series features Gigabit LAN and a daughter board expansion connector.

It would be good to see Jetway announcing compatibility for their DVI daughter board; currently daughter boards providing additional serial or LAN ports are reported compatible with the new Atom N92 mini motherboard series.

Here is a comparison table of the different Jetway boards with Atom CPU:

Technorati Tags: 330, 945gc, atom, Jetway, mini motherboard, mini-itx, N230, N91, N92

The team at gOS have built a custom PC named Andoid G2, as a tribute to the newly released Android G1.

The G2 PC - in a new “Android” shape - is based on a JetWay J7F2 Mini-ITX motherboard and features a VIA C7 800MHz CPU, 1GB RAM and a 80 GB hard drive. It runs gOS 3.0 Gadgets.

It is being auctioned on eBay witl all proceeds being donated to DonorsChoose.org via the TechCrunch Challenge.

Read the article here [via CNET News]. You can also look at the pictures of the build process here.

Technorati Tags: Android G1, C7, G2, gOS 3, Jetway, mini-itx, VIA

TechTree.com is reporting that ZOTAC plans to launch the nForce 630i-ITX WiFi motherboard.

This Mini-ITX motherboard is expected to be the  ZOTAC nForce 630i Mini-ITX with the addition of WiFi. Details have yet to be available on ZOTAC’s web site.

For reference, ZOTAC nForce 630i-ITX Specifications:

• CPU: LGA775 socket for Intel Core™ 2 Duo/Quad/Extreme CPU
• Chipset: NVIDIA nForce 630i
• RAM:  2 x 240-pin DIMM, up to 4 GB of DDR2 800 RAM
• Storage: 2x SATA ports, 1 IDE port
• Expansion slot: 1x PCIe x1 slot
• Video: NVIDIA GeForce 7100 integrated graphics, 1x VGA output, 1x DVI output
• Audio: 5.1 audio
• LAN: Fast Ethernet (10/100 Mbps)
• I/O:  8x USB 2.0 ports (4 external, 4x internal via onboard connectors)

Read the full article here.

Product page here.

[Update: fixed the number of SATA ports from 4 to 2. Tech specs of web site indicate 4, pictures show 2]

Technorati Tags: Core 2 Duo, Intel, mini motherboard, mini-itx, nForce 630i, ZOTAC

TweakTown has posted a review of the ZOTAC nForce 610i Mini-ITX Motherboard. They tested this mini motherboard with an Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 CPU (3.16GHz), and compared it to Intel G45 & Via Nano (note: no reference to what boards they have used for this comparison).

While the ZOTAC board was behind in the memory tests, It overall performance was close to the Intel G45, and clearly above the performance of the Via Nano. For video playback, CPU usage for the ZOTAC and Intel G45 were equivalent and way below the CPU usage of the VIA Nano.

With a power consumption of 225W under load and 133W idle (!), this board was found to consume more than the Intel G45 (201W load/123W idle), and way more than the VIA Nano (83W load/55W idle). Such results are a bit surprising as they do not compare to results obtained by TrustedReviews for the Intel Mini-ITX DG45FC board (80W load/65W idle) here and Tom’s Hardware for the VIA Nano L2100 (50W load/28W idle) there.

They were overall satisfied with the board:

Coming to the end of our ZOTAC Mini-ITX motherboard review, we have been left with a reasonably good impression of the board.[...] if you’re after a basic media center PC, this will do fine. However, with no digital outputs you’re very limited.

ZOTAC Specifications:

• CPU: LGA775 socket for Intel Core™ 2 Duo/Quad/Extreme CPU
• Chipset: NVIDIA nForce 610i
• RAM:  2 x 240-pin DIMM, up to 4 GB of DDR2 667/533 RAM
• Storage: 2x SATA ports, 1 IDE port
• Expansion slot: 1x PCIe x1 slot
• Video: NVIDIA GeForce 7050 integrated graphics, 1x VGA output
• Audio: 5.1 audio
• LAN: Fast Ethernet (10/100 Mbps)
• I/O:  8x USB 2.0 ports (4 external, 4x internal via onboard connectors)

Read the full article here.

Technorati Tags: Core 2 Duo, Intel, mini motherboard, mini-itx, nForce 610i, ZOTAC