New Aopen gm45 mini-PCs

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frank2003
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Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2007 3:35 am

New Aopen gm45 mini-PCs

Post by frank2003 » Fri Aug 01, 2008 4:56 am

Aopen has 3 new models of the mini-PC based on the GM45 chipset. The specs and Intel logo say the GPU is GMA X4500 but the product description says X4500HD. You be the judge of which it actually has: http://www.aopen.nl/Products.aspx?id=74

p5ycho
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Location: Zeist, Netherlands

Post by p5ycho » Wed Aug 27, 2008 12:08 am

Looks interesting.

Problem is the pricing. 400euros for the barebone, you also need a socket P CPU (and you really want a 45nm core2duo), at least 2GB RAM (SO-DIMM) and a decent 2,5" HDD.

Easily 650 euros total. ouch.

MSI announced the GM45 based IM-GM45 mini-itx mobo with a standard LGA775 socket. should result in a cheaper box.

maybe prices will drop, if so i am very interested. I need a new NAS and a new HTPC to replace my xbox.

dougz
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Post by dougz » Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:58 am

p5ycho wrote: MSI announced the GM45 based IM-GM45 mini-itx mobo with a standard LGA775 socket
Got a link for that? The only IM-GM45 info I can find says something like
Intel® 45nm Mobile processor with socket P (Penryn)

http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func ... cat_no=388

p5ycho
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Location: Zeist, Netherlands

Post by p5ycho » Wed Aug 27, 2008 10:16 am

My bad, it is a socket P.
Some hardware site that copy/pasted the press release headlined with 'IM-GM45 for LGA775'.

Sorry about that.

shouldn't be that hard to use LGA775 with gm45, but Intel probably doesn't want it.

dougz
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Post by dougz » Wed Aug 27, 2008 1:42 pm

p5ycho wrote: shouldn't be that hard to use LGA775 with gm45, but Intel probably doesn't want it.
Might heat be a consideration favoring a mobile CPU (as well as mobile GPU) on a densely populated mini-ITX board? It's hard to get great ventilation (or room for a big heatsink) in a mini-ITX box.

Gotta give props to the design of the Mac Mini. Price/size/performance tradeoffs were brilliantly engineered, especially for the time. Hope they update it soon. GMA4500 would be nice, assuming the drivers ever work right...

p5ycho
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Location: Zeist, Netherlands

Post by p5ycho » Thu Aug 28, 2008 11:27 pm

The 45nm Intel desktop CPU's are surprisingly cool. for example the E7200 consumes about 25W full load.

I'm gonna wait till september with this one. the mac mini will probably get its long awaited refresh in september (educated guess) and if the price remains at 500 euros for the cheapest model it will blow the aopen offerings out of the water.

lowpowercomputing
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Post by lowpowercomputing » Sat Aug 30, 2008 12:45 pm

p5ycho wrote:I'm gonna wait till september with this one. the mac mini will probably get its long awaited refresh in september (educated guess) and if the price remains at 500 euros for the cheapest model it will blow the aopen offerings out of the water.
Same here. I still use my PowerPC mini as my main workstation and occasionally considered building an Intel box to replace it but if Apple come out with a new GM45 Mac mini which is adequately priced and specced (i.e. 2GHz C2D, up to 4GB of RAM), I'm sold on that one.

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