Shuttle X27 "Nettop is 'almost fanless'"

dougz · Post by **dougz** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 3:02 pm

Shuttle Incorporated unveiled a "nettop" computer claimed to offer "almost fanless" operation and use just 38 Watts. The mini-ITX based "X27" includes an Intel Atom 230 processor, a gigabit Ethernet port, DVI video output, a 2.5-inch hard drive bay, and a PCI expansion slot, says Shuttle....

measures 9.85 x 7.3 x 2.75 inches...

Shuttle says it makes just 23 decibels of noise and uses 36 Watts, idling at 23 Watts...

http://www.linuxdevices.com/files/misc/shuttle_x27.jpg
http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS8232 ... tml?kc=rss
http://eu.shuttle.com/en/desktopdefault ... ead-14902/

Note: Roll your mouse over the pictures in the last link for an explanation of the features of the system!

jaganath · Post by **jaganath** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 3:35 pm

pricing will be key. competition is basically the Eee box. 38W not that good, Eee box is about 20W at load.

dougz · Post by **dougz** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 3:51 pm

jaganath wrote:pricing will be key. competition is basically the Eee box. 38W not that good, Eee box is about 20W at load.

How so? I thought both used 945GC, so paower should be similar. Comparing apples & oranges?

At any rate, the inclusion of a slot for an optical drive will be important. This is one reason why I like the MSI Wind desktop (3.5" optical plus 3.5" HDD) over the Shuttle KPC/K45.

FWIW, I think that the X27 looks very promising if the little fan can really cool the thing. A few watts, one way or the other, are less important than the functionality available. Of course, YMMV...

jaganath · Post by **jaganath** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:32 pm

Comparing apples & oranges?

hmm...

Shuttle X27: Intel Atom processor, gigabit Ethernet, DVI video output, a 2.5-inch hard drive bay
Eee box: Intel Atom processor, gigabit Ethernet, DVI video output, a 2.5-inch hard drive bay

more like comparing an apple with another apple from the very same tree. I can take or leave the internal optical drive, after all USB optical drive is fine for burning and watching DVDs on the few occasions I would use it for that. of course there's the PCI slot but what can you really put in that? a sound card or TV tuner? USB equivalents exist for both.

dougz · Post by **dougz** » Wed Aug 27, 2008 4:39 pm

jaganath wrote:
Comparing apples & oranges?
more like comparing an apple with another apple from the very same tree. I can take or leave the internal optical drive, after all USB optical drive is fine for burning and watching DVDs on the few occasions I would use it for that. of course there's the PCI slot but what can you really put in that? a sound card or TV tuner? USB equivalents exist for both.

Fair enough. I should have been more explicit.

The details of power measurement methodology are not sufficiently specified for both boxes to determine whether the comparisons are unambiguous. With more info, we will know better. At this point, it is apple vs. [unknown fruit].

The value of internal optical or PCI vs. external USB depends on the intended use & user preferences. YMMV.

Personally, I like the form factor of the new Shuttle and the MSI Wind desktop over the KPC/K45. I'd even give up a few watts for that.

lowpowercomputing · Post by **lowpowercomputing** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 1:00 am

Doesn't the Eee Box use an N270 and a mobile chipset (945GSE) instead of the X27's standard 230/945GC combo? That would explain the lower power consumption.

dougz · Post by **dougz** » Thu Aug 28, 2008 5:20 am

lowpowercomputing wrote:Doesn't the Eee Box use an N270 and a mobile chipset (945GSE) instead of the X27's standard 230/945GC combo? That would explain the lower power consumption.

Bingo! You're right. http://hothardware.com/Articles/Asus-Ee ... op-System/

I still prefer a box with an optical drive, but the reason I hadn't been studying the B202 more carefully is that I don't want (to pay for) Windows. I'm a Linux guy...