PC Magazine is out with a new review of the Dell Inspiron Zino HD desktop PC here on their website.

The reviewed small form factor system which takes some of its design cues from the Mac mini has a dual core AMD Athlon processor, 3GB of RAM, a 320 GB HDD, ATI Radeon HD 3200 graphics, and a DVD burner.

And now.. (drum roll please..) here’s the bottom line from the review:

“The Dell Inspiron Zino HD’s compact design is derivative of the Apple Mac mini, but it has all the connectors it needs to sit under that big HDTV you bought last holiday season.”

On the cons side:

“Poor 3D performance. 64-bit OS, but only 3GB. Blu-ray is an option. Wired keyboard and mouse.”

Yeah.. basically what we found in our review from a few months back. The system is a fairly inexpensive way to bring an HTPC system into the living room. We’ve been using the Zino HD as a HTPC for several months now and it’s held up quite nicely (especially after we upgraded the internal drive to 1TB – more on that shortly).

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Dell Inspiron Zino HD Review, PC Magazine Review

Technorati Tags: Shuttle

We dropped by the Shuttle booth this morning and checked out their new lineup of XPC J Series small form factor (SFF) PCs. The J series is segmented into three models – the entry-level J1, the mainstream J2, and the high-performance J3. Features of the new XPC J Series include:

• Tool-less drive installation
• Mini-ITX motherboard support. With Shuttle standardizing on Mini-ITX form factors, users can upgrade (or downgrade) the motherboard without modifications to the chassis
• Roomy interior for future expansion
• Clean modern look

Let’s take a look at the specs for the three models. First up is the entry-level J1 (barebones model SG-41J1):

Specs include:

• Intel G41 chipset
• Support for up to Intel Core 2 Quad processor
• Dual Channel DDR2 support
• One 5.25 inch drive bay
• Two 3.5 inch drive bays
• 1 PCI and 1 PCI-E x 16 slot
• Intel X4500 graphics
• 5.1 HD audio
• 250 watt power supply

Next up is the mainstream J2:

Specs include:

• Intel H55 chipset
• Support for Intel Core i5 or Core i3 processor
• Dual Channel DDR3 memory
• One 5.25 inch drive bay
• Two 5.25 inch drive bays
• 1 x PCI slot and 1 PCI-E (x16) slot
• Integrated graphics in the CPU
• 7.1 HD audio
• 300 watt PSU

And finally, we’ve got the high-performance J3 Series:

Specs include:

• Intel X58 chipset
• Intel Core i7 processor support
• 1+3 channel DDR3 memory support
• One 5.25 inch drive bay
• Two 3.5 inch drive bays
• 2x PCI-E (x16) slots
• Supports ATI CrossFire and NVIDIA SLI technology
• 7.1 HD audio
• 500 watt power supply

Technorati Tags: Shuttle XPC J Series, Small Form Factor PC, CES 2010

Dell is certainly no stranger to the small form factor (SFF) PC market as its current product mix includes several SFF systems including the Dell Studio Hybrid, the Dell Studio Slim Desktop PC, and the Dell Inspiron 537s Slim Desktop PC. Their latest SFF entry, the Inspiron Zino HD, attempts to fill a gap in their product lineup – the need for an inexpensive consumer-oriented desktop PC that also handles today’s growing library of digital media content available locally and over the Internet.

With a form factor that measures 7.8 x 7.8 x 3.4 inches, it’s easy to draw comparisons to the Apple Mac mini in terms of size and looks. Both systems are square; both have rounded corners; and yes, both are sexy in their own right (although I still think the Mac mini is a tad bit sexier).

However, the Zino HD competes at a market segment below the Mac mini and the Dell Studio Hybrid PC. It’s an entry level PC for the masses that delivers everyday computing capabilities just powerful enough to handle multimedia tasks typically found in home theater PCs. Couple the system with Windows 7 Home Premium and you instantly have the makings for a complete inexpensive home theater PC running Windows Media Center.

Specifications

Our review unit has the following specifications:

• AMD Athlon Neo X2 6850e clocked at 1.8GHz (dual-core processor)
• 2GB DDR2 800MHz SDRAM
• 250GB 7200RPM SATA HDD
• Integrated ATI Radeon HD3200 graphics
• Windows Vista SP1 Home Basic Edition
• 8X DVD+/-RW
• Integrated 2.1 HD Audio

Dell also packages a wired USB keyboard and laser mouse with the Zino HD.It should be noted that the base Zino HD system comes the AMD Athlon 2650e processor clocked at 1.6GHz. We got this system on Black Friday when Dell ran a special discount on the Zino HD – with the standard price lowered to $199. We opted for the high-end dual-core AMD Athlon Neo X2 6850e which brought the entire system price up to $279 at the time. You can also outfit the Zino HD with a discrete ATI Radeon HD4330 graphics card for a bit more graphics oomph.

Packaging and a look around

It took approximately a little over a week for Dell to get the Zino HD into our hands. Here are the unboxing pictures that we took of the desktop.

There isn’t much packaged with the Inspiron Zino HD. You get the desktop PC, an AC adapter, keyboard, mouse, and some user manuals. To help keep the Zino HD nice and small, Dell utilizes a laptop AC adapter instead of a normal PC power supply.

The outer glossy finish is an absolute fingerprint magnet so you’ll want to keep a cloth handy to wipe off prints and dust.

The front of the Zino HD features a headphone jack, two USB 2.0 ports, a media card reader, and a DVD drive up near the top. It’s a shame Dell didn’t opt for a slot-load DVD drive instead of a laptop DVD drive but that probably would have raised the price of the system. The power button resides at the lower right corner of the top of the system.

On the back, you’ll find a vent, power connector, VGA connector, HDMI output, two eSATA ports, two USB 2.0 ports, an Ethernet port, an audio line-out port, and a microphone-in port.

The inclusion of two eSATA ports is certainly a nice feature since the Zino HD only has room for one internal hard drive. If you’re planning to use the Zino HD as a DVR or a multimedia PC, then having loads of disk space becomes critical.

There’s also a Kensington lock port to help secure the system.

Here’s the bottom of the Zino HD.

Performance

Our base system came configured with Windows Vista Home Basic Service Pack 1. Thankfully, Dell opted to NOT bundle loads of bloat-ware on the Zino HD. There’s nothing worse than a new computer system bundled with third party applications you’ll never use. You’ll find several Dell software utilities on the Zino HD and that’s it.

With specs like an AMD Athlon Neo X2 processor, the Inspiron Zino HD is certainly no speed demon. However, the system is more than adequate enough to handle everyday computing and multimedia tasks. Tasks such as surfing the web, checking email, working with office productivity applications, light multimedia tasks, and video playback are all easily handled by the Zino HD.

In fact, since the Zino HD is outfitted with a low-power AMD Athlon processor, the Zino HD has much more in common with today’s thin-and-light notebook PC’s than other inexpensive desktop PCs out there. To that end, our benchmarks here compare the Zino HD with our current favorite thin-and-light notebook, the ASUS UL30A-X3, which utilizes the Intel CULV Core 2 Duo SU7300 clocked at 1.3GHz.

At the processor and system level, the Zino HD was comparable in performance with the UL30A notebook. There were benchmarks where the higher-clocked AMD Athlon Neo X2 processor won and there were benchmarks where the SU7300 processor won – but nothing by a wide margin. Here are the results for your viewing pleasure.

Sandra Processor Arithmetic

Sandra Processor Multimedia

Sandra Cryptography

At a system level, the Zino HD eeks out performance gains over the UL30A-X3.

Sandra File System

Sandra Memory Bandwidth

PC Mark 2005

POV-Ray

Geekbench

From a graphics perspective, the integrated ATI Radeon HD3200 graphics is a definite improvement over any Intel integrated graphics solution – but you probably know that already. Here are some of the benchmarks for the Zino HD as compared to our reference ASUS UL30A-X3 which utilizes the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD.

3D Mark 2006

Cinebench R10

As for the all-important video performance tests (important for anyone who wants to use the Zino HD as a potential HTPC), we ran the system through a battery of video file formats – everything from standard definition clips to 720p/1080p high definition video clips, as well as several different formats and encodings. The Zino HD’s processor and ATI Radeon graphics chipset easily handled all of our video formats. Although we did not have a Blu-ray drive handy for testing, we did download and play back several 1080p movies in H.264 format without any difficulties.

Flash video playback was also smooth thanks to the latest Adobe Flash 10.1 beta with hardware acceleration.

Upgrades

Upgrading the Zino HD can be somewhat challenging. Memory is upgraded by accessing the bottom of the system while drive upgrades require access from the top of the system.

To gain access to the two SO-DIMM memory slots, simply remove the two screws towards the bottom  rear of the unit. Pop off the lower cover and you’ll see the following.

Upgrading the drives is the more challenging aspect as it requires the removal of several layers and screws. The top of the desktop is popped off simply by pressing the back upper button.

You then need to remove another layer to gain access to the inner workings of the Zino HD.

To upgrade the internal hard drive, you’ll need to remove the DVD drive which sits atop the hard drive. We decided to skip this step for now but yes, it’s indeed possible to do these upgrades in the future. Stay tuned for future projects where we upgrade the internal hard drive and possibly also upgrade the DVD drive to an internal Blu-ray drive.

Windows Media Center

We’ve seen the performance numbers, and we know the Zino HD can handle all sorts of video formats, but what would running Windows Media Center be like with the system? To test this, we installed Windows 7 Ultimate on the Zino HD and played around with Windows Media Center.

To get the full HTPC experience, the Zino HD was connected to an Onkyo A/V receiver via HDMI which then routed the video to a 46 inch Samsung 1080p LCD display.

We had no issues getting a 1080p picture right up to our display. Audio even automatically routed through the HDMI connection to the receiver – sweet.

We then repeated our battery of video playback tests within Windows Media Center – including playing back 720p and 1080p video content against our Samsung display. The Zino HD had no problems at all decoding all the various formats and displaying a consistent stutter-free image on the screen. CPU utilization hovered between 20 to 60 percent depending upon the file format and the resolution.

Navigating through Windows Media Center wasn’t a problem either – that is until you placed some load on the Zino HD. Start up a 720p video and try to navigate through MCE and you’ll quickly notice delays in handling user input and rendering graphical transitions. It’s not horrible by any means but it is indeed noticeable. 

The one thing we didn’t get a chance to test with the Zino HD was in handling live TV recording. Based on other reviews on the Internet, we suspect the Zino HD should have no problems recording HDTV content, although it might be hard for the system to keep up with multiple streams and play back HD content simultaneously. That’s a test we hope to try out in the next few weeks as we upgrade the hard drive on the Zino HD.

However, if you’re looking for an inexpensive PC to play back HD and SD video content onto a big screen display, then do consider the Inspiron Zino HD.

About the only real complaints with the Inspiron Zino HD was the inability for the unit to completely fill the entire Samsung 1080p display. I fiddled with all the settings and updated the drivers to the latest Catalyst versions but nothing worked. We were left with a thin black band around the entire edge of the display. You’ll get used to it but it’s still annoying to see. It should also be noted that some folks were having trouble getting the system to fill a 720p display. We’ll test that out in the weeks to come also.

And finally, it would have been nice if Dell coupled an internal IR receiver with the Zino HD. Thankfully I had a Windows Media Center remote and receiver handy.

Summary

Combining elements of the Mac mini with the power-consumption and performance of thin-and-light notebooks, the Dell Inspiron Zino HD truly is an attractive and affordable entry-level PC for the masses. The system’s stylish design and compact form factor allows it to fit in nicely – whether in cramped quarters or in living room environments.

Performance is about what you would expect from a low-end PC but more importantly, the Zino HD is capable of handling high definition video playback – essential for anyone looking to create an inexpensive home theater PC.

Could the system be better? Of course. We would have liked to have seen a CULV Intel processor on the inside, an integrated IR receiver, and a bundled remote control but these are minor issues.

At the end of the day, the Dell Inspiron Zino HD is a winner in the entry-level PC market segment.

Pros

• Compact form factor
• Inexpensive
• Good HTPC solution
• Fairly quiet
• No bloat-ware

Cons

• No DVD slot drive
• No built-in IR receiver

Technorati Tags: Dell Inspiron Zino HD Review

Technorati Tags: Dell Inspiron Zino HD, Windows Media Center, Windows 7

The plastic is still on the Zino HD on the following two shots..

Here’s what it looks like with the plastic removed..

The top cover removed..

Stay tuned for our review

Technorati Tags: Dell Inspiron Zino HD Unboxing Pictures

OptiPlex 780 USFF:

• Variety of processor, graphics, and hard drive options with latest generation of Intel Core 2 Duo processors
• Intel Celeron to Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 processor
• 1 – 4GB of RAM
• 160GB – 320GB HDD or up to 128GB SDD
• Support for Windows 7, Vista and XP, as well as Ubuntu Linux
• Intel vPro technology
• Intel GMA 4500 graphics
• optical drive
• Full disk encryption and built-in Trusted Platform module
• Energy Star 5.0 and EPEAT Gold compliance

OptiPlex 380:

• Available in three form factors – minitower, desktop, and small form factor
• Variety of processor, graphics, and hard drive options including Intel Celeron to Intel Core 2 Quad processors
• Intel G41 Express Chipset with ICH7
• Up to 4GB RAM
• Intel integrated graphics to ATI or NVIDIA graphics
• Gigabit Ethernet
• Easy to service chassis with tool-less components and DirectDetect LED diagnostic lights
• Dell Client Manager for remote system management
• Energy Star 5.0 and EPEAT Gold compliance
• Desktop prices start at $329, minitower prices start at $339, and small form factor prices start at $349

Technorati Tags: Dell OptiFlex 780 USFF, OptiFlex 380

Feeling a little lucky? How about a little creative too? Well check out Shuttle’s latest contest where you’ll get an opportunity to win a new Shuttle SX58H7 SFF PC – the first SFF to feature the Intel Core i7 processor. Here’s what you’ll need to do (from the Shuttle contest page):

“

1. Create a video about Shuttle
   In 90 seconds or less (a) show us what you would do for a Shuttle or (b) create a movie parody featuring Shuttle. Check out the video above for an example. ALL VIDEO ENTRIES MUST ALSO INCLUDE INTEL MESSAGING TO BE VALID.
2. Upload your video to YouTube
   Join the Shuttle YouTube group, upload your video creation, and submit the entry form.
3. Then just get ready to win some awesome prizes
   Win the latest, greatest, and fastest gear – including the Shuttle SX58H7 with Intel Core i7, NVIDIA 3D Vision Kits, Razer Gaming Peripherals, and more. “

Good luck folks!

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Shuttle SX58H7 SFF PC contest

The new series, which is a part of their Embedded Slim series lineup, consists of two new models – the XS29 and XS29F. The XS29 utilizes the VIA Nano L Series processor while the XS29F is a fanless design utilizing the VIA Nano U Series processor. Given that the XS29F is fanless, you’ll be able to enjoy a noise-free, dust-free, and maintenance-free system. 

These systems are ideal for individuals looking to perform light processing work such as web surfing, checking email, working on documents etc. while also maintaining great power efficiency and conservation.

Shuttle will show off the XS29 series at the upcoming Computex show in Taipei Taiwan with availability also expected in June.

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: Shuttle Inc, VIA Nano, Shuttle XS29, Shuttle XS29F

eMachines EL1300G-01w Small Form Factor Desktop PC

• AMD Athlon 2650e (1.6GHz, 512KB L2 cache)
• NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE integrated graphics
• 2GB DDR2 memory
• 160GB SATA (7200 RPM) hard drive
• 18x DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti Drive featuring Labelflash Technology
• Multi-in-one digital media card reader
• Microsoft Vista Home Basic
• 9 USB 2.0 ports (5 front / 4 rear)
• USB powered stereo speakers
• PS/2 multi-function keyboard
• Energy Star compliant
• $298 MSRP

eMachines EL1300G-02w Small Form Factor Desktop PC

• AMD Athlon 2650e Processor (1.6GHz, 512KB L2 cache)
• NVIDIA GeForce 6150SE integrated graphics
• 1GB DDR2 memory
• 160GB SATA II (7200 RPM) hard drive
• 18x DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti Drive featuring Labelflash™ Technology
• Multi-in-one digital media card reader
• Microsoft Windows XP Home with SP3
• 9 USB 2.0 ports (5 front / 4 rear)
• White 20-inch widescreen LCD with built-in speakers (eMachines E202H wmd)
• PS/2 multi-function keyboard
• Energy Star compliant
• $398 MSRP

The matching display specs are as follows:

eMachines E182H wm Display:

• 18.5″ widescreen viewable TFT active matrix
• 16:9 aspect ratio
• 1366 x 768 (HD ready) resolution
• CrystalBrite
• Inputs: 1xVGA
• 5 ms response time
• 300 cd/m2 brightness
• 10000:1 (dynamic) contrast ratio
• 170(H) / 160(V) viewing angle
• 16.7M color depth
• Built-in stereo speakers
• 720P HD ready via DVI with HDCP
• Energy Star compliant
• Vista Premium certified
• $119 MSRP

[Check it out]

Technorati Tags: eMachines, EL1300G-01w, EL1300G-02w, Small Form Factor PC

Remember the Shuttle SDXi Carbon? That was the water-cooled small form factor system first unveiled at CES 2009. Well the system is finally available for purchase – albeit as part of a complete configurable system package. The SDXi Carbon was made possible thanks to a custom built cooling (via the Liquid I.C.E. cooling technology) solution, a custom built case, and a custom built motherboard. With a starting price of $2599.99, you get the following:

• SDXi case cover with custom paint job
• Windows Vista Home Premium OS
• Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 3 GHz processor
• 2GB RAM
• 250GB SATA300 7200RPM HDD
• 22X DVD+-RW Dual Layer drive
• NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT 512MB graphics
• Gigabit Ethernet
• Logitech Internet 350 USB Desktop black keyboard/mouse combo
• Integrated 7.1 channel audio
• 1 year warranty

Of course there’s plenty of upgrade options. If you’re going for a water-cooled SFF box, you might as well amp it up by upgrading to the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 processor, 8GB of RAM, 1TB of storage space, Blu-ray burner, and a GeForce GTX 285 1GB Graphics.

Oh and in case you’re wondering why one would want a water-cooled small form factor system.. it’s all about performance, cooler temps, and of course, little to no sound. Yes.. all things that hard-core gamers want.

[Check it out via New Launches]

[Read this in Simplified Chinese and French]

Technorati Tags: Shuttle, SDXi Carbon, SFF

Shuttle also took the wraps off their first ever water-cooled SFF system at CES 2009 called the SDXi Carbon. The company managed to integrate an efficient cooling system into a small form factor case by designing the cooling, case, and motherboard on the system. Some of the key features of the SDXi Carbon include:

• Support for the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770 processor at 3.2 GHz
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280
• 7.1 channel audio
• Painted in a premium automotive level finish

Enjoy the pictures.

Technorati Tags: Shuttle SDXi Carbon, SFF, Liquid Cooled SFF, CES 2009

Say “Hello” to the new all-in-one, touch-screen enabled PC from Shuttle – the X50. This 15.6 inch system features the following:

• Intel Atom dual core processor (model 330)
• Intel 945GC chipset
• 1GB of RAM
• 80GB HDD
• Intel GMA 950 graphics
• 5.1 channel audio
• 60 W PSU
• Windows XP Professional OS
• 15.6 inch touch-panel
• 1.3 megapixel webcam

The X50 has a handy stand on the rear, supports VESA mounts, and has a slide-up handle for easy carrying. A white and black model was on display at CES 2009.

Technorati Tags: Shuttle, X50 all-in-one PC, CES 2009

Here’s a new prototype system from Shuttle which hopefully will see the light of day at some point this year – it’s the Shuttle H9 5800 based on the Shuttle SX58H9 barebones package. There’s a unique angled touch button on the upper right hand corner (I didn’t quite realize this so when I went to touch the button, the machine shut down. Whoops) and a cover in the front that opens up to reveal the optical drive bay on the inside. Specs include:

• Support for Core i7 Extreme Edition 965 processor
• Intel X58 chipset
• 4GB of DDR3 memory
• 150GB HDD (10,000 RPM)
• DVD drive
• NVIDIA GeForce 9800GT
• 7.1 channel HD audio
• 500W PSU
• Windows Vista Home Premium

Technorati Tags: Shuttle, H9 5800, CES 2009, Small Form Factor PC

Say hello to the Shuttle H7 P4500 GTR Small Form Factor system. Listed features for the H7 P4500 GTR SFF include:

• Shuttle SP45H7 GTR Barebones system
• Intel Core 2 Quad processor (also supports Core 2 Extreme, Core 2 Duo)
• Intel P45 chipset
• 2GB of DDR3 memory (up to 16GB RAM)
• 150GB 10,000RPM HDD (support for up to 2 HDDs)
• DVD drive
• NVIDIA GeForce 9800GT graphics (also GeForce GTX 280 or ATI Radeon HD4870)
• 7.1 channel HD audio
• 500 W PSU, 80 PLUS
• Windows Vista Home Premium
• Advanced BIOS overclocking features

Technorati Tags: Shuttle H7 P4500 GTR SFF, CES 2009

Above is the upcoming Shuttle D4500 small form factor system with a built-in 7 inch touch-screen display and support for Intel Core 2 Quad processors. Key features of the D4500 include:

• 7 inch touch panel allows for dual display
• Supports Intel Pentium Dual Core, Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Quad processors
• Intel GMA X4500HD graphics
• Support for up to 8GB DDR2 memory
• 7.1 channel audio with Dolby and DTS support

The D4500 will be available in Q1 of this year.

Technorati Tags: Shuttle, Shuttle D4500 Digital Home Entertainment, CES 2009

Shuttle officially released the world’s first Intel Core i7 SFF system at CES 2009 – the Shuttle H7 5800. Key features of the H7 5800 include:

• Intel Core i7 processor
• Intel X58 chipset
• 2GB of RAM with support for up to 16GB of DDR3 RAM
• DVD drive – up to Blu-ray drive
• NVIDIA GeForce 9800GTX
• 500 Watt PSU, 80 PLUS
• Room for up to 2 hard drives
• 7.1 channel HD audio
• Windows Vista Ultimate
• Based on Shuttle SX58H7 barebones

Technorati Tags: Shuttle, H7 5800 Small Form Factor PC, SFF, Intel Core i7, CES 2009