SFFTech reviews and pans the AOpen Mini PC
SFFTech got their hands on the Apple AOpen Mini PC and churned out a massive, and ultimately unflattering review of this Mac mini knock-off. While Apple and AOpen target the low end or entry level market with their mini offerings, SFFTech found the Mac mini to be a better choice for beginners or the "less technologically inclined." No surprise there. And, although the Mini PC looks to be ideal for home theater setup with its component, S-Video and composite video outputs for standard and high definition television sets, SFFTech found playback to "stutter and lag" HD videos while offering audio which simply "isn't up to the task." While AOpen's attempt at the mini is actually 1.5-centimeters smaller in length and width than Apple's, you'll still be limited in options for placement due to the "very annoying whine" emitted by the Mini PC's fans which only intensifies when the system is pushed to its limit. In fact, it was so bad during testing that the reviewer had to shut the machine down at times. While SFFTech gives AOpen credit for offering a low end PC in a "cool" form factor, they ultimately can't recommend it for PC enthusiasts or even as a file server due to the noise. Ouch.
[Thanks, Jorge]
