We caught up with ASRock's new
entrant into the netbook world yesterday, but today it was all about the nettop. On display at the company's
CeBIT booth was this gem, the NetTop S330. Showcased in white and some strange, unusual other hue, the box was powered by an Intel
Atom 330 processor and supports up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM. Other specs include a Super Multi DVD burner, gigabit Ethernet, 160GB 2.5-inch hard drive, audio in / out, VGA output and GMA950 graphics. We have to say, the design here is about as unimaginative as a nettop can get, but ASRock representatives informed us that it'll be aiming at a lower-end market as the box should list for $399 or less depending on options. Anywho, feel free to poke around in the gallery below, and if you dig what you're seeing, you can pick one up in America this April (or May if you're in Europe).
posted Mar 6th 2009 3:06PM
GMA950 is the magic term that turns me off every time.
+1
Seriously, they really need to throw in HD-capable gfx, or not even bother...
Its called an ION, get a clue.
Just because YOU want better graphics doesn't mean the entire rest of the planet does.
And just because ASRock debuted this product, does NOT necessarily mean they wont also release an ION equivalent down the road.
My wife is a Grade School teacher and the first thing I saw when I saw this little guy was that mixed with Windows XP, this would make an excellent classroom PC. Small enough to be tucked behind or near a cheap 17/19" LCD but with enough power to Surf the web, run Word or Excel, and possibly even play some Reader Rabbit or Math Blaster.
And personally I think keeping our naive children away from iMacs is a worthwhile thing.
I wouldn't set my own Mom up with an Intel 950 at this point.
My sentiments exactly. I love the form factor... I can imagine a cadre really cool looking boxes coming out if the size becomes popular enough.
We don't need full size ATX boards for average home users any more.
Do you think at least one full size video card can be crammed in there?
(Assuming its on a perpendicular riser). I wounder how much heat vs noise it can handle?
how about the new EeeBox 208 with 256MB ATI Radeon HD 4350 graphics? It has HDMI out and Eee Cinema software for media playback. A remote control is also included....
http://www.itechnews.net/2009/03/06/asus-eeebox-pc-b208-with-atom-330-and-radeon-hd-4350
This is bordering on Nettop- why do I see an optical drive??? How am I supposed to mount this to the back of my LCD?
*Hint* I cant.
Gold?
Looks like bronze with piano black to me. Pretty ugly, but that's to the eye of this beholder.
Looks like a cheaper, less powerful, and uglier Mac mini to me. Maybe Apple should call the Mini a "nettop" and people wouldn't bitch about it anymore. Its also funny that the Mini came out in 2005, long before this became a trend.
i must have missed where this post mentioned anything about apple.
It's actually a bit nicer than a nettop because it does have the burner, making it a better desktop replacement for Mom and Pop.
It has to be cheaper than the equivalent netbook, though, to be worth it.
Wish it had HDMI out, but whatever, atleast they put a Atom 330 in it instead of a 230
If you want HDMI, dual core Atom 330 and ATI Radeon HD 4350 hardware decoding, and smaller. Look at the Asus Eee Box B208 : http://www.netbooknow.net/asus/b208/
Just try and stop me ordering one!
Actually all this system really needs is to be built upon the Nividia Ion chipset with all its features ..(HDMI, 9400 Graphics, Premium 1080p HD video with true-fidelity 7.1 audio)
then and only then would it make a killer HTPC&media server.
You'd think if they can figure out how to fit a computer inside a tiny box, they'd be able to make said tiny box not so butt ugly.
Not everybody can be Apple.
Looks like an old external DVD drive with an HP mouse connected to it.
Marketing man needs to be taken behind the toolshed.... for $400 I can get a Dell Studio Hybrid with 4x the computing power, at least 2x the gfx, and still have low power consumption.
Looks kind of like a prop from Star Trek:TOS.
I don't care what the thing looks like. I only care about whats in it and the price. I agree that without a better graphics chipset and HDMI, the thing is already outdated.
$400 ???
What will sell like hot cakes are $199 nettops.
For $400 I can get a full fledge desktop with a 19" LCD inlcuded.
or you could build your own mini ITX for like 300. Netbooks work because building a laptop is next to impossible if you want to SAVE money, but anyone with the ability to turn screws and plug in wires can build a small computer.
Needs HDMI and a HD capable chipset.
NEXT!
Look it's a late 1980's Mac Mini!
Intel chip set once more??? That’s a load of S%4T. I am not opposed to these manufactures bringing these types of products to market for the low end market but lets see some HTPC love, Asus at least put out a ATI graphics based net top but that still leaves Linux lovers SOL, no hardware video decoding under Linux for ATI cards and all the apps are already ported to nVidia’s VDPAU so at this point nVidia graphics are the only solution. Either way, I personally would have been more impressed if they put out an ION based net top based on the same form factor. It’s definitely a nice design; I don’t think I have ever seen a net top with an optical drive. Definitely a good looking product, they just need to put out an ION version.
Peace,
loving the gold and black... kind of reminds me of a NES with a zelda theme... 400$ is about right for this product, if a net book without an optical drive and a worse chipset can go for 350 - 450 (cough cough hp) why cant an actual net top that is more along the lines of desktop replacement, when i first say it i thought hell yes im buying one putting it on a shelf below my 50 inch lg..... its perfect yes its a bit of a mac mini rip, but honestly who cares the saying comes to mind (its like the pot calling the kettle black) meaning who cares you both are the same perform the same and do the same things stop ragging on each other just because ones an apple product and runs mac and ones a asrock product and runs windows.... THEY ARE ALL PC'S MADE FROM THE SAME PARTS DIFFERENT STICKERS GLOWING EMBLEMS AND OPERATING SYSTEMS DONT MAKE A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE THEY ALL HAVE USED AND STILL HAVE USED THE SAME COMPONENTS. until microsoft or apple starts macing processors, graphics cards, sound cards, hdd drives, power supplies, etc... thats when you people can start comparing apples to oranges ( no pun intended) but right now people are just comparing oranges and oranges
the ion would be a great plus but still i think its a good product