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MiniPC's latest: the LS800A PC with gigabit Ethernet and eSATA
Clearly, Minipc.jp isn't looking to win any design awards for their lineup of somewhat wee PCs. No problem, these kits are aimed at bespectacled roll-your-lowners not Shibuya fashionistas. The obvious change in this model is the fan. The new LS800A moves it from the top like the LF870 it replaces, and onto the side. The dimensions, however, remain unchanged at 4.5-inches tall -- not very "mini" by today's standards. They've added a DVI jack as standard now, an option for 2x gigabit Ethernet ports, external SATA, and support for PCI Express X1 (low profile) add-in cards. Otherwise, things look pretty much the same: stuff the box with any Core 2 Duo, Core Duo, Core Solo, or Celeron M processor of your choosing, up to 2GB of DDR2 memory (2x PCS-5300), up to 2x internal 3.5-inch SATA hard disks, 6x USB 2.0, Firewire, 802.11b/g WiFi, S/PDIF output, Intel 945GM Express graphics, optional DVD writer and more. Expect this blackest of black boxes to pop for Japan later this month starting at ¥59,850 (about $493) -- yeah, without a CPU or HDD. Catch the LS800A in a fit of hot geeky sexiness after the break.[Via Impress]
MiniPC bumps the game to Core 2 Duo with LF870 and VT870
While these MiniPC-brand miniPCs aren't exactly the smallest contenders on the block, they sure do look useful in their uber-simple black cladding, and now they're sporting Core 2 Duo processors, paving the way for all sorts of utilitarian good times. The LF870 keeps the same size of its predecessor, which at 4.5-inches tall is hardly "mini" by today's standards, but packs the full range of (Merom) Core 2 Duo processors, all the way up to the 2.33GHz T7600. There's also a minimum of 512MB of RAM, a 250GB SATA hard drive, DVD burner, PCI Express slot and even a WiFi option. The much smaller VT800 forgoes the disk drive to manage a 2.8-inch tall form factor, and the HDD is of the 2.5-inch variety, but the unit still manages the full range of Core 2 Duo action, along with a max 2GB of RAM and integrated Intel graphics. The new PCs, which should be shipping later this month in Japan, go for 130,000 yen ($1,095 US) and 122,000 yen ($1,028 US) respectively, while a third barebones option, the ET610E, goes for a mere 54,000 yen ($455 US).[Via Akihabara]
