Want a SFF PC.

[nick25]

Hi, I want to get my Dad a SFF PC for the study but as I don't know anything about these small form factor computers I thought I'd ask. I prob won't actually purchase until June so I know tech will have changed by then but I'd like to get an idea of what I can get for my money.

One of the most important things is it to look good (I know it shouldn't be this way around but it's going to be) as it's going in his study. I want it to be as small as possible but also as quiet as possible and I think black would look best but that isn't the be all and end all.

He doesn't play games or do anything that is that intensive. In fact all he does do is use Word, internet, emails and looks at his digital pictures. I am giving him my aluminium coolermaster keyboard and optical mouse as well as my 20" 2005FPW widescreen LCD (as he likes it and it will give him a good res for his pictures) due to this I need a DVI out and something that will support 1680x1050 res.

I will put windows XP SP2 on it so I'm thinking perhaps 2 x 256mb ram, hopefully something that will do tight timings. Not sure what cpu - amd or intel? perhaps one of those amd winnies? As you probably guessed I won't be overclocking anything.

I also want to buy just some stereo speakers (no sub) mainly just for the windows noises and the occasional streamed video/music so they don't have to be very good and I would just use the onboard sound (assuming there is onboard) however I'd like to get some that look nice, take up little room etc

I want it to have a DVD-rw drive and must have a floppy drive. I'm thinking something like 120GB hard drive.

Another thing I'd like is a wireless network card of some sort. The cable for the internet goes into my bedroom into the cable modem then into the computer via ethernet cable. Could I buy a wireless device that connects to the cable modem via ethernet then to other computers wirelessly but also have the option to connect to other pc's via ethernet. I have a linksys wireless router at uni for my desktop and my laptop but to use the internet I have to have my desktop on. I wouldn't want that in this case. I'd want the wireless device to be independent so as long as its switched on any other computer with a wireless card can get the internet. Can you get something like this?

Budget is about £500, although looking back on what I want that looks a bit tight.

Sorry for the long post.

Thanks, Nick.

 

[gorby]

My first bit of input here, and I know loads will disagree is just beware the shuttle. Although they make some great models I don’t think build quality is very high. From what ive seen faulty units are very common and most retailers shunt the support / rma duties to shuttle themselves, who I have found to be less than helpful.

I built an SK43G system for a friend in sept last year and im still trying to get the rma resolved. The sk43g is probably the kind of thing your after cheap system (110 quid for amd 333 fsb system with via chipset [audio, grfx, usb2 firewire network etc..) The thing blue screened / crashed (even @ bios level) every 5 mins with different errors what ever combo of hardware I put in it. Shuttle have been trying to tell me that its fine and the memory I have blah blah blah. Incidentally shuttle withdrew the sk43g from their product line after about 3 weeks, speaks for itself that one. Also my house mate has had 2 faulty intel 865 systems from shuttle. One couldn’t save bios and overheated constantly despite the racquet and one had a dodgy psu.

I think its luck of the draw though because some people never have problems with them. If I had to go again id probably go for an Iwil or a biostar. Check out sfftech, some good reviews and forums.

Imo for the small pc mini-itx is king, (check the sig

). Of course you wont get the all in one warranty / route to repair and you would probably end up playing with it more than him

As for your network stuff...

Having a (cable)modem plugged directly into anything makes you a target as NAT provides the first and most fundamental security feature there is out there. Buy an all in one cable compatible router / access point like the linksys WRT54G. Depending on they type of modem ntl or whoever gave you, you may need to hook up the devices with a piece of xover (cross over) cable.

Coolio, my cup of teas finished now time for cig break.