MiniPC goes Core Duo with the LF800

The first one we have is the smallest form model, the VT800 (pictured above). Though it loses out on a PCI-Express slot, it gains an external sata drive slot, making it perfect for a Media Machine.

It features a Pentium Duo processor (you can pick between a variety of them). You can regulate the internal fan's velocity (though you have to open the box in order to do so). Gigabyte lan card onboard, up to 2GB of RAM (though I don't think it's a necessity for a (purely) media machine, unless you're running Vista).

The Core Duo models (without Windows Licences) costs approximately 1,104.61 USD/1,380.62 USD (512 RAM and Core Duo T2300E/Core Duo T2600 respectively and 40GB HDD).

The next model, the LF800 (picture below), has a very similar price to it's smaller brother, features a PCI-Express slot, but loses the external SATA slot.


Featuring a 250GB HDD, with the option of putting one 3.5" drive or two 2.5" ones, and a slim CD/DVD drive, this model is more versatile than the first, though also gains a considerable size and an ugly top for the heat to go out. But with it's PCI-E slot, you can easilly turn this into a media/gaming powerhouse, if you can find a good graphics card that fits in it.

With a Core Duo T2300E and 512 RAM this model costs approximately 1,086.15 USD. You can add a Gigabite Lan card and Wireless LAN card for 87.6462 USD each.

These are two fine and worthy contenders for a media machine, though, with these prices, I think you would be better off buying a laptop and hooking it up to a television.