Mini PC Spec

[cjc1984]

Ok folkes, I posted a thread below on a PC I was looking at for future proof/video editing. However, a chance in circumstances may mean I won't really have too much need for photoshop any more, nor video editing. So am considering the mini-pc option, as the PC will be used primarily as a media centre, used for music and movies (eventually 3d blu ray).

I have priced up the following systems

INTEL OPTION
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Intel Core i5 680 3.6ghz 4mb cache
8GB RAM
Intel DH57JG Chipset
NVidia GT430 1GB Graphics Card
2TB WD Caviar Green HDD
Blu Ray 6x Writer with Cyberlink Software
Windows 7 Home Premium
Silver Warranty

Price: 858

Same spec with the AMD chipset and Athlon II X4 640 is £736.
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From what I can gather, both the above systems ought to be able to slaughter music, movies, general web surfing/office tasks, and run football manager 2011 reasonably well.

I looked at the AMD option, although the AMD option offers wireless and usb 3.0, the fastest processor available is the athlon x4 640, which I believe is still not as fast as the core i5 680?

Any advice on which the better option would be should I decide to go down this route would be much appreciated. If a more powerful AMD processor was offered would almost certainly snap this up, as the Phenom X4 955 and X6 1055 are both supported by this motherboard and have the same power requirements as the Athlon II X4 640 (95w)

 

[PCS]

Both systems will be able to slaughter music, movies, general web surfing/office tasks, and run football manager 2011 reasonably, but the GT430 is not desgined for extreme gaming or anything like that...

I'm sure there is a valid reason why there are no AMD options higher than the 555 on this configurator, although I cannot give you a definitive answer at present. I will investigate and get back to you shortly.

 

[cjc1984]

I presumed that it may be down to issues you may have had with them in the past (possibly heat issues in such a small form factor), as at one point I am sure there was the option to select an AMD Phenom II X4 955.

If it can run football manager and 3d Blu Ray (which I believe it can do with ease) then that would be enough, if I went for this spec I would do most of my gaming on a console.

 

[PCS]

After checking further, the Phenom 955 and 1055T processors we have in stock are 125W - at present we are unable to source the 95W version and therefore we cannot offer these.

 

[cjc1984]

Thanks for looking into it for me nevertheless.

 

[cjc1984]

Tis a shame really If you take the config available for the AMD mini PC and

- Add the option for an AMD X4 955 or X6 1055 (95W versions)
- Offer a slightly bigger case (any big enough for 2 hard disk drives, eg antec mini skeleton)
- Maybe a slightly better GPU (nothing more than an ATI 5570)

You would have one killer HTPC capable of most things except gaming/video editing etc