In search of space-saving PCs
So the PC has become an indispensable tool for your daily activities? And it just happens that now is the time for an upgrade. What should you choose? A big one or a small one?
PCs have always come in different shapes and different configurations. You can buy a PC with a full-sized CPU, but this will take up a lot of space. A tower CPU will have to be placed on the floor, making it difficult for you to plug and unplug cables and swap CD-ROMs. Actually, if you open up the casing of a tower PC, you will be surprised to see that there is so much empty space inside.
A large CPU housing has the benefit of having more space for air circulation. However, today's fans have become so efficient that they can maintain good air circulation inside a small CPU housing that is packed with components. You may need more than one fan to really keep the air inside it cool, but that does not matter as they have also become quieter.
There is a good selection of space-saving PCs out there, if you think you want one to reclaim some space on your desk. All you need is a trip to Ratu Plaza. You will see very compact models from Asus, Dell Computer, HP-Compaq and others.
Asus, for example, has what the company calls Prodigy "barebone" PC. With a thickness of only 8.8 cm, it boasts quite an interesting configuration. It contains all the necessary components for today's powerful Pentium 4 PC, plus a few surprises. It has a DVD-ROM/CD-ROM drive, 32-bit 3-D graphics, a floppy diskette drive, a complete set of audio ports-both at the back and in front. It also has a built-in LAN port, so it is a network-ready PC.
Thoughtfully designed, many of the ports are placed in front so that you will not have to grope in the back of the housing for the right ports to insert a plug. In front, you have USB ports, microphone and headphone jacks, a PCMCIA port, optical S/PDIF output and a 1394 port. Like a mainstream notebook today, this unit also supports TV-out and DVI (Digital Video Interface).
Quite impressive for its size, this barebone PC does not come with the processor, memory and hard disk. You have to add these components yourself. You even have to buy your own keyboard and mouse, too! So, if you want a lot of flexibility and you want to make sure you know exactly what kind of hard disk, etc., that you use, this one is a good choice.
Dell's OptiPlex GX Series is also a good alternative. It is bigger than Asus Prodigy, and it comes in black. It does not compromise on connectivity, as it has integrated Gigabit networking features. It has six USB ports for almost all your needs -- an external CD-RW drive, a memory card reader, a Webcam, you name it. These USB ports, two of which are placed on the front panel, are all USB 2.0.
From HP-Compaq, the Evo D150 e-PC is another decent alternative. Both Dell and HP-Compaq models, however, come with all the processor, memory, hard disk, keyboard and mouse, so you are not fully at liberty to choose the components that you want.
One question that comes to mind when one sees a computer in a compact size is its expandability. Will it be possible for us to add more components later on? What about adding a GeForce4 graphics card? What if you have to add an additional LAN card?
Expandability is rather limited, unfortunately. The Asus Prodigy, for example, only has two expansion slots. So, if you wish to add a super-duper graphics card, you will have to sacrifice one. Adding an internal TV tuner may not be possible.
However, the good news is that nowadays most new peripherals use either the USB 1.1 or the faster USB 2.0 connections. These space-saving PCs have plenty of them, and you can use USB hubs, too. So, if you wish to add a TV tuner for your ultra-compact PC, for example, you can buy an external tuner. Even the modem now comes with a USB connector.
Yet, if what you have in mind is a PC that will accommodate all of the internal peripherals that you can buy, or you still have legacy expansion boards that you still do not want to part with as yet, the space-saving PCs are not for you.
-- Zatni Arbi