" (codenamed "Merom") fit the LGA 775 socket and work with Intel 945 chipsets (or newer). Intel now appears poised to impact the notebook PC market, where lower power consumption translates directly into longer battery life and quieter operation. Also, lower power needs translate into less heat output and, therefore, less need for noisy cooling systems. "

"This PC architecture can be used not only in notebook PCs, but also in stationary systems. In this article, I examine a new category of mini-PCs that's just hitting the market: media centers. "

" I'll also give you a guided tour of the innards of one small, attractive system from "

". The company is a well-known purveyor of multimedia systems and components. I hope my guided tour will make the point that small, quiet PCs can also be beautiful on either the desktop or an entertainment center. "

"It just so happens that the combination of the Intel Core Duo processor, along with the company's "

" (which identifies equipment designed for digital entertainment), can be bundled inside a small, potent package. This package makes for a great system that can handle all kinds of media, including movies, music, videos, TV, and more. "

"It's important to understand some fundamental characteristics of systems built around these low-power Core Duo processors. First, because these processors were designed for use in PC notebooks, they tend to crop up in systems that include lots of other notebook components as well. (You'll see this when we take our guided tour.) Second, because they are notebook components and often occur in tandem with other notebook components, these systems are more expensive than conventional desktops or media center PCs built around desktop components. The benefits, of course, include low power consumption, quiet operation, and a very small footprint. "

"In fact, an average mini-PC with media center capabilities costs about $1,200 for a retail turnkey version. System builders will be hard-pressed to buy all the needed parts for less than $900. Parts for a full-featured offering could end up costing more like $1,000. "

"Contrast this to full-featured desktop PCs in the $500-600 retail price range, or low-end media center PC offerings between $800 and $1,000 at full retail. As a result, these mini-media bundles aren't for everybody. Buyers must be willing to get across some price hurdles before they can take such systems home. "

"That said, these systems must be seen and experienced to be fully appreciated. Many buyers will find them irresistible. These systems also offer great value propositions for PC users who want compact, quiet systems for home or small business office use. Bottom line: Their tiny footprints, quiet ways and sleek good looks are sure to attract both attention and interest. "

"Today there are three primary platforms that represent the emerging trend of building small, powerful, quiet PCs around the Intel Core Duo CPU, along with the Intel 945G or Mobile Intel 945GM Express chipsets. More systems will undoubtedly hit the streets soon. But for now, here are the big three: "

"Systems built around the ECS P60 Barebones PC (aka Digital Home P60): These systems are built by a major Taiwanese system house called "

", known for barebones offerings as well as complete systems. This product includes support for the dual-core Yonah processor, DDR2-667 SODIMM RAM, and a Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive. It also includes integrated Intel Tekoa Gigabit Ethernet LAN circuitry, Intel Pro 802.11 a/b/g wireless LAN, and support for Bluetooth and Intel Viiv, with Intel high definition 5.1 audio. The Digital Home P60 also includes Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE) 2005 software, an integrated standard TV tuner, and an MCE compatible remote control. "

" from Micro Center. It is one of a number of units available in the U.S. market built around this ECS platform. The unit is intermediate in size; it's larger than the "

", but smaller than the Shuttle XPC 100 (both of which I discuss below). Here's a look at the WinBook Jiv: "

"Systems built around the MP945-VXR barebones PC: These are built by another major Taiwanese system house, this one called AOpen, known for its motherboards and other PC components (as well as barebones systems). This product includes support for the dual-core Yonah processor "though a recent BIOS upgrade also adds support for the newer Core 2 Duo Merom processor as well " DDR2-400/533/667 SODIMM RAM, and SATA drives. The standard networking capabilities are supported on this unit, although Bluetooth is an extra cost add-on. A mini-PCI TV tuner card is likewise available, and it is included in the PC Alchemy Mini-MCE M1B PC bundle featured in the guided photo tour later in this story. "

": Another Taiwanese firm, Shuttle offers its XPC X100 unit, which is the largest of the three mentioned in this article. While the other two units can accommodate only 2.5-inch SATA hard disks, this unit can accommodate standard 3.5-inch SATA drives. It also offers two SODIMM RAM slots (the other two units offer only one each) and includes a 4-in-1 memory card reader (SD/MMC/MS/MS-pro). Wired networking uses the RealTek 8110 10/100 Fast Ethernet circuitry " not GbE as with the other two units. But the box also includes an integrated Intel 3945 mini-PCI 802.11 a/b/g wireless LAN interface. "

"The most interesting thing about all three of these units is their petite dimensions. To calculate their volume in liters, multiply length times width times height in millimeters, then divide by 1 million. This produces the following values (rounded to two decimal points): 1.36 liters for the AOpen MP945-VXR, 1.91 liters for the ECS P60, and 3.35 liters for the Shuttle XPC X100. This may not seem too small until you pause to consider that the average PC white-box case occupies a
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