Kitz Forum

Computers & Hardware => Hardware - Deals & Bargains => Topic started by: roseway on March 29, 2014, 08:04:47 AM

Title: Tiny, low power consumption PCs with Linux preinstalled
Post by: roseway on March 29, 2014, 08:04:47 AM
A really cool (in both senses of the word) range of tiny, silent PCs, all available with Linux preinstalled. Small enough to stick in your pocket.

http://www.tinygreenpc.com/

Title: Re: Tiny, low power consumption PCs with Linux preinstalled
Post by: sevenlayermuddle on March 29, 2014, 09:32:11 AM
Quote from: roseway on March 29, 2014, 08:04:47 AM
A really cool (in both senses of the word) range of tiny, silent PCs, all available with Linux preinstalled. Small enough to stick in your pocket.

http://www.tinygreenpc.com/


Wow, they do look cute.  I can imagine many uses for such devices, and would love to have one to play with if only I had the time to play with it.   :)

Not particularly cheap though, and you can always build your own small form factor PC around something like mini ITX with Atom CPU, thus also getting v low power consumptions.   And don't forget if they need a PSU brick then the losses of the brick will need to be added to predict actual power consumption as billed by the electricity supplier.   Most bricks get warm in use, in which case the additional loss may be substantial.   If they're going to be run off batteries then the energy loss in battery charge/discharge cycles would also have to be added.

I'm also just a tiny smidgen cynical and suspicious when I see an organisation using the word 'green' anywhere in its trading name or product names.   There may be exceptions, and this may be one of them, but the vast majority I've looked at seem to be just cashing in the green bandwagon, and taking advantage of the perception of well-meaning but gullible consumers that 'green is good'.   It's not, it's just a colour. :-\
Title: Re: Tiny, low power consumption PCs with Linux preinstalled
Post by: kitz on March 29, 2014, 04:26:51 PM
o00ooooo  cute.   <3
I'd be tempted if I had the money & time to play

However the first thing looking at the case of the Intense PC2 I thought 'urggh - dust trap - imagine trying to clean that'.

I did however check out its price seeing the 'from £277'..  but ouch at £578 + VAT for the i7

Title: Re: Tiny, low power consumption PCs with Linux preinstalled
Post by: sevenlayermuddle on March 29, 2014, 05:08:43 PM

FWIW, and less expensive comparisons, this is the case I settled for when building my MythTV frontends. 

http://linitx.com/product/m350-universal-miniitx-enclosure-black/12488?gclid=CLa62NGcuL0CFWjmwgodhXUAtg

Kitted out with 'Zotac ION' mobo, compromising ultra low power Atom CPU, with Nvidia ( sorry Kitz :-[ ) graphics it performs well, now working full HD and 5.1 audio.   The Mobo was  probably circa £100 on top of the case cost and then, as with the Tiny Green ones, a few £10s more for some RAM, a disk if you want one (I didn't), and a power brick.

Only modification was to drill a tiny hole on the front for the (home made)  IR remote detector to look out of.

Note the seller I linked is not the one I bought it from, whilst I have no reason to doubt their services I have never used them and there are other choices.
Title: Re: Tiny, low power consumption PCs with Linux preinstalled
Post by: loonylion on July 09, 2015, 03:50:44 AM
I currently have a fit-pc 2i running as my firewall, however as the hardware is a bit limited (single core 32bit atom, 1gb soldered ram, realtek nics which i'm not fond of), I'm planning to replace it with a mini-itx build based around a jetway mobo (quad core 64bit low power celeron, up to 8gb ram, 5x intel nics).
Title: Re: Tiny, low power consumption PCs with Linux preinstalled
Post by: Ronski on July 09, 2015, 07:17:02 AM
Well if it's a cheap media player people want look no further than the Amazon Fire TV. I have the original but there is also the stick which is cheaper. I've installed Kodi on mine. Great for streaming or watching local content and live TV via Kodi.

PS Title should include Windows as well although didn't look long enough to see if that came pre-installed  :P
Title: Re: Tiny, low power consumption PCs with Linux preinstalled
Post by: Chunkers on October 06, 2015, 12:32:57 PM
Just to add to this thread I have a variety of small(ish) devices acting as Kodi frontends for my MediaPortal TV server backend :
As I mentioned,  for me the ChromeBox is the pick of the bunch. Would be happy to answer any questions if anyone has any.

Chunks