[geeks] Intel Atom MB - Initial Impressions

[Nadine Miller]

On Jun 12, 2008, at 8:05 AM, nate at portents.com wrote:
>> Personally, I am always struck by comments about what is missing,  
>> not what
>> is included - for about $150 + case you can build a nice desktop  
>> machine
>> with x64 support, a hyperthreading CPU, and a nice SATA II 3.0 Gb/ 
>> sec HD
>> using all new parts and with low power consumption.
>
> I think people might be frustrated at the lack of product choices  
> and the
> difficulty in finding places to buy many of them.  I wouldn't say  
> Intel
> has a complete lineup, but it's nice to see they have something.

I also think that people are very price conscious in the home built  
market, because they can be.  And they are perhaps more concerned with  
bang/buck ratio than power consumption costs because the latter is  
transparent to them for the most part--and that's what the  
manufacturers have been training them to be with the "hertz" and  
"expansion slot" marketing focus.

For me, power is not a concern in my search for a motherboard in this  
particular, I am 100% price and compatibility conscious.  I don't want  
to spend a lot because I don't really have a need for another x86 box  
should the OS X install not work, plus my budget is strapped.

Fry's just published another $79 mobo/cpu combo deal that fits the OS  
X x86 spec perfectly, so my sub-500 box just became a sub-300 box  
(actually less than that as I'm only buying the combo + memory to  
start with and I have everything else needed).

=Nadine=