Slim PC/ Barebone
Barebone
A barebone computer is a half-assembled
platform that consists of a case with a power supply, a
motherboard preinstalled into the system case, and a cooling
system. Barebone computers are usually designed in a
non-standard way and cannot be assembled out of widely available
hardware parts. The purchaser of such a platform only has to
equip it with a CPU, RAM, hard drive and additional input/output
devices depending on his/her own needs.
Excerpt from "Barebone computer." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
19 Oct 2006, 20:14 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 1 Nov 2006
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Barebone_computer&oldid=82486007 Slim PC (Small Form Factor PC)
Small form factor (SFF) computers are used
in reference to computers with an overall size that are smaller
than the normal ATX motherboard based cases. While there is no
clear definition of "small form factor" many believe it has to do
with either the volume of the computer case or whether or not the
case is limited to a microATX motherboard or smaller.
...
Features
A typical SFF PC is similar to a shoebox or book size in dimensions
with a fairly square front profile or small tower look. Expandability
is very limited in some small form factor computers with most commercial
offering only providing for one 3.5" and one or two 5.25" external
drive bays. Standard heatsinks may not fit in a SFF computer, with
some manufacturers opting for a bespoke cooling system, and generally
these cases can only fit 2-4 hard drives. The recent boom of the "box
type" cases has allowed for standard ATX PSUs to be used in SFF computers.
Types
There are many different types of small form factor computers available
today. This article will discuss the three main types but keep in mind
that there are many other types that use mini-itx motherboards and use
other micro technologies.
- The first type is based on a barebones units (chassis, motherboard,
power supply) in which the motherboard is laid out flat on the base of
the computer case. The most common type of this SFF is the Shuttle
Computer. Other types can be found from companies such as MSI and ASUS.
- The second type is sometimes referred to as a "box type" computer
case. These SFF computers take mATX motherboards which, like the Shuttle
Computer's products, lay flat on the base of the computer. These computers
are normally not "barebone" systems like the Shuttle but have the ability
to be upgraded easily. The Aprevia X-Qpack, Ultra Micro Fly, and Silverstone
SG01 are all common types of "box type" SFF computers.
- Finally, and most controversial, is the mATX tower cases. These SFF
computers look like a normal tower PC case but are much shorter and often
come with a proprietary PSU. These cases, like the "box type", take only
mATX motherboards. The Antec NSK3300 is a good example of one of these
cases.
Excerpt from "Small form factor." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
29 Oct 2006, 19:08 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 1 Nov 2006
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Small_form_factor&oldid=84465090
|