Five Small Linux Boxes: Cheap PCs

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This month we take a look at a number of small form factor
PCs that either come with Linux or would make a perfect fit for your favorite
Linux distro. Each of the computers mentioned takes up very little space, but
all deliver plenty of computing performance to handle everything from basic web
browsing to watching videos. They make nice little firewalls, basic file/web/print servers, and quiet, low-power media servers. All of these units typically consume a fraction of
the power of a conventional desktop and less than many traditional laptops.

Cost is a big factor when you compare the price tags to
other machines. It’s hard to justify spending $300 – $400 on a small
form-factor PC as a desktop replacement when you can purchase a netbook for about the same price or less.
The differences in performance and capabilities just don’t justify the price
differential. We’ll take a look at some of those netbook offerings in a later
roundup. For now, let’s look at what’s out there in the world of “little”
computers.

Linutop 3

Little computers are all the rage and the Linutop 3 from France
delivers small in both size and in power requirements. The Linutop 3 box
measures about 23.5 cm square and 5.5 cm thick (9.25 inches by 2.17 inches). From
a power perspective, the unit draws an energy efficient 20w. It comes with the
Linutop OS preloaded on the internal 2GB Flash memory along with a number of
productivity applications. A 1.0 GHz VIA C7 processor coupled with 1 GB of
memory delivers more than acceptable performance for typical usage. On the rear
panel you’ll find four USB 2.0 ports, audio in and out jacks, a 1 GB Ethernet
port, VGA and DVI video connectors and a single RS-232 serial port. The front
panel includes an additional two USB ports along with headphone and microphone
jacks. List price for the box is 340.00 EUR, which translates to around $415.00
US.

Read the rest at Linux Planet.