Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
•
If you need better processor performance, buy the
Intel DH57JG
, which
supports fast Intel Core i3 and Core i5 processors, includes integrated Intel
HD graphics, and provides a PCI Express x16 expansion slot. Once again,
you'll probably want to choose a cube- or shoebox-style case with an in-
ternal power supply of 200W or more.
Why no AMD products? In our opinion, the Intel platforms are simply a much
better choice for any appliance system, and we don't see that changing any
time soon.
The Intel D510MO motherboard has two DDR2 memory slots and supports
dual-channel memory operation with PC2-5300 or PC2-6400 modules in ca-
pacities up to 2 GB, for a maximum of 4 GB. At the time we built this system,
PC2-6400 CL6 modules sold for the same price as PC2-5300 CL5 modules. Even
with one extra wait-state, the PC2-6400 memory is slightly faster, so that's
what we installed.
We might have gotten away with installing only 2 GB of memory in this sys-
tem, but the 4 GB memory kit cost only about $40 more than the 2 GB kit. We
decided that a system with a low-power processor and 5,400 RPM hard drive
could really use a bit of extra help, so we decided to install a 4 GB memory kit.
We chose a compatible 4 GB memory kit from Crucial because we've never
had a problem with Crucial memory.
VideoAdapter
Integrated Video
The Intel D510MO motherboard includes integrated GMA 3150 video, which
is sufficient for our needs. If we required more integrated graphics power,
we'd have chosen an Atom motherboard that included integrated NVIDIA
8xxx/9xxx-series or ION video. If we required still more graphics horsepower,
we'd have chosen an Atom motherboard with a PCI Express x16 slot and in-
stalled a midrange video adapter, such as an ATI RADEON HD 4xxx-series card.
PrimaryStorage
Seagate Momentus 5400 ST9640320AS (640GB)
(
http://www.seagate.com
)
This section was originally titled “Hard Drive,” but an appliance system doesn't
necessarily use a traditional 3.5” hard drive, or even a 2.5” laptop hard drive.
Nowadays, a
solid-state drive
(SSD) is an affordable option. Each of those three
types has advantages and disadvantages.
A typical 3.5” 7,200 RPM desktop hard drive can have a capacity of 2 TB or
more and, at roughly $0.10/GB, has by far the lowest cost per gigabyte of any
of these drive types. Read and write speeds are both high, as is reliability. Most
book-style Mini-ITX cases are too small to have a 3.5” drive bay, and we rejected
