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MSI launches dual-core Wind NetTop D130

by Parm Mann on 15 January 2009, 15:49

Tags: Wind NetTop D130, MSI

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MSI has today added to its range of Wind NetTops with the launch of its first dual-core version, the Wind NetTop D130.

Pictured below, the Wind NetTop D130 features Intel's dual-core Atom 330 processor, along with the Intel 945GC + ICH7 chipset and 2GB of DDR2 memory. Measuring in at just 300mm(H) x 65mm(W) x 240mm(D), the system aims to offer a low-power alternative to the regular HTPC.

MSI tells us it's HD-ready, but fails to mention whether or not that implies smooth playback of full-HD 1080p or just 720p, we fear it's only the latter. It does, however, go some way to talk up the Wind NetTop D130's low-power credentials by claiming it "has broken the myth that high-performance is equivalent to high power consumption".

Under full load, MSI claims the system will consume only 35W of power - far less than your average HTPC. Unfortunately, its failing as a home-theatre system could be the solitary VGA output found on the rear. Despite the omission of DVI or HDMI, the Wind NetTop D130 does provide a 160GB hard-disk drive, six USB ports, Gigabit Ethernet, 7.1 audio, a four-in-one card reader, a built-in DVD writer and optional wireless.

MSI expects the Wind NetTop D130 to arrive with a price-tag of 8,000 Taiwanese dollars, that translates to around £165 but we'd expect to pay in the region of £200 or more.

It's a pretty useful little system, but what we really want is a dual-core Wind NetTop armed with the Atom 330 and NVIDIA's ION platform - that might just be low-cost HTPC heaven.

Official press release: MSI Unveils the first "Dual-Core" Mini System, Wind NetTop D130



HEXUS Forums :: 15 Comments

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Not sure how they plan on squeezing any HD out of this
HD is worse than a lie, it's purely marketing speech now.
As long as the resolution is greater than that of a regular TV (576i ?), it can be classed as being HD.

Buy a low-end AMD processor and pair it up with a 780G motherboard, you'll get much better results than the Atom+945GC combo and it won't be too far off efficiency wise. 1080p should be possible pretty easily with UVD and the rght software.
If the 780G consumes too much power, the older 740G will still be better than the 945GC, although lacking UVD IIRC.

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article807-page1.html

rant
The Atom is still being hindered by the use of the 945 chipset. A cynic may accuse Intel of hindering the use of the processor (see the nVidia ION story) in anything other than netbooks due to the lack of a power efficient chipset. Heck, even a C2D E7200 + G31 combination is almost as power efficient:-

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/intel-atom-efficiency,review-31435.html
/rant
amdavies
HD is worse than a lie, it's purely marketing speech now.
As long as the resolution is greater than that of a regular TV (576i ?), it can be classed as being HD.

Buy a low-end AMD processor and pair it up with a 780G motherboard, you'll get much better results than the Atom+945GC combo and it won't be too far off efficiency wise. 1080p should be possible pretty easily with UVD and the rght software.
If the 780G consumes too much power, the older 740G will still be better than the 945GC, although lacking UVD IIRC.

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article807-page1.html

rant
The Atom is still being hindered by the use of the 945 chipset. A cynic may accuse Intel of hindering the use of the processor (see the nVidia ION story) in anything other than netbooks due to the lack of a power efficient chipset. Heck, even a C2D E7200 + G31 combination is almost as power efficient:-

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/intel-atom-efficiency,review-31435.html
/rant

So… NVidia ION for you?
This could be a nice simple MediaPortal client. Although I'd prefer to have it smaller and drop the full size DVD-RW
directhex
So… NVidia ION for you?

I personally find that my T8300 both idles power usage and half-load (2 cores at 1.2Ghz, approximating Atom 1.6Ghz) is less than my Mini9 with N270. I really don't see the point with Atom apart from price.