The computer helper: Space-saving desktops

By Jay Dougherty May 27, 2007, 4:24 GMT

Washington - When a desktop PC is too big but a notebook is too small, what's the solution?

Reduced form factor PCs are gaining traction as the perfect answer for those who want the convenience of a large monitor without the space-hogging size of a big box.

Thankfully, the market is now flush with these smaller PCs - desktop computers that take up barely half the space of a conventional mini tower.

Some small form factor PCs are no larger than a book - and almost as attractive.

But with small PCs come compromises and sacrifices. What should you look out for if you're considering such a computer? Read on for some answers.

Q: I see that Dell has a mini PC in both their Dimension and XPS lines. Do these computers use proprietary parts? Are they hard to upgrade?

A: The Dell Dimension C521 and the XPS 210 are about half the size of conventional mini tower computers, and they're much thinner. They're small enough to be situated unobtrusively behind a typical 20-inch LCD monitor, if that's how you choose to place it, or can be virtually hidden under a desk.

The good news about most small form factor PCs - including the Dell models - is that the small size is not achieved through the use of high-cost, proprietary components that you must purchase through Dell.

The hard drives in these PCs, for instance, are standard 3.5-inch internal units that you can buy cheaply online. The video card is either integrated onto the motherboard or is a so-called half-height version of a midrange dedicated card. Memory is composed of standard DDR2 designs, which you can freely upgrade by purchasing memory at your dealer of choice.

Because the cases are slimmer than most, however, you will have to be careful about purchasing add-in cards - including a video card that you might want to replace the one that comes with the computer. Be sure to look for and purchase only 'half-height' add-in cards that work in the PCI slots available.

Note, too, that virtually all small form factor PCs limit your upgrade options to the number of slots available in the computer, which typically are not many.

Q: What are some highly-rated small PCs?

A: Aside from the Dell C521 and XPS 210 mentioned earlier, Hewlett-Packard makes a very well regarded Slimline computer that's actually smaller than the Dell models - 107mm wide, 352mm deep, and 276mm tall - significantly lower than a standard 20-inch LCD monitor.

The Acer Aspire L310 is in a different league altogether. Not much larger than the size of a conventional hardback book, the Aspire is a model of engineering that looks stylish atop any desk. The Aspire, in fact, looks so unlike a conventional computer that it will probably be mistaken by many for some other electronic gadget. The downside of the Aspire is that there's absolutely no room for further upgrades.

A company called Shuttle also makes several small form factor computers, ones suitable both for use in the living room as a media centre device and ones for traditional computing.

Q: Vista requires a lot of memory. Are the small form factor PCs on the market able to handle Vista?

A: Dell's small form factor PCs can handle up to four gigabytes (GB) of main system memory (RAM), while the Hewlett-Packard Slimline and Acer Aspire models top out at 2.

Vista runs well with 2 GB of RAM, so you should be fine for the foreseeable future with any of the current small form factor models. Some power users who run heavy-duty graphics or video applications report that Vista works better with 4 GB of RAM, so this is something to consider if your needs run to the more demanding applications.

Q: Will I be able to use any size of LCD with small form factor computers?

A: Almost any size, yes, and that's one of the major selling points of these computers - you can use your comfortable, full-sized keyboard, your large monitor, and your standard mouse.

The graphics cards included with some of these smaller computers, however, may not support the high resolutions of today's largest LCDs - those in the 27 to 32-inch range, for example. So be sure you know the maximum resolution of your LCD - that's the one you want to run at - and make sure the graphics card in the small form factor computer supports that.

Q: Are these small computers quiet?

A: Small form factor PCs are typically designed to be used in quiet offices and in audio-visual situations in which quiet operation is important. Most of these smaller form factor PCs use low-power parts that do not require the aggressive cooling fans that occasionally make larger PCs annoyingly loud. Note, however, that with very small PCs such as the Acer Aspire, small fans must be used to cool the system, and smaller fans spinning at high revolutions per minute tend to be noisier than larger fans spinning at lower speeds. There are some reports that the Aspire can be louder than other small form factor units.

--- Have a computer question? Send it to the Computer Helper at jayd@csi.com.