What is a nettop? Nettops - a new life for offices and home theaters

And so I decided to build my own small but powerful computer for little money.
The first thing I wanted to get was the small size of the nettop, but also high performance.

Somehow I accidentally found a thin-mini itx and socket lga1150 form factor board on the sotmarket website, all for 3 thousand motherboards from GIGABYTE, the full name is GA-B85TN rev. 1.0http: //www.gigabyte.ru/products/upload/products/3697/f9d4_5.jpg

I think you can easily look at the characteristics in the internet. This board is very good, for example, the power supply can be used both internal and external 12 (v) (but about the power supply later). After the purchase, the question arose in choosing a processor, I bought an Intel Core i3-4330 because of its rather high performance and low heat dissipation. This board has 2 slots for SODIMM DDR3 RAM. I already had 2 slats of 2 GB each, though with a low frequency of 1067 MHz, but as practice later showed, such a RAM would be enough for the first time. I also had a hard drive, not the best disk, only 250 GB, but the size 2.5 suits me just right (I must say right away that this board has the ability to insert ssd into the msata port), the board has 3 SATA 3 and one SATA 2 ports. When the main components were assembled, it was worth returning to the choice of the power supply, since the computer should be small, then I decided to use an external block. However, there was a problem, the power input was 3-pin (these are used, for example, by HP laptops) and I found a seedy 90 W power supply from acer with a regular 2-pin (after reading on the forums I realized that contact 3 is associated with measuring the power of the power supply well, it seems like it delivers some kind of information about the power supply to the motherboard) but what about my situation. I went to the radio parts store and, lo and behold, I found an adapter, soldered it directly to the power supply wire (to reduce the size of the plug).

And so the RAM and ROM were there, the power supply and percentages remained in place ... the most problematic ... after all, any cooler that I did not find was incredibly high, which fundamentally broke my ideas about a thin and small computer. Came across the only option for me in<удалено модератором> cooler titan (in the description its height is 35 mm, in fact, in place with the mount, the height becomes all 40 mm) 95x95 mm dimensions of the fan itself. The computer is assembled, put 8-ku on it, and then moved it to 10-ku. I decided to make the case for the nettop myself, since all the available cases dramatically increase the dimensions of the nettop.

I bought a relatively thick plexiglass of a large format and began to cut out parts for the case from it (I tried it and “broke quickly” with a nichrome thread, “broke the plexiglass itself with a jigsaw, the only option that found it to melt it with a soldering iron” bought a soldering iron in fixprice for 41 rubles ") And away we go for the beginning, cut out the walls and the bottom of the box body, the dimensions turned out to be back to back (but the motherboard can be freely removed and inserted into the case) 18x18 cm. now it was necessary to somehow fix the motherboard in the case (I did not do the legs because from the bottom and so there is a layer due to the peculiar attachment of the titan cooler) I made 4 holes with the same soldering iron (the photo below already with two additional coolers will tell you about them below, I post these pictures since the process of work did not record my own)




And in an ordinary hardware store I bought 5 bolts and nuts for them (45 mm long and the diameter was just right for the holes in the motherboard).
Now it was necessary to make a lid using the same soldering iron melted the lid
However, I ran into a number of problems:
- If you cover it with a lid and screw it tight, then the cooler does not have enough air and the temperature rises to 65 (Celsius) max. Permissible \u003d 70. I had to cut a round hole 95x95mm. Later, I will cover it with a thin metal mesh. However, the cooling epic did not end when watching movies and other graphic actions, the temperature still increases, albeit not so quickly. I bought 2 case coolers of 40 mm and fused them monolithically into the PC case, soldered them into a single circuit and increased the length of the wires as well, put the switch (they work quite well, so I decided to make it possible to turn them off, the switch brought it to the PC case). This completes the cooling work.

- The next problem that arose when installing the cover is the protruding power wires from the hard drive (it is worth saying that the hard one simply attached 2 bolts to the case by melting 2 small holes) the sata cable also interfered ... having spread out my brains I decided that you just need to replace all the cables with "G" figurative. There were no problems with the sata cable, I bought 2 pieces in a regular computer commission for 30 rubles, but I did not find the power cable I needed (it should be said that the cable came with a motherboard on it 5 15 pin sata connectors and one connector for connecting laptops CD / DVD drives (I cut it off because I don't need a drive, and this would significantly affect the dimensions of the nettop.) The 15 pin sata connectors were connected in series, I decided to redo the circuit, cut off almost zero power for the 15 pin sata plugs and I re-soldered the wires to them at an angle of 90, I also redid the connection circuit from serial to parallel and added an additional normal power supply to 4pin, I suddenly have to work with IDE. When installing the cover, now nothing interfered.



Somewhere in the intervals of these works, I put the HDD indicator a simple green diode (I did not find another one) and bought a usb 2.0 port from a thrift store, which is installed on the back plate of an ordinary PC, tearing off the metal mount from the ports and installed them with my computer (working with the same soldering iron from fixprice ... it turns out all this is not very neat, but I have no money to carry my parts for laser cutting of plexiglass, I decided that I will solve all the defects in beauty later during finishing work).


Now it was necessary to make a stand for the nettop, having looked at various designs, I decided not to deviate from the traditional one, but I decided to add my own flavor, in the stand I will hide the power wires for the hard one and a couple of sata cables. If you need to connect an external hard drive, I don't have to run after the power supply and the sata / usb adapter, but simply by unscrewing one bolt by hand, removing the stand, connect a pair of hard ones at once quite calmly without unnecessary manipulations (I also brought 4 pin power to everyone for IDE drives) in the photo beta version of the stand
... I'll get ahead of myself, I have no relationship and education in the computer industry (for example, a programmer), I am a 3rd year student of PSINU and my specialty is a hydrologist, and computers are just my hobby (maybe even more than a hobby), the whole design will be in the form of a ship (hints on my specialty) and the sky I already have a stand that resembles a ship, I hope that I will soon finish my work, the results will be laid out here on the CSN forum ...

Nettop is called very compact a personal computer that provides almost the full capabilities of the most common desktop PCs in a small package. In most cases, in such devices is established notebook hardware, although in rare cases even desktop components with minimal dimensions and heat dissipation can be used.

Nettop functions

In general, the functionality of devices of this class is similar to that of ordinary personal computers. Of course, a compact device cannot fully compare with desktop PCs, in particular, it loses productivity, and also in it can absent some accessories.

Nettops are mainly used in conditions limited spacewhen it is not possible to install a regular system unit. Most of these devices allow you to use full-fledged applications, view movies, listen music and even run the most undemanding games.

The default operating system used in nettops is traditionally Windows 7 or 10 ... It is also possible to install alternative operating systems (Linux, FreeBSD and so on), but some compact PC models may have a hardware driver problem. Alternative systems do not support all computer hardware well, and very much are used in nettops. specific accessories.

All in all, a nettop is a great computer that is easy to put in your bag and take with you on the road or travel. For exclusively home use it is better to purchase a classic system unit. First, it will be somewhat cheaper... Secondly, more reliable.

Although the nettop cannot be used completely autonomously, it does not include a monitor and a battery.

Advantages and disadvantages of nettops

Compact computers have a number of advantages and disadvantages compared to desktop system units and laptops;

Advantages:

  • Compact dimensions and dimensions. The nettop can be positioned where there is not enough space for a regular system unit;
  • Almost complete functional and capabilities desktop computers. You can install the same games and programs on compact PCs as on desktops. The main thing is that there is enough performance;
  • Low heat release components installed in such equipment, so that an impressive cooling system does not need to be installed in it.

disadvantages:

  • Low performance for its cost. The power of such devices is approximately on a par with laptops;
  • High price devices of this class. Nettops are significantly more expensive than their desktop counterparts;
  • Some PC functionality absent due to the impossibility of installing any component in a compact case. Nettops often lack drives;
  • Almost completely no upgrade options... In the best case, the user will only be able to change the disk drive or install an additional RAM bar. In especially neglected cases, all components are soldered on the motherboard and cannot be replaced;
  • From the previous point comes high complexity and repair price device in case of breakdown. In some situations, fixing such a technique will be simple impossible, so all that remains is to throw out such a computer;
  • Limited autonomy, in which the nettop is not comparable to laptops due to the lack of a display and battery.

Ilya 4517

Every year the computer equipment being developed becomes more and more compact. To replace bulky system units, miniature versions have come. Nettops are a striking representative of the new generation of computer technology. This is not to say that they are worse or better than ordinary home computers, since each of them is more convenient to use to perform a specific task.

A nettop is a simplified version of a desktop computer. However, the difference between them is the same as between a netbook and a laptop. All the necessary devices in a nettop fit into a small case the size of a DVD player. If there is no need to use resource-intensive applications, and you are only interested in working with office programs, watching videos, listening to music, then in this case the nettop acts as an ideal solution. A stationary computer is indispensable for processing 3D graphics, carrying out complex calculations and for solving other tasks that require the allocation of significant resources.

Prices in online stores:

Pleer.ru 56 798 RUB

The main advantage of nettops, which distinguishes them from desktop computers, is their small size and weight. The nettop can be mounted on the back of the monitor, on a wall, or simply placed on a table. The impressive size of the system unit sometimes takes up too much space on the desktop, which is not very convenient, and nettops are devoid of this drawback.

Almost all of the components in the nettop are integrated, which significantly reduces energy costs. Thanks to this, it was also possible to achieve a significant reduction in the noise level, and on some models this drawback is completely eradicated. A powerful cooling system is installed on stationary computers, which creates the main noise, and nettops do not have such a need.

For computer technology, upgradeability is essential. In the case of stationary computers, everything is very simple, because you can independently replace the part of interest without much difficulty. If you need to repair or modernize the nettop, then you can't do without a professional specialist.

The capabilities of computer technology are determined by its performance. In this parameter, stationary computers are superior to nettops, but, as already noted at the beginning, this is due only to the specifics of their application. In the quest to reduce computers, sometimes sacrifices have to be made, and in this case productivity was brought to the altar of progress. There are nettop models that are in no way inferior in their parameters to stationary computers, but this significantly affects their price.

Prices in online stores:

Comparison of the basic characteristics of an average nettop and a desktop computer clearly demonstrates their difference in performance.

Nettop:
Processor: 1.2-2.1 GHz;
RAM: 2-4 GB;
Hard drive: 80-600 GB; Desktop:
Processor: Intel Xeon Quard-Core;
RAM: 4-6 GB;
Hard drive: 600-1000 GB; The nettops provide standard types of communication, which include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and multiple HDMI ports. This set includes everything you need for comfortable work. Among the disadvantages of nettops, it should be noted that not all models have an optical drive.

tell friends

(2 votes, average: 5,00 out of 5)


What is a nettop? A nettop is a computer located in a compact box and designed to work with Internet applications.

Usually, a nettop is equipped with a processor up to 1600 megahertz, although now there are companies that can equip a nettop with two or four core processors. This baby can consume a maximum of 150 watts of energy. In general, the nettop device is by no means old, but rather even young, since it was presented only in 2010 by Intel. Separately, it is worth understanding what a nettop is and what it is eaten with. How it consumes electricity half as much as a conventional computer.

As for the video card, it is almost always built into the motherboard of a nettop, as well as sound. What characteristics can a nettop have?

Nettop, very economical due to the fact that it is made specifically to reduce power consumption. If you only need a computer to surf the Internet, then a nettop is an ideal choice. What are the advantages of a nettop? The nettop can easily fit into any interior. And despite the fact that the nettop is only 4 years old, it has already firmly taken its position along with netbooks and tablets and it does not seem that it wants to give up its position as more and more people buy nettops mainly for the reason that they inexpensive.

A nettop can have a maximum of 4 gigabytes of RAM, it can also be equipped with a hard drive with a capacity of up to 500 gigabytes. Moreover, the monitor built into the nettop can be touch sensitive. The nettop can also be equipped with a disk drive, but this is more the exception than the rule.

The built-in monitor of the nettop, despite the fact that it is small, has a fairly high resolution, which can compete with large monitors. In general, the nettop is the first full-fledged and multifunctional candy bar. His Winchester is connected through the same interface as in a modern computer.

Nettops are usually made on the all-in-one principle, that is, even with a built-in monitor. Nettop (nettop) - this is the same computer, but made in the form of a small box that will fit into the interior of any room. By the way, as far as the motherboard is concerned, it is made in the mini ITX form factor, which means that it is about three times smaller than the smallest motherboard of a conventional computer. Due to the fact that it has a built-in video card, the nettop is almost always used either in the office, where no games are played, or at home for the Internet, listening to music, watching films.

Technological progress does not sleep. In order to keep up with the times, you need to be aware of all new products appearing on the market, even if you do not plan to purchase them yet. After all, who owns information owns the world. Everyone already knows about tablets and smartphones. But what a nettop is, have not yet fully figured out.

The word itself is a tracing-paper from the English "nettop", formed from the constituent parts of the words "InterNET" and "deskTOP". If you try to translate what you have received, it will look something like a "desktop computer". In fact, this is a stationary analogue of a netbook.

Why not everyone knows what nettops are is easy to explain. Most technological innovations do not reach our country immediately. There are many reasons for this and it makes no sense to understand them. So far, this technique is not particularly popular with us, therefore, information about it is rather scattered, and sometimes even confusing for the consumer. For example, quite a few people identify nettops with monoblocks.

Monoblock is a stationary PC circuit. In it, the system unit, monitor, microphone, speakers and webcam are structurally combined. Usually the keyboard and mouse are selected separately. In fact, this is an LCD monitor, which contains

Then what is a nettop? This is a small-sized personal computer released by Intel during the announcement of the Atom processors. According to forecasts, these processors should be

were to become the base for nettops. Initially, the nettop was created to work mainly with Internet applications.

To put it very simply, the nettop can be called a miniature system unit. It is easy to attach to the back of your monitor, hang on a wall, etc. (as it is convenient for anyone). That is, it is a separate compact device that operates exclusively from the network.

To understand what a nettop is, remember the ASUS Eee Box or Acer AspireRevo. They are typical examples of such a computer.

The basis for this technique is a processor with energy efficient microarchitectures (in other words, energy efficient). This could be Intel Celeron, Intel Atom, VIA C7, or VIA Nano. can be single or dual core (1.2-1.6 GHz). The hard drive is designed for 80-500 GB. There is a video and sound DVD drive, WiFi, Bluetooth, USB ports.

If you are wondering what a nettop assembled in Russia is, then you can pay attention to ARUTEK MediaBox, AxiomPC Micra, Wexler VisION and some others.

The power of nettops, in addition to working with various network services and the Internet, is enough for an amateur

bots with photos, listening to music, watching videos and undemanding (rather simple) games. The newest models, however, are already equipped with chipsets whose integrated graphics allow you to watch movies in FullHD format. There's even an Alienware X51 gaming nettop already. But such models are, of course, expensive.

Now nettops are no longer only based on processors. The buyer can choose a processor at his own discretion. Today they are increasingly being purchased for use as home servers.

What is a nettop in terms of user convenience? This is compactness, minimum of wires, lightness, aesthetics and ease of installation. The performance of nettops is certainly lower than regular PCs, but they are very small in size and quite low in power consumption.

Did you like the article? To share with friends: