[MediaPi]

NUC

Intel DN2820
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing...dition=new
£92.98

REPLACEMENT

MSI J1900I
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131243808191
£44.58

Powercool Q5 Mini-ITX 120w Chassis
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Powercool-Q5-Min...B008XI7FB8
£40.99

TOTAL (replacement) = £85.57


NUC has an additional wifi, bluetooth and built in IR. You can pick these up easily for the difference in price. Both have same GPU but the J1900 is a quadcore. while the NUC is dual core. Even the J1800 (dual core) is more powerful than the NUC and thats even cheaper.

So now tell me, is there any reason why anyone would consider the NUC over the MSi J1900i? yes NUC has smaller footprint but the powercool case isn't that big. I dont think you could beat this and should be reccommended instead of the NUC

[jammyb]

Slightly smaller and sexier.

built in full blown IR, I'm talking can power on from powered down. Not just wake from sleep. You haven't even a CIR header on the j1900 mobo.

Lower TDP.

[MediaPi]

you have £7.41 to play with, that means £49 for a case (to get to the same price).

It is rated 2.5 W higher TDP assuming you run it 24/7 365 days per year and the average cost of electricity in UK is 17.2 pence per kWh (http://blog.comparemysolar.co.uk/electri...h-and-sse/) that equals

(24*365*0.0025*0.17)=£3.72 in a year more. it can go into S3 and wake from that so lets say it consumesanother 2.5 watts as apposed to zero watts (full shutdown of NUC) that means another 0.5 of £3.72
so altogether £3.72*1.5=£5.63 extra a year

So TDP is fairly mute.

an extra sata port
S/PDIF

A comparable N2810 scores a passmark of 959
http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php...ostcount=1

I've heard the J1900 can get upto 1900 -2000 passmark. Infact the GPU is more powerful the N2820 is HD (baytrial) and the J1900 if Intel HD graphics thats twice the frequency

so IR is not needed really, you can buy a way better sexier case for £49. and yes it cosumes a 33.3% more power but gives 100% more performance.

I ask again is there a reason why this shoudn't be reccomended over a NUC2820?

[nickr]

Lower power consumption is not just about cost, its about using less resources. But yeah the cost is a good way of comparing it to your overall consumption. This box looks pretty good, and I have to say from reading the various nuc threads here, they seem to have their share of problems.

[nickr]

Also I challenge your assertion "IR not needed really " - most people use ir remotes to control xbmc, and without a receiver, you are not comparing like for like.

[Ned Scott]

I'd go with the MSI J1900I in this situation. A little more powerful and a little more connectivity, while still being reasonably small. NUC is an easy recommendation, but not always the best when good deals like this pop up.

[MediaPi]

I use one of these


I love it to bits. customised it to death and I love the buttons. so you can still have a remote with the j1900. I'm sure you can get an IR reciever attached some how to the board?

Also Ned I think this isn't just a deal but the trend. X86 mini itx systems are dropping prices so low that xbmc on android can be threatned.

[nickr]

I guess the thing is that when you buy a remote you usually get a receiver. So the only advantage of having one on the motherboard/built into the case either (a) tidiness (which is a valid factor) or (b) if you are using something like a harmony which doesn't come with a receiver.

Most motherboards have a spare USB header and it is certainly possible to disassemble something like what you have there and put a header on the cable end, then hide it inside your case, if you happen to be obsessed by tidiness (I am not so I am happy to have a receiver sat under the TV, gives people something to talk about. Also means you can hide the PC altogether.

[Ned Scott]

Also Ned I think this isn't just a deal but the trend. X86 mini itx systems are dropping prices so low that xbmc on android can be threatned.

We're comparing this to the NUC, though, which is also x86, and has also been dropping prices since it came out.

[MediaPi]

nickr I believe you can add two more usb into msi j1900 so you can do what you said. and put the reciever inside the case, you might have to mod a case unless you get a case that has holes. EDIT haha checked the case and it has holes and the receiver is good and has 18m range so you shoudn't have a problem

Ned your right. and although the NUC is dropping in price its more of an end product and therefore it sont be as cheap as a custom build like mini itx systems. Maybe another revolution to get everyone building their own systems. I want to see a successor to the J1900, more performance and lower price

[Dougie Fresh]

It's super super easy to drill holes in those cases if need be. And then you put a LightDim over it to hide it or size it to the IR receiver "eye". There are internal adapters for USB to USB header. I do this kind of mod all the time.

[decpvr]

It's super super easy to drill holes in those cases if need be. And then you put a LightDim over it to hide it or size it to the IR receiver "eye". There are internal adapters for USB to USB header. I do this kind of mod all the time.

I've tried searching for the LightDims you have mentioned. Do you know of anywhere to source them from in the UK?

I'd like to mod my case to hide my rc6 ir receiver.

Thanks!