Shuttle XS29F: Is VIA's Nano Processor Powerful Enough?

Status
Not open for further replies.
G

Guest

Guest
Wouldn't this just be a linux-only machine then? I can't possibly see any other use for it other than maybe a childs pc or a general "Internet & Email only" PC.
 

pakardbell486dx2

Distinguished
Nov 7, 2008
116
0
18,680
This may be a dumb question, but why was Xp not used for this test? Clearly "just barely" wont work for people who spend their hard earn money on something like this. Maybe the celeron is ok for vista basic but the atom and nano platforms are just not good enough for Vista. If I can make an analogy comparing Vista and Atom/Nano it's like an old 73' Corolla trying to haul ten tons uphill.
 

Blueridge

Distinguished
Jul 27, 2006
35
0
18,530
I agree that the major drawback of this review is the use of Microsoft Vista. I think that Windows XP Home edition for ULPC or a netbook spin of a linux distro (e.g. Ubuntu) would have been a much better choice for this review, especialy since is very well known that Vista is just not the right choice for netbooks (or nettops). Some time ago I read several reviews of the nano processor, based on Win XP and they performed more than OK, they were even suitable for a small HTPC at that time (the toughest challenge was DVD playback back then) and with a better chipset would have performed even netter. But this happens when a resource hungry OS like vista is used... just my 2 cents.
 

HalfHuman

Distinguished
Feb 13, 2006
83
0
18,630
i guess a windoze xp or 7 would be a lot better to use with this kind of hardware. in fact i cannot think at a more inapropriate os to run on a nentop than vista. :)
maybe the performance delta would be the same but the usability would be more than "acceptable".
regarding the "benchmarking" stuff... i do not think that anybody sane would buy a nettop to use it for hardcore photo editiing or transcoding.
if i'd buy a nettop i'd be interested in several factors:
- to be powerfull enough for office work and maybe hd playback
- to use as little power as possible (which nano does nicely) as this kind of device would be rarely powered down
- to be silent (which nano is)
i think that performance per watt is irrelevant here as a system like this is not meant to be "performant". i think that the one that uses less watts, has more features is queter wins here.
my take on this is that via has a very nice platform and nano wins even if it's not the fastest.
 

Blueridge

Distinguished
Jul 27, 2006
35
0
18,530
I just took a look at Via's website and it seems that Nano is available in flavors up to 1.8GHz. I wish a machine based on such a processor was used for this review, though I think the main issue here is availability.
 
Intel must still have large stock piles of 945 based chipsets if there still selling them with Atom's etc - kinda sad we have to wait for the next gen SoC like designs to see true low power setups and platforms etc
 
G

Guest

Guest
Don't understand y u even wrote this article.
No Point at all.
u guys problems are u doesn't even know what we want to read. You guys simply put up unprofessional article. Who would run vista in these types of platform? where is da video performance? Where is the noise test?

speechless... really speechless...
 

Blueridge

Distinguished
Jul 27, 2006
35
0
18,530
Yep, I totally agree! As long as there is a Shuttle machine equipped with a Nano processor that's running at a frequency close to the Atom's, that's the one that should have been used for this article. It's not fair to make the Intel based machine a clear winner in this article without pitting against a worthy opponent.
Though this may seem far fetched, if Tom's hardware wants to maintain their standards as professionals, there should be a sequel to this article with a proper suite of benchmarks, a proper OS and balanced HW configurations (at least a 1.6Ghz Via Nano).

After digging a little on the VIA's website, I think a better netbook would be build with the fastest Nano processor and the ULV version of the VX800 chipset. Just my two cents... again :)
 

Regected

Distinguished
Jul 21, 2008
48
0
18,530
[citation][nom]juliom[/nom]Why is a dual core CPU being compared to a single core one?...[/citation]

I was thinking the same thing through most of this write-up. Come on Thomas, you can do better than that. Compare comparable equipment. Why not throw an entry level dual core Pentium in for good measure?
 
G

Guest

Guest
You should this properly: Intel Atom 270/280 vs VIA Nano U1700
That would be a useful test for those interested in fanless nettops.
The Atom 330 is a dual core which requires a fan...
 

Crashman

Polypheme
Former Staff
[citation][nom]ethaniel[/nom]No CPU usage tests on Blu-ray playback? I was expecting that...[/citation]

You don't play blu-ray movies on office PC's. Well you might, but generally speaking office PC's don't even come with blu-ray drives.

These two models target the desktop specifically, not home theaters.[citation][nom]juliom[/nom]Why is a dual core CPU being compared to a single core one?...[/citation]

That's the way Shuttle wanted it.

[citation][nom]tenshin0313[/nom]Why not using 1.6Ghz Nano XS29 system to do a fair test against Atom 330?http://www.mostreviews.com/reviews/23357[/citation]

That's not the way Shuttle wanted it.

[citation][nom]plino[/nom]You should this properly: Intel Atom 270/280 vs VIA Nano U1700That would be a useful test for those interested in fanless nettops.The Atom 330 is a dual core which requires a fan...[/citation]


Then why doesn't the CPU HAVE a fan?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.