Size matters. But the other way around. Everything is getting smaller. It doesn’t seem practical to own a bulky CPU anymore. Laptops, tablets, and phablets are in. Gamers are still loyalists to the mighty PC, but we’ve got gaming laptops joining the trend now. Now, in fact, mini PCs might be emerging. Imagine a CPU shrunk to the size of a jewelry box and you just plug it in to a working screen, monitor, or TV. Last November 28, we were treated to the world’s smallest Windows-based Mini PC, the LIVA Mini PC Kit.
The small device is only 118 x 70 x 56 mm. It can practically sit on the palm of your hand. It features the Intel System-on-a-Chip Bay Trail-M processor, based on the new low-power consumption microarchitecture “Silvermont.” While it may not be for the hardcore gamer, it’s perfect for high performance and power saving. It has 2GB DDR3L worth of RAM. You can store 32 GB or 64 GB worth of memory. You can connect to the Internet and other devices via Gigabit LAN, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0. You can opt to connect your displays via HDMI or VGA. It sports a power saving feature. On a full load, it only goes up to 14.9W. On standby, it only consumes 4W.
The package comes with the LIVA case, the motherboard, two antennas (long/short), a Wi-Fi/Bluetooth card, a power adapter, a DVD, and a user guide. An SRP is forthcoming but it’s expected to retail at more or less P8,800. Not bad for a PC.
