Atom 330
May 22, 2009Ordered a new computer today, to replace my way-too-loud P4 media centre.
Foxconn L10-S3 barebone, which is a mini-ITX system which comes with a dual-core Intel Atom 330 processor (2x1.6Ghz) with HyperThreading enabled. It uses Intel’s 945GC chipset, which has an Intel GMA 950 graphics processor. The motherboard has two SATAII slots and one low-profile PCI slot. The small case has two 2.5″ bays, and one 5.25″ one. I ordered 2GB of DDR2-533 RAM, and a 160GB hard drive.
Apart from the PSU, the entire system is passively cooled, no fans whatsoever. Technically, you could use boot132 to install Mac OS X on it without actually modifying the Mac OS X disk, which means you’re not circumventing any protection measures from Apple. That will be the first article for OSNews.
I’m pretty psyched about it.
Out of curiosity, where did you order it? I saw these things cost less than 125 euros and can’t conceive not to have one, just because I can.
Does your reseller sell internationally? Not that I live far from you (Belgium), but it seems to be more readily available in the Netherlands.
Can’t wait to read your experience with boot132.
Now if only… Apple… Mac Mini. I know. Just dreaming.
Comment by Stéphane — May 26, 2009 @ 1:57 am
Here we are.
Comment by Administrator — May 26, 2009 @ 1:05 pm
Hi! did you ever consider setting one up and selling it? (because everything i do goes wrong lol). if so how much woud you do it for?
Comment by dooly — May 27, 2009 @ 11:16 am
Hi! did you ever consider setting one up and selling it? (because everything i do goes wrong lol). if so how much woud you do it for?
Comment by dooly — May 27, 2009 @ 11:16 am
Very interesting machine, but it’s hard to find details about it. I cannot even find it on Foxconn’s website (there’s only the R10-S3, which appears similar).
Care to share some pictures of the back, the interior, etc?
Comment by Biffuz — May 28, 2009 @ 10:22 am
Never mind, found the pictures on Newegg (with model name R10-S4). Too bad it doesn’t come with a Gigabit Ethernet, which limits its use as a storage server; you have to sacrifice the PCI slot for this.
And a bootable IDE/CF slot would have been another interesting feature. Oh well, you can’t have everything at this price.
Comment by Biffuz — May 28, 2009 @ 11:16 am
Hello Thom,
I read your review of the L10-S3 on OSNews, and have a few questions about the hardware itself.
Mainly:
- is it a quality enclosure or has is a cheap feel?
- more importantly: does the thing have fans? On the CPU, on the power unit?
And finally, did you find a way to make the sleep mode work on OS X ? I’d love to see this situation overcome.
Cheers,
Stéphane
Comment by Stéphane — June 1, 2009 @ 4:24 pm
The problem with this Foxconn thing is that it doesn’t use the Intel 945GSE chipset, so it still uses a lot of power :( I would have bought it already if it did have the 945GSE chip.
Comment by fkooman — June 2, 2009 @ 10:30 am