Intel's NUC (smaller than ITX) Socket 1155

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Oct 25, 2008
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intel-nuc-hand-motherboard-640x739.jpg

intel-nuc-internals-640x628.jpg

Size: 4x4 inches

Supports:
-I think integrated CPU--Sandy Bridge for now, Ivy Bridge later.
-2 Mini PCIe
-USB 3.0
-2 So-DIMM
-Thunderbolt: External GPU with this small guy!! :eek:

I think we're almost there for DIY laptops. :cool:

SOURCE: http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/...unveils-ultra-small-next-unit-of-computing-pc
 
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wow, do want!!!

Guess I will now hold off on the brazos-hampered zotac nano xs ad11!
 
This would be pretty interesting in a small HTPC. I'm thinking like the size of the Apple TV or something.
 
oh crap.... smaller than ITX with an actual CPU socket would be nice but I have a feeling this will be ULV mobile instead of normal mobile
 
lol, soon our cooling solution will be the largest part
 
The title is misleading, where do you see Socket 1155?
It uses mobile CPUs, Socket G2 BGA-1224
 
exactly why I clicked :( also I think its INTEGRATED cpu's meaning no socket at all....

the source link did say there is a socket, although I can not see one:confused:
"On the flip side of the motherboard (pictured below-below), is a CPU socket that takes most mobile Core i3 and i5 processors, and a heatsink and fan assembly"
 
yeah I want a pic of the flipside before I take that as gospel though.
 
Interesting little box. I suppose the display's been reduced to the two LEDs depicted and the keyboard's that one blue button - the ultimate reduction of the phone keypad. I'd hate to tap 26 times for the letter "z".

Harry
 
THIS TOPIC REQUIRES MORE DISCUSSION BUMP.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6267/intels-next-unit-of-computing-4x4-core-i3-systems-targeted-at-399

the link above has more pics of what looks like a newer iteration of the unit in the OP. not 2 mini-pcie btw, i think it's msata stacked on top of mini-pcie. and they also have 3 usb ports (1 front 2 rear), an HDMI, and a thunderbolt. those USBs better all be 3.0. i'm guessing you should be able to use a thunderbolt>NIC adapter too which is awesome. only thing that worries me right now is how loud that blower is going to be. should be ok if you keep an i3 at stock speeds and undervolt a tiny bit right?

i am SO STOKED for this thing. any more word on release dates? apparently Q3 is out, but anand says "later this year" so Q4 is still a possibility. this will be a day 1 buy for me, along with 8GB of samsung 30nm sodimms and a mini-pcie wireless card. also getting a msata crucial m4 if it doesnt come with an ssd (or if the included is too small), which i guess it might. please feed me more details on this, i have been waiting for it ever since i built my itx htpc/server and found it too big!

EDIT: nvm, looks like they have an HDMI+HDMI model and an HDMI+NIC model, so doesnt look like you can get 2 NICs without a USB adapter.
 
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Guy at IDF said "October" channel availability. Definitely hoping for that.
 
I'm going to kick my current htpc build to the curb if I can get my meat hooks on one of these. Pair it with a couple 7k4000's and call it a day!
 
Guy at IDF said "October" channel availability. Definitely hoping for that.

TODAY IS OCTOBER DAMMIT. yeah finally gonna separate my htpc and server into separate rigs. i play tf2 on my server with an i3 and a 5570, so i think this should give me about the same performance but waaaaay smaller. one of those articles said there will be prebuilts, barebones, and the plain board all available. any idea which one will release first or which one that october release date was for?
 
I suppose the display's been reduced to the two LEDs depicted and the keyboard's that one blue button - the ultimate reduction of the phone keypad. I'd hate to tap 26 times for the letter "z".

A bit late to this discussion, but what you said made me think of the "stupida mouse."

:D

stupida_mouse.jpg
 
TODAY IS OCTOBER DAMMIT. yeah finally gonna separate my htpc and server into separate rigs. i play tf2 on my server with an i3 and a 5570, so i think this should give me about the same performance but waaaaay smaller. one of those articles said there will be prebuilts, barebones, and the plain board all available. any idea which one will release first or which one that october release date was for?

There is no way this will perform like a 5570...HD4000 is on par with GT210/GT520 TOPs! and I'm not sure this will feature HD4000
 
There is no way this will perform like a 5570...HD4000 is on par with GT210/GT520 TOPs! and I'm not sure this will feature HD4000

hmmm. maybe i'd have to start gaming on my gaming rig again. whatever the graphics are, i hope they can play tf2 at 720p on medium settings. thats about the max demand i put on my htpc graphically.
 
My only gripe is the lack of a PCIE x4 slot for a NIC... This form factor is gonna own the HTPC space, especially if they offer HD4000 CPUs on it.
 
Why pcie for NIC when there is a half height mpcie?

i dont believe ive ever seen a half height mpcie adapter with an NIC on it. not even sure how that would work. :p a usb3 to ethernet adapter should give full ethernet speeds anyways right?
 
Eh.... When I wrote this I was thinking about building a router/nas computer, and I wanted the slot for a startech NIC with 4 ethernet ports on it.

I'd love to build a rig around one of these boards regardless.
 
Sorry, wasn't thinking wired :p. yeah, that would look weird!
 
My only gripe is the lack of a PCIE x4 slot for a NIC... This form factor is gonna own the HTPC space, especially if they offer HD4000 CPUs on it.
But isn't the version that Intel will release later this year a Sandy Bridge with HD3000?
 
My only gripe is the lack of a PCIE x4 slot for a NIC... This form factor is gonna own the HTPC space, especially if they offer HD4000 CPUs on it.

I think it's pretty much a given that we'll see only HD 4000 on this platform, as it only accepts mobile chips.

Find me an Intel mobile Ivy Bridge with HD 2500 graphics!
 
I think it's pretty much a given that we'll see only HD 4000 on this platform, as it only accepts mobile chips.

Find me an Intel mobile Ivy Bridge with HD 2500 graphics!
So far all I heard about the imminent release is Sandy Bridge.
 
Interested here as well ... a mobile i3 chip would make a great little power efficient ESXi box instead of my old Mac Mini 2.26GHz C2D running Fusion.

What I want to see is internal PSU like the newer (than mine) Mac Mini ... it's the one thing I hate about my old Mac Mini is the external brick.
 
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Eh.... When I wrote this I was thinking about building a router/nas computer, and I wanted the slot for a startech NIC with 4 ethernet ports on it.

I'd love to build a rig around one of these boards regardless.

http://www.anandtech.com/Gallery/Album/2294#7

You could use Thunderbolt to external enclosure for real PCIe 4-port NIC (or 10GbE NIC). Sort of defeats the small enclosure purpose having to add another enclosure but it would work and still not be that big.
 
http://www.anandtech.com/Gallery/Album/2294#7

You could use Thunderbolt to external enclosure for real PCIe 4-port NIC (or 10GbE NIC). Sort of defeats the small enclosure purpose having to add another enclosure but it would work and still not be that big.


True enough, but then I wouldn't be able to use an external GPU :D

Mostly I was just stating that I can't build my ideal rig with one of these. If there was any possibility of running an mSATA SSD, external Thunderbolt GPU, 4 port NIC, mPCIE to PCIE x1 adapter with a sound card for toslink, and a pair of 2.5" or 3.5" HDDs RAIDed over USB3... I wouldn't need more than one desktop, and it seems like it would be a nice frankenstein build.

The only thing it seemed to be missing was the PCIE x4 slot for the NIC... That's the background on my original post anyway, it probably didn't make much sense to simply lament the lack of a PCIE x4 slot.
 
True enough, but then I wouldn't be able to use an external GPU :D

Mostly I was just stating that I can't build my ideal rig with one of these. If there was any possibility of running an mSATA SSD, external Thunderbolt GPU, 4 port NIC, mPCIE to PCIE x1 adapter with a sound card for toslink, and a pair of 2.5" or 3.5" HDDs RAIDed over USB3... I wouldn't need more than one desktop, and it seems like it would be a nice frankenstein build.

The only thing it seemed to be missing was the PCIE x4 slot for the NIC... That's the background on my original post anyway, it probably didn't make much sense to simply lament the lack of a PCIE x4 slot.

I really fail to see why you would want this device then. You would be much better off with either an ITX or mATX board that would have full support for everything you would like to do with it. If you were planning on using hdds, a quad port nic, and a dedicated GPU you're going to be using as much space as a small mATX case no matter how you set it up. It would perform better, cost less, and not be prone to oddities like you might have with USB connected drives.
 
Eh... I feel like I've really derailed this thread.

You guys are most certainly right, and if I removed the NIC and USB drives from my build it would be an amazing little pair of boxes.

That being said, I've been trying to fold all of my home computing needs into a single unit with the smallest form factor for some time, and an ITX motherboard with Thunderbolt and a mPCIE is the only possible solution I can see in sight.

These things will sell like hotcakes regardless of my personal requirements, and they really seem like excellent little units.
 
Eh... I feel like I've really derailed this thread.

You guys are most certainly right, and if I removed the NIC and USB drives from my build it would be an amazing little pair of boxes.

That being said, I've been trying to fold all of my home computing needs into a single unit with the smallest form factor for some time, and an ITX motherboard with Thunderbolt and a mPCIE is the only possible solution I can see in sight.

These things will sell like hotcakes regardless of my personal requirements, and they really seem like excellent little units.

i dont think an all-in-one box is a good idea. having high-power components on all the time as your router/firewall or server is a waste of money. i think that putting your always-on, low power stuff (htpc, server, router, firewall) in one box and high-power (gaming rig) in a separate box makes the most sense so you can hibernate it or turn it off to reduce power use and lessen wear on your expensive hardware.

this NUC doesnt really fit with either of those things, but i hope to use it as an htpc/server using just usb3 external drives. if i can get my hands on a pair of 4TB drives in one enclosure/dock, i think i'd be good for another year or two. :)
 
Guys, keep an open mind.

When thunderbolt really becomes powerful enough, I don't see why you should not take something the size of a Texas toast around like a modular pc. It can be as powerful as you want. Need twice the speed, get another "toast." Need graphics? plug in the external graphics card. One day that will likely be the size of our cellphones, if not the cellphone itself.
 
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