14 DAY TRIAL // There's one problem that most miniature PCs, specifically those that are supposed to be hidden somewhere, often have: you need to twist and squeeze around various objects to turn them on.
You see, that comes naturally if you take a miniature nettop or barebone PC and mount it behind your monitor, or on a wall or in some little alcove behind a bunch of books or folders.
The latest barebone PC from Shuttle, however, dodges this issue thanks to the remote power button connection it ships with.
It's like an extension cord, only that instead of a power plug it has a button, a switch that will let you turn on your system without having to stretch or climb a stool.
The computer is called Shuttle Barebone DS437T and happens to run without any sort of fans. Not that the 36 mm / 1.41 inch profile would have allowed for one. Not enough space.
Made for energy-saving, continuous operation, the miniature computer can lie flat or stand upright thanks to the two “feet” in the box. Aluminum pedestals really.
At the heart of the computer lies a dual-core Intel Celeron 1037U processor, with 2 MB cache memory and 1.8 GHz clock.
Two memory modules should be easy enough to install, thanks to the removable back cover (up to 16 GB), and the same goes for storage. There is one SATA III port you see, for a 6.0 Gbps HDD or SSD.
Moving on, the newcomer possesses four USB 3.0 ports, an USB 2.0 connector, two display outputs (HDMI 1.3 and DVI-I) and DirectX 11.1 integrated graphics (these are part of the CPU really, and can handle two displays at once so the ports won't be wasted).
Furthermore, Shuttle installed a Wireless-LAN module in the Barebone DS437T, alongside the Gigabit Ethernet interface.
Add to that the TPM (Trusted Platform Module) and there isn't much that Shuttle missed. Do keep in mind, though, that you'll have to buy the memory and storage separately, so the final price will be of well beyond the one required by the barebone alone. Speaking of which, the price is of $249 / €249 online.
"With the combination of computing power and fanless design, the DS437T is ideal as a slim desktop PC alternative, thin client or media player for large-screen displays," says Tom Seiffert, head of marketing & PR at Shuttle Computer Handels GmbH.
"The first DS47 version has already received an extremely positive response in these areas from the trade press and buyers alike."