14 DAY TRIAL // There isn't just one type of mini PCs. There are plenty of form factors, depending on how small motherboards and cases can be. Intel has one of the smallest PCs on sales, and now Akasa has made a case for it.
The computer in question is the NUC, short for Next Unit of Computing, featuring a very small motherboard and Atom CPU, plus all essentials integrated in the chipset.
It's small enough to hold in the palm of your hand really, and that's really saying something considering that most HTPCs are quite a bit larger than that.
Anyway, that also means that some sacrifices had to be made when designing the case, and choosing the hardware too due to heat and power constraints.
So in order to make a new case for the thing, you'd need to refine dissipation, substitute it for the normal heatsinks in a PC, etc.
Consequently, not many bother to create cases for the Intel NUC. Akasa is one of the few though, and it has just introduced one such chassis.
Capable of dealing with even the best Haswell-based configurations, it is called Newton H, with H standing for the Haswell CPU line.
It measures 150 mm x 170 mm x 47 mm (W x D x H), or 5.90 x 6.69 x 1.85 inches, and is made of anodized aluminum.
It's actually a pretty ridged, chunky shape, in order to maximize the surface area where heat can be dissipated. Both CPU and PCH need to get rid of the heat somehow.
The case also has holes, at the back, for Wi-Fi and / or Bluetooth antennas, plus front-panel USB 3.0 connectors, audio jacks right next to them, and a Kensington lock slot, plus VESA wall-mount support.
It should easily settle in that small, out of the way compartment of your desk, or behind the monitor, strapped to the rear even. And it all weighs 1 kg / 2.20 pounds.