Not too long ago, I have told you about the award-winning miniature computer from Stealth. Although impressive, it is not even a partial match to the Maxdata 300XS ultra-small form-factor miniature PC.

The 300 XS PC lets the user attach an optional VESA mount that will allow you camouflage it discretely in the back of almost any TFT display monitor on the market. Four screws is all that it takes for the 300XS to be fastened to the back of the display. The small computer connects to the display via a 30-centimeter DVI cable.

The Maxdata 300XS Mini PC is built on the latest laptop technology. Powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 CPU (1.66 core clock speed with 2MB of L2 cache), the system can run the same applications that can be executed on a modern, fully-fledged notebook. The system comes with 1GB of 667MHz DDR2 RAM, but it can be extended to 4GB at most.

Other features include a notebook form-factor (2.5-inch) 120GB hard disk, slot-loading DVD-writer, headphone jack that doubles up as an S/PDIF for surround sound, and 802.11b/g wireless networking. The small-form factor comes with Intel GMA 950 integrated graphics with 128 MB of memory, which should be enough to smoothly run Windows Vista with the Aero interface enabled.

The device takes up only 20 watts when working at full system load, which is the lowest score for a desktop computer. The ultra-small form-factor desktop system runs cool and silently in the back of the display.

The mini-computer is extremely user-friendly. Its casing can be easily opened after having removed just three screws. Once inside, you can replace almost everything to fit your needs and taste. The spare parts can be purchased from any laptop hardware dealer.

A Mac Mini with almost the same technical specifications (except for a faster 1.83GHz CPU) costs about $1050. Although a little bit more expensive ($1147) the mini-PC allows the user run Windows Vista out of the box, without any disruption or time delay.