Maingear Touts New Rig As "Planet's Greenest Gaming PC" 136
Maingear has just unveiled what they are calling the "planet's greenest gaming PC." Built using a small form factor and coming with Intel's new Ion graphics as the default option, this little powerhouse is built with a definite eye toward energy consumption. "Said configuration is available with Intel Core 2 Duo CPUs and an 80+ certified 300-watt power supply; those who care more about frame rates than Ma Earth can opt for a GeForce 9800 GT ECO, which — despite being a discrete, power-hungry GPU — still swallows some 40 percent less power than a standard 9800 GT. You'll also find WiFi support, room for an optional Blu-ray drive and TV tuner, upwards of 8GB of RAM and room for a single 2.5-inch HDD or SSD. The whole box checks in at just 7.6- x 8.3- x 11.4-inches, and it's available for order right now starting at $799."
Eco what? (Score:5, Interesting)
Slap together some mid range components, an ugly case and call it Prius... err Pulse.
It's "eco-conscious" says the article/advertisement/press release.
Too much power usage to be truly green. Too little performance to be a real gaming rig. Lame.
Holy misuse of codenames, Batman! (Score:3, Interesting)
Alright, where to begin...
"ION" is nVidia's, not Intel's. (Only the story submitter makes this mistake, not TFA.)
"ION" is nVidia's codename for the combination of their 9400 or 9300 integrated graphics chipset plus the Intel Atom processor. This rig uses a Core 2; which makes it *NOT* an ION. It just makes it a Core 2 plus 9400 chipset.
And as others mention, the Mac mini is the same damn thing; only smaller, draws less power, and costs less. (However this one has the ability to add a discrete graphics card, which the Mac mini obviously lacks.)
Re:Ummm... (Score:5, Interesting)
What part of this machine does "not qualify as a real gaming PC"? The GeForce 9800 or the Core 2 Duo? Is it the 8gig of RAM?
Or is it "not a gaming PC" because it doesn't have neon lights, racing stripes and tinted glass?
Which game will this computer not play at very high levels?
Re:Typo (Score:4, Interesting)