Dell’s Smallest PC Form Factor Doubles as a Media Center
Dell just introduced the new Inspiron Zino HD mini desktop computer measuring 8″ by 8″ square. Small form factors themselves are nothing new. But with the Inspiron Zino HD, Dell has worked to make a desktop that balances performance, size and price.
The Zino HD is available in many colors and design options: Flamingo Pink, Formula Red, Tangerine Orange, Plum Purple, True Blue, and Spring Green and Piano Black. Plus Dell Design Studio-inspired designs as well.
The Inspiron Zino HD comes standard with an integrated version of AMD’s Radeon HD 3200 solution, but customers who want the best HD experience can opt for upgrading to the discrete version of the ATI Mobility Radeon 4330.
The Zino HD also offers more expandability options–including DDR3 RAM up to 8GB, an internal hard drive options up to 1TB. It also adds more external expandability through two E-SATA ports. Inspiron Zino HD customers can opt for an internal Blu-ray drive and can output it directly to an HDTV in the living room or elsewhere through HDMI. The Zinio HD can be ordered with two internal Wi-Fi network card options: the Dell 1397 card for 802.11b/g or the Dell 1520 card for 802.11b/g, and dual-band 802.11n. A 4-in-1 media card reader and integrated Gigabit Ethernet are both standard.
When outfitted with an upgraded processor — the discrete graphics card option — the Zino HD can stream Netflix HD movies or play Blu-ray movies in 1080p. Furthermore, the little box could be used as a Windows 7 Media Center hub. Dell offers the Inspiron Zino HD with Vista Home Basic as the base operating system. If used primarily as a Media Center Hub, Dell recommends upgrading to Windows 7 Home Premium or Ultimate.
Pricing
The Inspiron Zino HD price starts at $229, but all the options can start to add up quickly. A fully loaded, customized system can easily exceed $1,000.
Specifications and Options:
Rear Ports
Processors and Chipset
Operating Systems
Memory
Hard Disk Capacity
Optical Disc
Graphics
Sound Cards
Communications
Ports
Front Ports
Expansion Slots
Form Factor
Dimensions & Weight
Power
Security
Drive Bays