VIA unveils new mini PC platform

9 July 2008 News

VIA Technologies recently announced a new standard for Mini-ITX boards to ensure an optimised multimedia and computing experience in small form factor desktop PCs.

Mini-ITX 2.0 is a set of minimum specifications for the next generation of Mini-ITX boards to encourage the integration of the latest PC technologies into the small form factor market and to provide OEMs, system integrators and end-users alike greater freedom of choice in configuring mini PCs and home media centres to deliver an optimised graphics, high definition video, and computing experience. Mini-ITX 2.0 makes an ideal platform for such systems due to its advanced performance, high levels of feature integration, and easy expandability, coupled with the broad infrastructure of cases and accessories that has been built up around the form factor.

At the core of Mini-ITX 2.0 is a high performance yet power efficient x86 processor providing the power to run the latest applications and operating systems in a space-constrained environment. To maximise flexibility in configuring mini PC systems for today’s increasingly immersive graphics and high definition visual computing environments, such as advanced DirectX 10 graphics and Blu-ray Disc playback, Mini-ITX 2.0 also defines a 16-lane PCI Express slot as a prerequisite, enabling the integration of a high performance graphics add-in card.

Key features of the Mini-ITX 2.0 standard include the following:

* Processor: High-performance, power efficient x86 processor.

* Memory: Support for minimum 2 GB DDR2 SDRAM.

* Graphics: DirectX 9.0 integrated (IGP); DirectX 10 through an add-in card.

* Display: one VGA port for LCD display; 1HDMI port on add-in card.

* HD audio: three Audio jacks for up to 6-channel surround sound.

* Broadband connectivity: 1 Gigabit LAN port.

* Storage: two Serial ATA II slots + one IDE (PATA) slot.

* Peripheral connectivity: minimum four USB2.0 ports.

* Expansion: one PCI Express 16-lane slot.

* Size: 17 x 17 cm.

* O/S support: Windows Vista; Windows Vista Premium (through an add-in graphics card); Windows XP, and major Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, Suse Linux and gOS.

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