Dell Inspiron Zino HD Puts Desktop Computing Back on the Desk

[btarunr]

Dell today introduced the mini-sized Inspiron Zino HD, which is versatile enough to handle tasks from basic computing chores to driving a big-screen, High-Definition TV media center. With a choice of colors, the Inspiron Zino HD can be easily personalized to add flare to any room in the home.

Starting at $229, the Inspiron Zino HD includes standard HD-capable integrated graphics, HDMI output and built-in networking that make it smart for typical home and student computing activities such as word processing, e-mail, organizing photos and music, and surfing the Internet.



The economical Inspiron Zino HD with optional additional memory, hard drive storage, combo Blu-ray disc player, HDTV tuner, wireless remote control and Windows 7 Media Player and turns into a powerful home media center computer. In that capacity the Inspiron Zino HD can record and play your favorite TV shows, display high-definition content from the Internet, and store and deliver music, video and photos very well.



The Inspiron Zino HD is also ideal as an additional household PC that can fit in tight spaces and make home networking a cinch. It measures about 7.75 inches square and 3.5 inches tall. While small in size, the Inspiron Zino HD is a big performer with:

• Ultra-small form factor designed to fit almost anywhere.
• Easy personalization with nine color choices for Inspiron Zino HD.
• Choice of AMD processors or dual core Athlon Neo X2 6850e.
• Up to 8GB dual channel DDR 2 memory.
• Up to 1TB internal hard disk storage.
• Combo DVD/CD RW drive with optional Blu-ray Disc combo.
• Integrated 10/100/1000 networking with wireless option.
• Optional TV tuner, wireless keyboard and mouse.
• Built in 2.1 high-definition audio and 4-in-one media card reader.
• Integrated ATI graphics adapter with standard HDMI and VGA video connections, and optional 512MB discrete graphics adapter.
• Four USB ports (2 front/2 rear); two eSATA ports (rear).
• Energy-Star 5.0 compliant.

A basic Inspiron Zino without High-Definition capability or upgrade options will be offered in some regions.

"The Inspiron Zino HD proves again that great things can really come in small packages," said John Terwilliger, Director of consumer products. "It is a fashionable and functional computer that is small enough to fit almost anywhere in the home and can be personalized for the style-minded."

The Inspiron Zino HD is available today directly from Dell at http://www.dell.com with a choice of operating systems from Windows Vista Home Basic through Windows 7 Professional.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[shevanel]

hmm might be replacing the i7 rig with one of these! looks cool tho

 

[tkpenalty]

nice, finally an OEM completely taking advantage of AMD's HTPC muscle.

 

[[I.R.A]_FBi]

nice, wats this platform called

 

[dimensi]

one thing that missing ... the audio output only analoque ... no coaxial or toslink ...

 

[A Cheese Danish]

Taste the rainbow.
And this isn't too bad for an alternative to a large tower.

 

[mdm-adph]

I'm just amazed that this thing has an Athlon and not an Atom -- wonder how that happened? Was Dell getting a lot of bad support calls about underpowered Atom chips now being able to play HD Video very well?

 

[wiak]

nice, wats this platform called

780G?, the chipset is 3 times faster in 3D than intel finest, who wants a atom/GMA950 when you can get a Athlon64/780G that totaly owns the intel combo in anything

one thing that missing ... the audio output only analoque ... no coaxial or toslink ...

HDMI...

 

[Weer]

A 6850e might not run 1080p. Although in such a small form factor.. interesting.

 

[Cheeseball]

Yes, the Athlon X2 6850E may not be able to handle 1080p, but the 780G can.

 

[Baum]

then it is the ATI 3200 HD or Intel GMA 950 and that advertised as HD Capable right?

 

[aj28]

one thing that missing ... the audio output only analoque ... no coaxial or toslink ...

No doubt a cost-cutting measure, though as others have pointed out, the HDMI output should have no problem with 7.1 channel output. Being that HDMI is going to be most users primary mode of passing audio, I don't see the necessity in an overly complex backplane.

A 6850e might not run 1080p. Although in such a small form factor.. interesting.

I would imagine their bundled software supports hardware (GPU) acceleration. Also, I would think a 1.8Ghz dual-core would have no issue whatsoever with the task, regardless of the fact that it is based on an older architecture. The 2850e is stock, which may give some users a struggle, but with the 1.5Ghz 3250e (dual-core) in place as a $30 upgrade, I don't see why you would bother with the former.

 

[Jstn7477]

[*]Integrated ATI graphics adapter with standard HDMI and VGA video connections, and optional 512MB discrete graphics adapter.

 

[Steevo]

All this is great untill you discover you can build a twice as powerful PC for $750, and the equal in this will cost $1200.

 

[Jstn7477]

For those wondering, the graphics card choices are the HD3200 IGP or a dedicated Radeon HD4330 512MB.

 

[aj28]

All this is great untill you discover you can build a twice as powerful PC for $750, and the equal in this will cost $1200.

Well, to point out the obvious, its size is the main selling point. Flipping a mid-tower on its side doesn't make it an HTPC... This type of footprint is what we need more of, and even mITX can't touch it. You just can't DIY in a chassis this small. What's more, and you probably didn't notice this, but the two top-tier models include LCD screens (19"/20" respectively), which you need to factor into the overall value here.

 

[Weer]

I would imagine their bundled software supports hardware (GPU) acceleration. Also, I would think a 1.8Ghz dual-core would have no issue whatsoever with the task, regardless of the fact that it is based on an older architecture. The 2850e is stock, which may give some users a struggle, but with the 1.5Ghz 3250e (dual-core) in place as a $30 upgrade, I don't see why you would bother with the former.

Great, so you agree with me that Atom 330 can run 1080p.

 

[Steevo]

Well, to point out the obvious, its size is the main selling point. Flipping a mid-tower on its side doesn't make it an HTPC... This type of footprint is what we need more of, and even mITX can't touch it. You just can't DIY in a chassis this small. What's more, and you probably didn't notice this, but the two top-tier models include LCD screens (19"/20" respectively), which you need to factor into the overall value here.

Yes, they incluse a $80 screen. Great.


I just built a PC with twice the power and it is goign to cost the owner $750 installed. So HTPC case, dual tuner and dedicated graphics would have made it about $200 more with a larger screen.


Everyone loves to quote dells "special deals" but when they sit down and actually start pricing, and adding things, and upgrading to what I spec anyway, they end up about $400-700 more per build.

 

[Kantastic]

Yes, they incluse a $80 screen. Great.


I just built a PC with twice the power and it is goign to cost the owner $750 installed. So HTPC case, dual tuner and dedicated graphics would have made it about $200 more with a larger screen.


Everyone loves to quote dells "special deals" but when they sit down and actually start pricing, and adding things, and upgrading to what I spec anyway, they end up about $400-700 more per build.

You have to remember that anyone who buys one of these for a HTPC (not a normal desktop computer) has the money to dish out or absolutely no tech knowledge.
A prebuilt hassle-free computer with Windows preinstalled in THAT small of a case with customizable colors and relatively decent tech support is worth the arguably hefty price tag to most people.

 

[Steevo]

You have to remember that anyone who buys one of these for a HTPC (not a normal desktop computer) has the money to dish out or absolutely no tech knowledge.
A prebuilt hassle-free computer with Windows preinstalled in THAT small of a case with customizable colors and relatively decent tech support is worth the arguably hefty price tag to most people.

Har har har.

 

[Kantastic]

Har har har.

I don't get where the humor is.

 

[aj28]

Yes, they incluse a $80 screen. Great.


I just built a PC with twice the power and it is goign to cost the owner $750 installed. So HTPC case, dual tuner and dedicated graphics would have made it about $200 more with a larger screen.


Everyone loves to quote dells "special deals" but when they sit down and actually start pricing, and adding things, and upgrading to what I spec anyway, they end up about $400-700 more per build.

While that may be the case, your HTPC still cannot match the Dell on a couple of levels. This is nothing against you personally, just a counter the DIY approach. For one, energy usage and noise production. Both of these are undoubtably quite low by design, and while you may beat one, it is unlikely that you will simultaneously beat both unless you're building on Ion, and even then it's not a sure thing. Two, you're dealing with a form factor you really can't match. As I said previously, even Ion on mITX can't match this thing, and certainly not with the same mixture of form and function. Finally, the warranty. Say what you want about Dell, but when your motherboard goes out, they'll replace it on the spot under warranty. I'm not sure what kind of a deal you offer your customers, but I can't imagine you keep a stock of parts, much less offer free in-home service for a full year, and if you do then you're either losing money or don't have a large customer base.

Also, I'm going to assume you're offering them the OS as part of that price, correct? OEM or retail? Do you offer software tech support, because Microsoft will not support users on OEM licenses. That responsibility is left up to Dell, or in your case, you.

The bottom line is, even if you are offering your customers a deal vastly superior to this one, not everyone lives in your immediate area, meaning there is still an overwhelming majority for which this is an excellent offering.

 

[Steevo]

Unless they have a competitive business closeby, which tehy can use to purchase a PC close to the specs I build.


As for power consumption, One of my recent builds featured a 65W dual core, stock voltage at stable overclocks of 3.2Ghz on a X2 240, 80% silver PSU, 4GB DDR800 integrated 4000 series graphics and I allowed all the power management features.


I believe it pulled around 120W under load. I used a UPS power meter for that reading, so it might not be accurate, but even with F@H runnin on it it never even turns a fan on so it can be hard in a quiet room.


I imagine that it doesn't even pull 90W idle. Plus all solid caps....




My beef with Dell is their marketing and lureing people in, then getting them with upgrades, and the absurd intrest rate the charge the average idiot, so that when you have a issue with your Hell, you can speak to someone who has such a thick accent you can't possibly understnad them, and you wait on hold for 20 minutes just to get to them, so they can transfer you and you ahve to wait on hold again.


Windows pre-installed.


Is there any other way? Or do they mean, shit pre-installed, like al the trial ware they have, and the bloat that comes pre-installed.


Hassle Free. Except evey OEM pc I have ever fixed has taken about two hours to un-install old versions of crapware and bloat that poses security risks and loads up system resources on underpowered overpriced PC's so it makes it easier for spyware and other malwware to hijack a rig and turn it into a spambot. But hey, its hassle free.


Dell makes good laptops, and if someone had the insane minimalist 50 square foot apartment and could only fit this, great. Otherwise a overpriced piece of jusk, and one that will get plugged with cat hair, smoking tar, lint, and dust so fast and then die a tragic death that warranty won't pay for, unless you bought the extened warranty, and the extra protection warranty, and the hazzard warranty. All for only $60 each.

 

[DaJMasta]

The most intriguing thing here is the fact that they offer an optional discrete graphics card.


If they use the same model case, there isn't any space for a PCI slot. Does this mean that it could be using an MXM based internal card?


And AMD seems like a great choice for this form factor, 780 or 785G gives you a lot of graphics horsepower for integrated (only the 9400m/9300m are any competition), and it gives you a fairly wide selection of low power inexpensive processors. Yes it would be great to see some new low TDP chips from AMD to put a little more power into it, but at this pricepoint it seems to be a really solid machine.

I think despite the price point, this is aimed at a different market than the atom machines. Atom nettops are typically file servers, web surfing PCs, and really convienence items offering little in terms of power (though admittedly enough for many applications). This system brings enough power for HTPC use and more substantial tasks, enough to compete with a fairly functional laptop at the very least.


Also interesting.... it's not Mini ITX. Judging from the back panel it's a nonstandard proprietary design.

 

[Baum]

4330 is availible as a mxm-1 module to some laptops
thus it might be upgardeble with other mxm boards and saw away the casing for space and cooling you might fit mxm-3 modules