*Deal is back, $29 more but 1TB HDD* lenovo Q190 mini-pc, Now $279+tax shipped

[SithSolo1]

Video that was linked shows card reader slot, a pair of USB3's (well - blue USB's), and 2 other small round ports (probably microphone / headphone?) under the front flap.

Seems that it comes with their little hand held keyboard gizmo...

The video linked was of a Q180 setup. The front flap and ports be the same on both but you only get the wizbang KB/Mouse/Remote gizmo with the i3 variants. I think the Celeron version only comes with the dollar store special KB and Mouse.

 

[AkumaX]

So many people wanting one but without needing one. We should pitch into a pool, get one, and then every couple weeks ship it to the next person.

me first!

--

i was considering one of these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16856101135

can slap in a i3-3225 and it would be pretty nice.

but no HDD, no RAM, no OS. hmmm....

 

[Radeon962]

Couldn't resist at $249.99 plus tax. Was looking at the Intel NUC, but after you add everything that is still needed to make a complete system with the NUC you are double the cost or so.

Bought one as I wanted to try one of these for a kitchen computer that is only used for surfing the web, Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and watching recorded TV over the network. Will be replacing a mini ITX system that is overkill for what it is used for. I picked up a matching Lenovo CD/DVD from the bay that clips onto the base unit by a two-way USB plug and would just unplug that when not needed (seller has a bunch of these from the Q180, but are supposed to work with the Q190 as well).

For under $300 with tax and shipping for the unit and CD/DVD with OS installed and no need to add anythinge else, it might just be the ticket.

If it fits the need, I may end up getting a larger SSD down the road as prices are getting more reasonable by the day.

Figure if it does not work out I can always sell it and not really be out anything.

 

[Bodolza]

can slap in a i3-3225 and it would be pretty nice.

but no HDD, no RAM, no OS. hmmm....

I was thinking along the same lines, since the Q190 is a bit underpowered for an HTPC.

With a 1TB HD, 4GB RAM, i3-3225, and an external BD-RW, it comes to $510 on Newegg. I might wait for the V1.1 for the extra USB ports.

 

[bznotins]

I was thinking along the same lines, since the Q190 is a bit underpowered for an HTPC.

Actually, it's really not underpowered for an HTPC. It will decode pretty much anything you throw at it, given the integrated Sandy Bridge GPU.

By HTPC standards, it's much more powerful than the set top boxes you can buy.

 

[AkumaX]

Actually, it's really not underpowered for an HTPC. It will decode pretty much anything you throw at it, given the integrated Sandy Bridge GPU.

By HTPC standards, it's much more powerful than the set top boxes you can buy.

think it'll play back a high bitrate 1080p mkv?

 

[Zap]

think it'll play back a high bitrate 1080p mkv?

Can a typical Ultrabook do it? If so, the Q190 probably can, since that's basically the same CPU as the Ultrabooks with a Core i3, minus the Hyperthreading.

 

[tracerbullet]

Browsing around, this thread: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=157563 may have good info on what it can handle.

Not that I'm still considering one of these of course :whiste:.

 

[bznotins]

think it'll play back a high bitrate 1080p mkv?

Yes. The Sandy Bridge iGPU can pretty much handle anything thrown at it. If you insist on software deinterlaced high-bit rate decodes, then it might have problems. But it is highly unlikely you'll be doing that unless you're really on the fringes of HTPC design. Right now my Sandy Bridge HTPC has about 5% CPU utilization when decoding high bitrate BD streams. Less with mkv streams. And I run it fanless.

 

[yhelothar]

Hmmm you could get a Lenovo X61 tablet for that price, which is about as power, smaller footprint, and comes with a touchscreen.

 

[SithSolo1]

Hmmm you could get a Lenovo X61 tablet for that price, which is about as power, smaller footprint, and comes with a touchscreen.

The only x61 "tablet" I could find is a older laptop with a swivel screen and is no longer in production. It does not have a smaller foot print and is slower than this unit. Main use here will more than likely be as an htpc so no built in screen is needed.

 

[PreOmegaZero]

Hmmm you could get a Lenovo X61 tablet for that price, which is about as power, smaller footprint, and comes with a touchscreen.

Not even close to fair comparison, but...sure.

 

[ponyo]

Thoughts of this vs the Mac Mini? Mini is like double the price. I'm curious about the fan noise. Lack of fan noise is why I love my JB Apple TV2. My Logitech Revue has a fan but I can't hear it. If it's something like that I can totally deal with it. Now if it's like my fat Sony PS3 fan noise, that's way too loud and unacceptable. So anyone know how loud the fan is?

 

[SithSolo1]

Thoughts of this vs the Mac Mini? Mini is like double the price. I'm curious about the fan noise. Lack of fan noise is why I love my JB Apple TV2. My Logitech Revue has a fan but I can't hear it. If it's something like that I can totally deal with it. Now if it's like my fat Sony PS3 fan noise, that's way too loud and unacceptable. So anyone know how loud the fan is?

The new one is double the price+$100. You get a faster processor with hyper-threading, better built-in gpu with HD decoding, Mac OS X vs Windows 8, and a much sleeker design depending on tastes. Ram and HDD size are the same. You can get the older one which, though not as fast as the new one, still hits all the above points for only double the price of the Q190.

I have no idea how loud the fan is but I can only assume its less than the PS3 as it doesn't need nearly as much power or cooling.

 

[DaveSimmons]

The latest Mac Mini is wabbit hunting quiet (vewwy). There is no DVD drive (built-in or snap-together) so if you want to play DVDs you'll need a mismatched external drive.

 

[Zap]

Not that I'm still considering one of these of course :whiste:.

Of course not. I tell myself that as I peruse this thread.

 

[Peterdoubt]

Apparently you can use the code USP1MA426678 to get the N5902 backlit remote keyboard for $35.00 instead of $80.00.

 

[yuchai]

Apparently you can use the code USP1MA426678 to get the N5902 backlit remote keyboard for $35.00 instead of $80.00.

Thanks! Picked one up. The Q190 is also very attractive at $250, but like many others said, I can't really find a use for it.

 

[Binky]

Apparently you can use the code USP1MA426678 to get the N5902 backlit remote keyboard for $35.00 instead of $80.00.

I tried to use both coupons and it removed the coupon for the Q190. So you'd have to place separate orders.

 

[Peterdoubt]

Thanks! Picked one up. The Q190 is also very attractive at $250, but like many others said, I can't really find a use for it.

Yeah, but I ended up biting on it anyway. I'll use it in my basement with my projector and when I need to do some basic maintenance( my modem and router are down there, and I need to occasionally change settings on a recording interface (not actual recording - been using Ipads for that and then mix upstairs in another room on a full-fledge machine). Something else to play with - all I need. I just couldn't see shelling out for a big lappie or desktop right now when things seem to be kind of in-between tech wise. This baby will have some uses for a media box. Thanks to the OP.

 

[RPD]

Pulled the trigger on it, the push over the edge was the wife saying Oh I could log into work from home on it through the TV? YEP! (As she isn't allowed to use my desktop)

 

[monk3yboy]

My roommate picked one up for HTPC use. For the price it will work just fine. Thanks op!

 

[pcmax]

Is there something wrong with their page, keeps taking me back to the homepage?

NVM, they fixed it momentary glitch in the page.

 

[Peterdoubt]

Is there something wrong with their page, keeps taking me back to the homepage?

NVM, they fixed it momentary glitch in the page.

Ah, laddie - It's the lure of the Deal Siren. She's a trickster, she is!

 

[Zap]

Apparently you can use the code USP1MA426678 to get the N5902 backlit remote keyboard for $35.00 instead of $80.00.

Wow, I may have to grab one of these even if I don't get a Q190. I had the older one and didn't like the trackball.