When you talk about a PC, typically the first thought would be of those big bulky enclosures with big fans that require some floor or desk space. That’s not the case when it comes to the Shuttle XPC Nano NCO1U. This device is a full-fledged PC small and portable enough to be mounted behind a monitor and carried inside a bag.
Design and Construction
The Shuttle XPC Nano features a slim, square, 0.5-liter body measuring 141mm in length and width and 29mm in thickness, this makes the XPC Nano discrete and unobtrusive as you can easily place it tiny spaces like under the TV or behind a monitor with the help of a mount.
The body is mostly plastic with a glossy finish and copper color accents. The top side is where most of the glossy plastic is along with the XPC branding. This part is prone to ugly smudges and fingerprints so you’re bound to wipe it after some touches.
Up front is the SD card reader, two USB 3.0 ports, HDD LED, and the Power Button / Status LED.
On the left side we have the Serial COM Port and thermal vent.
On the right is the K-Lock Security Slot and another thermal vent.
Take a look at the back and you will see the power jack, Mini DisplayPort, HDMI, LAN port, two USB 2.0 ports, and the headphone / Line-out jack. Underneath are four rubber feet and some screws that you need to remove in case you need to access the internals.
Overall, we like the build and look of the XPC Nano. You can place it beside or under a sleek-looking HDMI-enabled TV and it would blend well. If you have a small desk space, it wouldn’t be a problem due to its small size. There’s also a stand included so you can place it in a vertical position.
The only thing we didn’t like in our unit is the small opening of the panel at the rear under the ports. It could be because of the size of the hard drive installed. We hope that this is an isolated case. Other than that, everything checks out.
Setup and Configuration
The Shuttle XPC Nano is already pre-built as it has its own motherboard and processor. All you need to do is pick the amount of RAM (4GB, 8GB, 16GB) and hard drive. In the case of our unit, it’s 8GB DDR3 Sodimm and 1TB HDD (installed in two partitions).
Our unit came from Qube so you can pick a configuration on their website and get an estimate. You can also order an A4Tech keyboard and a mouse. For the monitor, you will have to provide your own but you can also get one from Qube.
Looking at the cost of our configuration, it is priced at Php15,250. A Microsoft Windows 7 Professional is available with no extra cost but you may opt not to get it in case you already have your own installer.
Performance
The XPC Nano is powered by an Intel Celeron 3205U clocked at 1.5GHz, Intel HD Graphics, 8GB RAM, and a Windows 7 Professional 64-bit. The CPU is entry-level so don’t expect it to play the latest games out there.
What it’s good at office and multimedia tasks like web browsing, MS Office, and video playback. You can use it as your multimedia hub and store all your video and music files. Just connect it to the TV via HDMI and a sound system and you got yourself a home entertainment package.
What we recommend though is to install or upgrade to Windows 10 as Windows 7 is already showing its age. Also get a wireless mouse and keyboard to eliminate clutter and allow you to work or navigate from a distance.
Conclusion
The Shuttle XPC Nano is a nice device to have especially for light users who don’t like a bulky PC. It has a good build, decent configuration and comes with a low price. It’s not going to play the latest games in the market but it can get office things done and become an entertainment hub at the same time.
The Shuttle XPC Nano NCO1U is available for purchase at Qube Asia. See listing here.
Shuttle XPC Nano NCO1U specs:
1.5GHz Intel Celeron 3205U Processor
Intel HD Graphics
4GB, 8GB, 16GB RAM
1TB Mobile SATA HDD
2.5″ 7mm HDD / SSD drive bays
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n/ac
Bluetooth
HDMI
mini DisplayPort
2x USB 3.0
2x USB 2.0
Ethernet
DC-in Jack
Headphone+Mic in combo jack
RS232
Kensington Lock
Realtek ALC269 HD Audio
Supports Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10
141 x 141 x 29 mm
What we liked:
* Good build and design
* Small and portable
* Decent performance for its class
* Plenty of ports
What we didn’t like:
* Comes with old Windows 7 OS
* Keyboard and mouse sold separately
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