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Sapphire Edge HD2 MiniPC Review

Product: Sapphire Edge HD2
Company: Sapphire
Author: James Prior
Editor: Charles Oliver
Date: September 8th, 2011

Introduction

The Sapphire Edge HD2 Mini PC is an itsy-bitsy teeny weeny Atom based machiney, reviewed by us for the first time today. The Edge HD2's claim to fame is it is one of the smallest PCs available today, about the size of a retail DVD case. Inside is a dual-core hyperthreaded Atom paired with NVIDIA's ION 2, providing one of the most amped nettop platforms you'll find.

Specifications:

• $399 SEP
• Intel Atom D525 1.8GHz
• 2GB DDR3-800
• NVIDIA ION2 Graphics with 512MB dedicated RAM
• HDMI & VGA outputs, HDMI to DVI adapter
• 4 USB 2.0 [2 rear, 2 front concealed]
• Gigabit Ethernet LAN (Realtek RTL8168 10/100/1000)
• 802.11 b/g/n Wifi (Realtek RTL8191 w/2.4Ghz MIMO OFDM)
• Included desk stand and VESA mount bracket
• Included HDMI 3' cable
• 65W A/C adapter
• Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 32-bit Preinstalled

Nettops are an odd bird, as their only real advantage is low power with small foot print. Their use is mostly appliance like, specific purpose or light occasional use PCs. Netbooks can be forgiven a multitude of sins because they are ultraportable and had great battery life, whereas with the inherently tethered nature of nettops, that major selling point is gone. Nettops don't have to worry about battery life but do worry about heat and power, plus being able to perform the specific purpose for which they were purchased.