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AOpen MiniPC Duo MP945-VXR
Reviewed by
Dan Ackerman
on 09/18/2006
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The good: Supports Core 2 Duo CPUs; solid metal construction.

The bad: Hard-to-access motherboard; limited expansion.

The bottom line: The AOpen MiniPC Duo MP945-VXR is a bare-bones Mac Mini clone that outdoes the original by adding support for Intel's new Core 2 Duo CPUs.

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CNET editors' review

  • CNET editors' rating: 3.5 stars Very good
    Detailed editors' rating
      Design : 7.0
      Features : 7.0
      Performance : 0.0
      Service and support : 0.0
      Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)
  • Reviewed by:
    Dan Ackerman
  • Edited by:
    Katy Sullivan
  • Reviewed on: 09/18/2006
  • Released on: 08/29/2006
The AOpen MiniPC Duo MP945-VXR is a $350 bare-bones system, clearly designed to capture the pocket-size feel of the popular Mac Mini. AOpen has offered Mac Mini clones before, including full systems, such as the MP945-V, but this is the first one to harness the power of Intel's Core 2 Duo processor. The MP945-VXR was first introduced back in May 2006, but it has just been updated to include support for the popular "Merom" Core 2 Duo mobile processors. If you bought one of these bare-bones systems before now, don't worry--AOpen promises a downloadable BIOS update that will allow you to swap in a Core 2 Duo CPU.

The black, brushed-metal case is a little larger than a stack of CD jewel cases, measuring just 6.5 inches square and 2.3 inches high. The top is slightly bowed, not flat like the Mac Mini, and the front panel has a power button/indicator light and an eject button for the slot-fed DVD burner. It's not as elegant as the Mini, but it's not garish by any means.

Besides a standard DVI connection on the back (the system includes a DVI-to-VGA adapter), there's also what AOpen calls a Multi-TV output, which is a dongle connection with S-Video, composite-video, and component-video outs. Three audio jacks provide standard mic-in, line-in, and line-out connections, with one jack doubling as an S/PDIF out. A Microsoft Media Center remote is also included.

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