I'm looking to build a small form factor PC for working from home. It needs to run Windows for Networks of reasonablly recent vintage. It will be used to run text based software over a virtual network (the server will run vision, docman and iCap - all GP software, I think the PC only has to run the software to access he network) and show pdf documents, not look at moving 3D images etc, so integrated graphics and sound is all I need. Really I just want it to be able to keep up with whatever version of windows the servers at the other end require for as long as possible. I don't need lots of USB ports, masses of ram etc. I have a Dell 23 inch montor at 1980x1024 which it can share with my main PC - this one needs to be "clean" and only used for work. I'm happy to stump up a little more for an SSD if it shortens boot times noticeably. (I'm so impatient!) I'm not gonna overclock it, and it's not gonna get hot, so minimal cooling likely to be required. I'd rather it was quiet! No fixed budget - want the cheapest reliable set up I can get away with in the smallest box possible to save space. Don't mind an extra £10 or so for a case that looks cool! It's improtant it doesn't clash too badly with my lovely phantom case....
Have you considered a NUC? Maybe a little on the dear side, but would be super small and totally silent...
Consider an old thin client to repurpose. I grabbed an HP t5720 on ebay for cheap, added a larger ssd DOM so I could install an actual OS and a nvidia 7 series (forget the model at the moment). Even though it's quite old it's still pretty snappy considering. It uses like 18w and is 100% passive and moving part free so it's dead silent. I use it as a dos/9x retro games machine but it certainly could run XP, possibly 8.1 32bit with more ram. All in total I think I spend about $50 on it. Of course there are much newer versions with Atoms or low power Semprons and etc as well. Generally they cost more but if you want something more recent and more powerful. Still likely cheaper than other options though.
Not windows for workgroups then? I believe you can probably get that running on a recent android phone under dosbox nowadays.
Thanks guys - basically I am after a clean PC I can use with my existing big screen. Like th idea of repurposing an existing system - don't need a lot of power. off to ebay.
