Many people got interested in my post about MSI J1800i Motherboard because it was one of the first motherboard based on a low power Intel Bay Trail-D processor, namely Celeron J1800 dual core processor with 10W TDP, and the $60 price tag. However, I and others had doubt about the price, because Intel listed Celeron J1800 recommended price at $72, and that’s just the price for the CPU. I still can’t find site selling MSI J1800i in US dollars, although I could find for 66.90 GBP and 69.99 Euros on some European websites. You can really convert it into US dollars using the current exchange rate, as you have to take into account VAT and taxes. But today Fanless Tech has reported about two new motherboards based on Celeron J1800: Gigabyte J1800N-D2H, and BIOSTAR J1800NH. I could not find price for the Gigabyte motherboard, but BIOSTAR J1800NH is sold for $55.99 by Directron, an online store based in Houston, Texas in the US, and I’m hopeful it will eventually show in many other shops with similar prices, plus whatever taxes applies to your country.
BIOSTAR J1800NH Specifications:
- SoC – Intel Celeron J1800 dual core @ 2.41 with integrated Intel HD graphics
- System Memory – 1x DDR3L 1066/1333 SO-DIMM slots (Up to 8GB)
- Storage – 2x SATA II 3Gbps ports
- Video Output – HDMI, and VGA
- Connectivity – 1x Gigabit Ethernet (Realtek RTL8111G)
- USB – 1x USB 3.0 host ports, 4x USB 2.0 host ports, 1x USB 2.0 header
- Expansion – single PCIe Express x1 slot
- Audio – Speaker, audio in and audio out jacks
- Misc – PS/2 mouse and keyboard connectors
- Dimensions – 17cm x 17cm (Mini ITX Form Factor )
You’ll need to add RAM, storage, and a (fanless) mini ITX case, as well as install your favorite OS. A complete system with 4GB memory, a 1TB hard drive and a fanless mini-ITX enclosure with PSU should cost around $250. If you don’t like the SO-DIMM memory slot used in MSI and BIOSTAR moptherboard, the Gigabyte one makes use of DIMM sockets instead.
The price in Directron does not include shipping, but estimating shipping to San Jose, just added $7.89 for UPS ground service for a total of $63.88. The company also ships to other countries in North America, but as I said above low cost low power motherboard based on Intel Bay Trail processors should soon be available worldwide.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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60GB SSD for OS, 4GB ram.. perfect XBMC box. And storage can be done on NAS. Completely silent, not even HDD sound.. Hope they get to EU fast with reasonable price.
“If you don’t like the SO-DIMM memory slot used in MSI and BIOSTAR moptherboard, the Gigabyte one makes use of DIMM sockets instead.”
Where is the Gigabyte DIMM version?
http://www.gigabyte.com/products/product-page.aspx?pid=4881#ov
@Narog
Sorry, I’ve removed that. I only read the text in Gigabyte website and Fanless tech which both say DIMM, but on the picture it’s clearly SO-DIMM.
@Xan Well a 4 GB usb key is enough to Run XBMC , or you want some storage on the HTPC ?
BIOSTAR has been in the shadow (at least for the mainstream) for a long time, how are they in terms of quality, lifetime etc ?
Intel ARK lists the Celeron J1800 as dual channel but this board is one. Still an astounding and incredible fantastical and new thing! This really puts the heat on, undercutting the wide world of Android running ARM A9’s.
Maybe worth waiting for the Gagabyte GA-J1800N-D2H version as this supports 2 SO-DIMMs and has an extra Mini PCI Express slot.
For the people looking for a complete system, the Asus Chromebox (with Celeron 2955U) at 179 might be a good deal http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2014/02/meet-the-asus-chromebox-a-179-fanless-mini-desktop/ (I dont think it is fanless, though)
Also, again FAIL because of that nasty ATX power supply. Why cant we have 12V or 19V barrel plugs like on the NUCs???
Someone from the other side – you’re complaining about a Mini-ITX board having an ATX power connector? You need to go and read the specs for Mini-ITX then as this connector is required.
What you are after is ‘thin itx’ or ‘thin mini itx’. I’d also like to know why we are to seeing more of these devices.
Cnxsoft – any chance you could look around to see if these are upcoming?
@vlaero
Thanks. I had never heard about “thin Mini-ITX” boards. I’ll just take some note for myself (and maybe others) below.
Same size as mini-ITX, but with height limited to 2.5 cm. It seems it’s mainly for All-in-on PCs, so people can buy an AIO chassis (screen + touchscreen) and add the motherboards themselves. But I’d assume this could also be used for low profil computers. They don’t need an ATX power supply, and can simply use a laptop power brick.
http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/hardware-developers/thin-mini-itx.html
Gibabyte, Asrock and Asus and a few others have some products, but none of them are really using low power processors for now.
Gigabyte site is interesting for an overview – http://www.gigabyte.com/microsite/348/aio-system.html
Kontron KTT30 (Nvidia Tegra 3) is defined as an embedded Mini-ITX board, but I wonder if it could also be considered as an “thin mini-ITX” motherboard. http://www.cnx-software.com/2012/07/05/kontron-unveils-ktt30mitx-nvidia-tegra-3-mini-itx-board/
@cnxsoft
I came across this interesting use of thin mini-itx boards a while back.
May be of interest to some here.
http://www.buildablade.com/bb-itx84.htm
@vlaero
You’ve made me work a couple of hours… 🙂
http://www.cnx-software.com/2014/02/06/wibtek-tj1800g-tj1900g-thin-mini-itx-boards-with-bay-trail-d-processors-for-diy-all-in-one-computers-and-mini-pcs/
@cnxsoft
Thanks. Good write up. Sounds like it might be something that quote a few people were unaware of.
@rektide
Not even close. Look at the total cost of this thing. First you need memory 8GB of SODIMM $90,
then you need a power supply. Another $50. The list goes on and one. ARM? You can run from
a phone charger using a USB stick as your hard drive with the memory they usually give you.
When figure out how to squeeze another 100 out of the cost then you might have something
but for now its a cheaper PC and nothing else. For around a 100 I can get an ARM android complete with case and power supply.
The Gigabyte motherboard has started to shows up in Europe for about 61 Euros – http://tweakers.net/pricewatch/zoeken/?keyword=j1800
friends as I set this mainborad windows 7 and I did not install??