Home & Small Office Computer Guide

Need to save space on your desk?

Space is a major problem for many computer users. Whether you’re a multi-screen, multi PC user like me or just a home user with a small desk fitting today’s average PC tower onto or into your desk can be a real problem.

The other half of this partnership had been telling me for ages that there was a solution to my space problems and it really did take a while for that to sink in but last week it did. And this is the solution to my space problem:

This is the Aspire X-Qpack Micro ATX tower (sold in some countries as the Apevia X-Qpack) and it’s just 13.8″ long by 11.2″ wide. It stands just 9″ tall.

And if you think you can’t fit everything that’s in your current PC into one of these small boxes let me tell you that the one I currently have on my desk holds 3 hard drives, a DVD burner, a floppy drive, a dual head graphic card and a firewire card and, thanks to bigger fans and better ventilation than you’ll find in most towers, it runs cooler than the box it replaces.

Next week I’ll be replacing my other PC tower with another X-Qpack.

Not only are they small but they’re light-weight too and come in a range of colours. If you’re here in Australia talk to Rick at Fraser Coast Computers and in other parts of the world they’re available from Amazon.

There was a time when computer cases were like Model T Fords - you could have any colour you liked as long as it was grey. But like most things on this planet, that’s all changed and gradually computer cases have become fashion statements.

Perhaps the wildest computer cases that I’ve seen on the market today that are within the reach of ordinary mortals like you and me are these cases from NZXT.

If you’re one of those people who love to know what’s happening inside the box then you will love this one. It even comes with a digital display of various internal function.

As you can see they come in a range of colours and there are also 3 or 4 basic designs but the top of the range would have to be the Nemesis Elite.

All these boxes are available in the US, Europe and Australia and if you’re up where we live on the Fraser Coast in Qld then give give Rick at Fraser Coast Computers, a call on (07) 4125 3791 he will be only too happy to sell you one of these bad boys and build a killer game machine to go inside too. (And don’t forget to tell him where you saw one these monsters)

I don’t know, maybe I’m old fashioned but I still like the grey and black machines that sit on my desk. I’m not sure that I could work with something called Nemesis glaring at me all day.