Intel DC3217IYE & DC3217BY : 4.5" Mini-PCs Are For DIY Folks

If you are 'the DIY engineer', Intel's releasing something really cool for you to try out. The DC3217IYE and the DC3217BY are Intel's Desktop Boards are aimed at the Next Unit Of Computing (NUC). Now what you get is a bare-bones circuitry enclosed in a 4.5" shell without any inbuilt memory, storage or power chords. Intel says that these desktop boards would more be suitable as home theater or home media centers - just slap them at the back of TV. However, it turns out that you will need some more stuff to make this work because the $300-$320 will only give you the basic chassis. Everything else must be bought separately. The kit does come with a VESA mounting bracket.



Here's a quick comparison of the two boards (Source AnandTech) -



As you can see, the main difference is with the Ethernet and the Thunderbolt ports. The lack of thunderbolt port is compensated by 2 HDMI ports instead of one. We learn that the circuits are capable of running Windows 8 operating system and is expected to be available on major online retailers like Amazon and Newegg in December. Check out the video from Intel -



Further details are available on Inside Intel's Next Unit of Computing (DC3217BY).