Dell launches Zino HD, takes a shot at the Mac Mini

You remember when the Dell Zino HD was just a wet dream here at MacPCWiz? As Apple’s Mac Mini got a refresh (together with the iMac and the MacBook), Dell has just launched their attempt to control the one-box living room system niche currently held by the Mac Mini – the Dell Zino HD. Read more from Electronista.com:

Dell this morning officially unveiled its most direct attempt at claiming the ultra-compact desktop space currently held by the Mac mini. Shown after multiple teases, the Inspiron Zino HD occupies roughly the same footprint as its Apple counterpart but uses AMD processors to keep the costs low while still supplying options its rival doesn’t have. The micro PC is seen as a home theater PC and comes with native HDMI output as well as options of discrete Radeon HD 4330 graphics and a Blu-ray drive.

Read the full article at Electronista.com.

The Dell Zino HD - MacMini Killer

Finally, it is here. It’s dirt cheap — due to AMD processors –  and it has the lungs to go head-to-head with the Mac Mini. With a maximum configuration of 4GB RAM, an Athlon dual core proc, and 1TB of HDD space, it has the juice for whatever a living room can throw its way. At the top price of $600+, that amount is close to what a Mac Mini’s starting configuration price is. So you see why this could be a great move for Dell.

Nice, really nice.

The taker, for us here at MacPCWiz, is at that price, the Dell Zino HD includes the option for a Blu-Ray drive. Yes, you heard that right! No Steve Jobs snafu over Blu-Ray technology — Dell Zino HD gives that to you at cost. There are some very poor Mac fanbois trying to make do with a Blu-Ray upgrade kit for the Mac Mini, but really, who needs that when you can get it with this baby at half the price?

BAck view - All the ports you need

For the errrmm… colorful in you, Dell Zino HD can also be dressed up with living room-friendly (?) art skins so you can match it to the ambiance and motif of your living room. Quite artsy, if you ask me, but to each his own.

Colors to mix and match

If you want a Mac Mini, hey, that’s your funeral (not to mention the fact that you may have to purchase an external Blu-Ray drive as a decent Blu-Ray solution). At MacPCWiz, we are all lining up to see who get’s the Dell Zino HD in our stockings this year. Note to self: must be nice for Santa.