Intel Atom NAS using Aspire Revo?

[satoshi]

I'm thinking about buying an Acer Aspire Revo or Zotac MAG or any of the competing cheap Atom nettops. They're $200-300...basically just an intel atom + 1 gig RAM and a gigabit ethernet port.

If I connected an external eSATA drive to any of these, would the performance do well, you think? Like if I reformatted and put Windows Home Server or Free NAS on it?

Might be comparable to a entry-level ReadyNAS or Asus TS Mini etc.? I already have an esata enclosure with a drive, so for $300 give or take I'd also have the benefit of a spare PC in addition to the NAS functionality.

What do you think?

 

[thiggins]

Should provide some decent performance, especially with eSATA drives.

 

[Osamede]

Some of those external drive cases are basically designed to hook up to a computer once in a while, upload or download some files and then go back in a drawer. This is not the same as having the drive up 24/7/365. So I'd be careful to find one that has some active cooling or good heat sinking otherwise you never know what will happen with your drive and the data on it.

Otherwise may be jetter to get a regular NAS or at least a PC with proper cooling.