how does this processor compare to a netbook?

#1, it's basically a netbook without the screen, memory and HD. The 1.6Ghz Atom is the typically netbook processor. Very lower power usage. Here's link to reviews and pix at newegg: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856167032

If they could just make them play 1080p HD Video I'd buy one. Otherwise I have plenty of other net surfing PC's laying around.

These things are slow as crap. It's solution looking for a problem. I can understand the netbook trade-off of performance vs. portability but that doesn't work here. Power savings is all you got here and is it really all that great? These might be okay for kiosks but my desktop needs to fly so I can get the stuff done that my netbook can't touch.

these have limited uses. no good for gaming. questionable for htpc. absolutely fantastic as a media server. low power usage means you can leave it on all the time. to serve your media around the house, or even download torrents for you.

built one a few month ago and it works perfect for what I intended it too: media server to stream to xbox360, central backup server, download bittorrents (w/utorrent webgui). It uses very low power and is quiet. Can't ask for any more from such a cheap and small machine.

But it doesn't have space for big hard drives to be a media server.

I'd make it an HTPC client, but #3 pointed out why that doesn't work. It doesn't even have DVI or HDMI out.

I bought this shortly after Newegg listed it, using it as file server, music server for sb3, and bittorrent as well as eMule. I use CF card for OS installation and USB flash drive for download, HD idles most of the time, measured power consumption with a Kill-A-Watt is only 20W.

It also accepts the Thinkpad t20/t40 power supply.

@ #1:

I think this has a dual core Atom.

so is it even worth buying

Hmm. Maybe put a big drive in there and then run freenas for network stowage!