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View Full Version : Asus bring the Eee to the desktop


Raen
10-16-2008, 11:33 AM
It seems that Asus have bought the Asus Eee to the desktop, for those of you who like your SCC to be more stationary.


Asus' Eee marque may be associated with laptops, but it's been applied to desktops too, specifically the Eee Box, a slimline unit designed to stay in one place.

The key to this Eee is still low-cost laptop technology: Intel's 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor, the same chip used in Asus' top-of-the-line Eee portables. It's backed with 1GB of DDR 2 memory and an 80GB 1.5Gb/s SATA hard drive.
Asus Eee Box

Unlike most desktops, this one has 802.11n Wi-Fi on board, along with the regular Small, Cheap Computer array of connectors: Ethernet - Gigabit not 10/100Mb/s - analogue audio, an SDHC memory card slot and a set of USB ports, four in this case.


It seems to be a pretty nifty little machine. On board wireless-n is a nice touch. It also makes it very easy to update the HDD (apparently there's just a slide out tray), although the article also says that more complex upgrades are pretty difficult. Given it's a SCC that's not a surprise to me. Don't know if I'm a huge fan of being able to put it on a fancy upright stand, although being able to bolt it to the back of your TV, as is suggested by Register Hardware, seems pretty cool.

Source - Register Hardware (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/10/10/review_desktop_pc_asus_eee_box/).

Wraith
10-16-2008, 11:37 AM
So this will be cheaper than the Mac Mini and the Dell mini desktop?

http://regmedia.co.uk/2008/06/19/eee_box_2.jpg

Troggles
10-16-2008, 11:40 AM
I'm considering getting one just for plugging into my TV as a media center. I've always wanted to have a set up like that.

Raen
10-16-2008, 11:42 AM
It would seem so. At least in the UK, so that probably holds for the US. Of course you get what you pay for and the Eee spec is much lower than the other two from what I can see, but I'd still consider it a goodish buy for the price and size. On the downside an optical drive would of been nice.

Troggles
10-16-2008, 11:45 AM
Wait...it has no disk drive. Scratch any ideas of purchasing this.

biosc1
10-16-2008, 11:51 AM
I've been eying this game for my mom. May mean I'll have to get an external drive for the rare occasion she wants to install something, but it is pretty cheap and small, not really two things that go together very often.

Wraith
10-16-2008, 12:17 PM
Wait...it has no disk drive. Scratch any ideas of purchasing this.Oh, you mean no optical disc drive.

Raen
10-17-2008, 03:12 AM
I've been eying this game for my mom. May mean I'll have to get an external drive for the rare occasion she wants to install something, but it is pretty cheap and small, not really two things that go together very often.

I think the optical drive isn't a deal breaker, and like you said an external one is fine and not that expensive. If they added it they'd probably price it at more than buying an external drive anyway.

NoName
10-17-2008, 06:48 AM
The only reason I normally use a DVD drive these days is for installing an OS. After that everything is done over the network. They aren't that important.

Ug, there needs to stop being cool electronics I don't need. I already have 3 computers (one a media hub hooked up in the living room) and don't need this. Why must ASUS tempt me so!

Raen
10-17-2008, 06:58 AM
Ug, there needs to stop being cool electronics I don't need. I already have 3 computers (one a media hub hooked up in the living room) and don't need this. Why must ASUS tempt me so!

My theory? It's a plot to fill your house with dozens of devices that are secretly filled with plastic explosives. Ingenious.