ASUS Eee Box B202 Desktop PC Specs Emerge

[malware]

While our best people Darksaber and W1zzard are at Computex 2008 gathering info and pics for you, I'll be reporting everything else that's not covered by the event. First of all, I'll start with some info leaked yesterday before the official start of Computex. ASUS has confirmed the official specs for their ASUS Eee Box desktop PC. Take a look below.




Name and Model: Eee Box B202
OS: Linux System / Hardware Compatible with Windows XP
Processor: Intel Atom N270 (1.6 GHz, FSB 533)
Memory: DDRII 512 MB / 1 GB / 2 GB (see US configs below)
Storage: 80 GB / 120 GB / 160 GB / 250 GB (see US configs below)
Chipset: 945GSE + ICH7M
VGA: On-board Intel GMA 950, 1600 x 1200 maximum resolution
Networking: 10/100/1000 Mbps LAN, 802.11n WLAN, Bluetooth optional
SD/MMC/MS slot: SD, SDHC, Mini SD, (Micro SD through adapter) ; MMC, MMC plus, MMC4.x, RS MMC, RSMMC4.x (MMC mobile through adapter);MS,MS PRO
Audio: Azalia ALC888 Audio Chip

Front Ports:
USB x 2
Card Reader x 1
Headphone-out jack (WO/SPDIF) x 1
MIC x 1

Rear Ports:
USB 2.0 x 2
Gigabit LAN x 1
DVI out x 1
Line-Out (L/R) with S/PDIF x 1
WiFi antenna

Accessories:
19Vdc, 4.74A, 65W power adaptor
Mouse (optional)
Keyboard (optional)
VESA mount (optional)
WiFi antenna
Stand

Dimensions: 8.5” x 7” x 1”
Net Weight: 2.2 lbs.
Gross Weight: 6.6 lbs.

US Configurations and MSRP:
$269 - 1GB memory + 80GB HDD Linux edition
$299 - 1GB memory + 80GB HDD XP edition
$299 - 2GB memory + 160GB HDD Linux edition

Source: Hot Hardware

[Black Hades]

Nice, I wonder if the RAM is onboard, or laptop DIMM.

[Error 404]

Originally Posted by Black Hades

Nice, I wonder if the RAM is onboard, or laptop DIMM.

Considering the different RAM options, I'd say it is So-DIMM (laptop), 1 slot.
I wish they would use the 1.86 GHz Atom instead of the 1.6 GHz one... it'd OC better.

[Black Hades]

Originally Posted by Error 404

Considering the different RAM options, I'd say it is So-DIMM (laptop), 1 slot.
I wish they would use the 1.86 GHz Atom instead of the 1.6 GHz one... it'd OC better.

OCing that little thing would make it as hot as a toaster most probably

[Mussels]

what concerns me, is the media applications.

Why 1600x1200? why not 1920x1080, or 1680x1050?

Most people have widescreens these days, so its a little strange to see that missing.
It has DVI out, so its compatible with HDMI through an adaptor.. would have been a great media/net PC to hook up to a TV.

[Black Hades]

I am curious, can the hardware play 1080p ? Even if it suported the resolution.
Feel free to ignore this rant, but maybe they dont want to cut into the HTPC market with something as cheap as this... wouldnt be a good business decision


Edit: According to ppl on forums, one 2200-2400Mhz core would be required for 720p, 3000Mhz is "optimum" for 1080p. (on windows xp, linux being more resource friendly)
The rest of the hardware should be fine however.

Maybe the next generation eee Box will have the dual-core Atom and (better) support for HD.

[Easy Rhino]

Originally Posted by Mussels

what concerns me, is the media applications.

Why 1600x1200? why not 1920x1080, or 1680x1050?

Most people have widescreens these days, so its a little strange to see that missing.
It has DVI out, so its compatible with HDMI through an adaptor.. would have been a great media/net PC to hook up to a TV.

i doubt that hardware can output hd content above 720p.

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by Easy Rhino

i doubt that hardware can output hd content above 720p.

well... my 2GHz P4 manages 720P fine with no hardware acceleration, and a sempron 2400+ can do it with room to spare.

If they had the model up for the onboard video, intels specs say that it can decode 1080p (the GMA x3100)... i just wonder why they didnt raise the price a few $$ and make it a media box while they were at it.

[Black Hades]

Originally Posted by Mussels

well... my 2GHz P4 manages 720P fine with no hardware acceleration, and a sempron 2400+ can do it with room to spare.

If they had the model up for the onboard video, intels specs say that it can decode 1080p (the GMA x3100)... i just wonder why they didnt raise the price a few $$ and make it a media box while they were at it.

I've heard of 1.6Ghz processors that can play fine 720p on linux, but they drop frames now and then. (2.2Ghz+ should be the 0 frames dropped zone,) I guess, depends on many things realy, like using bloated os/software or bad decoder.

[Easy Rhino]

Originally Posted by Mussels

well... my 2GHz P4 manages 720P fine with no hardware acceleration, and a sempron 2400+ can do it with room to spare.

interesting

If they had the model up for the onboard video, intels specs say that it can decode 1080p (the GMA x3100)... i just wonder why they didnt raise the price a few $$ and make it a media box while they were at it.

perhaps they will !!

[Mussels]

software codecs have just come a long way since it first came out. I remember when i first started getting 720p media, and a 3800+ x2 dual core was the requirement... hell i get a solid 5 FPS with smooth audio on my P3 1GHz laptop :P (yes 5 FPS... it cant hack it. but it does 'work')

[Easy Rhino]

Originally Posted by Mussels

software codecs have just come a long way since it first came out. I remember when i first started getting 720p media, and a 3800+ x2 dual core was the requirement... hell i get a solid 5 FPS with smooth audio on my P3 1GHz laptop :P (yes 5 FPS... it cant hack it. but it does 'work')

that is for sure. i was just talking to a friend about AVCHD and how awesome it is that you can rip a blu-ray down to a dvd5 using x264 and AVC and then play it back on a blu-ray player. and it looks really good! what divx did for dvd is what avchd is going to do for blu-ray.

[newtekie1]

They aren't aiming this at HD people. This is a super low cost PC just like the EeePC that is designed for basic internet and office work. I would think 720p content might be watchable on it, but 1080p is out of the question.

[Mussels]

Originally Posted by newtekie1

They aren't aiming this at HD people. This is a super low cost PC just like the EeePC that is designed for basic internet and office work. I would think 720p content might be watchable on it, but 1080p is out of the question.

i want the HD model! :P now to convince them to make it

[newtekie1]

Here is an interesting thing I just came accross, the specs for the GMA950 say it's maximum resolution is 2048x1536 at 75 Hz. So why is ASUS stating lower? My guess is that he Linux driver for it is limitted to that resolution, but that is only my guess. Anyway, it also says it supports 480i/p, 720i/p, and 1080i/p.

The EeePC can play back 1080p content, but it stutters. This machine's graphics card is more powerful than the one in the EeePC from what I have seen, so 1080p content just might be possible.

[acperience7]

I love these new Eee lines by ASUS. If the line continues for while I may look into getting thier Desktop and laptop solutions.