Asus to offer Celeron-based Eee Box

If you're a regular Crave reader, you know about the runaway popularity of the Asus Eee PC, the grandfather of the Netbook category. But the company's attempts to roll that success into a small-form-factor desktop, the Eee Box, have thus far fallen flat.

That hasn't stopped the company from trying to make a splash in the so-called Nettop category. According to a report in DigiTimes, Asus is readying a new version of the Eee Box that will feature a budget-minded Celeron 220 CPU instead of the Intel Atom found in earlier versions. Asus will also increase the hard-drive space in the new model, going from 80GB to 120GB.

According to the report, the processor change will drop the cost of the Eee Box to $240. The company seems to be hoping the lower price point will present a better value proposition than the previous version, which at $350 couldn't compete with similarly low-cost desktops and laptops.

[pedspeds]

A "netbook" with a Celeron processor and a 120GB HDD is nothing but a crappy computer - no matter how they market the thing.

[gump2010]

wow dude these net books are not used for like gaming or anything they are used fro basic stuff like taking notes and surfing the net. what more do u need than a celeron processor. and at that price wow its a great deal.

[canberra_photographer]

I agree, a lot of browsers and security software alone drain performance.

[dirty55409]

They can't market them cheaply enough to compete with desktops that are only $100-$200 more with more power and a better looking finish. Nettop is a joke of an idea in my opinion.

You simply cannot justify the lack of power because you're not looking for portability in a desktop(obviously) so the form factor doesn't matter. Not to mention most people like a desktop that can handle beefy applications like videogames or for the casual user at least video editting, photoshop tools, or things of that nature.

Netbooks are for on the go, big nice power hungry beasts mind the home office.

[Someone-else]

I see no reason in buying a small desktop, it has less power, but is not portable, you can't use it somewhere else, like a laptop or a netbook.
The EeePC, is good and there are reasons to buy one, depending on your needs, but not the EeeTop, if you don't need mobility, just get a normal desktop, that has more power, is cheaper and upgradable. If you want something small, just get a Laptop.

[hotmail123]

It is a smart move......because with over $300, I can buy a desktop PC with better performance (not to mention about with DVD burner).

But if the Eee Box is cheap enough and with HDMI connection, it will be a nice "add-on" to LCD TV for web surfing & checking Email.

[R Griffin]

A small cheap laptop is great for games when my young nephew visits, and I might get one for the car or camp. And thanks, Asus, for getting back to the original point - basic & inexpensive for better outreach.

[30psi]

There are plenty of uses for something like this. e.g. like put it on the TV for streaming NBC Rewind or whatever. Better than some big ugly box hammering away in the corner of the living room.

Or it would be good as a headless box for something like a nPnP server. It's small and quiet, that's the main thing.

It's going to plenty powerful enough to run virus checkers, web browers, email, photoshop, open office, or etc..

[Zeeshan47]

Photoshop? Are you kidding me? With a Celeron 220 and a gig?

[only_truth]

I agree with Zeeshan47. No way the Eee desktop can run Photoshop. My TrendMicro antivirus suite wouldn't even run. As for TV streaming, I don't think it has the juice to stream HD, let alone regular definition.

[Scopip]

I think the reason they went with celeron is that the Atom box was struggling with 720p.

$250 is too much when a refurb xbox360 runs for $160.