ASUS iMac rival on pre-order, to hit $450 in US
updated 09:50 am EDT, Mon October 13, 2008
ASUS Eee Top Price Info
ASUS' first attempt at an all-in-one desktop will cost even less than expected and is already surfacing online, according to multiple sources. Previously known as the Eee Monitor, the Eee Top is now said by PC industry contacts to be scaling down in size and will include both a version with a 15.6-inch display as well as an originally planned 19-inch model. The reduction, combined with the use of Linux and Intel's 1.6GHz Atom processor, will reportedly lead to just a $450 US price when it goes on sale in the near future. Previous leaks had hinted a figure closer to $500.
Separately, a UK pre-order page has surfaced for a mid-range version known as the ETP1602, which includes the 15.6-inch display as well as 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and Windows XP Home. It also reportedly includes a touchscreen as well as 802.11n Wi-Fi for its £400 ($685) post-tax price and implies a November 20th ship date for the Eee Top line.
The system has been pitched as a lower-cost alternative to the iMac and is already known to include media features not often present at the price on any desktop, including Denon-made speakers and a 1.3-megapixel webcam. A rumored TV tuner has yet to surface in existing leaks.
In addition to the Eee Top, ASUS is claimed by purported insiders to be developing an Eee mainboard for users hoping to build their own desktops using the basic platform. No technical data has surfaced, though the board is likely to be based on Intel's desktop Atom mainboard and parts and is believed to be shipping in early 2009.
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Joined: Dec 2005
Probable outcomes et.al
A few things come to mind when you try to compare this machine to the iMac.
"Imitation is the highest form of flattery," or maybe the well-done all-in-one machine is a market they see a lot of growth in.
You pay for what you get. Somehow, I doubt these could be put to the same uses as most people buy iMacs for (processing power, etc.).
Most importantly, it doesn't run Mac OSX.