ASUS unveils new Eee Box with Ion, DVD, Windows 7
updated 08:35 am EDT, Fri October 2, 2009
ASUS EB1501 gets DVD, Ion and Win 7
ASUS has quietly launched a major redesign of the Eee Box. The EB1501 has a much sleeker, rounded look but also gives it numerous features that improve its usefulness as a full-time PC: it uses NVIDIA's Ion chipset and can smoothly decode 1080p video in hardware as well as drive most visually intensive tasks. To help, ASUS gives it Windows 7 Home Premium and improves the performance of the system on its dual-core 1.6GHz Atom processor.
The PC also brings a slot-loading DVD drive and more intelligently placed front-mounted audio, card reading, and USB ports along with those in the back. A typical configuration will have a 250GB hard drive, 802.11n Wi-Fi and gigabit Ethernet. HDMI and VGA provide video out. Depending on the configuration, the EB1501 can also have up to 4GB of RAM as well as an optional remote, a VESA wall mount, or a matching keyboard/mouse combo.
A base configuration should ship sometime after Windows 7's October 22nd release to European customers for the equivalent of $579. ASUS hasn't made clear its US plans for the new Eee Box, though most models do reach the country. [via EeePC.it]
