14 DAY TRIAL // ASUS has officially introduced its latest small sized, low power desktop computer coming to expand the company's range of Eee Box systems. The anticipated Eee Box 203 will deliver the same design features, but with a slight change in the technical specifications sheet, namely the adoption of Intel's Celeron C220 processor, instead of the highly successful Intel Atom.
The adoption of the new processor will enable ASUS to provide its Eee Box nettop at a much lower price tag, making it available to a higher number of users.
The Eee Box B203 can provide users with the very basics in desktop computing technology. It resembles the initial Eee Box nettop, in the sense that it has a similar design. Other than that, the Eee Box B203 is a different nettop “breed,” as it can provide the computing power of Intel's Celeron processors, instead of that of the netbook friendly Atom. Additional features include support for a maximum of 2GB of system memory, which can be installed on the 2 memory DIMMs available.
Users will also be able to benefit from a maximum storage capacity of 160GB, on board graphics, wireless 802.11n and a built-in multi-card reader. Measuring 222×178×26.9 mm and weighing just 1kg, the nettop is probably the best choice for users who are not looking to spend big on a system that is only meant to navigate the Internet and provide enough storage for a decent media gallery.
Unfortunately, ASUS did not reveal any pricing or availability details for the new system, but when it comes out, the B203 is expected to be equipped with a Windows XP Home operating system and to cost roughly about $240, down from $350 on the Atom-powered model. Given the specifications and estimated price point, the B203 could easily be considered a nice choice for a secondary computer system.