Dell announces cheap-o Mini-ITX desktop for China

Dell China is setting its sights on "emerging markets" with its new Mini-ITX PC, the EC280. The low-power, small-footprint PC appears to be the same model that we mentioned back in March, which Dell is taking head-to-head with competition like Lenovo and Founder. The handsome little box comes with Windows XP Home Edition pre-installed, and has a 1.2GHz Celeron M 205 processor, 256MB or 512MB of memory, a 40GB or 80GB HD, and a CD (!) or DVD-ROM drive. Clearly with these specs, the EC280 is aimed at no-frills, general computing tasks, but at this price point (around $340), it should make a decent impact in places like China, where a typical desktop is twice the cost.

[Via mini-itx]

[Sneakz @ Jul 12th 2007 7:52AM]

They should sell it without Windows XP as that would lower the price. Everyone in China already has their own copy anyway and even if they don't, I doubt it'll cost much to obtain one.

[Mike Cerm @ Jul 12th 2007 11:02AM]

That's exactly why they won't. Every copy of WinXP in China is pirated. Imagine that conversation between Dell and Microsoft.

Dell: "So, everyone already has a pirated copy of Windows, so we're not even going to bother selling it anymore."
Microsoft: "Yup, sounds reasonable!"

If you had said, "They should have gone with Linux to keep costs down and to break Microsoft's stranglehold on the developing world (before it's too late)," that would have been acceptable.

[paloooz @ Jul 12th 2007 11:31AM]

Parallel port? lol.

[darkstar @ Jul 12th 2007 8:00AM]

surprisingly, computer hardware costs a lot when i was in Shanghai! i have no idea why... even though everything is made in china.

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 12th 2007 8:42AM]

Probably the same reason gas prices are always so high nearest to refineries!

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 12th 2007 8:00AM]

China-Shmina, bring it to the US!

Those specs are just fine for surfing or small office app machine.

[Rob @ Jul 12th 2007 8:45AM]

My point exactly. I wouldn't mind having a couple of those throughout my house.
Take out the PS/2 jacks, add a dvi, and there; my little entertainment center unit. This is enough power to watch my movies and all the rest. I'm not interested in recording off cable tv stuff. Put in a bigger hdd. Very nice.

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 12th 2007 8:50AM]

Nice Rob!
That would be a great application too!

[Randy @ Jul 12th 2007 8:27AM]

They should've dropped the PS/2 connectors and added two more USB in the back. Looks kinda cool though.

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 12th 2007 8:44AM]

USB takes horsepower though.
I'd rather keep the KB and mouse PS2 in a simpler machine, although you can never have enough USB ports!

They certainly have room for 'em in back!

[kaztm @ Jul 12th 2007 9:28AM]

What is the connector on the left of keyboard port?

[John B @ Jul 12th 2007 9:37AM]

@katzm: That's the power connector. If you look closely, it says "DC IN", plus there is no other port for power anywhere else.

[kaztm @ Jul 12th 2007 10:45AM]

John B (and Wubba?)

Aha! You're right, the connector must be for power.
So this thing uses an external AC adapter...that's another advantage!

[Ben Hobbs @ Jul 12th 2007 8:37AM]

I live in Thailand, a typical branded desktop (HP for exaple) with more power than this (p4 3.0Ghz etc...) costs around $350-$400, they are made in China - Why on Earth would they cost double that over there?

[Paul @ Jul 12th 2007 8:43AM]

That thing can't even handle general computing tasks.

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 12th 2007 8:48AM]

Quite the contrary.
My Inspiron B130 notebook is more than able to handle the basic stuff, and it's similarly spec'd to this machine.

Don't fall for the BS that you need an ultra-powerful machine to do basic tasks.

If you weren't already aware (and my guess it you aren't) they've been using less power to do this stuff for years!!

[JC @ Jul 12th 2007 9:00AM]

If by general computing tasks you're talking about running 3D games on Vista with Aero, then you're way too spoiled my friend.

Even with the lowest specs, this should run XP, plus most productivity software comfortably. My father is running XP on a P3-400 with 512MB of RAM, and he's never complained.

[Vehektor @ Jul 12th 2007 9:11AM]

What are these 'general computing tasks' you speak of.

I have a 600mhz P3 with 512 ram and a radeon 9250 graphics card which is used daily for browsing, email, bit-torrent, burning CD and very occasionally DVD. It runs itunes (albeit slowly) and I can watch a DVD film on it.

Admittedly it wont do many of these things at the same time. But this is an 8 year old PC and I don't plan on retiring it any time soon.

[Adam @ Jul 12th 2007 8:56AM]

I used to live in China, hardware does not cost that much. In the city I lived in there were half a dozen shopping malls, each of which had an entire floor dedicated to custom build PCs. You go in, they have a list showing different components and their cost, you tick what you want, pay, go back the next day and pick up your machine. Due to the competitive nature of these businesses you were getting extremely cheap hardware and labour. Windows for free of course, in English if you want. All other software available for less than a dollar per disc on the top floor.

Chinese people love brands though and I suspect Dell has a lot more prestige over there than it does in the US elsewhere.

[Wubba @ Jul 12th 2007 9:39AM]

That connector is for power. Looks like it says DC_IN.

[Comacozi @ Jul 12th 2007 10:13AM]

hahha i dont think it can play doom....

[JC @ Jul 12th 2007 2:50PM]

Doom 1? Ran fine on my 486DX-33.

[Michael I @ Jul 12th 2007 10:20AM]

For some odd reason i quite don't understand this mini desktop "revolution" the apple mini was "sweet" but dell might of bitten off a bit more then they could chew(i.e, now they have to continue their ways and make a different model of the same thing more twice the price and the same components).

[tiuk @ Jul 12th 2007 10:41AM]

I really don't know a lot about this subject, but I'll take a guess.
How large is the average dwelling in China? I could see Dell pushing a mini-ITX system if space is limited. Otherwise, $340 can buy a better system than the one shown. They're paying slightly more to make it compact.

[Michael I @ Jul 12th 2007 11:12AM]

none the less, this move isn't the smartest, no 1 now they will be making a whole new breed of pcs unlike apple dell can not hold off... Soon there will be an mini-x-tx, mini-itx4000, ""itx3500 ""it3000, ""itx25oo and so on and so fourth. and this pc stinks regardless of it's compact properties, no pci slots, windows xp, technology is being pushed to its limits, not advancing, but compacting looking at my current pc config, slash the thing in half cut 3 in off one of those halfs and guess what, solder everything together and the size is the same of this itx system and cheaper

[Michael I @ Jul 12th 2007 11:19AM]

in other words, its a laptop without the lcd

[tiuk @ Jul 12th 2007 10:35AM]

I don't know, but I would suspect a relatively small percentage. Aren't internet cafe's really popular over there for that reason?

[talon @ Jul 12th 2007 11:41AM]

With a DC-IN for power, and the size here, think "in-Dash". Plenty of horsepower for GPS, MP3, Navigation, or whatever else you want to do from the driver's seat.

[shakman @ Jul 12th 2007 12:06PM]

My thoughts exactly. Anyone know if this will fit in a standard car (i.e. is it regular DIN width or smaller?)

[TIMMAH! @ Jul 12th 2007 12:29PM]

Seems kinda pricey for what it is. I got a Compaq M520, 1.6Ghz with 512MB RAM, 80GB HD, CDRW/DVD-ROM drive for $370 last month.

[jeicrash @ Jul 12th 2007 1:34PM]

LOL @ spoiled people.

Do any of you realize that this machine will run just about any type of application. 1.2ghz 512mb of ram. Put linux on it and you would have no problem running blender3d (except render time due to video)

In august ASUS is suppose to release their eee pc "sub notebook" for $199 it only has 800-900mhz 512mb ram, and I can think of hundreds of uses for that machine. Not every "Computer" needs to be running M$ bloat ware and the latest games to be useful. This would make a very nice MAME machine, or even a mail server, file server, web server, etc. Hmm or a thin client by removing the hard drive and substituting a flash drive, the sky is the limit with ANY machine.

[ark_v2 @ Jul 12th 2007 4:52PM]

My uncle is a book worm, and he wants to get into the internet "stuff". This would be a great one for him. I mean, for that price, and a dell with basic specs...bring that to america dell!!!

[ser0 @ Jul 12th 2007 5:18PM]

If this came with Ubuntu I would buy one right now. It would make the perfect web development server. At this price it would be cheaper than setting up VMWare images for all devs, you could actually have a machine per dev.

[nate lowrie @ Aug 8th 2007 6:56PM]

Am I the only one who thinks it looks too much like an uglier mac mini clone?