Asus intros sleek Nova P22 desktop

Asus, currently on a crash-bang roller derby thanks to the massive success of the Eee, has stepped up its game in the desktop arena today with the announcement of the Nova P22. The sleek, white and orange box is in the size class of the Mac Mini, standing at just 2-inches in height, and features a 1.86GHz Core 2 Duo E6320 processor with a 1.06GHz front-side bus, 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and what appears to be some sweet media center options. As of right now, the PC is only available in Taiwan, where you'll drop around $1,019 for bragging rights. We can only hope they bring something with this much style to the US, so the Mini vs. Nova P22 flamewar can begin in earnest. The ball is in your court, Asus.

[Via Electronista]

[Curtis McHenry @ Nov 30th 2007 1:02AM]

Beef

[Lando @ Nov 30th 2007 1:10AM]

Of all the companies to actually succeed at stealing some of Apple's cool, Asus is one of the last ones I would have expected.

[LordFarkward @ Nov 30th 2007 1:37AM]

"stealing"? i didn't know the "make PC's smaller" idea was patented.

[Zeus the God @ Nov 30th 2007 2:10AM]

Wow. The one time I'll ever outright call some one an Apple fanboy is right now.

Lando, you're a fanboy. Clearly.

[SteveA @ Nov 30th 2007 3:21AM]

FYI - Asus is one of, if not, the largest manufacturer of Apple computer hardware. Open up a macbook and you'll see "Asus" stamped on the motherboard. Out of anyone, Asus has the inside line on Apple's computer products.

[Lando @ Nov 30th 2007 7:09AM]

Oh wow. Just FYI, I have never owned an Apple product and probably never will. They make nice software, but their hardware is trendy, overpriced consumer garbage. Apple damn sure doesn't "hold a patent," but "slick" white plastics is their doing and anybody who says otherwise is full of shit. Which is a damn shame in my opinion, since black always has been and always will be cooler in my opinion.

[lassi @ Nov 30th 2007 7:27AM]

white plastics wasnt invented by apple

[Andrew @ Nov 30th 2007 8:29AM]

I actually own a lot of Apple hardware, including the Mini, and I don't think this looks anything like it. Good for Asus! But I understand what you meant even if the anti-Apple guys here think you meant it negatively. Yes, Asus is actually creating a good looking PC that could "steal" attention away from Apple! I want one of those Eee's, but I don't need this Asus because I already have a small form factor PC. (written on a MBP)

[bondsbw @ Nov 30th 2007 8:46AM]

@Lando:

Apple's hardware isn't overpriced. You get more bang for the buck than with almost any other computer manufacturer. It's just that they rarely make a low-end computer. The Mac Mini is their low-end line and it isn't very expensive.

[krizoitz @ Feb 25th 2008 6:58PM]

@Lando

Except that whole problem of when you compare them feature for feature Apple hardware is price competitive with PC hardware. The difference between Apple and say Dell is that Apple doesn't sell the crappy low end stuff that is dirt cheap. The stuff that Dell sells that actually has similar specs to the stuff Apple sells is usually about the same price, sometimes Apple even comes out on top.

You want to use a PC? Got no problem with that, but lets atleast keep the arguments based on reality.

[Dennis @ Nov 30th 2007 1:12AM]

English version: http://www.digitimes.com/Backgrounders/ArtReview.asp?datePublish=2007/11/29&pages=PD&seq=204

[You Li @ Nov 30th 2007 1:35AM]

Talking about stealing Apple's cool, ASUS is one of the largest Apple OEM.

[tau zero @ Nov 30th 2007 2:00AM]

as a designer, that colour combination rocks -- i dont know why more companies don't use unconventional color designs (ie blue/bown, etc). its certainly a nice change form the beige/black/aluminum boxes that have become norm.

[Scooter @ Nov 30th 2007 2:08AM]

very interesting, but it seems to be bigger and costlier than the mini. Essentially a laptop in another guise, I suspect. Might align with the Wii which would help it find a place under my TV.

[prouted @ Nov 30th 2007 2:26AM]

As you can see on this page, a black version is also available !!!

http://shopping.pchome.com.tw/?mod=item&func=exhibit&IT_NO=AAAE0O-A17586225&SR_NO=AAAE0O&ROWNO=16

[Russell @ Nov 30th 2007 3:16AM]

Shame they bundle Vista. I would buy something along those lines if it were:

1. Made by Asus

2. Used only hardware well supported in Linux

3. Not more than about $600. And I'd be willing to settle for a good cut in specs to make that possible.

[Teetdogs @ Nov 30th 2007 11:38AM]

The reason they are not selling it with linux is the fact that it is a media center (the reason for the remote) type PC and I dont care what anybody says, the Vista Media Center is freakin amazing that is why they are bundling it with Vista and not Linux, also, under 600 bucks. Give me a break I have never seen a HTPC for under 1000 bucks unless you build it yourself.

[ace_spades @ Nov 30th 2007 11:50AM]

Teetdogs, look at http://www.mythtv.org/. also, linux has a fair amount of driver support for various remotes.

[shawn @ Nov 30th 2007 12:16PM]

The Mini comes with Front Row which is Apple's version of Media Center. So yes, you have seen an "HTPC" for under $1000 because Mini's sell new, better equipped than this ASUS, for under $1000.

Of course both Front Row and Media Center are built around product lock-in strategies designed to limit consumer choice. But who's paying any attention to that? ;-)

[diulei @ Nov 30th 2007 4:34AM]

I like it - but not the price tag. If it's in the same class as the Mac Mini, they need to drop the price significantly. I could get a Mini plus a 22~24" display for the Asus' price.

With that said, I do like it. It's a good deviation from the norm.

[Zoesch @ Nov 30th 2007 9:30AM]

That's the only part that really bugged me about it, why the difference in price with similar specs? This would've been an awesome alternative to the Mac Mini as a media server.

[Blackster @ Nov 30th 2007 5:07AM]

now that one with a sleek lg blu-ray and hd dvd drive.

killer!

[Ryan @ Nov 30th 2007 6:22AM]

The Mini beats it hands down. See, look right there- it says "vista" right on the Nova's picture.

[Klaas @ Nov 30th 2007 7:19AM]

Looks very nice, thumbs up for asus, but is way too expensive when you consider the much lower price of a Mac Mini.

[Brandon @ Nov 30th 2007 11:11PM]

More importantly, how is Vista going to run on 1GB of RAM?!?

[ToniCipriani @ Nov 30th 2007 8:46AM]

I'm just so tired of everyone making everything white just because Apple made the iMac white. I for one is so sick of all those white laptops out there. Black Thinkpads FTW!

[Jared @ Nov 30th 2007 9:37AM]

Oddly, I was struck by how much the design resembles the playful Nintendo Wii.

[shawn @ Nov 30th 2007 10:06AM]

You can get an equivalent Mini for around $600. The Mini is smaller (this thing looks to be about 50% larger). At $1000, the Mini's hardware specs blow this thing out of the water.

There is only one thing this beast may have that can trump the Mini (other than a trendy orange bit of plastic)--a real 3D video chipset. I haven't been able to find specs on the Asus to see if it uses that crappy Intel GM abomination like the Mini does.

Otherwise, hardware to hardware (since both will run Windows or Linux), the Mini is a far better deal for the same amount of cash.

For the record, Apple is only slightly less evil than Microsoft. I dislike them both. Linux fan-boy here.

[NBShermanator @ Nov 30th 2007 10:49AM]

Sooo if you didn't notice the remote is identical to the XBOX 360's media center remote down to the the center console button

[Teetdogs @ Nov 30th 2007 11:53AM]

Ok comparing this to the mac mini is kinda wrong imho, while the mini may have more raw computing power but this is being marketed as a HTPC with optical dolby digital audio, either HDMI or component outs, Built in IR sensor and remote and some other HTPC features that I'm sure I am forgetting. 1000 bucks doesnt' actually seem all that unreasonable for this machine, I for one will consider picking one of these up. Think about it if you got a mac mini for lets say 600 bucks and then tried to turn it into a true HTPC it would cost as much if not more and it would have to be all external upgrades since the mini isn't really upgradeable when it comes to sound and video and whatnot, in fact I dont think you could really give it the type of video options that this machine has. So in closing, dont buy this machine if you are looking for a desktop machine for checking email and doing word processing buy this machine if you are looking for a resonably price HTPC that looks good too.

[shawn @ Nov 30th 2007 12:24PM]

I've been looking for a list of specs beyond the ones listed here and Gizmodo.com. Can you list a link to your source that shows a complete list of specifications? Does it have a TV tuner? 3D graphics chipset? Is it upgradeable other than memory?

Based on the specifications listed above, the Mini is superior at several hundred dollars cheaper.

[amcman @ Nov 30th 2007 12:10PM]

I would buy it if I can run Leopard on it.