Acer Aspire X1200 HTPC For Budget Dual-Core Entertainment
As home entertainment PCs go, Acer's new Aspire X1200 isn't exactly going to win any awards for its looks, but considering it's been cleverly shaved so as to be rack-friendly you're probably not really meant to leave it out on show. Inside lurks an AMD Athlon X2 2850e processor, NVIDIA GeForce 8200 graphics and an HDMI port capable of spitting out 1080p video.
Three different specs are available, all with 4GB of RAM and from 320GB storage, and they each have a 16x DVD+R/RW, DVD-RAM SuperMulti, double-layer burner and 14-in-1 memory card reader. There's also a PCI Express 2.0 slot and full 7.1-channel audio.
Prices start from $449.99 and range up to $699.99, which gets you a 22-inch widescreen LCD as well. The matching keyboard and mouse which apparently boast "subtle color differences", which sounds to me like an excuse for Acer's suppliers not to precisely color-match. They're available now.
Press Release
New Acer(R) Aspire X1200 Desktop is a Small Yet Mighty PackageNo-Compromise Solution Boasts Desktop Power and Value in a Compact, Expandable and Environmentally-Friendly Design
SAN JOSE, Calif. –(Business Wire)– Jul. 8, 2008 Acer America, the third largest vendor in the PC market,(1) today announced the Acer(R) Aspire X1200, a truly dynamic and compact entertainment center with prices beginning at just $450.
Offering powerful desktop components and expansion capabilities in a small box, the Acer(R) Aspire X1200 desktop enables users to enjoy high-definition movies, games and theater-like sound while maximizing space in the home. Featuring AMD dual-core processors, NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) 8200 on-board graphics and PCI Express(R) 2.0, it's ideal for entertainment enthusiasts and space-conscious consumers desiring phenomenal performance in an environmentally-friendly design.
"Our innovative, low energy consumption desktop is a no-compromise solution providing desktop power, performance and value in a compact form factor," said Stephanie Hatchel, Senior Manager, Retail Desktop Product Planning for Acer America. "Aspire X1200 was designed to be an appealing, easy to use media hub for making the most of entertainment. From broadcasting MP3s in crystal clear acoustics to showcasing movies, this compact system is a multimedia powerhouse and available at a price today's budget-minded consumers will appreciate."
Expandable Space-Saving Design
Measuring just 10.6-inches (H) x 4.0-inches (W) x 14.4-inches (L), the compact chassis maximizes desktop real estate. Its high gloss coating and recessed venting sport an elegant look and feel. Translucent plastic knobs on the speakers are attractive and make it simple to adjust volume. Peripherals including the keyboard and mouse showcase subtle color differences that enhance the overall design appeal.
Providing room for expansion, the system offers two PCI Express slots (X1 and X16). For easy access and reach, five USB 2.0 ports, a multi-in-1 card reader, IEEE 1394 port and audio jacks are conveniently located on the front of the PC. Four additional USB 2.0 ports are positioned on the back for connecting to a wide array of peripherals and digital devices.
Dynamic Digital Media Powerhouse
Unlike similar small form factor PCs that leverage mobile components with higher costs and lower performance, the Aspire X1200 offers a choice of models that scale up to an AMD Athlon(TM) X2 5000 processor and up to 4GB DDR2 memory for taking on advanced multitasking. The AMD processors support downloadable AMD Live! applications for optimal recording, transferring, sharing and organizing of photos, videos, music and media. The energy-efficient designs employing the AMD Athlon(TM) X2 Dual Core 4850e processor consume less power, resulting in less wasted energy, lower operational cost as well as cooler and quieter operation.
Boasting the NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) 8200 Chipset with PureVideo HD Technology, the Aspire X1200 supports the hottest games with Microsoft(R) DirectX 10 for realistic, life-like images. The system also promises high-definition movie picture quality with supported formats including H.264, VC1 and MPEG2. Fully integrated high-definition audio with 7.1-channel audio support provides dynamic sound for games, music and movies. In conjunction with an HD display, the Acer Aspire X1200 delivers a superb home theater experience.
HDMI makes it easy to hook the PC to a big screen TV and gives users a full range of support for any high-definition format via a single cable. A high-performance 14-in-1 digital media card reader makes it easy to transfer video, music and movies from a host of digital devices. The minidesktops also come with a large SuperMulti Double-layer drive, which provides enough room to record significant data, hours of DVD-quality video and thousands of songs.
Front- and rear-access audio jacks speed up connection of headphones, microphones and other audio peripherals. PCI Express 2.0 optimizes computer components, such as high-end discrete graphics cards and network cards for the fastest performance available.
Specifications, Pricing and Availability
The Acer(R) Aspire X1200 desktop PC is available now at major retailers nationwide. Prices range from a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $449.99 to $699.99 depending on configuration. See following for available models.
Acer(R) Aspire X1200-U1520A: Available now for a MSRP of $449.99
– AMD Athlon(TM) X2 Dual Core 4850e Processor
– NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) 8200 On-Board Graphics
– 4GB DDR2 Memory
– 320GB SATA II Hard Drive (2)
– 16x DVD+R/RW, DVD-RAM SuperMulti, Double-Layer Drive
– 14-in-One Media Card Reader
– Windows Vista(R) Premium 64 with SP1
Acer(R) Aspire X1200-U1510A: Available now for a MSRP of $459.99
– AMD Athlon(TM) X2 Dual Core 5000+ Processor
– NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) 8200 On-Board Graphics
– 4GB DDR2 Memory
– 320GB SATA II Hard Drive (2)
– 16x DVD+R/RW, DVD-RAM SuperMulti, Double-Layer Drive
– 14-in-One Media Card Reader
– Windows Vista(R) Premium 64 with SP1
Acer(R) Aspire X1200-B1581A: Available for a MSRP of $699.99 starting on July 13
– AMD Athlon(TM) X2 Dual Core 4850e Processor
– NVIDIA(R) GeForce(R) 8200 On-Board Graphics
– 4GB DDR2 Memory
– 500GB SATA II Hard Drive (2)
– 16x DVD+R/RW, DVD-RAM SuperMulti, Double-Layer Drive
– 14-in-One Media Card Reader
– 22-inch Widescreen LCD Display
– Windows Vista(R) Premium 64 with SP1
Practical Software Simplifies Management of Data and Applications
The Acer(R) Aspire X1200 comes with Genuine Windows Vista(R) Home Premium, Microsoft(R) Office 2007 Trial with Microsoft Works 8.5, Adobe(R) Reader(R), CyberLink PowerDVD and Arcade(TM) Live, a powerful software package for editing, viewing, burning and managing media content.
Acer Empowering Technology, a suite of management applications, is also bundled. These feature eRecovery back-up and recovery and eSettings for viewing system information, changing boot options and monitoring components.
Acer(R) Aspire X1200 is the perfect platform for taking advantage of Acer GameZone that provides an array of casual games available for purchase and downloading at http://acer.oberon-media.com.