| Media-oriented mini PC sports discrete graphics |
Apr. 24, 2008
 Asus has launched a mini PC it says is the world's first with an embedded discrete graphics card. The media-oriented Essentio CS5110 offers a Blu-Ray drive, plays 1080p HD video via HDMI, offers S/PDIF audio output, and has up to 1TB of disk storage, says Asus.
(Click here for a larger view of Asus's Essentio CS5110)
 Given that Asus is most well-known as a laptop manufacturer, it's not surprising that the Essentio CS5110 uses a key laptop technology, Nvidia's MXM (mobile PCI Express module). Established in 2004 by nVidia and a number of notebook vendors, MXM is an open, graphics interconnect standard commonly used in laptops. Nvidia created MXM with the goal of allowing vendors to quickly upgrade the graphics cards in their notebook designs, it said.
Among laptop makers, Asus has been a primary supporter of MXM, and adopts it here in a desktop for the first time. The Essentio offers Nvidia's MXM-based 8600M GT, which supports DirectX 10, HD video, and "cutting-edge" games. Equipped on the Essentio with 256MB of video RAM, the 8600M GT has a core clock of 475MHz, a memory clock of 700MHz, and a shader clock running at 900MHz.
One reason to avoid discrete graphics in small systems has been heat. Asus claims to have solved the issue with the "world's first 2-in-1 thermal module" claimed to cool both CPU and GPU. The cooling system produces a noise level of 23.9dB at idle, Asus said.
With a dark "satin-finish" case measuring 11.4 x 7.8 x 3.2 inches, the Essentio CS5110 is offered with Intel CPUs ranging from Celeron D to Pentium 4 to dual-core Pentium to Core 2 Duo. It has a frontside bus that is configurable to run from 800MHz to 1.3GHz. The chipset comprises Intel's G35 northbridge and ICH8 southbridge.
The computer incorporates two SODIMM slots, designed to accept 800MHz DDR 2 memory for a total of up to 4GB. Mass storage is provided by a 3.5-inch SATA-II hard drive, offered in capacities from 250GB to 1TB. Solid-state storage can be added via a "10-in-1" card reader.
According to Asus, the Essentio comes with a choice of Blu-Ray or standard DVD optical drives, and it can play HD video in top-quality, 1080p resolution. The device has both a standard VGA output and an HDMI output, the latter delivering audio and video simultaneously to compatible televisions and other home theater equipment. Audio output can also be sent to analog jacks or to the included S/PDIF connector.
Other interfaces and ports on the Essentio include 802.11b/g/n wireless networking, Bluetooth 2.0, a gigabit Ethernet jack, and an infrared receiver for wireless remote control. The computer also has two USB ports and an IEEE1394 "FireWire" port.
Features and specifications listed by Asus for the Essentio CS5110 include:- Processor -- Celeron D, Pentium 4, dual-core Pentium, or Core 2 Duo
- Memory -- dual SODIMM slots support 800MHz DDR2 memory up to 4GB
- Storage:
- 3.5-inch SATAII hard drive, from 250GB to 1TB
- Blu-Ray or standard DVD optical drive
- Networking -- gigabit Ethernet
- Wireless:
- WLAN -- 802.11b/g/n
- PAN -- Bluetooth
- Other I/O:
- 1 x IEEE1394
- 2 x USB
- 1 x VGA
- 1 x HDMI
- analog audio out and mic/line in
- S/PDIF
- Expansion -- "10-in-1" card reader (formats not listed)
- Dimensions -- 11.4 x 7.8 x 3.2 inches
- Weight -- 7.5 pounds
The Essentio CS5110 is delivered with Windows Vista Premium. However, given that its component chipsets have been used in a variety of other desktops and laptop computers, the system is also likely to be compatible with Windows XP Embedded, Linux, and a variety of other operating systems.
Pricing and availability information was not provided by Asus.
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