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Acer X1200  (Source: Acer)
Acer X1200 starts at under $450

Desktop sales have slowed due to the rise of notebooks across most manufacturers over the last few years. Despite that fact, a market remains for desktop computers -- especially those that are small and low-cost.

Acer, the third largest PC maker in the world, added a new X1200 model to its Aspire line today that is both small and cheap. The systems are very small with the case measuring 10.6-inches high x 4-inches wide x 14.4-inches long. This helps maximize desktop space and can allow the systems to fit into cramped entertainment systems for those looking to surf the web on their big screen.

Despite being a small system room for expansion is available inside the chassis with two PCI Express slots. One of the slots is an x1 design and one is an x16 slot. The X1200 has five available USB 2.0 ports, a 14-in-1 memory card reader, IEE 1394 port, and audio jacks all on the front of the PC for easy access.

Several different X1200 configurations are being offered with prices starting at $450. The X1200 which retails for $449.99 has a AMD Athlon X2 Dual Core 4850e CPU, NVIDIA 8200 on-board graphics, 4GB of DDR2 RAM, a 320 GB HDD, and runs on Windows Vista Premium 64.

Stepping up to $459.99 gets an Athlon X2 5000+ CPU in addition to the aforementioned specifications. For $699.99 a version using the 4850e and a 500GB HDD and shipping with a 22-inch LCD is available.

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Huh?
By voodooboy on 7/8/2008 2:04:01 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
Several different X1200 configurations are being offered with prices starting at $450. The X1200 which retails for $449.99 has a AMD Athlon X2 Dual Core 4850e CPU, NVIDIA 8200 on-board graphics, 4GB of DDR2 RAM, a 320 GB HDD, and runs on Windows Vista Premium 64. Stepping up to $459.99 gets an Athlon X2 5000+ CPU in addition to the aforementioned specifications.


While shipping it with 4GB RAM (and Vista 64) is a bold move, offering a version for $449.99 and another for $459.99 (with a 100Mhz speed-bump) is probably /THE/ dumbest thing I've ever come across.




RE: Huh?
By Screwuhippie on 7/8/2008 2:20:09 PM , Rating: 3
Thats $10 per 100Mhz or ... $1 per 10Mhz or $.10 per 1Mhz


RE: Huh?
By retrospooty on 7/8/2008 4:57:44 PM , Rating: 2
Excellent math!!! ;)


RE: Huh?
By Parhel on 7/8/2008 6:22:07 PM , Rating: 3
. . . or $0.0000001 per Hz.


PCI-e slot
By thilan29 on 7/9/2008 10:25:33 AM , Rating: 2
Anyone know which graphics cards would fit into the case? 4850/4870/8800GT??




RE: PCI-e slot
By Alpha4 on 7/9/2008 5:15:10 PM , Rating: 2
Thats a good question. Another concern with upgrading, I think, is if the system can accomodate a beefier power supply. Most Micro-ATX PSUs offer peak power of ~420 watts with maybe 24a on the 12v bus.


RE: PCI-e slot
By mindless1 on 7/10/2008 2:53:03 PM , Rating: 2
?? Most (accurately rated) have a total 12V output on all rails of 18A at most, usually less sustainable power.

This is not the system someone would want to throw a high powered gaming card into. Neither is it much good for many upgrades, which is essentially why we choose larger cases and PSU, since the issues of size when it only comes to building, having room to work inside isn't much of a factor when it's done in a hour or less.


5000+ is no upgrade at all....
By xxtypersxx on 7/8/2008 4:58:57 PM , Rating: 2
I would think that the 5000+ would be actually LESS desirable in a system like this. That extra 100mhz comes at the cost of a much less energy efficient cpu (compared to the 4850e) and all the heat and power draw that comes with it




By xxtypersxx on 7/8/2008 5:02:43 PM , Rating: 2
Other than that the system looks great! 4gb of ram and x64 out of the box is a direction the industry has been avoiding for far too long. The evolution of PC computing requires this to happen, and just as in natural evolution the old hardware and programs which lack support and can't adapt will simply have to die off to make room for the future. The quicker manufacturers like Dell and HP come to embrace this the better.


Forced change
By LittlBilly on 7/8/2008 6:18:34 PM , Rating: 2
Hopefully this econo-box will prompt positive change throughout the industry for the consumer.

One company in particular comes to mind.

Despite their target segment of the high end consumer, Apple gets away with putting only 1-2 gigs of ram in their systems and has the audacity of charging an extra $200 for another 2 gigs. The upper echelons of the economic ladder may not bat an eye at the surcharge, the average consumer (who is not computer savvy) is certainly getting bent over the barrel.




nw
By 4wardtristan on 7/8/2008 7:02:58 PM , Rating: 2
good on them for offering a decent specced system for a low price




By phisrow on 7/8/2008 8:55:05 PM , Rating: 2
This thing is rather a tempting little box; small, powerful, pretty expandable for the size, and very reasonably priced. I'd be running Linux on it, so an Intel based system would have been a bit nicer(the FOSS drivers for intel graphics are good, the FOSS nv driver sucks.) but NVIDIA onboard seems to be par for the course(HP's mini PC, and Dell's AMD offerings also use it). Ah well. I'm still tempted.




9 USB2 ports and eSATA
By psychobriggsy on 7/9/2008 5:49:45 AM , Rating: 2
The 9 USB2 ports are nice, as is the eSATA port.

Not the nicest looking machine, but for the price you can't complain, and it could look a lot worse.

Shame it doesn't have a full-size Firewire port, but I guess the eSATA makes up for that.




At this rate
By Belard on 7/8/08, Rating: 0
"Game reviewers fought each other to write the most glowing coverage possible for the powerhouse Sony, MS systems. Reviewers flipped coins to see who would review the Nintendo Wii. The losers got stuck with the job." -- Andy Marken











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