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Nettops like the $475 Asus Eee Box PC EB1501 aren't meant for getting work done. Instead, Sony VGP-BPS8 they promise an end-around to the closed environment of your cable box, opening up your living room to the near-infinite amount of content available via various online video sources. With its clean, understated design, the Asus Eee Box EB1501 not only looks the part of a living room component, Sony VGP-BPS9 but it also has the technical chops to play almost any kind of content, including most 1080p video sources. We could almost recommend this system if it wasn't caught between new, more affordable Web-enabled Blu-ray players, Sony VGP-BPS8A and more capable slim tower PCs that cost just a little bit more.

The Asus Eee Box PC EB1501 is the second-generation Nettop from Asus, Sony VGP-BPS8B and is the first we've seen from the vendor with Nvidia's Ion chipset. While the Ion chipset brings an assortment of underlying technologies to low-power Netbooks and Nettops, the most relevant piece of graphics hardware is its Nvidia GeForce 9400M chip,Sony VGP-BPS9/B a budget 3D chip designed to provide basic video and 3D graphics capabilities, including, according to Nvidia, support for high definition video playback at 1080p.

We've seen a few GeForce 9400M-based desktops that can play 1080p content smoothly, Sony VGP-BPS9/S namely Apple's most recent Mac Minis. This Asus system has its limitations--it plays 1080p QuickTime files with noticeable chop--but, unlike the Dell Inspiron Zino HD and the Acer Aspire Revo R1600 (the $199 model), it can at least play 1080p files in Windows Media Player and from YouTube smoothly. QuickTime is a major file type to-be-sure, and iTunes-based video in particular will give this system trouble. Still, until Apple has its way with the rest of the Internet, Sony VGP-BPS10 Flash-based sites like YouTube and Amazon Video on Demand, and Microsoft Silverlight-powered Netflix.com will hold as much weight as iTunes, if not more, and this Asus handled all of their content with no trouble.

Despite its general suitability to online video, the Eee Box EB1501 is caught in an uncomfortable middleground in terms of its price. apple a1060 battery New Blu-ray players from Sony and LG offer wireless network connections and built-in support for a variety of online media services, Netflix and YouTube among them. While those devices don't offer the full breadth of content available via the Web,apple a1045 battery they supplement the services they do support with Blu-ray playback and cost between $250 to $275. On the other end of the price spectrum, Gateway's $550 slim tower SX2840-01 is a significantly faster computer than the Asus, and will play anything you throw at it, including QuickTime 1080p. It's a bit larger than the Asus and it lacks Wi-Fi; however, Dell inspiron 1525 battery we suspect the enthusiasts most willing to stick a PC in the living room would be willing to make those trade-offs in exchange for smooth HD playback regardless of file format.

Thus we find the Eee Box EB1501's primary appeal comes with its design, Dell latitude e6400 battery which would look at home next to any TV or AV component. The system is meant to stand upright. When it is attached to its stand, it measures 10.25 inches tall by 4.5 inches wide by 10 inches deep. Toshiba PA3399U-1BAS You can remove the single screw anchoring the Eee Box to its stand, and it gets a smaller 1.5 inches tall by 7.75 inches wide by 7.625 inches deep profile. In addition to its tiny dimensions, the Eee Box's mostly-white plastic exterior and slot-loading DVD burner give it a clean, muted appearance. hp 510 battery It might disappear entirely next to a large screen, if not for a white LED illuminating the power button. hp pavilion dv6000 battery.

In contrast with the Eee Box, the Dell Inspiron Zino HD is a bit larger,Fujitsu lifebook s6510 battery likely to accommodate higher-end options Dell makes available via its online configuration tools. As a fixed-configuration system, the Eee Box needs no extra leeway for more RAM or a dedicated graphics chip. In terms of pure capabilities, the Asus and the Dell Zino configuration we reviewed are very similar. Sony VGP-BPS13A/B The Dell has a slightly larger hard drive, more system and graphics memory, and, in general, fares better than the Asus system in day-to-day applications. Arguably, the Asus merits a premium for its bundled wireless mouse and keyboard set. Given their similar price and the minimal differences between their specs, we find the Asus a fair deal in relation to the Dell.