Neowster.com

Netbooks (Notebooks) such as the Asus Eee PC have been introduced to the market with phenomenon success, and naturally came their desktop counterparts. The Asus Eee Box pictured above is an example, and this heralds a new category of PCs known as Nettops (Desktop). Should you even consider one of these?

THE TRUTH

I have chosen to compare the Eee 901 with the ASUS Eee Box B202, with their spec sheet below.

Noticed anything? If you can’t figure out which spec sheet is for the Eee 901 and Eee Box, then the objective of this post is achieved. Both products are essentially similar, with the Eee box noting more than a Eee 901 without a LCD screen, Keyboard, and Trackpad, not to mention the integrated webcam. So why then will anyone in their right frame of mind buy the Eee Box instead of getting a “laptop”? Below are some reasons I can think of:

• The Eee box is cheaper.
• I will be using this PC at home. So I need a desktop.
• I just need a basic PC.
• The Eee box has DVI output.
• I want to save the earth by reducing power usage.

Just for your information, the Eee Box retails for $439, and the Eee 901 for $798 since I last checked. So we’re talking about quite a substantial price difference. But before you make your decision, consider the following:

• The Eee 901 can double up as a desktop when paired with an external monitor, keyboard and mouse.
• You get to use your Eee 901 anywhere you go.
• The Eee is smaller and lighter with no performance drop.
• A VGA connection can easily handle a 1280 x 1024 resolution.

So for roughly $350 more, you get portability, and indirectly, a longer shelf life for your purchase. Can you imagine your Eee box meeting your need for the next two years? On the other hand, I am sure you will be able to live with the capability of the Eee 901 for years to come, without feeling the need to upgrade. So the decision is pretty clear for me. A Netbook sitting on my desk connected to my 19 inch monitor is the way to go. If I need to go overseas, unplug and off I go, no worries about my data and messing with the “cloud”.

CONCLUSION

Personally, I believe the category of Nettops is doomed for failure, simply due to the fact that they offer no competitive advantages over their Netbook counterparts. Only when the price differential is more significant, say $299, will it make sense to get a Nettop for “basic needs”.

Right now, I see this product category as noting more than the marketing strategy of the Asus Eee team to milk more sales through expanding their product range. They are basically selling the aesthetics of the product, and exploiting the consumers lack of knowledge. So please, don’t fall into their “trap”, and only then can the consumer send a signal that the Eee box will only sell if its priced at $299. When that day arrives, I will be queuing for one.