Asus 20" ET2011AUKB-B006E All-In-One PC Review

Technology moves at a breakneck pace. No one is disputing that. And it feels like just yesterday that we evaluated the Asus 2400ET, a touch-enabled All-In-One desktop that had high-end specifications and a $1,250 price tag to match. Turns out, that was nearly four months ago, and if you aren't interested in a touch panel, a Core i5 processor, and don't have deep pockets, perhaps the scaled-back ET2011 we'll be showing you here is worth consideration. This is a somewhat unique product in the Asus Eee Top ET2011 AIO line up, relying on AMD's Fusion Brazos E-350 APU in lieu of a more traditional desktop processor.

In the notebook world, we've been duly impressed with AMD's Fusion line up. In fact, Brazos mostly trumped Intel's Atom platform in the mobile space. In most cases, we actually prefer E-Series Fusion APUs over Atom; it falls in a similar power envelope, benchmarks tend to be  higher, heat output is minimal, and machines with AMD inside tend to cost a bit less.

This particular all-in-one machine is clearly aimed at people who don't want to spend a wad of money on a desktop, and just need something to handle basic tasks while taking up a small amount of space. In terms of its specifications, this machine hits all of the high points. It's plenty for most "average" users, and it's one of the sleeker, lighter AIO form factors that we've seen. It's easy to transport, ships with both a (basic) mouse and keyboard, and even includes a Super Multi DVD drive. An interesting omission (likely in the effort of cost-cutting) is the touch panel. We'll turn our attention to that in the pages to come, but for now, here's a breakdown of what exactly Asus is providing for a palatable $499.99.

Asus ET2011AUKB-B006E 20" All-In-One Desktop Specifications and Features (as tested)

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Our first reaction to seeing this machine's specs and a sub-$500 price tag was a positive one. Couple that with a thin form factor and a bundled input devices, and it definitely strikes us as a bargain in the crowded, saturated All-In-One PC world. But as we routinely say, "on paper" doesn't mean much without the real-world performance to back it up. Let's find out how the Asus ET2011AUKB-B006E shakes out in our full review ahead...