ASUS S-presso Deluxe (S1-P111)

With the advent of the mini-PC, a completely new industry has been born.  Well, maybe it isn't so new anymore, but what started out almost as a novelty has matured into a major craze in the enthusiast market.  Today's mini-PCs come in a broad range of flavors with a wide variety of features.  Sitting high atop the list of unique mini-PCs is ASUS' latest offering, the S-press Deluxe (S1-P111) mini-barebones PC. 

As the "deluxe" name implies, the S-presso Deluxe is the most feature laden of two models ASUS is offering.  The standard model follows a more typical mini-PC approach, while the Deluxe brings some unique options not commonly found in other offerings.  The main selling point of the S-presso Deluxe is its InstantON option, allowing users to power up the unit in a matter of seconds to access MP3 files, Music CDs, TV, Radio, DVDs and more.  Clearly, ASUS wanted to deliver something different and as you will see, the S-presso Deluxe was not born from the typical mini-PC mold.

With the goal being an innovative system that can be the centerpiece of your home entertainment needs, the S-presso Deluxe has a lot of features to help it live up to expectations.  Today, we're going to assess all of the features of the S-presso Deluxe in detail, from general construction to installation and overall usability.  In the end, we hope to paint a clear picture of what the ASUS S-presso has to offer and see just how it might fit into your multimedia PC game plan.

Specifications of the S-presso Deluxe (S1-P111) from ASUS Eye Catching Style

When we opened the package, we found a complete collection of hardware, software, manuals and other documentation included with the S-presso Deluxe.  The bundle included a series of installation CDs including the InstantON software, InterVideo's Home Theater 2 and a Drivers/Setup disk.  Additionally, ASUS provided superb documentation with a Software User's Guide, Hardware User's Guide and Quick Setup diagram.  The S-presso Deluxe also came with a full-sized remote control as well as the batteries to power it.  A copper-base heat pipe CPU cooler is included to marry up to a socket 478 Pentium 4, which doubles as a case fan in an effort to control system noise.  Lastly, was the cabling to support a number of the unit's features including FM Antenna, power cord, video-in, SATA, etc.

As we can see, ASUS supported the S-presso Deluxe with a solid compliment of periphery, leaving the user with little to desire.  More so, some models will be offered with a DVD-ROM and Hard drive as well as an optional TV-Tuner, which was included with our review sample.

Next, we're going to take an in depth look at the S-presso Deluxe itself, then we'll see the unit in action and touch on all of the features it brings to the table.