Building Your Home Theater Around the PC

Asus S-Presso S1-P112 Small Form Factor PC

Asus, known for its motherboards and notebooks, also offers a line of small form factor PCs. The S-Presso is the first model in the line. The design effort has paid off. The finish on the case is exemplary and the different parts of the shell fit well, which gives the unit a sturdy look.

As a bonus, it also comes with a carrying handle. The S1-P112 is intended for Intel Pentium 4 and Celeron processors (socket 478), has an AGP slot for the 3D card and a PCI slot for the TV tuner card. As for connectivity, the S1-P112 has six USB 2.0 ports (two on the front and four at the rear). There's also a digital (optical) audio output and a 7-in-1 memory card reader, which will make transferring digital photos easier. Assembling the components is very simple - the S-Presso opens up like... well, like the hood of a car. It's also available in an ivory color. Price : about $225