ASUS Desktop Computers

If you’re in the market for an affordable yet powerful PC, ASUS has recently released a plethora of desktop computers that may meet your needs. Whether you’re looking to place a computer in your dorm or want to double your PC as a multimedia home theater, ASUS has several viable options from which you can choose.

Looking to Save?

If you’re seeking an inexpensive desktop computer, but don’t want to skimp on performance, you may want to take a look at the ASUS CM1740-US-2AF Desktop Computer. This simple desktop computer comes with an AMD A6-3620 processor. Its quad cores can reach a speed of up to 2.2 GHz. The processor features 32-nanometer architecture, which reduces leakage for improved efficiency, increases clock-rate headroom and provides better thermals. The 4MB of dedicated L2 cache, coupled with 4GB of DDR3 RAM, makes multitasking smooth and seamless. Integrated into the processor are AMD Radeon HD 6000 graphics, which can play high-definition 1080p content with ease.

The 1TB hard drive runs at 7200 rpm and provides ample space for all your important files and media. If you would rather back up your files, you can use the SuperMulti DVD burner to burn them to DVDs. The 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 jack provides a fast wired Internet connection, great for video streaming or online gaming. Also available is 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi support for when you want to place your CM1740-US-2AF somewhere an Ethernet cable can’t reach. You can also connect it to an HD monitor or even an HDTV via the HDMI port. It comes with a USB keyboard and mouse so you only need to purchase a display to complete the set. Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) is the installed operating system.

Another good budget desktop computer is the ASUS Essentio CM6730-US-2AD Desktop Computer. It houses a dual-core 3.3 GHz Intel Core i3-2120 processor with 3MB of dedicated L3 cache. When combined with 4GB of DDR3 RAM, the CM6730-US-2AD can perform tasks quickly and efficiently. The integrated Intel HD graphics may not be able to provide the most powerful visuals when it comes to gaming, but it is capable of Full HD 1080p video playback. To further enhance your viewing experience, you can connect the CM6730-US-2AD to your HDTV via the HDMI port. This allows you to watch your favorite movies, TV shows and videos right on your screen.

The SuperMulti DVD burner can double as a player for your DVD movies (remember those?) when you’re feeling nostalgic. If you’re using Netflix or another video streaming service, it’s imperative that you have an Internet connection. The 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 jack ensures that your video stream is steady and maintains HD quality. If your HDTV is in the living room and there’s no Ethernet outlet in sight, you can connect to your wireless home network with 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi support. With a 1TB hard drive that runs at 5400 rpm, you’ll have plenty of storage space for all your media files for when you want to play them locally. If 1TB isn’t enough for you and you want to connect an external hard drive, there are two USB 3.0 ports for fast data-transfer speeds. At 4.8 Gbps, USB 3.0 is ten times faster than USB 2.0. However, USB 3.0 is also backwards compatible with USB 2.0 so you don’t have to worry about missing out on using your USB 2.0-compliant devices. A USB keyboard and mouse are also included. Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) is the installed operating system.

Affordable Performance

If you’re thinking about spending a little more, you may find the ASUS CM6870-US-2AA Desktop Computer to be appealing. It features a third-generation, Ivy Bridge Intel Core i5-3450 processor. Its quad cores can reach a speed of 3.1 GHz, but can be over-clocked up to 3.5 GHz, thanks to Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 technology. With a 6MB of dedicated L3 cache and 12GB of DDR3 RAM, the CM6870-US-2AA desktop computer performs well when it comes to multitasking. With a 2TB hard drive that runs at 5400 rpm and a SuperMulti DVD burner, all your important files and media can be safely stored. Of course, there’s a 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 jack to take full advantage of your wired Internet connection. You can also connect to your wireless home network with 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi support, just like the aforementioned computers.

The main difference between this desktop computer and the budget ASUS PCs is that the CM6870-US-2AA has an nVIDIA GeForce GT 520 graphics card with 1GB of dedicated memory. With support for PCI Express 2.0 as well as DirectX 11 with Shader Model 5.0, the GeForce GT 520 allows you to play your favorite PC games with ease. The GeForce GT 520 also features nVIDIA PhysX technology, which offers better physics for a more dynamic gaming experience, and nVIDIA CUDA technology, which accelerates the GeForce GT 520’s cores for more demanding tasks, such as video editing or physics simulation. Like all ASUS desktop computers mentioned in this article, the CM6870-US-2AA comes with a USB keyboard and mouse as well as Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) as the installed operating system.

Desktop Computer or Multimedia Home Theater?

These next three desktop computers are very similar, yet vastly different. First up is the ASUS CM6870-US-3AA Desktop Computer. This affordable powerhouse features an enormous 16GB of DDR3 RAM, a Blu-ray player with DVD burning capabilities and an nVIDIA GeForce GT 520 graphics card with 2GB of dedicated memory. This GeForce GT 520 also supports PCI Express 2.0 and DirectX 11 with Shader Model 5.0 as well as features nVIDIA PhysX and CUDA technology.

The second PC is the ASUS CM6870-US-3AB Desktop Computer. It also has 16GB of DDR3 RAM, but settles with a SuperMulti DVD burner and integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000. This version is more geared toward people looking to multitask, who require fast performance and have less interest in multimedia entertainment. It’s also the most affordable of the three mentioned here as well.

The last one of these three affordable yet powerful desktop computers is the ASUS CM6870-US-3AC Desktop Computer. It has a respectable 8GB of DDR3 RAM, a Blu-ray player with DVD capabilities and a powerful nVIDIA GeForce GT 545 graphics card with 3GB of dedicated memory. The GeForce GT 545 also supports PCI Express 2.0 and DirectX 11. It also features nVIDIA PhysX and CUDA technology. The GeForce GT 545 offers nVIDIA SLI technology, which implements two-way Alternate Frame Rendering (AFR) for a better gaming experience.

While we listed the unique differences of these three ASUS desktop computers, the similarities are equally impressive. All three house a third-generation, Ivy Bridge Intel Core i7-3770 processor. Its quad cores can reach a speed of up to 3.4 GHz. However, because of Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 technology, the processor can be over-clocked up to a speed of 3.9 GHz. The 8MB of dedicated L3 cache, Intel Hyper-Threading technology and each computer’s respective RAM memory, all three ASUS desktop computers can multitask smoothly and seamlessly.

All three ASUS desktop computers have 2TB hard drives that run at 5400 rpm. They also all have 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 jacks and can connect to wireless networks via the 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, so video-streaming services are able to provide continuously high-res picture quality. They can all output to an HDTV, via their own HDMI port, in Full HD 1080p. Each ASUS desktop computer comes with an included USB keyboard and mouse. They all have Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) as their installed operating system.

Multitasking with Eight Cores

So you’ve heard of quad cores on a processor, but how about eight cores? The ASUS CM1831-US-3AA Desktop Computer comes with an AMD FX-8120 Black Edition processor that has eight cores that can reach a speed of 3.1 GHz. With both an 8MB of L2 cache and an 8MB of L3 cache, the FX-8120 processor excels at multitasking, especially when combined with 8GB of DDR3 RAM. The 32-nanometer architecture of the FX-8120 processor was designed to reduce leakage for improved efficiency, increased clock-rate headroom and better thermals. While most applications won’t be able to take advantage of all eight cores of the FX-8120 processor yet, it’s a great way to future-proof your computer over the long haul.

Integrated alongside the eight cores of the FX-8120 processor are the AMD Radeon HD 3000 graphics, which provide support for PCI Express 2.0 and Microsoft DirectX 11. This allows you to play your favorite PC games at respectable settings as well as play Full HD 1080p content at smooth, consistent frame rates. You can enjoy the HD content even more by connecting the CM1831-US-3AA to an HDTV via the HDMI port. The 10/100/1000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 jack is a given when it comes to connecting to the Internet, but the 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi support allows you to place the CM1831-US-3AA someplace you won’t normally put a computer, such as the living room, kitchen or, if you’re feeling adventurous, the bathroom (not recommended). The 2TB hard drive runs at 5400 rpm and can store all your information. You can also back up your files by burning them to DVDs with the SuperMulti DVD burner if you choose to do so. The USB keyboard and mouse are included and Windows 7 Home Premium (64-bit) is the installed operating system.

Exclusive to ASUS

All ASUS desktop computers mentioned above are built with award-winning ASUS motherboards using the latest Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI), which offers a user friendly graphical interface that goes beyond traditional keyboard-only BIOS controls by allowing convenient mouse input. The exclusive EZ Mode displays frequently accessed system info, while Advanced Mode is for experienced performance enthusiasts who demand far more intricate system control, including detailed DRAM information.

In order to deliver this high-quality performance, the components inside the tower have to be kept an ideal temperature. All ASUS desktop computers in this article have the ASUS exclusive Smart Cooling system and Q-Fan. Smart Cooling and Q-Fan lower operation temperatures by up to 11.4% and can adjust fan speed according to system loading. This enables all ASUS desktop computers to power through any intensive task while maintaining quality performance. Thanks to the ASUS Smart Cooling system and Q-Fan, all ASUS desktop computers in this article are stable, quiet, cool and most of all, efficient.

What really separates these ASUS desktop computers from the competition is their marriage of quality performance and energy efficiency. Each houses the ASUS exclusive EPU chip, which is the world’s first energy-saving controller. The EPU chip allows all ASUS desktop computers in this article to detect real-time CPU loads, which optimizes efficiency and saves up to 40% on overall power consumption. There is also an Eco mode that is accessible with a simple hot key. Simply press Alt + F to enter Eco mode. Also exclusive to ASUS is the Instant On feature, which lets you resume your ongoing applications effortlessly from Eco mode while still keeping your data secure on the hard drive. When in Eco mode, simply press any key to quickly return to where you were, without having to wait for your computer to boot up.

The Perfect Balance

With all these ASUS desktop computers priced at under $1,000, ASUS has proven that quality desktop computers don’t have to come at a premium. With the perfect balance of cost and performance, these ASUS desktop computers perform well without having you breaking the bank.