ASUS announced the ExpertCenter today, even though it has been on sale since August, as a slim PC tower aimed at businesses. That might explain the strange mix of connectivity options — there are 11 USB ports in total, PS/2 connectors for legacy keyboards and accessories (no adapter needed for that Model M), HDMI, VGA, DisplayPort, and Ethernet. The front has easy access to SD card slots, USB devices, and headphones — take that, 24-inch iMac.
There’s also a DVD drive, which might be unnecessary for most people at this point, but can still be handy for ripping DVDs. We would have liked to see a Blu-ray drive at this price, though.
Admittedly, the $880 price tag makes the ExpertCenter PC a poor value for most people. You can buy a decent pre-built gaming PC for around the same price, and if you’re not against buying a Mac, the base Mac Mini is much smaller and almost $200 cheaper. There are reasons for it to exist, though — not everyone can use (or wants to use) a Mac, and this is likely quieter and more power-efficient than most gaming PCs. The built-in DVD drive and legacy ports also makes the PC more convenient for anyone frequently using older hardware, though you could also build a custom PC with a drive.
