There are plenty ofexcellent laptopsfor productivity work, but sometimes it still makes sense to go with a desktop PC. ASUS has now announced theExpertCenter D7 SFF, a Windows desktop with a slim design and a few interesting features.
ASUS announced theExpertCentertoday, even though it hasbeen 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 thatModel M), HDMI, VGA, DisplayPort, and Ethernet. The front has easy access to SD card slots, USB devices, and headphones – take that,24-inch iMac.
ASUS is allowing companies to customize their builds, but the $879.99 model available through Amazon has a 12th-generation Intel Core i5-12400 processor (with six cores and 12 threads), Windows 11 Pro, 512GB of NVMe storage, and 16 GB RAM. There’s no dedicated graphics card in the entry-level model – it’s strictly a productivity PC.
There’s also a DVD drive, which might be unnecessary for most people at this point, but can still be handy forripping DVDs. We would have liked to see a Blu-ray drive at this price, though.
ASUS ExpertCenter D700SD
This slim desktop PC is built for businesses, but it’s a capable option for home use if you don’t want a gaming PC.
Admittedly, the $880 price tag makes the ExpertCenter PC a poor value for most people. you may buy a decent pre-built gaming PC foraround the same price, and if you’re not against buying a Mac, thebase Mac Miniis 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 andmore power-efficientthan 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.
