Build your own Intel Atom Desktop PC

Abe Olandres Editor-in-chief September 22, 2008 · 1 min read

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So here’s a thought. If the Intel Atom processor is being pushed to the desktop, why can’t people buy and build one of their own? Apparently, you can buy one of these tiny CPUs and build your own low-power desktop PC for cheap.

Rising Sun Computers is selling a set of Atom CPU and an Intel motherboard for Php3,000 a pop.

intel atom motherboard

Specs of the Intel BLKD945GCLF Little Falls motherboard and Atom combo include:
Intel Atom 230 (1.6GHz)
1 x 240-pin DDR2 SDRAM Dual Inline Memory Module (supports up to 2GB RAM)
Intel GMA950 on-board graphics
Mini-ITX (compatible wiht micro-ITX) form factor
6 USB 2.0 ports
2 Serial ATA
Realtek Sound and LAN support

No built-in WiFi or Bluetooth in sight (so you need USB dongles for them) but at Php3,000, this Atom+Mobo combination is priced really good.

All you need now is a really small casing to house this mobo and you’re all set. That makes you wonder why the Asus Eee Box costs Php24,900.

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Abe Olandres

Editor-in-chief

Abe is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of YugaTech with over 20 years of experience in the technology industry. He is one of the pioneers of blogging in the country and is considered by many as the Father of Tech Blogging in the Philippines.

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25 Comments

dan · 16 years ago

can we use it ba as our home server?

vaughn · 18 years ago

@yuga i saw an eee box without the monitor @ silicon valley..was priced around 14k

luthien · 18 years ago

@mark
the eee box is different from the eee netbook hence the price.

@sundownproject
is that at SM north? i’m interested in it as a download machine na pwedeng pangmagdamagan. at 20w (tama ba?) mas matipid kumpara sa 500w kong pc tower.

@yuga
i think they’re selling the eee box only when i asked about their display unit, which didn’t have a monitor. but i may also be wrong.

Mark · 18 years ago

@sundownproject
that would probably be one of the previous models of the eee. did you check? if it is at least a 901, tell me the name of the shop. lol.

sundownproject · 18 years ago

Was able to spot an Asus Eee Box in SM costing to around 13k+.

Miguel · 18 years ago

If Asus had corporate support for the Box, including on-site service/replacement and a long warranty, then corp’s would buy it. Especially call centers.

Abe Olandres Editor-in-chief · 18 years ago

@luthien, the 25k price tag includes the monitor. I’m not sure if they allow selling the box separately.

luthien · 18 years ago

nagkamali ba ako ng rinig when i asked a store in megamall kung magkano ang asus eee box na nakadisplay nila sabi P16,500? o baka naman hindi talaga 24,900 yun?

buddy valero · 18 years ago

i actually did one myself, i was able to buy a SFF case in g’hills. size of the case is just 2x that of asus eee box. total cost of my atom desktop is around 11k. but it is spec’d up. 1.8k for the casing, 3k for a 160gb laptop hdd, 2k for slim internal dvdrw and 2k for a 2gb ram.

Robert Bernabe · 15 years ago

Hi, read your post. which shop in greenhills did you see the sff casing? super thanks in advance.

Erin · 18 years ago

what would be good is if they would add it in their mix-and-match selector. i am in the look-out for a cheap, small, low-power unit to serve as download and storage box. i even mailed blue but didn’t receive any reply.

ciao!

Amadeo · 18 years ago

Here in the US complete with mobo, this sells for about $70. Adding the rest like case, Hdd, RAM, etc. will bring the total cost to about $200, translating to under 10K pesos under current exchange rates.

Quite affordable, given that a good TV set probably cost just as much.