New XC Cube EZ482 Delivers High-Definition Audio and Video for Hardcore PC Game Enthusiasts and Digital Entertainment
SAN JOSE, Calif., August 8, 2005 – AOpen, an award-winning global leader in PC component and systems design and manufacturing, continues to fill out its lineup of small-form-factor (SFF) PCs with today’s introduction of the XC Cube EZ482, based on ATI’s Radeon® Xpress 200 chipset platform. AOpen selected ATI’s Radeon Xpress 200 for its new EZ482 systems to provide smooth DVD playback and a flexible design that can scale from everyday PC applications to competition-level 3D gaming for powerful performance. The XC Cube barebones systems find appeal with urban style connoisseurs, avid computer enthusiasts, and the most hardcore gamers who are in need of a powerful computer and want to enjoy multi-media functions of a stylish entertainment system.
The new XC Cube EZ482 is AOpen’s first proprietary form factor PC to be based on ATI’s Radeon Xpress 200 chipset with integrated graphics based on the Radeon X300 core. Radeon Xpress 200 includes support for DirectX™ 9.0 graphics and 7.1 channels High-definition Audio. A key feature of the ATI Radeon Xpress 200 chip is support for dual-display management on two monitors and on multiple layers of desktop workspace. The EZ482 takes it one step further with ATI's unique SurroundView™ technology allowing users to add an ATI external graphics card to enable quad-display management for multi-tasking with multiple applications and complex spreadsheets, and specialized engineering and CAD applications.
“Customers demand platforms that combine high performance, powerful 3D visuals and the ability to run any application or operating system—today and into the future. We are now in a position to deliver these features through Radeon Xpress platform technology,” said Reuven Soraya, Director, Platform Marketing, ATI Technologies. “By paring its innovative small form factor XC Cube EZ482 with Radeon Xpress 200, AOpen continues to blaze a trail for gaming and multimedia enthusiasts alike.”
The XC Cube EZ482 brings fast Athlon™ 64 and new Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core processor support and stunning integrated 3D graphics in a SFF that provides exceptional value for the mainstream market segment. The EZ482 features Athlon 64-bit socket 939 CPU support, 1GHz HyperTransport™ enhanced system bus and dual-channel DDR 400 memory. In addition, the EZ482 also includes one PCI-Express x16 slot and HyperMemory for future-proof performance.
“AOpen has selected ATI's latest chipset, Radeon Xpress 200, for use in its new high-end EZ482 system and continues to raise the bar for excellence in the small form factor market, “said Anthony Ma, Senior Product Manager of AOpen America. “Our partnership with an industry leader such as ATI enables us to extend our reach in the marketplace to deliver consumers higher levels of performance, power management and overall flexibility from their XC Cube systems as small form factor PC market continues to rapidly expand."
As usual, the XC Cube systems come bundled with AOpen’s unique CPU cooler. AOpen’s superb Silentek cooling system provides unbelievable thermal performance to cool off the heat generated by CPU installed in the system. The 8 centimeter fan rotates at an extremely slower speed than traditional designs to reduce fan noise.
The EZ482 is expected to begin shipping in August and will be available as a system or barebones unit. The system includes the casing, motherboard and power supply. For more information on the EZ482, or AOpen’s full line of XC Cube solutions, please visit http://www.aopen.com.
About ATI Technologies
ATI Technologies Inc. is the world leader in the design and manufacture of innovative 3D graphics and digital media silicon solutions. An industry pioneer since 1985, ATI is the world's foremost graphics processor unit (GPU) provider and is dedicated to deliver leading-edge performance solutions for the full range of PC and Mac desktop and notebook platforms, workstation, set-top and digital television, game console and handheld device markets. With 2004 revenues of approximately US $2 billion, ATI has more than 2,700 employees in the Americas, Europe and Asia. ATI common shares trade on NASDAQ (ATYT) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (ATY).
About AOpen
Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, with AOpen America's headquarters in San Jose, California, AOpen Inc. is the world's largest total PC component solutions manufacturer and a member of an $18-billion technology group. Leveraging more than 28 years of technology manufacturing experience and more than 1,000 Group patents, AOpen designs, manufactures and markets high-quality, state-of-the-art motherboards; housings; small-form-factor bare systems; VGA cards; white-box notebooks; optical drives; multimedia headsets and headphones; multimedia and network solutions; as well as numerous other PC component products sold through VARs to institutional, corporate, education and government customers, and via retailers to small business and end-user customers.