Asus Eee Box B206 review

And when we stepped outside of Eee Cinema, into the world of standard desktop applications, things got even worse. Windows Media Player turned our 1080p sample video into a slideshow, while standard definition YouTube videos were unacceptably jerky. High definition YouTube streams were wholly unwatchable, as was BBC iPlayer content.

None of this recommends the Eee Box. Yes, if you disable all background services and hold your breath, you may be able to get Eee Cinema to play a video all the way through without hiccupping. But it's hardly a versatile system, and the element of uncertainty is anathema to the front-room role the B206 so clearly aims for. It's not helped either by the lack of a DVD drive (though that's common with nettops) - and, as a bonus disappointment, the Eee Cinema software lacks any sort of support for watching or recording TV.

If you then consider that the B206 somehow manages to come in at £50 more than the Acer Aspire Revo R3600, the conclusion is depressingly clear. As Acer has showed, the media-capable nettop is an idea with real potential. But though the Eee Box B206 offers an attractive design and some neat and unusual features, fundamentally it's just not quite there.

Author: Darien Graham-Smith