Viewsonic VOT530 and VOT550 PC Minis

Earlier this year, display maker ViewSonic entered the PC business with its Atom-based VPC100 all-in-one computer, sporting a sleek design and—befitting a monitor company—an 18.5-inch display. Now the company is taking another step into the home computing arena, and it’s pumping up the horsepower and dispensing with the display. The new ViewSonic VOT530 and VOT550 mini PCs boast Intel Core 2 Duo processors, Windows 7, high definition video output, low power consumption—and price tags that might appeal to folks who already have displays or HDTVs around looking for a new brain.

“ViewSonic is changing the way that people think about computing,” said ViewSonic North America VP and general manager Jeff Volpe, in a statement. “By providing our customers with multipurpose devices that serve as both Internet servers and entertainment hubs, we are helping them connect with digital content in the most convenient way possible, whether live streaming video or accessing downloaded content stored on the hard drive.”

The VOT530 and VOT550 each sport 2.2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processors, gigabit Ethernet, 802.11n Wi-Fi, six USB 2.0 ports, DVI-I and S/PDIF output, an eSATA port, along with mic and earphone jacks—plus a remote control for handling media functions from across the room. The VOT530 sports 2 GB of RAM, a 320 GB hard drive, and a DVD±RW Super Multi drive; the VOT550 steps up to 4 GB of RAM, a 500 GB hard drive, and a Blu-ray player/recordable DVD drive. Both systems come with Windows 7 Home Premium edition pre-installed.

Bot the VOT530 and the VOT550 are available now from resellers, with the VOT530 carrying a suggested price of $749 and the VOT550 going for $949.