Apex Announces Final Specs For ApeXtreme

AMD to Supply CPU, NVIDIA to Supply Graphics Chip Solution and BioStar to Supply Motherboards for upcoming PC-based game console.

Apex Digital Inc. has finalized the specifications of its revolutionary ApeXtreme (pronounced Apex Extreme) PC game console/DVD player/Digital Video Recorder, it was announced by Apex’s Steve Brothers. At the heart of the system will be AMD’s AthlonXP2000+processor chip; video will be supplied by NVIDIA’s nForce2 IGP graphics processor; all of which will be integrated on a motherboard produced by Biostar. The ApeXtreme will also utilize NVIDIA’s GeForce4 MX graphics card to supply smooth, crisp graphics. Additionally, the company has added DIgital Video Recording (DVR) functionality to the device since it was originally unveiled at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) where it was honored as the “Best of CES” in the “Home Audio & Video” category, as well as being a CES Innovations Design and Engineering Showcase Honoree.

“By creating the first game console that will play PC games and combining it with a full-featured DVD player and a Digital Video Recorder, Apex is defining a new product category,” said Brothers. “And just like with all of our other products, we want to provide the best technology at a price that makes sense to consumers. Working with AMD, NVIDIA and Biostar allows us to do that.”

The ApeXtreme is the first device of its kind. It functions as a home game console designed to play any PC game, a full-featured, high-end home DVD player, and a hard-disk-based Digital Video Recorder – all in one attractive device. The device moves PC versions of electronic games out of the computer room and into the TV room, giving gamers the ability to play their favorite “PC-only” games on a console machine, with a bigger game image – on their standard TV. The enhanced CPU and graphics hardware will deliver superior game performance and more realistic 3D graphics than existing game consoles for gamers of all skill levels.

With the newly announced DVR capabilities, users will have near-total control over their TV viewing. DVR allows them to easily record television programs to the internal hard disk for later playback, or to record, pause and/or rewind “live” television programs as they watch them. ApeXtreme users will have access to TV Guide’s onscreen program guide to help set their personal video recording schedule.

The ApeXtreme will be available to consumers in select markets this Spring. The device will be available everywhere in third quarter of this year. Suggested retail price is $499.

Another major advantage the ApeXtreme will have over existing game consoles is the large library of games available for the device. There are already thousands of PC game titles that can be played on the ApeXtreme – many of which are not even available for existing game console systems. Additionally, there are hundreds of educational, and interactive PC titles, such as cooking, home improvement or art-related offerings, that are not available for use on existing game consoles that users will be able to play on their ApeXtreme. Just like proprietary game consoles, there is no waiting to play games on the ApeXtreme. Unlike personal computers, there’s no “boot-up” time with the ApeXtreme – turn it on, drop in the unmodified PC game CD/DVD and you’re ready to play. The device’s unique game-play ability is made possible by a patented “Drop & Play” Engine, developed by Digital Interactive System Corporation (DISC). Apex has partnered with DISC to be the first to bring this groundbreaking technology to market.

The ApeXtreme combines all the most popular features of Apex Digital’s successful line of Progressive Scan DVD players such as Component, Composite and S-Video outputs with everything a gamer could want in a game console like powerful central and graphics processors, dual channel 256 MHz DDR SDRAM, 40 GB hard drive, five USB connectors and networking capabilities. The device also boasts 5.1 channel Dolby digital audio output, as well as the ability to playback a variety of CD and DVD formats. The ApeXtreme marks Apex Digital’s first DVR-capable device.