A rumor started by Matbe.com about the PE20 from Asus being the new Eee PC desktop system isn't true. We have exclusive proof that this isn't the case, as the EP20 will be running Red Flag Linux rather than the Eee PC tweaked version of Xandros.
In fact, the EP20 is part of a new budget range of the Asus Nova P20/P22 with it's twin brother, the PX20 already being on sale in Taiwan. The EP20 and PX20 are also known as the Nova Lite. The two are identical, apart from the fact that the PX20 will run Windows XP and the EP20 will run Red Flag Linux; and from what we can tell, it looks as if Korea will be the first country to get it.
The fact that the EP20 is using Red Flag Linux also puts it out of reach for anyone that doesn't use an Asian language, as Red Flag has been developed especially for the Asian market. However, we'd expect the PX20 to be the model that Asus will be pushing in the rest of the world.
The full spec for the PX20 makes it sound like it could be a dry-run before the new desktop Eee PC launches, as it has very similar hardware to the notebook Eee PC. It has a 900MHz Dothan-based processor, 512kB of L2 cache, 1GB of DDR 400MHz memory, Intel's 910GML chipset with integrated graphics and a 120GB SATA hard drive.
It also features onboard Gigabit Ethernet, four USB 2.0 ports, a slot-loaded SuperMulti DVD drive, 5.1-channel audio and a DVI connector. It's supplied with a DVI to D-sub dongle and it has a pair of built-in, front-mounted stereo speakers. Both models rely on an external power brick for power and this makes it somewhat messy compared to a larger PC with a built in power supply.
Asus also has an entry level version coming called the PX10 or EP10, which seems to have borrowed some of its naming convention from the Eee PC, as it also goes under the name of the Nova Lite Surf, and this model is identical to the PX20, although it lacks the optical drive.
As mentioned, the PX20 or Nova Lite are on sale now in Taiwan and it'll set you back €326 or US$517, although we'd expect the EP20 to be cheaper due to the lack of Windows tax. Time will tell what the desktop Eee PC will look like, but this isn't it, folks.
