Question 1

Does it come equipped with a cd/dvd drive?

I see no mention in either the description, reviews, or Questions and Answers as to whether this unit has a CD/DVD drive.

Since much of my existing PC software came on CDs, this is important to me.

Accepted Answer

Hi Jim,

No it doesn't. However you can use any external USB CD/DVD/Blu-ray drive. I have a Samsung external Blu-ray drive and used it to make an image of the system.

Something else worth mentioning. The system does not seem to have the ability to generate recovery media. There is a recovery partition and I did actually test it and it works (although it took HOURS to complete) but I did not see any why to make a recovery USB drive for reinstallation on a new HD. So you really want to image the drive the first chance you get.

Plus, I did not even see a Microsoft Windows Product key anywhere in the package or on the system. I can most likely retrieve the key from the registry, but I shouldn't have to.

Otherwise this is a nice little system perfect for a media center or general PC usage.

Question 2

what version of windows 8.1 is this running, I wanted to know if I would be able to install Windows Media Center on this or would I need to upgrade windows?

Accepted Answer

OS is a full version of 8.1 plus bing, just think of it as plain 8.1.  Also if u are using for any media purpose I would strongly recommend a SSD replacement when u get it, no caddy required, just foam blocks to hold it in place. The HDD in it is a huge bottleneck, afterwards powers up in 4 sec. and works great.

Question 3

Can this handle my 1920x1080 resolution 27" monitor?
Thanks!

Accepted Answer

Definitely, I have two monitors connected to it at the same resolution. I was surprised how good this little PC works. I got a 2nd one for my guest room. I would recommend it to anyone. So far I have not found any flaw in either of them.

Question 4

I'm looking for a cheap PC to run World of Warcraft, would this be a be able to handle it? My current laptop cant even handle the new HD textures.

Accepted Answer

Well, here goes
Right off the top, I'm no gamer. But just from general knowledge my understanding of them (like the one you mention) is that they are very CPU and video processing intensive. If you look at some of the high-end gaming boxes they are big honking machines w/ tons of CPU cycles and RAM and high speed video. The Asus box is a rather basic A/V unit (I use it for just 2 ch audio streaming and also as a back-up PC). And as such it does just fine. I think gaming. though. would be a stretch for it.

Last resort, you can find a retailer with a return option. If it craps-out send it back.
Hope this helps,
RS

Question 5

if i used the hdmi to connect to my tv will i get sound?

Accepted Answer

Yes,that is what the HDMI connection is all about. HD Video and Sound with it.

Question 6

What version of 8.1 is it? Pro - Enterprise?

Accepted Answer

On the system screen the OS is listed as Windows 8.1 with Bing. It a basic 64 bit version of W8.1. There is a link on the screen for a product upgrade to get more features, but the upgrade would not be free.

Question 7

does this come with dual video cards? Could it be added?

Accepted Answer

It comes with one HDMI connector and one VGA(D-Sub) connector. You can connect a monitor to each one. 
No internal video card can be added, but you can always plug a USB external video dongle.

Question 8

Is this 8.1 Pro or Home edition??

Accepted Answer

This is Windows 8.1 with Bing. The Home edition and the cheapest version which is free to companies. Really, no cost to Asus with the catch that they can't change the search engine or offer other than Internet Explorer.  Search for Windows with Bing or Windows 8.1 SKU

Question 9

can I install office on this?

Accepted Answer

Sure can. It's the same as any other functioning windows computer. However, if you plan on doing heavy multitasking up grade to the I3 or I5 version.  You could get away with Celeron version but it lags at times when you do multiple things at once.

Question 10

is the RAM upgradeable on this machine?

Accepted Answer

yes, I fairly easily upgraded the RAM. Using free program Cpu-z I got the part# and found one on a very popular online auction site for a reasonable amount of monies. This doubled my RAM from 4 to 8 Gb. The screw that holds the door to the RAM is tiny and caused some trouble, otherwise the process is easy.

Questions & Answers