Intel’s Atom processor has found a natural place in netbooks and low-cost desktop PCs, but lately it has been making some headway in other markets as well. We saw HP unveil a new Atom-powered MediaSmart Server last month, and now, Acer is matching them with the introduction of its Aspire easyStore Home Server. But while both have the same $400 price tag, Acer’s offering is a bit more generous under the hood.


It sports the same 1.6GHz Intel Atom 230 processor but offers double the amount of DDR2 memory at 2GB. It also ships with a larger 1TB hard drive and three empty hot-swappable 3.5 inch drive bays for a possible total of 7TB of storage – not counting its eSATA slot and five USB ports. In addition, the server features a Gigabit Ethernet port and comes with Windows Home Server pre-installed, of course. Acer claims the AH340-UA230N should be available soon in the U.S. via leading online technology retailers and authorized resellers.