Asustek Computer yesterday launched three own-brand 17-inch LCD monitors, and the company aims to ship 600,000 LCD monitors in 2005, according to sources at the motherboard maker.

Although Asustek designed the LCD monitors, production was outsourced to three contract manufacturers, said the sources, noting that the company is also developing 19-inch LCD monitor models.

In addition to marketing LCD monitors as standalone products, the company plans to bundle the products with its own-brand barebones systems, the sources said. Shipments of the company's own-brand barebone systems are expected to total 600,000 units in 2004, compared to the 260,000 units it shipped in 2003, the sources noted.

Asustek also plans to soon introduce its own-brand complete PC systems, targeting markets in Southeast Asian countries, Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan, said the sources.

The company aims to ship at least 800,000 system products in 2005, including 700,000 barebones and 100,000 complete PC systems, according to the sources.