Gigabyte refreshes BRIX mini PCs with gen 8 Intel ULV CPUs

Gigabyte decided to up the performance by adding ULV CPUs that usually get featured in laptops. (Source: Gigabyte)

The new BRIX versions feature Intel's Core i5-8250U or i7-8850U CPUs with low TDPs. These are considered barebone solutions, as Gigabyte lets users choose their own storage and RAM solutions.

by Bogdan Solca, 2018/03/01

Desktop Kaby Lake

Gigabyte’s BRIX line of mini PCs has been around ever since Intel released the 3rd gen Core CPUs and even included some AMD ultra-low voltage processors. The latest BRIX refresh announced by Gigabyte comes with Intel gen 8 Kaby Lake-R ULV CPUs, but these are still barebone solutions that do not include all the components, letting users customize some specs themselves.

The refreshed BRIX series now includes models powered by Intel’s Core i5-8250U and Core i7-8550U CPUs, with variants that support only one M.2 2280 SSD, plus two taller variants that come with 2.5-inch drive bays in addition. The rest of the specs are standard for all 4 variants:
•   Support for 2 x So-DIMM DDR4 RAM sticks
•   Intel Dual Band Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 4.2
•   Intel Gb LAN card
•   Dual Array Mic
•   Connectors: 2 x USB 3.1 (1 x Type-C), 2 x USB 3.0, audio jack, HDMI and mini DP
•   size: 4.7 x 4.4 x 1.4 inches or 4.7 x 4.4 x 1.8 inches for the taller variants

No info on pricing and availability for the time being, but, keeping in mind that these systems are missing key components, prices are most likely to be south of US$300.