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Lenovo ThinkCentre M90n-1 Nano IoT: A fanless mini PC that can't take the heat

All images via Lenovo
All images via Lenovo
The Lenovo ThinkCentre M90n-1 Nano IoT is a rugged but silent mini PC suited for IT deployments and enterprise use. Unfortunately, the little desktop's performance suffers under load, primarily because of thermal throttling.

We recently reviewed the Lenovo ThinkCentre M90n-1 Nano IoT, a tiny desktop PC with a fanless design. While the computer is completely silent under operation, it falls victim to a fatal flaw: thermal management.

First, the positives: the machine is built like a tank. Its defining aesthetic feature is the fin array adorning the top. These fins are thick and cut from metal, giving the entire device a robust and sturdy feel. Despite its small size, the Nano IoT offers a bevy of ports, including several USB-A 3.1 Gen 2 ports, two Ethernet ports, and two serial ports. The device is completely silent and does not not draw much power.

Unfortunately, the trade-off for its silent operation is poor thermal management. The device handles short bursts of activity well enough, but workloads longer than a minute or two cause the Core i3-8145U to heavily pull back. As such, longer workloads fall far behind competitors in terms of performance. Thermal throttling is a common occurrence for the Nano IoT, and the entire experience is frustrating as a result.

Overall, the Nano IoT is a device targeted for very specific use cases. IT professionals looking for a silent device that can handle quick workloads may be interested, but the Nano IoT is a poor choice for general consumers.

Be sure to read our full review of the Lenovo ThinkCentre M90n-1 Nano IoT here.

Buy ThinkCentre Nano M90n-1 now on Amazon

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2020 01 > Lenovo ThinkCentre M90n-1 Nano IoT: A fanless mini PC that can't take the heat
Sam Medley, 2020-01-16 (Update: 2020-01-14)